Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-10-09
FROM THE UNITED STATES.

DESTRUCTION or PROPERTY MAR CHATTANOOGA.
A correspondent OF the Cincinnati Times writing
from Chattanooga, says:
For the purpose of more perfect range in our i'm
mediate 'front.' il has become our painful duty to burn
ali the dwellings between the Federal lines and those OF
the enemy More than fifty buildings have been level
ed To the ground some of which quite valuable
aud the premises most beautifully ornamented with all
the surroundings of com ort and pleasure But all Is
now complete waste everything has been leveled and
DESTROYED Houses trees shrubbery, fences, aud all
are gone made 10 give way to the rebellion and the
curse Of war Over this desert waste the guns OF
the Pederals have complete control.
LUcoLN's THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION.
The following l. Lincolns proclamation appointing
day of thanksgiving, ETC:
The wear that drawing towards its close has been
filed with toe blessings of fruitful fields and healthful
skiea To these bounties, which are constantly en-
loved that we are prone TO forget the source om which
thew come others have been added which OF such an
extraordinary nature that they caunot fail 10 penetrate
aud soften the heart which ia habtusly nsensibe to
the ever.Watchful providence Of Almighty God.
In tue midst OF a civil war OF unequaleS magnitude
and severity which mas sometimes seemed to provoke
The of foreign States, peace has been pre-
served with all nations order has been maintained, the
laws have been respected and obsyed ard harmony has
prevailed everywhere except Ia the theatre OF military
conflict while that theatre has been greatly contracted
by the advancing armies aod nRvies of the Union.
Needlul diversions OF wealth aud oil strength from
the fields of peaceful labor TO the National defense have
not arrested the pow the shuttsSr the chip TIE axe
has enlarged the borders o. settlements, and the
mines are full of iron and cod and of the precious
metals, aud have yielded more abundlnty than
heretofore.
Population has steadily increased hs'anding
the WAS that has been made in the camp the siege aud
the battle field and the country roicing in the con
seriousness OF augmented strength and vgor permit
ted to expect continuance oi years with large IN
crease OF freedom
No human council hath devised nor hath any mortal
hand worked out these great things Tley the gra
cilus gifts of The Most High God, who while dealing
with in anger for SINS has, nevertheless remem
bered mercy II has seemed TO me h and proper that
they should be Folemnly reyeren y and gratefully ac
knovleGgcd by the whole American people.
L do, therefore, invite my feloW-cjuzens in every
nlrt Of the United States and ao those who at sea-
and those who soourniug in foreign countries, to
set apart and observe the last Thursday OF November
next as day of thanksgiving and prayer and praise to
our bent fcent Father, who dweeth in the heavens;
and recommend that while Offering up the ascTiptons
Justly due to him for such singular deVersnces and
blessings ihey do also with humble penteuce for our
peryersen1s So and disobedence commend TO His endeC
care all those who have become widows, orphans,
mourners or sufferers in the lamentabe civil strife in
which We are unayodaby engaged, and fervenuy i'm
pore the interpositlon of the Almighty haGd to heal
the wounds of tho nation, and to restore it,
NAV be consistent with the divine purposes 10 the full
enjoy ment of peace, harmony tranquility and union.
In testimony Whereof etc, etc,
BY the President ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WV. Il. SIwARD, Secy of State.
PROM KEw ORLEANS AND vIcEnY..
The Nav Orleans letters to the Herald contain the
following items:
The guenilas are growing bold and numerous on the
M,ssssippi RIVER. They have located thIee-gun bat
,vl;. al. ed
fifteen skots at the steamer Julia, five of which went
through the boat bus she escaped Eight or ten vessels
have been fired into.
The pntcaars of the capture Of the British steamer
S VIM Pitt show that che landed Liverpool cargo Of
arms, &C. in Mexican waters, and took on board one
bou.ard bales OF cotton, when the French authorities
ord red her TO leave the Mexican waters which she did,
coming over 10 the Ame lean side Of the Rio Grande
river Capt; Roland, Of the gunboat Seminole promptly
sent " officers and number Of men, who seized her;
trsnsDorlng her officers and crew 10 the Seminole
prisoners OF war The vessel then sent " New Or
leans.
Caoian Hood of the British ship Pylades, demanded
an eIUlanatien which he received from Captain Roland
u the efec: that she had landed contrsband Of in
American waters aud had cOntraband of on board.
A Berwick city letter 10 the Herald states that tie
main body OF General Banks command was encamped,
on the 18th Of September near that place. No serious
encounter was xpeced until reaching Vermion Bayou
where tile Rebes under Dick Tay lor are represented
10 be Ia great 10, AID orttyrg Another repOrts,
thai the Rebels are concentrating all their available
fo.ces from Western Louisiana, Eastern Texas and
Southern Arkansas, ct Aexand.ia Tor last desperate
resi- tanoe and that they evacuAng all the country
this side Of Alexandra and the Red river Our forces
would soon make an advance movement.
A PLOT 10 DESTROY MISSISSIPPI RIVER STEAMERS.
The New Orleans Era of the 23l SepAnber has the
following details Of the alleged plot to destroy all tie
steamers on the Mississippi river:
I'VE learn from gentleman, who speaks from the
best information that while recent rip up the river
he was It'd by n former friend, who is insane
and interruptions Rebel, that jeff Davis aud his Cabi-
net had decided employ incendiares to destroy every
steamboat navigating the Lower Mississippi aud Ohio
rivers Offering As AL to these mSereants in
accomplishing their barbarous mission sixty per cent
the estimated value of all boats and property thus de-
stroyed. His Informant assured him thas the Ruth had
already fallen victim to this scheme, and he would soon
hear Of others. lie bel merchant of this city, and
known to be holder Of Western produce, advised,
in friendly way bold what goods he had, there
Was sure be rise in price. The who.e plot struck
him as so diabolica barbarous and improbable that he
paid farther attention TO it Il an 10 Tote it down in
his memOr andum book which he has since shoGn us,
and from which we have copied the main points. On
lis way up the river he heard threats from some
pciousookng strangers iinst re Imperial the very
boat wbich was first b. ed st. Louis Lder circum-
stances Of grave suspicion. .|..s
1T was further told him that the who burned The
Ruth had since made his way TO Richmond received his
sixty per cent the value OF the boat and go $780,
600 and had been heard from by his frendin Memphis
who were highly eated by this streak Of good fortune Of
their diabCl cal friend
REVELATIONS OF YANKEE SPY.
The Philadelphia Inquirer occupies nearly two col
umns with the "narratve Ct Harvey Birch, who made
his way to Richmond several months ago. and imposed
himself upon the military authorities as friend of
the South" This lying vogabOnd gives the following
account OF his interview with Gen. Wnder, before
whom he was taken on his arrival here: ~
Charity will not permit me, like many Others to des
cribe this funotonary knave, drunkard, yrant and
brue but rather SUPERB lous, hOary doard, too
comprehend that any but traitors have
rights feelings worthy OF respect. He at first re-
garded with suspicion, but l repeated, with Addi-
TONS the ttory had told Mosby, and, In answering
his questions managed TO nterpOae some dattersg re-