Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-04-10

y,
ignorance of the fact on Friday, at which time
a telegram to the Richmond papers announced
the Decentralization, under cover of three gun
boats, of a considerable body Of Federal troops
on Seabrook's lsland-a point distant some
twenty-five miles from Charleston.
No intelligence had been received up to one
o'clock yesterday by the Department at Wash
ington in regard to the operations against
Charleston, beyond what has been already
published from the Richmond papers. Charles
ton papers received at Fortress Monroe, ac-
knowledge that a combined attack by the Fe-
deral army and navy had commenced but, it
is said, that they do not indicate whether the
Federal forces had met with success or a re-
pulse. Then follows the singularly equivocal
announcement, that :" it is generally believed
that at least no repulse has been sustained by
our troops or our feet" and, finally, we are
assured that " there is the best reason to be-
lieve that the loyal people will soon hear of
the capture and occupation Of the spot where
Charleston once Oas locatedP'
Official dispatches have been received at
Washington, representing that large force
Of Confedcrates has been concentrated at or
near Washington, North Carolina, and the
belief is expressed that about the 3lst of
March, General Foster was engaged in fight
ing them.
With the approach of warm weather the ne
gro is getting into bad oGor Secretary Stan
ton telegraphs to Philadelphia that no authori-
ty has been given to any person, by the War
Department, for raising colored troops in that
city and we learn from other sources that no
further efforts will be made to organize negro
regiments in the Free States.
WEDNESDAY, April 9.-That combined ma
val and military attack is soon to be made
upon Charleston, Savannah or some other
Southern port appears to be beyond doubt {;
but that the bOmbardment of Charleston has
commenced, or that any military movements
in force looking to that end have as yet been
undertaken is not confirmed by the latest news
from the South. The prize steamer Aries left
Port Royal for New York on Saturday last,
and up to that time it is certain that no blow
had been struck. The large force of Federal
troops, which it is reported had diSembarked
on SeabrOoks Island turns out TO have been
nothing more than scouting party. 1t is
nevertheless evident that some decided course
Of action in some quarter has become a mat
ter Of paramount necessity, and as Rosecrans
is not yet in a condition TO move; as Banks
is confessedly too weak to venture an advance
on Port Hudson, and as Grants ingenuity
and persistence have been most signally baf-
fed, tits from the Gulf that we shall probably
FIRST learn that the contending armies have
BY a later telegram from Washington under
the caption OF O. The Attack on Charleston"
we are informed semi-oiiicially, tina: it is
known there that the iron-clads and gunboats
left Port Royal on Wednesday last, LIST inst
and lg0Uld probably reach the scene Of opera
tons on THursday eve1ing. If the point Of in
tended destination were really Charleston har-
Dor, the timc-thirty-six hours-whch it j.
intimated it would take to reach what is mys-
teriously called . the scene Of operations is
certainly much longer than is usually required
even for naval turtles to overcome a distance
of sixty miles. We have already noted the
fact, moreover that the Richmond papers of
Saturday last make no mention Of the arrival
of the Beet, and that the Aries which left Port
Royal also on Saturday, brings no tidings
whatever either OF the sailing of the feet or
of having passed it off Charleston.
From Tennessee General Rosecrans reports
that the Federal cavalry, under General Stan
ley have driven Morgan from the peninsula,
and have returned to camp with some forty
or fifty prisoners and u number af horses and
mules.
A despatch from Kansas informs us that
messengers from Major Rausovers battery
and the Kansas Cavalry report severe Skin
mishes recently with guerrillas, in which
some twenty-five Of Me latter were killed and
Southern sympathzers in Kansas were burned
last week, and some cattle were taken.
BY the arrival at New York of the steamer
Eastern Queen from New Orleans, we are in
formed that whilst at Fort st. Philip, South
west Pass, a telegram was received which am
nounced that the ConieGerates had commenc-
ed TO eyacuate Port Hudson; which piece of
news is certainly most Importantly true
The brigade Of Colonel Dudley accompanied
By the gunboat 3arataria, had returned from
an expedition TO the west side of the Missis-
sippi, during which the Confederate steamer
Hope was captured and burned, and twenty
two hundred barrels of molasses and fifteen
thousand bushels of corn, together with
machine shop, granary and sundry other
buildings, were destroyed.
THURSDAY, April 9-The New York Erening
Post Of Yesterday states that, Oh the 4th inst,
General Foster, with one brigade and a regi-
ment of Federal troops, was at Little Washing
ton, North Carolina, VIRTUALLY surrounded"
by the Confederatcs, who had erected bate
ries below him on Tar river, which the gun
boats escorting reinforcements in transports
were unable to pass. 1t was also believed
thata battle had already taken place, as heavy
firing was heard, which lasted from Wednes-
day night until Friday night; but the result
Of the engagement, it is said, is not known
ship Columbia, from New Orleans ria Havana,
we learn that the United States gunboat Da-
ma, which formed part of General Weitzel's
expedition has been captured by the Coniede-
rates at Pattersonville Louisiana. AT the
time she was attacked, the Diana had on
board, in addition to her usual crew, two
companies Of Federal troops. Nearly all the
officers are reported as having been either
killed or wounded. All that remained, after
the fight was over-ninety-nin in number
were taken prisoners and paroled.
We suppose we may accept as authoritative
the declaration made ediiori0lly by the New
York Post, that 81" Charleston will be attacked
the moment Admiral Dupont's preparations
are compleied--not moment before When
that event win take place, is Of course, kept
quite secret even if it be known to any be-
side Admiral Dupont himself Ia the mean
time, however, we are assured, by those who
assume to know, that Charleston is really to
bo the point Of attack, and not Savannah, or
Mobile or Wilmington, or any other port on
the Gulf. The public is notified that the
attack, when it does take place. is likely 10 be
an affair Of some days. that "no decisive
result is looked for on the first day:" and
% it may even be that in the first week Of ac-
tive operations nothing Of real moment will
be accomplished. !" After this prudent admo.