The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-05
BY TELEGRAPH.
rOTHE
Portland Daily Press.
FROM NEW ORLEANS.

Capt.,~e of the English Steamer Usn. Pitt
Steamers on the Mississippi ordered to be
I,urbed by Jeff. Daris-Opcrati0ns of Guey-
siUas-YelIow Ferer at Pcnsacold-Morc-
s,ents or the Tcrds Expedition.
New YORK, Oct. 3. 3
New Orleans papers OF the 18th state that
the VIM. Pitt, an English steamer. was cap
tured somewhere in the vicinity of the Rio
Grande, and brought to this port last evening
Sine had on board, we are informed, 1000 bales
of cotton.
On the 18th there were 1000 bales OF cotton
In the New Orleans market. The sales
amounted to $50 bales.
The Era announces that Judge E. H. Du-
rell, of the U. S. District Court, who is also
Chairman of the City Finance Committee, has
been appointed by Gen. Shepley temporary
Mayor of New Orleans, to serve during the
absence of Capt. Miller, who is now on a visit
to the North.
Orleans and Baton Rouge is about to be es-
tablshed.
The Era of the 23d learns from a gentle
man, who speaks from the best information,
that while on recent trip up the river he was
told by former friend, who is now rabid
rebel, that jeff Davis and his Cabinet had de-
cided to employ incendiaries to destroy every
steamboat navigating the lower Mississippi
and Ohio rivers, offering as an inducement to
barous mission sixty per cent. on the estmat-
ed value Of all the boats and property thus
destroyed. His informant assured him that
the Ruth had already fallen a victim to this
scheme, and he would soon hear of others.
He being merchant of New Orleans. and
known to be a holder of Western produce,
was advised in friendly way to hold what
goods he had as there was sure to be a rise in
prices.
New YORK, Oct 4.
New Orleans letters to the Herald contain
the following items:
Guerrillas are growing bold and numerous
on the Mississippi river. They have located
three gun battery about sixteen miles from
Natchez, from which they fired fifteen shots
at the steamer Jslia, five of which went
through her, but she escaped. Some eight or
ten vessels have been fired into.
The particulars of the capture Of the Brit
ish steamer Sir VIM. Pitt show that she had
landed her Liverpool cargo of arms, &C., in
Mexican waters and taken on board some
thousand bales of cotton, when the French
authorities ordered her to leave the Mexican
waters, which she did, coming on the Ameri-
can side of the Rio Grande river. Capt. Ro-
lands, Of the gunboat Seminole, very prompt
ly sent two officers and number of men and
seized her, transferring her officers and crew
TO the Seminole as prisoners of war.
Yellow fever prevails at Pensacola. Capt.
Spear, of ship Nightingale. and the surgeon of
the steamer Relief are dead. Several of the
crews also have died.
Berwick City letter to the Herald states
that the main body of Gen. Banks command
were encamped on the 18th of Sept. near that
place. No serious encounter is expected to
occurr until reaching Vermiion Bayou,
where the rebels under Gen. Dick Taylor are
represented to be in great force and terrifying
the place. Another report is that the rebels
are concentrating all their available forces
from Western Louisiana, Eastern Texas and
Southern Arkansas at Alexandria for a last
desperate resistance, and are evacuating all
the country this side of Alexandra and Red
river. Our forces will soon make an advance
movement.