Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-01-01

The Nicksburg Wig OF the 18th says
Two Union gunboats went up the Yazoo
! on the 9th inst. At Blake's plantation
they run over two torpedoes, which ex-
pleded without doing mischief. The boats
fired tour shots and withdrew.
The publication of the Memphis Gren-
ada Appeal will soon be resumed at Jack
SOD, Miss. az 5000 rea~ --=~a
Nashville, Dec. 21.-Morgan was re-
ported in force at Hainesville Friday
night, and preparations were made for
him. Gen. D. Stanley followed sharply
with cavalry to Rural Hill, but found no
signs of the enemy. We have reports
that Morgan has crossed the Cumberland,
in strong force, at Rome, above Haines.
Vile, but there is no confirmation yet. A
rebel detachment, with artillery,i threw
about fifteen shells yesterday evening.
where they supposed our pichets were.-
| Gen. Vau Cleve sent force after them,
and they skedaddled.
Twenty rebels in O. S. overcoats under.
took to surprise Col. Stanley's escort of
cavalry of ID men and were badly han
died. Stanley's men fought bravely, Sc
| verely .wounding the rebel commander,
killing two or three and chased the enemy
home. This afternoon Stanley's brigade
was attacked while foraging, and the ere
my again repulsed, three or four of them
wounded, as many killed and six captured.
| The remainder of skirmishing during the
week was in our favor. Reports continue
to exaggerate the rebel strength, but TO-
600 is very big estimate.
New York, Dec. 22- Official returns of
the loss at Fredericksburg are: killed,
LIPS; wounded, 9,1O5 missing, 2,07s.
The Times says Seward, yesterday, con
sented to resume his portfolio. Mr.. Chase
has his resumption under advisement.-
His decision will be announced to day
The Herald learns from Baltimore that
the rebels are supposed to be moving
large bodies of troops to the west. There
are literally no troops in Richmond or on
the peninsula.
Lee has $4,000 at Fredericksburg, in
GLIDING gu rrillas. There are no other
troops in Virginia, except $1,000 at Pc
tersburg. There are 40, 900 at Charleston,
| The great mass of the rebels is being
concentrated towards Vicksburg, and at
that place there will be 100000 troops in
a few days.
The Times Washington special an.
nounces the return of the committee on
the conduct of the war from Falmouth. -
Halleck and Meigs will be examined Mon
day.
The Times dispatch says: Burnside
assumes all responsibility, and firmly be-
lieves he could have carried the enemy's
works Sunday, had it not been opposed
by his council of war.
The Richmond Dispatch states that
Gov. Letcher has determined to hold the
Union prisoners taken r Gently by Gen.
Floyd IN solitary confinement until Col.
Thomas, alias French lady, is released by
Lincoln.
The Tribune says the rumor of the re-
moval of Gen. Sazton is unfounded.
The Times Washington correspondent
says Senator Wilson has been assured
most explicitly by the Secretary of War,
that Seward had nothing to do with the
Banks expedition, and it was unjust to
hold him responsible.
A Herald army letter says Sgel's forces
are on the way to Fairfax Court House.
Washington, Dec. 22.-There is wide
spread desire that Banks should be ap-
pointed to a Department. Jesse nden's
friends express the opinion that he will
decline the State portfolio offered him.
Nothing positive is known as to what
Lincoln will do.
Washington, Dec. 22-The President
has acknowledged the reception OF the
resignation of the Secretary of State, Mr..
Seward, and the Secretary of the Treasu-
ry, Mr.. Chase, and has informed them
that after elaboration he has come to the
conclusion that acceptance of their resig-
nations would be incompatible with the
public welfare. The President has there
fore requested both to resume their re-
spective functions. They have resumed
their places as heads of their respective
departments.
New York, Dec. 22-The Commercial
has Washington special stating that there
will be no change in the cabinet. Those
who sent in their resignation will with
draw them.
Headquarters Army Potomac, Fall
mouth, Va, Dec. 1910 H. w. Halleck,
Gen. in. Chief :-General-I have the hon
or to offer the following reasons for NOV
ing the Army of the Potomac across the
Rappahannock sooner than was anticipa-
ted by the President, Secretary of War or
yourself, and for crossing at point differ
ent from the one indicated to you at our
last meeting at the Presidents. During my
preparations for crossing at the place had
first selected, | discovered that the enemy
had thrown large portion of his force
down the river and elsewhere, thus weak.
ening his defences in front, and also that
he did Dot anticipate the crossing of our
whole force at Fredericksburg, and hoped
by rapidly throwing the whole comm and
over at that place to separate by vigor-
Gus attack the forces of the enemy on the
river below from the forces behind and on
the crest in the rear of the town, in which
case we could fight him with great advan.
tage in our favor.
To do this we had TO gain a height on
the extreme right of the crest, which
height commanded the new road lately
made by the enemy for purposes of more
rapid communication along his lines, which
point gained his positions along the right
crest would have scarcely been tenabe,
and he could lave been driven from them
easily by an attack on his front in con-
nection with a movement in the rear of
the crest.
How near we csme to accomplishing
our object future reports will show. But
for the fatal, unexpected, and unavoidable
delay in building the bridges, which gave
the enemy "a hours more in which to
concentrate his forces in his strong posi-
lions, we would almost certainly have
succeeded, in which case the battle would
have been, in my opinion, far more decs-