Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-07-23
From the New York Tribune.
with lsia Officers.

the contemplated aggressive operations by the Ge1eras
commanding under him, determined to address cjrcu
lar to the corts and division commanders containing
our inerrogatories touching upon the main strategic
points of the proposed campaign. Toe questions ad
dressed to each in substance Is follows
| l. What is your opinion or knowledge OF the runner
ical strength OF the forces ateiy detached for service
elsewhere from the rebal army in oar front?
IL Do you deem an advance upon the enemy at this
time andvwh present effective force, advisable and
| practicable?
Ill Do you believe tia. We shall be able to achieve
a decisive victory?
" D. you ejeg4 that the result Of a victory viii
out-balance the risk and sacrifices involved?
In regard 10 the weakening Of Brage'5 army hr the
withdrawal OF troops for the re2 Of Fck8hurg there
vas some diversity of opinion expressed by the nterro
gattd Generals; bat to the Other questions tire an
swers Of ali seventeen OF decidedly negative
charactfT
The grou ID up which they rested tA@r indirect re-
m2nstrancas ainat IN Immediate assumption OF the
offensive by the army cOngru0us in the maid, al
though they valied in details. They considered
an advance inadVisa ole because
/. Ifihe enemy be n0o weakened enougl! 10 decline
the issue OF pitched General action our advance would
enable them to Fl zht the defensive in chosen
rencled position whc3 advantage was likely to
pensae for any superiority OF numbers may enjoy
. II the enemy ale tao much weakened By the draft
for reinforcem other parts OF the theatre Of
accept the overture Of battle they would undoubtedly
fall back to their next natural line Of defaEce the
Tennessee river.
In the former contingency that is If the enemy
were to fight Us, would incur the one hand
the risk TO LOSE, in Gaze of defeat, not onIy
what cost Us the vast sacrifices Of life and limb
in the battle OF Stones river, but much more
victory the other hand, unless resulting il the
destruction Of the whole rebel army, (Which the
advantageous character ct ts present position hardly
allows US to expect, would give US es gain only q
rough mountainous country of no strategic Importance
the posi- son OF which could lot hold the balance, In
point of benefit to the wbGck OF The frightening Of
our lines of communication along single much expos
ed railroad track which its occupation would unavoida
bly, necesstate.
4. In the latter contingency, that s, if the enemy
retreat to the Valley Of the Tennessee upon
Advance, our gain would again be only negative
OF territory, with the drawbacks already stated What
it would amount to the experience OF gleTal BUe last
summer fully demonstrated.
All the Directing augmentation although not
red directly to- yet drifted taward the general coDcu
sion that the country aouh Of the present front ofOpar
atoms Of the army Of the CumberanG--SOuth Middle
aud Eastern Tennessee Northern Georgia and Alaba-
ma-was impractical as to an offensive campaign.
From tie Hamilton, Bermuda Royal Gazette, Tuesday,
The Confederate War Steamer " Florid4" psaln In
ths Northern Atlantic
Capture Of Federal TeSsekS-Dest' ucton by fire Of
three of them-Capture Of upwards Of $500 900 IN
Silver Bars.
The WhaliDg Schooner Varnurn FL. Hill" of Pro
yincetown Capt. Freeman, arrived here on Saturday
afternoon last with 81 ssamtn gut board of ber By
Capt. Maf Of the Confederate Steamer of War lori
da to be landed at BERMUDA, being the nearest port
On the previous Saturday night at half past ten o'clock
then in latitude so long As . 5O and On Whaling
ground, the V. II. Hill was hailed from steamer
passing close under her stern and ordered to lay and
that Capt Meit would send boat along side for her
Captain, which he did.
When Captain Freeman reached the deck Oh the
Florida be Informed by Capt. hiQfit that be had
ffy-four prisoners which he wished him to take on
board hs vessel and LAND at the nearest p0gS Observing
that hht he rot those prisoners ne would have burnt
bis vessel, but under the circumstances he would re-
quire of him bond the owners OF bis vessel for $I0
900. The Florida took from the az. Il. + ~ bar
res of oil, out of S, all that she had on board.
The prisoners were then, sent on board the 4" V. e.
Hill " with some provisions they obliged to re
main on dack the whole time as the Schooner had 10
spare accommodation below.
We suboin such particulars n reference the three
large ships captured and destroyed as could obtain
from their respective The names Of the vessels
the Southern Cross" the " Red Gauntlet - AID
the Ber jamn H0xie.'
The ship " Southern Cross" $50 tons burthen,
Captain Benz. Howes of Boston, Mass, from tho Pa
cifc side Of Mexico, where she left the 2Ist March
bound to New York, laden with ogwood, fallen in
with by the Florida on the Gin OF June, l - south
of the Line, &c w. long, and after the Captain, bis
wife, the three mates and crew, numbering 90 had been
removed from her she set fire and destroyed
The Capt OF the Florida did not fire at the South.
erD Cross as be q lady on deck.
Capt. Howes, his vile and officers were transferred
to French bark bound to Pernambuco.
The ship Red Gauntlet" 1900 tons burthen, Capt
Lucas and from Boston, out % days. bound Hong
Kong, laden with coal, ice provisions, &C. vas fallen
in with on Sunday the 9Th of June, lat. deg 34' f
of the Lire The Florida took from the BED Gauntlet
full supply of coal, provisions full get of new
SAILS DC, and after removing her crew. % in all set fire
to and left her.
The ship" Benz. Hoxe," CT Mystic, Conn., about
1900 tons burthen Capt Crarey from San Francisco,
which place she left the 18th Jan last having since
called at Mazatlen and Aitamora, Mexico, bound to
Falmouth England laden with logwood hides, 30 tons
Of silver and about 100000 in bars of silver and
$1,000 to $4,000 in gold became prize to the Florida
On the 10th June, lat. II deg. long about 20 deg.
TEE Captain, officers and crew, numbering 10 all 80
persons removed and after all the silver bars and
he specie had been taken from her. she destroyed
oy fire on the following day. The silver ore which +
went down with the vessel was valued at 100000.
The Captains and officers of the Red Gauntlet "
and "B Hoxie WERE the 10th June transferred to
An Italian Brig, bound to Falmouth, England which
The Florida met with, Captain Mafit supplying them
With provisions for the passage. Il
Three of the crew of the Southern Gross" five of
he Red Gauntlet" and three of the B. Hoxie" vol.
1nteere board the Florida at the rate Of S22 upr
month, bounty OF 800 and proportion Of any prize
money.
The prisoners of the Florida report that thew wore
informed by the crew Of that vessel that few DAYS be-
ore the capture of the Southern Gross they had
aKen Dark and brgantine, and put prize crews on
BOARD I OF them Destination or object not stated.
Inc crews OF the prizes after the capture OF
ne I" B. Hoxe :" kept continually in irons-as pre-
'nly at night.
Weare pleased to learn. from information received,
nat the crews OF the prizes, whilst board Of the FLOR
da, were made as comfortable as they could be under
ne circumstances The F. is reported 10 be fine shp