New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-03-09
NEWS OF THE DAY.
THE WAR.

The expedition, under Col. Phelps, which left
Belle Plain in steamers on Tuesday for Nor,humber.
land County, Va, was successful, and returned TO
headquarters on Saturday. The troops visited
Heathsville, which they found deserted by the
Rebels Then, throwing out large foraging parties,
they succeeded in capturing LOCO bushels OF corn,
so horses and mules, and large number Of fine beef
cattle. Two post-offces and several stores were
visited, and two important Rebel mails captured
The cavalry also seized number OF horses ana
mules. Some prisoners were taken, among tnem
Col. Claybrook, q prominent Rebel officer, ana TWO
clerks in the departments at Richmond, with guam
tty of correspondence for citizens OF Baltimore, and
official papers addressed to parties III London, to the
care Of Barring Brothers. The country was deserted
and almost barren.
We have reports that the pirate steamer Reiri'
bution attacked and sunk q wbaler in the Caribbean
Sea. which showed fight and killed one man on
board the pirate. The entire crew OF the whaler
were sunk with her. The Retribution had previ-
ously captured q bark, three brigs and schooner.
The captain of the brig Condor, from Porto Rico
Doth ult., reports that when about forty miles from
that place he saw a three-masted, bafk.rigged
steamer making all sail in the direction of that port
about the same size, which appeared to be chasing
her. They both had full head OF steam on, but
from the distance--seven or eight miles-the brig
was from the two steamers the captain could not
state which gained the better Of the race.
According to the cphering of a reasonable sheet
in this city, whenever it speaks Of the natioDas cur
rency, the Rebel greenbacks are now worth good
deal less than nothing. When gold here was al IS
premium, that stupid paper insisted that currency
was worth but rs per cent; when gold got 10 -, it
put paper a. 81. Now in Richmond gold is 300; 80
by Express arithmetic paper is 200 per cent worse
than nothing. The Rebel spectators put gold up
from $50 to 300 in a single day. 1t is not difficult to
guess from this fact that the prospects Of the Con.
federacy are getting foggy.
The Rebel Secretary of War makes some very
important admissions in his last report regarding the
strngency of the blockade, and the difficulty Of OBJ
tanning supplies for the army. He appreheDds
difficulty in obtaining suficiency Of arms and am.
muniton, but the question Of subsistence is an alarm.
ing one The harvests Of the past season have not
generally proved proptous, and Notwithstanding the
much larger breadth Of land devoted to the culture
of cereals and forage the product in many extensive
districts is below the average.
Western papers say that the canal from the
Mississippi River to Lake Providence has been COM
pleted, and the steamer Continental has passed
through. A large division Of the army, nclud-
ing the Seventh Missouri, Eighth, Twentieth.
Thir.oth and Eghty-frst Illinois, and some others,
under Gems. Logan and Macarthur, was ready for
transportation through the Lake.
Richmond papers of the 5th INST contain tele-
grams from Savannah, announcing another attack on
Fort McAllister on the 81. Three iron.clads and
two mortars opened Oh the fort and succeeded in
dismounting an S-inch co,umbisd and wounding
two men-sccordiDg TO the Rebel report. The al
tack was continued nearly all night, bat not
nswed next day. The fort is said to be uniniured
Cen. Wool has Issued an order to Surgeon Chas.
McDougal, Medical Director Of the Department of
the East, to cause thorough examination Of ell
prisoners charged with desertion report the
at headquarters az: Those who are permanently unfit
for military duty those who temporarily unfit
for military duty and those who are tit for military
duty.
We publish this morning much interesting ne ws
from the South. 1t appears that the gunboat lndi-
anola captured by the Rebels, was blown up by
them, and all her guns fell into Union hands. Where
it happened we are not told. Something strange
about tbis-probsbly something not told.
-Dispatehes from Toronto speak Of the arrival in
Canada OF number of renegade Americans who
have fed to British territoryto avoid the draft.
Cowards well got rid OF.
-Ex-Congessman Vallandghain addressed the
Copperbesds Of this region on Saturday evening