, 1863-02-17
NEWS FROM The SOUTH,
The Fight of Charleston and Pres
ent Opinions Of its Importance.
Departure Of the British Consul
from Charleston.
THE IRcM.CLAD FIGHT,

[From the New York Herald, 13th]
The fay Of truce boat New York arrived at
Fortress Monroe on tlle 10th inst, from City
Point, bringing down two hundred and sixty
ninc exchanged prisoners. Among them are
two oliccrs-one a Colonel and the other Il
lieutenant.
crew of the schooner Mary Ann, which was
sunk in The Middle Ground last Tuesday.
Captain Haley and lii. crew we're in the rig
gipg thirty hours, and then succeeded in
making their escape in i small boat 10 Smiths
Island. They are all badly frozen, and are
in the hospital here.
We have received Richmond papers of Mon
day, 9th inst. The tone Of these papers in
regard to the so-called blockade Rising has
wonderfully changed
SITUATION OF AFFAIRS OFF CHARLESTON OAR
{From the Charleston Mercury, Feb. 81
Yesterday forenoon passed in the city and
har!>or without any stirring news or incident
Of notc. About one O'Clock telegram from
Fort Sumter announced that 1 strange Il Gamer
evidently an iron-clad, had just hove in sight.
The number of ordinary b!ockadng vessels
strung along the horizon was eleven. With u
good glass thc outline Of the irop-tIad could
DC plainly seen from the city wlarycs, and m
endless variety Of rnnors aud conjectures in
relation to her identity and designs were soon
ailoat
Meantime another strange sail made her a,>-
pcarance in the ofling. She proved to be tic
British steam friGatc Cad1nus, twenty-one
sui and for the Petrol, nov anchored in the
lIar',or. Atthree o'clock one of the boats Of
the Cadmus brought the dispatches to the city
in charge Of q Lieutenant.
We have learned from good authority, that
the C,dmus brings intelligence that IN rxpe-
az 41zt.1
prepared to operate against the city Of
Charleston. and that the enemy Is now nearly
ready for the attack. Mr.. Robert Brnch, the
British Consul, has orders TO 70 aboard the
Cadmns and to get to HAVANA with the least
possible delay. We understand that he cx-
poets to leave on Saturday next
From the Cadrnls we lnye information that
| the mysterious steamer of North Channel is
the Yankee ironc!ad frigate New 1ronsides.
She eau hardly cross the bar, as she is said tu
| draw nineteen feet Of water. Her object for
the present, probably, is incrciy; to protect
! 1ronsides. it is believed, came from Broad
River. Tie transports plying southwark
! from Beaufort, n. c., are probably bound for
!; Port Royal, as the rendezvous Of the Land
/ forces Of the expedition.
| In our naval successes last week the enc.
, my had n fOretastc Of our strength upon tho
| water. But the preparations f,r the attack
on our city were 1,latllrclt previously, and Il
is not believed that our naval victory viii
either prevent or postpone it. It Is we'll
however, that onr defenscs are now complete
and that We were able to strike the first blow
in the struggle to hold:our good old seaport
Tha: blow, VIC trust, will encourage our de
Tenders, on land and sea, to redouble their nc
tiyity and Vigilance, and to spare no pains tt
give Il bloody welcome to the assailants.
The Te Dcum will be sung this day ut st
Philips Church, ut IL o'clock, for the sue
cess Of our arms in Charleston harbor. TIL
public arc invited to attend and join in th
thanksgiving.