Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-01-16


been signified that they will retire.
1t Is believed the pirate Alabama has gone
to the Eastern Hemisphere, as Semmes is
known to have contemplated a cruise on the
coast OF Africa and Southern Asia.
Fortress Monroe correspondent saws the
rebels are suffering seriously from the des-
truction of the Goldsboro railroad. They have
sent numbers of negroes to repair the track,
protected by large force under Gen. Evans.
French's (rebeD division has moved from
Petersburg to Raleigh.
A portion of Lees army has been sent to
Richmond, ready to march to North Carolina.
Gen. Foster is heavily reinforced, and he is
determined to keep railroad communication
severed between Richmond and the Gulf
States.
1t IS generally conceded that the large fleet
at Newborn is intended for the capture OF
Wilmington. so
made on Charleston.
Gen. Negley's division, and many other
troops, are ready for action, and Beaufort and
Newbern harbors are filled with gunboats and
transports.
New YORK, Jan. Il.
a special dispatch says that letters from
Illinois state that the rebels are liberal in
their offers to the West, of navigation, free
trade and freedom from taxation, if she will
join the South. The West as yet replies to
this by sending 10000 of her choicest sons
to open the navigation of the Mississippi by
force of arms.
Members of Congress, west of the Wabash,
declared yesterday and to-day that ship
canal between the Great Lakes and the Miss,
a political as we'll as military necessity
They insist on it, that there is a deep laid and
wide spread scheme to detach the Northwest
from the Union, and that it may succeed, I'M
less provision is made for getting the grain
of the Valley to the seaboard, at rates of
transportation that shall not eat up it's value
The New York Herald has the following ::
Headquarters army Of tho Potomac, 18th
Yesterday Capt. Chester, Sergeant Grant
and private Harris, 18th New York Engineer
regiment, were captured by the enemy, about
10 miles above Falmouth, OH the Rappahan-
mock
Maj. Cutting went over the river, yesterday,
with flag of truce. The object of his mis-
sion has not been divulged. Communications
are almost interchanged between the two
armies and flags of truce have already ceased
to attract attention.
Prof. loves balloons are kept in constant
readiness for ascensions, and very fine views
of the enemy's positions have been secured
during the past week.
| NEW York, Jan. IA.
The Times Washington dispatch says the
facts in regard to rumored changes in the
War Department seem to be these: Stanton,
soon after his appointment, asked for two ad,
ditional assistants, to serve one year, within
which time he expected to put down the
rebellion. The names of Watson and Tucker
were accordingly sent in and appointed =
Their term of office expires about the Goth,
and it is understood that Watson is not a
candidate for re-appointment.
There is strong reason for believing that A.
Dana, late of the Tribune, will be nominated
to the position.
Accompanying Gen. Hunter. who goes on
to South Carolina at once, is COL Montgom-
cry, of Kansas renown, having commission
from the War Department for raising brig
ade of soldiers in that State
CAIRO, Jan. IA.
We have the following news from the
Memphis Bulletin of the 18th:
Sunday night, as steamer Grampus was ly-
ing near the mouth of Wolf river, fifty yards
from the Tennessee Shore within sight of the
city, and but a short dis ance from the gun
boats. she was boarded by l3 rebels, who
seized the Waterman and one after another of
the sleeping officers and crew, got posses sion
OF the boat without causing the least alarm
They took her five miles above the city, strip
ping her of all furnishing and burned her,
together with $500 bushels of coal she had
taken down. The crew were paroled
Some of the rebels boasted thSe they had
been in Memphis that day, and that one of
them expected to sleep with the commanding
officer soon. The Captain of the Grampus
had $1,000 and valuable gold watch taken.
Holly Springs is evacuated and almost
wholly burned
1t is reported that the rebels 5000 strong,
had arrived at Lumpkin's Mills, six miles
South of Holly Springs, and were repairing
the road and operating it as fast as completed.
| Gen. Sherman commands the LIST division
under Gen. McClernand.
Some of the fleet are doing police duty be-
tween Yazoo and Helena.
The Bulletin thinks the expedition up
White river has already reached Little Rock.
1t started on Monday the 9Th.
About 1000 negroes arrived at Memphis
from Mississippi.
Small pox is on the increase at Memphis
and threatened to become epidemic.
WASHINGTON, Jan. H.
Our blockading fleet has just captured
some very important dispatches from Jeff.
Davis and his Secretary Of State, to Mason,
Slidell and others, in Europe. These dis
patches give many important facts and details
in regard to the condition of the rebels. They
give the strongest statements of the desperate
straits to which the rebel leaders are reduced,
and show that unless they can quickly get
relief, either by European interference or by
dividing the free States and paralyzing the
efforts of the Government, they r. ust give up
their bad cause as lost.
These dispatches arrived here yesterday
They were put up in tin box, loaded with
lead at one end, so as to sink quickly in an
emergency, but our sailors were too quick.
TRENTON, N. j., Jan. Is.
Gov. Olden's message was read this morn
ing. 1t says the Government owes the State
100000. He urges the prosecution of the
war for the constitution. He thinks the pa
triotism and loyalty Of the people ought not
to flag in consequence of errors or differences
in regard to the policy of the Government.
Both Houses agreed to 60 into joint session
this afternoon for electing United States
Senator to fill the vacancy occasioned by the
death of j. r. Thompson.
WASHINGTON, Jan. H.
The committee on Naval affairs have, &C
cording to the resolutions unanimously pass
ed on Monday, commenced an inquiry into
the practicability of connecting all our Naval |
and Military stations between Fl. Monroe and |
New Orleans by submarine telegraph cables. |
Cyrus W. Field of New York, now here,
proposes to the government an offer from the |
celebrated firm of Glass, Elliott & Co., of
London, to manufacture and submerge cables
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