Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-04-16
.c,, Position of cen. woster.

The New York Express has the follow
'6ng interesting particulars relative to the
situation Of Gen, Foster At Little Wash,
ipgton, N. g.;
son the Doth ull,, Gen Foster, with
norton of Spinolq's and Princes brigades,
soomprisng the Pennsylvania regiments Of
SCoIouels McKihhn. Dyer, Bear, 18th n,
Nv the 18TH N. Y. and the LIST North
ACqrolna Volunteers, started for Little
washington. on the junction of the Tar
Nand Pamhco rivers, where they entrench-
ii themselves. I'm the meantime the reb-
bis erected q very powerful battery on
Swan Point, some five miles below Wash
sngton which commands the channel which
al tina, point is very marrow and runs close
M shore. Thus the communication with
me base of supplies, Newbern, is COM
pletelv cut off, as no other than iron-clsd
vessels can pass that point,
Gen. Magruder, with some 5000 rebels
4 attacked Fosters position from the land
\ side, and thus completely surrounded him.
i This must have occurred on Tuesday or
Wednesday of last week, for the cannon
aiding was heard quite plainly at Newbern
on the LIST, ID and Sd. On the afternoon
of the latter day there was a cessation of
firing, but what was the cause nobody
could tell, as the communication was cut
off,
The aforesaid battery is erected on a
very high bluff, anlno vessel can approach
70 Washington nearer than eight miles
still the l6lst Pennsylvania and Massa-
chusetts regiment were sent on Friday
from Newbern to Gen. Foster, but it is
doubtful whether they will reach him.
] There is, however, no anticipation of a
! disaster, as Gen. Foster is thought to be
sufficiently strongly intrenched to hold out
for at least f,rtnight, by which time the
blockade will be raised by the Navy.
The BURNING OF JACKSONVILLE,
FLA.-The Trbune's correspondent attrib-
ltes the destruction of Jacksonville 10 un-
authorized vandalism Of the white soldiers.
He SAYS:
at gives me pleasure to report that the
negro troops took no part whatever in the
preparation of this vandalism. They had
nothing whatever to do with II, and were
simply silent spectators of the splendid
out sad spectacle. The 9th Connecticut
charged it upon ths o., on m,,-,i,,,rr . and the
9Th Maine hurl it back upon the 9th Con-
necticut After the fires in different parts
J Of the city had broken ont, Colonel Rust
ordered every man to be shot who should
be found applying the torch. But the Or
der came too late. The provost marshal
and his guard could not shoot or arrest the
wind Nc human power could stay its
ravages The whole city. mansions, ware
honses. trees, shrubberv and orange groves
all that refined taste and art through
many years have made beautiful and At
tractive, are being tapped up and devoured
by this howhng fiery blast One solitary
woman, horse tied To a fence between
two fires, and lean, half starved dog, are
the only living inhabitants to be seen on
the streets. Fifty families, most of them
protesting Union sentiments, have been
taken on board the transports and provid-
ed with such accommodations as the tubs
will afford. Some of them have been able
TO save bed and few chairs, but most
of them have nothing in the world but the
clothes upon their backs. Yesterday the
beautiful little cottage used as the Catho-
lie parsonage, together with the church
was fired by some of the soldiers, and in a
short time burned to the ground. Before
the flames had fairly reached the church,
the soldiers burst open the doors and COM
menced sacking it of everything of value
The organ was in a moment torn into
strips, and almost every soldier who came
out seemed to be celebrating the occasion
by blowing through an organ pipe"
-
CONSOLIDATION or REGIMENrs.-The
/. War Department has issued an important
order for the consolidation of reduced reg.
iments The following are the most i'm.
portant regulations:
Infantry. First-Each regiment will
be consolidated into five or less number
Of companies. and the Colonel, Major and
one Assistant Surgeon mustered out.
CdUdCry. Sec0ad-Each regiment will
be consolidated into six or a less number
of companies, and the Colonel. two Major.
and one Assistant Surgeon mustered out
ATtihery. 7hird-Each regiment will
be consolidated into six or less number
of batteries, and the Colonel, two Majors
and one Assistant Surgeon mustered out
Foerih-The companies and batteries
formed by consolidation will be of the
maximum strength, and Will be organized
as now directed by the laws and regula.
tons. The first letters Of the alphabet viii
be used to designate the companies.
Fifth-The company officers, commits.
stoned and on-commissioned, rendered
supernumerary, will be mustered out o.
the service at the date of consolidation
All other officers and commissioned
officers will be retained.
SiGth-The officers to be retained will
be selected by the Division and Corps
Commanders, under the direction of the
Commanding General or D partment, from
among the most efficient officers of the re-
spectiye regiments.
MAnP yUIeEp Tho Nau, Vo,l- I'LL