New-York daily tribune., 1863-12-29
NEWS OF THE DAY.
THE WAR.

thai our 1.-THE United Statesl Government has ADAM
doncd every point excepting the treatment OF negro
prisoncrs" The truth is, our Government has not
abandoned any point 1t Is known that MJor-Gen.
Butler who has superseded Gen. Meredith as e agent
or medium for the exchange Of pIiso cr has no Snch
instructions. Tie prisoners at Forts Norfolk and Me
Henry and Point lookout have been placed under DIS
orders and he is Authorized to conduct tie exchange
man for nor and ooT tor officer OF equal rank with
those parolcd and seut forward b.! himself lc oiyce
is TO make an even exchange rs IN. as tie qri III
the Rebel possession viii admit; and governed by hu-
name motives the effort VIII be made first 20 procure
the release Of those who have for the longest time been
held as prisoners Colored troops and ter oicers in
conducting the exchange will he placed on an equality
with other troops ana SO Of ooored in civil en-
poyment The recent visit OF Gen. Hitchcock TO For
tress Monroe Was to confer with Gen. Butler and to
communicate to him the orders Of our Government upon
this subject The object i, may be repeated is to se-
cure the exchange Of equal number o prisoners on
each side leaving all other questions for iu1re dc'er
ination. the excess being largely in oar favor.
Charleston must he rather lively place to
live in lust now On the night Of the 2l;h. Gilmore
kent up steady Smelling destroying dozen buildings
All day on Christmas he dropped in h.s explosive
compliments; one white man kD' and one
woman badly wounded. three iremeu were crushed
under falling walls and eight were less seriously
hurt Al remained quiet Ut the heap of rubbish that
was orce Fort Sumter. From midnight on tie 9th TO
4p m Of the 25th 80 shells were fired al the city from
five guns-three at Gregg, at Cummings Point aud
one mortar. There had been an engagement On John
sons Island between gh; battery and tho Union gun
boats which was drawn fight On the night Of the
26th only fou shells seat into the city Tie Rebels
are trying to prevent Gilmore from erecting new bat
tery at the extreme end Of Cummings Point All this is
Rebel news and oi course tells little az possible
again. their side.
1t is evident that the Rebels are systcmati-
caiy lying about ;he arrival Of blockade runners al
Wiinirgton Eyely few days they start story that
fre tea or more vessels came in on such ngati one
Of the last is that wentythree ran saicy IN H. single
night But intercepted corr ,pondence states taat or
amonh (abOnt all the month Of NoyembcI) not vessel
had entered that poIt bat very feW reported at -
Thomas. Nassau aud rnud0 as getting ont or in and
the contrabant spectators sadly ont OF spirits
There Is doubt hat the Rebel papers ar k'cpne up
regular fire Of es to induce the croduous IN Enganc
and elsewhere TO continue the losing speculation in tae
hope that now and then some vessel NAY manage TO
dodge H. But twenty three in a night is simply false.
A letter from Morris Island thus speaks OF the
n.w Confederate war vessel recently noticed
larger than the Atlanta made her appearance Cooper
River few days ego She came down past Charleston
with flags flying rounded Castle Pinckney, fired
salute OF four guns broadsde and then returned She
made stately appearance Rad good proportions. With
slopine lines and was decidedly the most formidable
looking craft that the enemy have yet exhibited il these
aocursed waters
The Rebel Congress seem TO consider that
their outrageous bill 10 conscrpr every COLDER in
the field is to become a law, matter OF Ia
view Of sueh result Foote Of Tennessee proposes that
whenever any part Of tie forces in the field shall
BE- recOnscrpted. the battalons. regiments and com
panes shall be allow ed 10 select tier officers" Another
member wants 10 c1, this privilege down TO tho choice
of line officers only
The Richmond papers are said to be gloomy
over the daring raid Of Ayerils cavalry upon their
most important railroad at Salem. ii is net imprOba
bic that this raid was the which forced Long
street to stop while IN full retreat, and fight for lie in
Eas; Tennessee With the road permanently broken.
j. would be utterly impossible FOX him TO subsst bis
army in It's present position.
John Morgan is advertising for men to make
up another guerrilla force. and expects long TO De
in the saddle The southern papers are eloquent on his
wrong. ard breathe nothing bat revenge. 1t is 10 be
hoped that he may once try Ohio lOung.ng
place: II will not need ponontiarlcs TO keep him sie
Bat be will lot be likely to Writ the Duckeyes again.
We learn from Newbern, y. c., that the new
oath Of allegiance has been administered 10 number Of
Rebel officers aud soldiers who have recently into
lines to accept OF the pardon offered By President
Lincoln. They bring intelligence from large number
In like situation, who intend 70 10 likewise at the car
e.. opportunity.
The Rebel schooner Marshal j. Smith, laden
with cotton and tgrpentine and bound from Mobile TO
Havana. captured recently of Mobile Boy. after
brisk chase, by the ggnboat Kennebec.
Rebel dispatches say that Gen. 10. Johnston
has taken command Of the Tennessee army. vice Har
dee. who was IN place Of Bragg.
NEWS IgVsnM V,I-DnDI,