The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-02-21

tie levces on the Mississippi side of the river
have been cut IL our forces twelve miles
below Helena, at Yazoo Pass also at Green
vile, and on the Louisiana side, opposite
Lake Providence. The object Of this is
probably to food the country near Lake
Providence and thereby ..assist" in opening
communication with The newly projected cut
oft. The ram Vicksbure has been pr, tcctcd
against further attacks by the Union -. South
down. a. Colonel E!le,ts ran is termed, by
moorng bargcS alongside. The rebel ram was
not materially injured by her collision wi b
the Queen Of the West. as on the afternoon
of the 2ud she dropped down from her moor
ings and poured few shell into the Union
camps at Warrrnton. at the mouth Of the cut
off. The rebels continue to labor upon her
and, unless destroyed, she may yet prove a
formidable antagonist. A brigade OF & neral
McArhur's Division is at work upon the new
cut oil from Lake Providence. on the Louisiana
side Of the river and important results may
soon be expected. The telegraph lima con
meeting Lake Providence with the rebel sta
tons below, ha- been cnt by body of the
Union troops who went from Richmond and
Tallnla, La, for the purpose. Subs quently
the town of Richmond Was shrilrd. and an
important point OF Ohsrrva,i II for the re bells
was possessed by the Union iorc.s.
Expeditions are the order of the day.
Two recently made to the Peninsula, between
the Potomac and Rappahannock have done
good service. just there was Il point whore
the Rebels had unrestricted communication
and where a traffic of value to them was being
crri"th OH with IMMUNITY. Add to this that
on :. the Mex" the Rebel conscrip,ion--
that exponent Of the dircsi dcspotism to
take place from the 18th to the 18th Of this
month, and we may determine the value Of
these expeditions. They broke up the Illicit
communication and traffic put stop to the
CONSUMPTION captured large quantity of
provisions. horses and mules already collected
for the enemy; took some valuable mail bags
and several vessels which were the vehicles al
this traffic. A large number of conrrabanGs
ais" returned in the triumphant procession of
these successful accommodating parties.
A letter FRI m General Davidson, from a
person who accompanied the recent scouts to
Bntcsvlll', Arkansas. says G neral TIndnan's
army is demordiZrd and totally drlicirnt.-
Three hundred OF his troops were froZ,n to
death during his retreat irnm Van Buren, -
ilindman had been ordered to g. to YicEs-
burg. but his men refused. Upwards of two
hundred dcsertrrs were concealed in the
brush twenty miles from Batrsvllc. A large
majority of the people IN favor Of the
occupation Of the country by the United
States forces.
The Cumberland river is twenty feet
deep ON the Shoals. and is still rising. 1t
raincd all night on Tuesday and all day
Wednesday. SO that the river is likely to
reach Il high level.
The chief OF the army police at Nashville.
througo the detectives, has capturcd and
turned over to the Government, authorities
contraband property to the amount Of about
100000, of which so, O00 worth was qui
nine.
The IRON. clad gunboat Indian ola. n
lately built and the most formidable vessel
attached to the Mississippi feet, ran the
Rebel batteries at Nicksburg ON Friday
night without receiving any injury. The
presence Of this boat, with the ram Queen
Of the West will give us control Of the
river below Nicksburg, and perhaps lead to
important results besides preventing the
Rebels from receiving supplies by way Of
the river.
A squadron Of the 9TH Michigan Cavalry
were surprised at Annandale, Va on Sntur-
day night by superior force of rebels. In
the skirmish our force was compelled to give
way, with loss OF fifteen killed and missing
and a few wounded.
The officers commanding the blockadng
iIcet of Charleston during the rccemt<aaid OF
The rebel IRON clad gunbua's have furnished
the Navy Department with formal denial of
the rebel report that the fleet was driven off
and the blockade raised They state the
rebel report to have been false in every par
ticulIr, and relate facts to show that the
vessels remained at their usual anchoragcs
The pirate Alabama was spoken on the
18th Of january about thirty miles northeast
Of St. Johns, New Providence.
The pirate Florida has been forced to
lake refuge at Kingston. Jamaica, where She
was at last accounts.
A schooner which arrived at New York
on Sunday, reports having been chased by
the rebel privateer Retributun, on the o9th
ult.. while on the voyage from Jacmcl. She
was too fast sailcr for the Rctlibution, how
ever.
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