The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-02-13
THE NEWS OF THE WEEK.

On the 9TH inst, the TeDelS unueT OtH
Forrest, attacked Fort Donelson at 2 p. m.
with 1000 men and eight pieces OF artillery.
There were 500 federal troops in the fort UNI
der command of Col Harding. Our loss was
70 killed and 30 wounded. The rebels lost
100 killed and 800 taken prisoners. This
decisive repulse of the rebels is of great i'm
portance to the Union cause. The fort COM
mands the Cumberland river, and if the reb-
els could retake it, Rosecrans would be under
the necessity of immediate action against
great disadvantages, or all his plans would
be arrested until he could gather forces
enough to go over the work of taking it
again. We can see then, how much We have
saved bv the gallant and successful defense
made by the garrison. The attack was
doubtless a surprise and made with the Ut
most determination, worthy Of the prize at
stake The repulse, therefore, is on the part
of cur soldiers both an exceedingly credible
and excee dinghy beneficial achievement.
At the moment Of putting our paper to
press last week, a dispatch reached this office
stating that the rebel rams had broken the
blockade at Charleston. We pronounced it
improbable coming, as it did, through rebel
sources and just before the time of sailing
Of the regular steamer for Europe. Later
adyices show that the blockade was not rails
ed OF interfered with but little damage was
done any Of the hlockadinS feet, and that
they failed in recarturjng the Princess Roy
AL with her valuable cargo, which was the
main object in view when the attack was
made. The blockade is now strengthened
by TIE iron clad New lronsides.
The United States ram Qleen of the West
-un the rebel blockade at Vicksburg on the
ID instant, coming up from the fleet below to
our forces above. a hundred heavy siege
guns opened on her as she steamed past. a
.ebel steamer also opened fire or her, to
which she replied, and the rebel steamer was
crippled. The Queen of the West was under
fire three quarters Of an hour, but received no
damage.
Nicksburg letters of the 3lst ult. say that
the canal project is fully adopted, and that
the largest possible force will be Kept at
work night and day upon it until it is COM
pleted. 1t must be wholly cut the required
width and depth before the water is let in, as
the soil is such that the river will not wi
den or deepen the channel of itself; and
as no attack will be made before it is finish
ed, it will be weeks before the decisive strug-
gle comes off, The rebel force at Nicksburg
is estimated at 10000 1t is believed that
this is the largest number that can be brought
to its defense.
The French do not seem to he making
great progress in their attempt to "get salts
faction" by force of arms, from the Mexican
government. The prospects of the French
army look bad. Their supplies are cut of by
guerilla bands, and they are surrounded by a
determined enemy, who watch every oppor-
tunity to take advantage Of them. No French
soldier can stray from camp without being
lassoed and dragged off by some Mexican
guerilla, who is on the watch for him. At last
accounts they had not taken Matamoras, but
had evacuated Tampico. An exchange sug-
gests that our government should profer its
services to the emperor of the French to help
him out Of the difficulties in which he has
been involved by his impracticable attempt
to conquer the republic of Mexico. 1t ought
to be done at once. on the grounds of hu-
manity and to stop the useless effuson of
blood.
1t is asserted that Napoleon is about to
offer mediation in new form. His scheme
is to have congress of delegates from the
North and South meet and talk over and
agree on some means Of compromise, but
without 8uspendins hostilities. This project
may be good one, but there are two seri-
rio1s obstacles in the way of its success
namely; the South probably don't want TO
make any such arrangements, and the North
won't. Fighting will end the war much
sooner than talking. and once finished it will
not soon be renewed.
Some reasons why Congress should repeal
the duty on paper: The high price of paper
has already deprived a great many of the
poor people Of their daily newspaper School
books have already advanced TWENTY-FIVE per
cent--thus taking money out of the pockets
Oh every father and mother in the land and
putting II into the pockets of wealthy paper.
makers. The Secretary of the Treasury saws
the reduction of the duty on printing paper
would not lessen the revenue from that source,
hut would tend largely increaseit." Mr. John
ID. Defrer>, superintendent of pubic printing
at Washington, reports officially, that to take
the duty off paper will save the Government,
100000 per annum. This sum now goes
into the pockets Of the paper monopolists.-
If Congress takes off the duty, it will go into
the pockets of the people.
A union convention has been called il
New Hampshire to meet at Manchester, or