St. Mary's beacon., 1862-04-10

The News
The non-arriyal of Yesterdays mail
leaves US without news from the war of
later date than Tuesday. Our exchanges
of that date show tlat great and decisive
movements were Oh hand. and. although
they report nothing definite as to the char
actcr Of these movements or the success
that has thus far attended them. they still
contain something that m,y be of interest
TO such as arc skilled in the art Of guess
ing. For example, VIC are told that, q
week or more since the Fcdcrals made an
advance from Fortress Monroe and occupied
Great Bethel, and further, that this move
mcnt was the precursor Of grand son
to Richmond" advance ria Yorktown
The next day We were told sha: recon-
noi.ance, in force. had taken place from
this point and that the "r,tcls" were found
to he very numerous in this region. Next
follows q weeks silence when Great
Bethel sgain,. 6gures in the press and
turns up once AQre in tho occupancy Of
the "rcbels." Now, if the Felerals &C.
cupied Great Bethel week ago, with q
view to q further advance in this quar-
ter, and reconnaissance in force was
made and found the "rcbels." and still
there was no fght-at least none is re-
ported-how is il that the Confederatcs
now occupy the late Federal outposts ?
Did the mere sight Of the Confcdcratcs
superinduce this rcirogadc step? Or. has
the proposed attack upon Yorktown been
abandoned We are confident that the
latter inquiry must be negaaived, for we
have been since officially Informed by
Gen. Wool that Yorktown is to be surely
and speedily captured. OF course it will
mot do for us to shy there has been fight,
Or even insinuatc that the Fcdcrals have
been worstcd, but as We know Of no law
yet enacted by which guessing is made
an offence. We will be bold enough to
assert, that VIC rather guess there has
been fight somewhere near Fortress
Monroe, the result of which snay be very
readily imagined from the official silence
that has succeeded it,
Rumors from the army of the Potomac
are vague and contradictory We learn,
on to-day. that the Fcderals are still on
the advance and that the "rcbcls" have
hccn driven across the Rappahannock
Tomorrow the news comes, that the Con-
federates sill occnry Manassas and Center
vile and that the Federals have fallca
back upon Alexandria and Washington.
Rumors arc in circulation that one or more
desperate engagements have taken place
near Drainsvillc and Manassas, in which
the Federals have been defeated, but
nothing corroborant Of these runners has
been received. OF this mucl, we are sat-
isfed. So long as We get no news from
the war of a definite character, the FEEDER
MS are gaining no victories, whilst it by
no means follows that they arc not suffer.
ing defeat.
The ncws from the West shows that
Island No. 10 still holds out and that
no impression has yet been made upon the
works by the Federal gunboats. 1t i.
now conceded that this place cannot be
reduced by Com. Foote, unless aided by
large land force. ind each day, it is
stated. adds to the strength of it's f"rti-
ica,ions and garrison. The Confederates,
under Beaurcgard. arc IT'LL at Corinth and
are estimated to number frola 60. 900 to
2OO. 600. An immense Federal force was
within fifteen miles Of this post nearly
= week ago and probably ere this the great
fight of the war has taken place. Prices
army is said to be about to join Beaure-
gard as have likewise Briggs, Floyd. and
Johnston's commands. together with largo
numbers of volunteers from West Tennss.
see and the Gulf States.
The news from Fortress Monroe shows
that very large force is being rapidly
concentrated there, with probable view
Of operating against Yorktown and Nor
folk. At latest accounts, the Merrimae
had not made her appearance. though
daily expected in the Rhodes. Gen.
Hookcr's division. formerly stationed at
Budd's Ferry. in Charles County. has
been attached, We learn. to Gen. Woors
command.
Late intelligence from Savannah shows
that Fort Pulaski has not yet been
attacked, and that il is prepared to stand
six months seige, with its present sup.
ply Of provisions and ammunition. Moth
ing further is known Of Con. Porter's