Litchfield enquirer., 1863-08-20
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 We have news from Morris Island, via Fort ress Monroe, to 10 o'clock Friday morning On Thursday evening the Monitors were all stripped aud prepared for action, and at day. light op Friday tho batteFieson Morris Island opeued their fire, which lasted ap hour UT two
 when 1t ceased. The Mop;torspdi.l not fire shot, aud as sooa as the batteries ceased firing the Monitors put up awnings. Our informant says that during the short engagement on Fri day morning he saw several shofs strike For Sumter, causing bricks and mortar to fy pro iusely. One of our officers, who left Morris Island on Friday, says that upon receiving in. fstructions in regard to conveying news by Quartermaster Dunton, he asked him: eWhai shall l tell our friends at Fortress Monroe 2' l The Quartermaster replied :s'Tcll them greai battle will come of here on Saturday, the 10th, or Sunday, the 18th ipst.,. and that we slali pc victorious" Ss ,t 3se Gens Grant aHd Banks have sent letters to the post office department, requesting that the mails for the department of the gulf may be sentby the Mississippi river as that route is now open and communication more expeditions and frequent than by any other.
 There are about 22OeO colored troops in the field. Fifty additional regiments are partly organized and nearly full; 100000 will, it ia thought, be in arms by fall. NY The opinion gains ground in England, that the American war is drawing towards is close. Many staunch friends of the South, as Tie Saturday Rsuiew, are regarding her condition as hopeless, The same view was generally 'ex- pressed at recent meeting of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce. 1Ae London Times, however, has discovered new reason for be lieying in the success of the Rebels the ad- dress of Vallandigham to the people of Ohio, FIRE IN PEoUoNocK.-The paper mill owned by Buckland < Co, in Pequonock, Twas des, troyed by fire Sunday morning. The fire was discovered at about Az o'clock, but was burn ling so rapidly that it as impossible to save any of the contents of the mill. Loss from s20,000 to $25, ,000-insured for $l8,5O0, part in the Etnaof Hartford, the remainder in of fees in Norwich and Providence. Cause of the fire unknown.
 The State, colors of the 9th and 14th regi- ments have been, sent home to be exchanged for new ones. They have proved fast colors, warranted not to run"
 A young man named William H. Marks formerly of Washington, but who has resided five or six years at Lexington, Va, arrived at Washington from the latter place Friday even ing. He confirms the reports of greatdemor- alization in the rebel army, and says 8 fight occurred s few days before he left, at or near Snickerville, between several regiments of Mississippi and Texan troops. and Stuart $ cavalry, The Mississippians and Texans were very much dissatisfied and started te leave for home, when they were attacked by Stuart cayalrz and compelled to return to duty. He represents Lees army as almost in open mutt. ny, owing tothe gloomy aspect of affairs in the ,Confederaey since the fall of Vicksbure and Port Hudson, and that it is with difficulty kept together. Tine rebels were desertisg ir large numbers, and he says the North Noun tains are full of deserters from Lees army. Il was currently reported among the rebels and believed, that, Lee had rendered his resgna tion to Davis, but that it was not accepted. He didn't learn the cause, but it was common report that Lee and Jeff Davis were at dag gers points about something.
 A Western machinist and locomotive engi nesr, who lately escaped through the rebe lines at the capture of Jackson, Miss. and has reached Cleveland, Ohio, reports that the roll ing stock on the Southern railroads is il wretched condition, The engines and car. have been kept on the move constantly, and 2 train cannot now, with safety, make over fonI miles an hour on most of the tracks, which are also in sad plight. The sidings have been taken up to patch out the main tracks aad trains are compelled to switch of on tim. t tbers at the tprnouta
 The Herold publishes a letter from therebel prison in Richmond, known as Castle Thur. der, which reveals an amount of lnhumanitJ on the part of the rebel jailors, practised to wards certain civilian prisoners, almost without parallel. Starvation, neglect, and even the pestilence of: small poK was the fate, to- which these unhappy ,captives were exposed. Il states, also, that at the time when Gen. Diz was on the peninsula, in July, the city ol Richmond was undefended by any available force, and vas almost at his mercy, if he had adyanaei upon it. < TIE, NEGRO RFaIMEsrs The negro regi ments. if all filled up, will soon form, tolera bly, large addition to the army. A oorrespon. dent of the Cincinnati Gdzetts gives . list oi those already in service, and those being re.