The New York herald., 1863-01-11
THE SITUATION.


Our only news from vicksburg to-day is con.
tained in q despatch from Memphis to the effect
that General McClernand had arrived at vicks.
burg and superseded General Sherman in the
command Of the army there. There is nothing
new relative to the movements Of our troops in
that vicinity. There is nothing more from Muir.
freesboro, Tenn, or Springfield, Missouri.
General Dix reports from Fortress Monroe, un.
der date of the 9th, that party Of cavalry and
infantry was sent out from Yorktown by Major
General Keyes, and landed at West Point ON
Thursday night They returned next morning
with large number of animals and eight loaded
wagons. They destroyed the depot and the roll.
ing stock at the White House, burned steamer
and several sloops, boats and barges laden with
grain. and sustained no loss whatever.
Our correspondent furnishes the particulars Of
ths sreconnoissanoe. Our gunboats on the Pamunkey
participated in the action. We captured twenty
five wagons, thrtyAve horses, forty mules, besides
two Thousand bushels Of grain, slowed in large
building built for the purpose; also forty barrels
whskey and large quantity of suffers stores.
Our intelligence from General Burnsides army
to-day ia interesting. Our correspondent made
novel reconnaissance of the ensmy's position and
The late battle field ct Fredericksburg from Pro.
fessor loves balloon at an elevation Of Q thou
sand feet. the result Of which we give
In another column. There are no military move.
nents to record in that quarter. The rumor cir.
culated by Richmond paper that General Sum-
ner's division had gone by transports to some
point South, has no foundation Whatever in fact.
They were at Fredericksburg yesterday.
Tho Alabama appears to have turned up on the
18th ult. of the desert island OF Banqutta, coast
OF vcnzuela, where she took in coal from o vessel
awaiting her there. The San Jacinto arrived there
just twenty-four hours after the pirate left.
The State House at Baton Rouge, the capital Of
Louisiana, now occupied by General Banks, was
Totally destroyed by fire on the 2sth Of December
The library and all the buildings connected with
this fine structure were burned 70 the ground. 1t
was strongly and plsusibly suspected that the dis
sster was tho work ofrcbol incendiaries.
We give to-day . most interesting des-
cription Of Port Hudson, the strong point OF
defence OF the rebels nesr Baton Rouge. its
strength, land and water defences, batteries,
&C., with . map Of the whole line OF the
river from Baton Rouge to st. Francisville
Our correspondence from that quarter will
be found full Of interest especially with friends Of
the New York troops. An attack by portion Of
our cavalry and two companies Of infantry, was
made upon a rebel outpost the 27th ult, on the
Clinton turnpike, about six miles from Baton
Rouge which resulted IN a brisk though brief
hand to hand skirmish when both parties retired.
The Jura, of Cape Race, tclcgraphs news from
Europe to the I'd OF January--fve days later.
The workingmen Of Manchester had held an i'm.
portant meeting in support of the American Union.
They expressed their sympathy with the North
and adopted congratulatory address to President
Lincoln on his course Of government.
The British revenue returns exhibit an increase
Of the national income for the whole year Of 1862
amounting to e. ,Ss2 900 sterling; about twelve
million Of dollars.
The London Times says that this proves that
sotton is not king" and thinks 1t would De
- wsr for England to keep oil her dstres.r cotton