Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1862-02-13

means Of defence concentrated by the Confede-
rates at Fort Donelson may have deferred Grant
from making his expected attack.
/ Later dispatches from Fort Henry represent
| the Federal forces under General Grant as still
encamped in the vicinity of their late conquest
Fort Henry. has already been abandoned as un-
tenable, the water of the river having risen and
oyerdowed the Fort. The Federal troops now
occupy an abandoned position on the opposite
bank of the river. Preparations are said to be
making for an advance on Fort Donelson. One
Confederate gunboat has been deserted and
burned by her crew to prevent her from falling
into the hands of the Federal flotilla.
There is really nothing positively known with
regard to the success or failue of the Burnside
fleet in its attack on Roanoke Island That the
projected attack did take place on Friday last
lis the only fact that is entirely reliable Be-
yond this we learn, on what is said to have been
no less authority than that of General Huger,
that during the engagement on Friday the Fed
eral gunboats were twice repulsed, or, more
probably, drew off to repair damages 1t is
evident that no very serious impression had, at
that time been made on the Confederate fortifi-
cations as the battle was resumed the following
day and was continued until towards evening,
when the Federal fotia is said to have again
retired. It was supposed that fourth attempt
would be made on Sunday; but whether the en-
sagement was renewed, as rumor states it was
to have been, or whether all operations against
the Island have been indefinitely postponed, we
have yet to learn. The Associated Press des-
patch states that one or two Confederate gun
boats we're sunk by the fire from the fotila-
GN,n0 lev f>r$ &c -, 10
rumor that some gunboats have been sunk but
whether they were Federal or Confederate boats.
or whether there is any truth in the story at ALL
cannot be ascertained until we obtain the official
account of the engagement, and we shall be
most fortunate If we get at the exact truth
even then.
1 The sloop-of-war Savannah, which arrived at
New York on Friday from Port Royal, having
left that place. on Saturday week, states that the
expedition towards Savannah had been exagge-
rated. It was simply a reconnaissance. Com
Dupont complains of indiscreet revelations by
the newspaper correspondents The Savannah
Republican of Wednesday last, four days after
the Savannah left Port Royal, states that the
Federal gunboats still held a position readily
commanding the main passage of the river, and
thus cutting off communication between the city
and Fort Pulaski.
The Norfolk papers confess that the IRON
plated monster gunboat Merrimac is a failure.
Her draught has been SO increased by her armor
that she can only be foated in the deepest water,
and in replacing her in the dock she received a
strain which has developed great tendency
to "hog."
l -
General Lander telegraphs to Washington
that he advanced on Romney on Friday with
eight thousand men. The Confederates evacua-
ted the town, destroyed fine wire bridge over
tie south branch of the Potomac, and retreated
| 10 tie direction of Winchester.
lssThe Confederates are erecting more forsidca-
fonas near Norfnlk:; They advertise in the Nor
blk Dey Book for one hundred laborers to,work
thereon. They are not particular whether the
applicants are "irecncn Or slaves