The New York herald., 1863-04-15
IMPORTANT FRCN THE BLAcKWATER.
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ADVANCE. OF TIE REBEL FORCES.
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PREPARATIONS TO RESIST THEM.
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Women, Children and Foreign
ers Ordered to Leave.
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Capture OF Several Union
OutpOsts.
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HOW COL. KMBALL WAS KILLED.
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General CorcOran an Acting
Major General,
HOW COL. NMBALL WAS KILLED.
Our sumoik Correspondence.

Good Asain--Ths EncaJtment-A Pris0per zdheR, and
What He Said-7hs Rebs, P,dns-CSsona Spears Ca
cairy Brrgade-Area Of Secessioniss-7ae Womew Leav
ie-An Esplosioa--The Capss- GsneraI Peck's Head
Preparations Station Abandoned
TAs Negro mpsseat-Ths Sutieys Fiuyy, de- DC
For several days past have been expecting an at
tack this place. and to that end have been very vg
liant in the finishing up Of fortincaons and other like
defences We had heard the army in front Of
In an almost starving condition. and meditated
attack Suffolk for the purpose Of getting the subsst
stores In this place also that thev had been
mnating heavy force the line Of the Blackwater be-
tween Franklin and Zani. and had been bridging tho
Backwater river in various Places besides bringing
poa,Oon bridges rom somewhere in the neghborhood Of
Richmond.
few minutes ago we received information that tho
rebels nd. ancing in force. seems thsy proceeded
slowly along until they within milo Of our adj.
pickets, when they made charge and captured
the most advanced Of all while another party o rebel
cavalry took blind path 70 another road, got below
cavalry picket station and OF those this named
point. lieutenant 10 among those thus Saken Dur
patrols and pickets below the town and
arrived at advanced signal station gust a negro
reached here bringing Information Of shs enemy's ap
proach IN force Through the exraerdMpry prompness
Of the signal ccer fherc, Lieutenant Thayer who sig
nazed from his station while the enemy firing
him and his assistants, the news communicat to
General PECK by Lieutenant Tamolin also Of the signal
corps and by the OF the Instruments Of this corps
the whole infantry artillery and cavalrywas got
ready for immediate action.
The attacking force, usual, was cavalry. In an
incredibly short space Of time whole
arms, manning the deeoocs and cavalry out tho
roads, trot march, 20 give the enemy the bslent Of
hasty but reception. General Peck out, tco,
from his headquarters seeing the execution Of np
orders, and thereby spiriting those who him he
rode here and there smd the ascending clouds DUST
for you must know tat ths mud disappeared with
fhs friug commsoesd At about SKIP NJ The streets
are alive With excitement The copc OF the town
and ihere from house 10 another, and mother are
hnFgmg their chi1ren to their breasts ss II 10 shield
them from harm che enemy have attacked Ne on Gen.
pris ner has just now been brought In He says they
se,ss sss ssr =
light: that General jenkins division In moving us Ia
ono direction and Ge"crsl Hoods in another and ether
intent f thesxemy try and got between and
fok and Portsncaia and thereby cut oil tsegraphc
receiving reinorcements As write this prisoners
passing Ihsy express eladucss being taken, for
they anticipate some>hns good oeat
Col SEear has advanced with his cavalry brigade to
point mile the Baekwaier road, which Is 10 tho
railroads cross each other The enemy h now IN 4
straight line, about four miles from here. Col Spear
ng sk,rmishere forward TO the edge Of Tho woods few
shots have been cd from Fort Rosecrans by order OF
Gen Terry order TO get the range and let the encuy
know that wo sre impatient for an attack.
The Provost Guard have been engaged In arrest
ing all the men IN town known to be rank
secessonists and conducting them TO jail THIS
10 prevent them from escaping during the night,
for the OF carrying information 10 their brother
secessionsts. The women greatly indignant about
thrs proceeding the cry ing lamentiug
scoding and damniDg the Yankees best suits their
degree Of feekng
large number OF ladies' some u them Northern on e.
the Frunkn Railroad depot sitting around waiting
fora train 70 convey them to Portsmouth, whence they
will procsea 70 NORFOLK.
All the houses in town searched during the day
for firearms and ammunition.
An impression prevailing N town that the encmys
attack General Tcrrys iront IS but ient TO
surprise movement In some other direction.
Ath " past eight O'Clock The peopse of the
startled by tile sound and reverbs rrtons incsdent 10
what may BE- termed a terrific explosion.
IL was caused by the blowing q the bridge the
Nanscmond river The espsion a oueh 40 torcILs M
its character did not fully accomplish ~ and next
TO powder we had 70 resort 70 The sxe lLe bridge now
total wreck, and Il The enemy rested 10 make a
dash 10 and ovoE It. ami ihas get int -o he has beea
completely foied
O'Clock was highly Amusng lin-s@' ma"r general
sitting at table Ia lortan Icak 90 foSrn MAPS all
around him, aud aids de fevrry wtom ap-
pears in greata hurry 10 fgal he ssion they
all TO be made srgadier genrras ccs des Aices into
one hand u the MAJOR General thalfter pokes few
OF bread his mouth. sd-s camp rnessen
gers delivering into his whole volume the ing
,ph language the Major General makes frutess al
tempt 10 swallow cup OF scsdug tea and YOU have
faint descrpttonof scenes At headquarters all this
for the sake o enjoying the luxury Of beag gene
raj with fair mespsct OF having your name wrong In
AZ the chief ouar,srmsster's once (ssat s, Major
Dodges, late Captain Dodge's) the scene different
piled high up with ocers' goods and sbaisv
TO be transported forthwith 20 Norfolk. should
become miitAry necessity to issue that expressive
AZ nalfpasi nine O'Clock had to abandon our out.
enough 70 pick our men on while engaged n sgnslisiur
This was d,ne Immediately atsh portion Of cavalry
rte Bsckwaier road we're heavily nred upon and driven
adair and an ingenious one too consists Of nothing
more nor ess than huge toe With the top sawed or and
me reader must know that have what IA known az
she "unon CITY, or Aeraham'l Calamity, \, here being
sssaement-exiensive. too--cr coutrsbsnds The city
got 10 be quite large place. boastng forty or
uyuts or one story shantles In these buildings live
m any families Of blacks. in many Of them live Two or
III pes families just now the uEigs areawfuIy scared
tn W appear az though hat Wild, running here aud
,,an scms are irsn,,s sIy hax."a Their s bssr
hum natures and through all the piteow actions
a is Wing as though they srpeciso" Nss.s wssa good
lnrss Drt, oh, " he cotcbse me OATS what's the
,nsttc" Many negroes Irving INST of town ave ske-
daddii " ~ towards PmSsnouth right lively, 40 I
The iowa. eleven o o'eook- -,snight Is in a asai -
v-ia'e OF qgetuds occslon the pis
ent. hI-iss owing 10 to fact az having the rlgbt
man In tic right place. vH Prorcst Marshal, uay0r
Smith, of he One iil,dred snt fweii New YORK bas
o"e sse, e sss .sr Va, % ~ - ~ s,an nn ,en
.ta c,t,la1y rrr al imprpa ~ rioio1s crowd ~
stizels are lgu-@,. lheif h,~es are coscd. ihoue
L hi may - -eel rniuE rfii1aully w8iti oh ID y
,,re tfssl o. -"4 theae istra l-rrie tsc ehy rou
w. WIN but tw tuufs we're
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