Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-31
BY LAST NIGHTS MAIL.


We clip from our exchanges the fol-
lowing items, dated Washington, Dec
30th, and which failed to reach us on
Tuesday night as--t51 . LET
The Army of the Potomac has finally
settled down, mud-bound, into winter
quarters. Cedar Mountain, the key to
the position there, was held by our
forces. '"l
People all over that section are in
state of starvation, and daily throng our
camps to procure provisions, which our
commissaries are ordered to sell them at
good prices. In this way many are re-
lieved, while also the nests of guerrilIas
are enabled to obtain supplies. and pro-
tract their thieving and numbering sys-
tenn. .-.---l
Mr.. Chase will soon commence to is
sue per cent. legal tender Treasury
notes. The banks will FIRST be supplied,
and afterwards the public. -
Averlrs raid produced great conster-
nation in Southern Virginia His dam
age to the Virginia & East Tennessee
railroad was not as great, as was sup
posed, as the President of that road gives
notice that it is again in running order
to Bristol, in Tennessee.
The President and Secretary Of War
returned tonight from short visit to the
encampmsnt of rebel prisoners at Point
Lookout. 1t is understood they satisfied
themselves that no less than 1000, or
about tenth of the whole number, are
ready to enter the United States service
The President of the Western Sanitary
Commission, Mr.. Yeatman, has been
here for the purpose of representing to
the authorities the needy and suffering
condition of the freedmen on the Missis-
sippi, and urging the Immediate adop-
ton of measures for their. relief 1t is
understood that he has been directed, in
conjunction with the special Agent of
the Treasury Department; Mr.. Mellen,
to make a thorough inspection of the
abandoned plantations under lease and
report to Washington. He left here yes
terday. ~. -......-...., ~.
ADJUTASr-GESERAL' Thomas reports
Col. Hawkins brigade of 5000 colored
soldiers at Milliken's Bend as in excel
lent condition, and its commander
AYERS it can whip any 5000 rebels now
in arms Gen. Thomas thinks by Spring
there will not only be negroes enoug in
the field to guard the banks of the Mis-
sissippi its whole length but also to give
a large surplus for duty at other points,
OF IN the helo' Sas-
SOME members of the Committee re-
main here through the holidays. The
Committee of Ways and Means have I'M
der consideration more particularly
tax on tobacco, petroleum and distilled
spirits. The tax on tobacco will be
placed on the manufactured article to
what extent is a matter of discussion;
but all members favor a high rate. Some
members favor the putting Of specials
as high as double the present tax. The
question as to petroleum, is whether it
should be put on the crude or manufac-
tured article. The policy will be to avoid
taxation on the raw material if possible.
GEN. Kelly has advised the War De
partment of the safe return of the sever
al columns sent out to intercept commu-
nications with East Tennessee. They
brought in over four hundred prisoners
and large amount of property The
Richmond papers are disguised with
the failure of the rebel plans to capture
these forces, and say their escape is snfi-
cient evidence of the necessity of reor-
ganizing their cavalry.
An expedition to cooperate with Gen.
Averill, consisting oftwo regiments of
infantry, 400 cavalry and a battery Of
| six guns, the forces numbering one thou.
sand four hundred in all, under com
mand of Col G. ID. Wells of the 34th
Mass. infantry, returned to Harpers Fer
ry without the loss of a man, after pene-
trating to Harrisonburg, where AveriIl
had finished his work. After Wells had
accomplished his diversion strictly &C.
cording to orders, he found himself con-
fronted by from 1000 to 10000 of Lees
forces, with Gen. Rosser's brigade and
part of Stuart's cavalry in his rear at
Front Royal
By clever strategy and forced marches
he escaped the former, and averted the
latter forces, and reached his post with
his men and munitions unframed.
So desperate at one time seemed the
chances of the expedition, that the rebels
in Winchester offered bets that not man
would return.
One hundred rebel prisoners were
safely brought off