Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1863-01-31
SPEECH BY GENERAL HAMILTON /,

The United States mail steamship Bio Bio,
Capt. Drew, from New Orleans Jan. IS at 8 p.
m. and the Southwest Pass the 18th at 8 a. M,
via Havana the 22d, arrived at New York Thurs
day evening. She had head winds and high
seas the entire passage.
The United States transport steamship St.
Mary, VIM. IL. Talbot, commander, also ar
rived at New York same evening from New Or
leans at o'clock on the evening of Jan. 20,
and Key West on the afternoon OF the 23d. The
ST. Mary brings large mail and so passengers
from New Orleans; also mail from Key West.
The steamship Melville, from New York for
New Orleans, arrived at Key West on the
morning of Jan. "a. Jan. "a, when ten miles
TO the northward of sombrero, passed large
propeller, bound South. The U. 8. gunboat
Tioga, Capt. Cleary, arrived at Key West on
the I'D, with a valuable prize, the British
steamer Pearl, captured of the Bahamas.
The St. Mary brings information from Key
West of the operations of the rebel pirate Flor
ida, substantially the same as given by our
Havana correspondent. The San Jacinto and
Oneida had been dispatched from Key West In
search OF the Florida.
The following vessels were at Key West!
Frigate 81. Lawrence, flagship; steamers So
noma, Tloga, Penguin, Magnolia, Hendrick,
Hudson.
A force of cavalry and artillery left Brashear
City on the 18th up tho Teche. The rebel gun
boat Cotton was engaged by sklrmiShers, and
the guns silenced by sharpshootors picking of
the gunners. A battery was also silenced.--
Lieut.. Commanding Buchanan was killed by a
shot from rihe-pit. Our loss was otherwise
slight. Skirmishing is still going on, and the
forces are advancing.
The Delta of the nth says;
The news from Berwick's Bay, last evening,
| brought official confirmation Of the total de-
struction Of the rebel iron-Clad steamer Cotton
in the Bayou Teche, by the land and naval
| forces under the command of Gen. g. WeitzCl.
She was blown to atoms and there is an end of
this formidable vessel, which has been kind
of stumbling block in the way Of the advance
of our forces on the Teche. Gen. WeitZel has
succeeded in getting heavy force In the Gnemy's
rear, thereby completely hanking them, and
their entire overthrow In that section is only a
question of few days time. The rebel force
is smaller than was at first supposed. Gen.
Weltzel has ascGrtained that It consists Of only
LOO infantry, about 1000 cavalry, and three
pieces of artillery.
Gen. Grover was at Baton Rouge with heavy
force, some twenty regiments. His command
was composed largely of grocn troops and he
was drilling them. There was strong force at
Carrollton under Gen. Sherman.
Major General Banks was still In New Or
leans. He had reiterated General Buffers or
der, taxing certain rebel merchants for the sup
port of the poor; had cautioned the public
against offering Insult 10 the soldiers; and, In
several acts, had indicated a rigorous admins
tration.
Jacob Barker had appealed TO the Major Gen
eral several times for permission TO revive the
Advocate, but General Banks will not permit
the publication of that rebel sheet again.
Business was dull. The market was over
stocked. Coffee was cheaper in New Orleans
than in New York, and the same was true of
other commodities. There were great many
spectators from the North, but they were do
ing little or nothing. Until the Mississippi
was fairly open there would be no general revi-
val of trade,
G. W. Hamilton, Military Governor of Tex
as, had addressed large Union meeting
In New Orleans on the night Of the 18th ultlmo.
Mr.. Durant, tho famous lawyer, followed In an
able speech. The meeting was very largely at
tended, and all the speakers went for the Union,
negro or no negro.
The transport ships Pocahontas, Aguilla, Lu-
clnda, T. o. Ball, and barque guerilla have ar
rived at New Orleans.
The steamer George Washington, with New
York dates to the 10Th, arrived out on the Goth,
and her news was Issued at once in an extra
sheet from the Delta. The public receptions
given to Gen. Butler and the endorsements OF
his administration by the President had given
the Union men great satisfaction.
Tho was nothing new from Galveston.
THE oRETo AT SEA.
correspondence of the N. 0. Delta.
OFF NOZZLE, Jan. IS, 1853.
There was great Commotlon among the
blockading fleet of this harbor last evening,
The rebel steamer Oreto, which has boon lying
In Mobile bay for some months, succeeded in
escaping to sea In presence Of seven blockadlng
vessels. The r. r. Cuyler, one of our fastest
steamers, Immediately gave chase, and was
gaining on her when the two disappeared in
the distance. The Cuyler was firing at heI
continually during tho Chace from her long
longe gums, and as she was gaining rapidly
great hopes arc entertained that she Will bring
the audacious rebel to. Tho Oreto is command
cd by Maffit, formerly Of the United States
navy.
{ The other day the British consul came out o.
Mobile, under h flag Of truce, and went on board
the SusquehannstO await communication with
! an English ship. Toward nightfall a robe
armed vessel, oiled with men, came out undo