The New York herald., 1863-12-12
pErAwrmDr oy VIRGINIA AKp soRm cAnousA.

against the enemy consequently acted mostly on
captured from The robes. Nevertheless General poster
has given much annoyance 10 the enemy aud taken
every favorable opportunity 10 threaten and cot nS
In December last he marched against Kaston and
on the 14h defeated tho enemy and captured the place
Ho then moved up the south side OF tho river Neueo 70
Godsboro burnod the railroad bridge at that paoe aud
tore up much OF the railroad between the river and
Mount Olive. He captured four hundred and ninety ex
prisoners and nine pieces OF artillery Ills loss nr6y
killed four hundred and seventyeght wounded ard nine
missing.
In march tho rebel General Pe,tgrow, with a large
force of infantry and artillery made dcmonssraton On
but was o.oea 70 0s s seps a 1Sup p
wounded 10 April Gen. Hin laid siege 70 washington
on tho Tar river The place had only small sarrison
and was but slightly fortified Gen fostor, however,
Immediately exerted all his energies TO strengthen she
works 70 repel any assault until reinorcenents ar
rived from Newbern 70 raise tho SIEGE There no re-
port Of the Losses either side. An expedtj0n ssnt
against arebe camp AT Gum swamp Nay, which cap
tured hundred and sixty five pr and military
stores and another July against Rocky Mount Far
river which destroyed the bridge at that place and
operations II, that state % tSo present tine.
On being compelled 10 abandon his attempt upon wash
ington, the rebel General HID marched towards Nspse
mond to reinforce Loogstrcet, who nvcrtiDg suok
Failing 10 his direct assaults upon this place. the eoemy
proceeded 70 establish batteries for it's reduction Geo
Peck made overy preparat for defence o. which The
place capable, and retarded the construction VI h
works, till fnay the attempt was abandoned Our lore
in these operations forty -four killed, two hundred
and one wounded, and fourteen missing We captured
four bundled prisoners add i've guns during tho siege
a AS sunok MO s%sanasg ~ % ~ msy ~
son was afterwards Withdrawn within the new hnes
constructed around Norfolk When the rcOel army
moving north upon Mary land aud Feunsylvania,
GEN Dix sent all Of hs available force from Norfolk and
Fortress Monroe tho York rver, for the purpose Of
cutting of Lees communications with Richm0nd and or
attacking that place, which was thon defended BY only
handful OF militia Tho expedition, however, tailed 10
accomplish a single object for which il had bsen Atsed
cieucy Of one OF the generals commanding. General s
therefore ordered s return and sent tho troops u which
u, inf ha Gf f.euA
north Of the Potomac 90 the 5h Of 0ctobcr Brigade
General wstar was cent with sma force, aided By gun
party known tho Confederate Volunteer Coast Guard
which was engaged smuggling goods across tho Cheea
those Coast Guards absen, the time but the ex
pedon resulted In capturing one hundred and 0fty boas
and schoouers and eighty head OF beef cattle Tho
has given efficient aid % all the operations % this Le
partfnent or tho South
The withdrawal last year Of nost Of iroops sosIh
Carolina reinforce General Mcclellan the peninsula
compelled tho Commanding General of that department
70 connne himself mainly 70 tho defence OF tbe point
which he then occupied 40 attack upon Fort sumter
and Charleston had long been contemplation by The
Navy Department and 10 March last Il was represented
that the operation OF tho ronclads and Monitors wond
be greatly facilitated by land force prepared W
the aud 70 occupy any work reduced BY the navy
Accordingly General Foster, with considerable force
another purpose assist n the naval attack
II was thought that his talents and exporsence
caiies and defensive works OF Charleston barber en
dered him peculiarly suited for ths duty but not prov
acceptable 70 tho Commanding Gouera the DEPART
ment, he was permitted to return 70 bis command
North Carolina leaving bis troope and siege preparation
10 tho Department Of tho South. The nava attack for
Sumter took place on the 7th OF April bat beng ansoc
cessul nothing apparently remained be done by
land oroos soge Of Charleston and 10 deseBces by
land had been contemplated, and therefore,
part Of the plan II now represented by Navy
Department that second attack upon FORT sumter
Charleston was prepar ng ana ma. M soees. reqolI.d
lshment Of land batteries that Island 70 sss~t the
reduction OF Fort Sumter The establishment OF thess
hasta nj I'm
Wsgnsr and Battery Gregg-being matter IL engineer
ing akin, Brgader General, now MAJOR General Y A
gagged n these operations In addition 70 bsrnc edo
oaioa ana skliu military engineer ne had considerable
tops General Gilmore despite ,he cuefDys defensive
works anded his force on Morris Island The l0ib Of
operations Of conducting ihs Of fovi wagner
establishing batteries against bort sumter. Without
opened on the lTth Of August tho latter and
the I'D after seven days bombardment bort Sumter
was reported sbapeees and harmless mass % ruius
BeIng under tho hre os forts Of the enemy na.
cessible by land troops could not occupy
have been often fienced. General Gilmore v,o
rousy pushed forward his saJs oganst Fort wGsnsr aud
Tho morning Of september took possession of ttai
place, and also u BATTERY Gregg, most of the sarfton
having made their escape boats dnr0r the neht lie
capiared in all ibp,yex pcces ~ artillery and lsrye
General Gillores operations have oceI characterized
by great professional skin and bodncse lie has
come difficulties almost uns nown Ia modern segee ln
deed his operations Morris Island constitute almost
in the science OF engineering aud ennnery sDoe
the captures Of Forte Wagner hnd Gregg he hos enlarged
these works. aud establs shed powerful batteries ~hcf
eeotualy command Fort Sumter, and efficient
aid to any naval attack upon Charleston. Iney afo c'L
troll he entrance 70 the harbor
Msor General Banks took command q. ibo IeIartmsrt
q the Gulf on the llIh Of neeemoer Almcs, r'm.di
troops 70 Galveston, feSis 20 occupy That place under
tho protection of our gunboa's ,olone burtil with
three companies Of the Forty second aaSsa Noun
the advance 81 the expedition arrived az hat place
on tho evening of tho 24th Of neoemotr On COO
sultai With the commander of The bocksdng force be
landed his upon the wharf and ook posseeson OF the
city On the lst Of January before be arrival OF the
remainder Of our forces TIE rebels made by
and with artinery and infantsy, and by water with
three powerful rams Colonel Bnrrills c1mnsnd OF two
hundred and sixty men were nearly al Killed and 'ssen
prisoners The Harriet Lane cap grod, and tho fns
ship Westdeld was blown up by her commander pre-
vent her falling INTO the hands Of the enemy
Tho rebels also captured the coal usospeFts and a
Tho commanders OF tho harriet Lace and sks
westneid and number of o,bsr naval ofcers and
allied. Tbe nder of tbs esy~ditson did not
leave New Orleans ,ll December ~, and arrived or
Galveston the I'd of January, tbs day after
our forces there bad been eap,ar.d and asr.foy
land and returoed 10 New Orleans safety. u proper
remark that this cxpedhoo vas not contemplated
provided for General Banks nstructions On ths l1th
January General wetssi with force ~ infantry and
artillery, aided by the guntosis under Lieutenant Com
manding Buchanan, crossed Berwick Day snd and NJ
tackled the rebel gunboAi Cotton the Bayou reehe
This gnnboai being disabled BY Tho IRE o, naval and
land forces, vas burned BY tbs rebels.
The loss of Goncrai wsiisis command TIM esped-
ton vss sin killed and twenty ssvsn wounded num-
her we're killed and wounded 90 our gunboss and among
the former Lieutenant Commanding bschhnan un learn
ing ~ the capture u the Queen % the West ~ tins rebels
above Port uodsoD and their movements ca the Rcd
river aDd the rcche Admiral Farsgut cetsrmned 70 run
rsst tho enemys batteries While tho forces At tAtno
Rouge made n depoDstraton the land sds ~ Port
Hudson. The Demonstration was made on March
L. admiral farrssut snscesdsd a psssng the
batteries win the Hartford and Aibairofs ibe
Mononeabsa and Richmond fell bach, srd the
hissssipri grounded and blown ~ by her
commander. Had lAud forces Port Hudson
st this time could have beso easiy reduced, he gar
rson vas weak This would hate oTsned conman Gallon
~ tho hseps ppi river with Gereral Grant, al vEhs
bur-. But The strength of The pAoe thsn known
and General BANKS reeuusd hs operation. by the eche
ana ttehsfsaya IN the latter part of kaych 'ooosi
cake ras sent With small force az the PcntehatoaA
ana dcstroyed he railroad bridge a. that place s cap
tured rcbe ycer and four private~ and three rchoon
ers loadsd win ootton- His loss was wounded Al
the same time 6cpers scscrson Tie Amite
river " destroy The Jscssoo Hairsd lie pycoeeded
far as Camp Moore, and captured fortytbrec psness
cons dorabo amount a cotton destroyed sabs
retel man1fsctores. 10 be opsSaote 10 the Teche
Achsfaaya General Banks enounierod the scsmy Under
sbley Taylor and Nonton several pn and defeated
them q every sngagemcpt. Butte IA Rose
cas- nFe1 nIf aaI tan traw