The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-03-07
WAR NEWS.

The Chicago Jo"ram learns, by gen
tleman recently arrived from NitkSburg,
that General Grant was directing his ener-
gies to the work upon the canal cut off,
intended as channel for the conveyance of
his transports and gunboats below the city.
The canal Ii; been damned at both ends
and the water pumped ont. A force of
loco men. divided into parties of loo each.
was then put TO work to widen and deepen
the ditch to Il wijul of sixty feet, and Il
dcbth of twelve feet, So as to permit the
largest vessels of the fleet to pass through
The work was being prosecuted with the
utmost V:Or, and without cessation, and it
was thought than in ten days it would be
finished.
l. We learn from Cairo that the new iron.
clad gunboat Lafayette has been completed.
aud started on the 9th ult., down the
river, to cooperate i'll the doings ut and
near ' ichsburg.
General Foster had returned to his con-.
mand ut Ncwbcrn, y. c.. on Friday last.
and everything was qaiet there at that time.
Official accounts Of the capture of the
steam ram Queen of the West have been
received which state that the Queen Of the
West after doing considerable damage 70 the
Rebels, was run agroung in the Red river
by her pl0t-wheiber accidentally or
through trcachery is not Stated-immedi
atciy under n Rebel battery. a shot pcne-
trated her steam chest and her officers and
crew were forced to abandon her. Her
officers and crew. with the exception of
small number, escaped to the steamer Era,
which the Queen of the West had previously
captured. laden with stores for the Rebel
army. The De Sofa, a small ferry boat,
was blown up to prevent her falling into the
~ of la al, n t'ru AL
by the Rebel ram Webb. but meeting the
lndianoa the Rebels fled. The Era, with
the officers and crew of the Queen of the
West, arrived safely at the anchorage below
Nicksburg.
A letter from Beaufort, S. c., dated
Feb. u, says that General Hunter has de-
cdcd 20 capture the Qualifications upon the
great Ogcechee river. near Savan. all. by
regular siege approaches. and that in pur-
suancc of this plan the 47th New York
regiment has already left for that point and
will be followed immediately by other
troops. The landing Of the troops can. il
is believed, be effected without difficulty
under cover of the fire Of the gunboats.-
The bombardmcnt of Fort NcAIistcr, at
the mouth Of the Ogeechcc. was still con
rinued at last accounts but our vessels have
found it impossible to get nearer than within
thirteen hundreds yards Of the fort, owing
to distractions i'll the channel.
A detachment Of one thousand cavalry
from Gen. kosccran 5 army had an engage
mcnt with the Rebel General Morgan'S
force at Bradyvillc, Tennessee, on the LIST
inst. The Rebels were driven from the
town with a loss Of eight killed, twenty
wounded and seventeen captured. including
nine officers. \ large lot Of baggage and
saddles were also captured. \ despatch
from General Rosecrans shows the affair
to have been II gallant exploit. The
Rebels were thoroughly whipped out of the
town and seventy prisoner capturcd.
a special despatch from Memphis gives
later and further particulars of the capture
Of the lndianola, according to which she
was attacked by three boats on Tuesday.
the 9th ultimo. The fight was Il obstinate
one, lasting several hours, and she was only
surrendered when in sinking condition.
She was run ashore. and the officers and
crew are now in Nicksburg. Whether any
casualties occured.on board of her is not
stated.
BY an arrival at New York VIC have
New Orleans advces to the pa ult. The
fact that the Harriet Lane is still shut up in
Galveston Bay is settled. The iron-cad
gunboat Essex had picked up four torpc.
does. cach containing two hundred pounds
Of powder, in the vicinity Of Fort Hudson.
Gen. Banks had made satisfactory arrange
mcnts with the planters in order to provide
negro labor for the securing Of the crops.
Reports from the Army of the Potomac
show the recent cavalry raid of the enemy
to have been n complete failure. They lost
.rYl hmm. 1r,l Ia, D..
General Coc!,rnrc has resigned. 4 'cconnoit-
ring parry, under command ot Colonel Percy
Wyndham, which left Ccntrcvilc on Friday
reached falmouth on Sunday, and reports hay
ing passed through Warcnton, where they
found twenty-five of the rebel cavalry, who
made their escape At Elk nun and Licking
run they came upon few more, and captured
about ii dozen. No rebel force is at Culpcppcr
There is great mortality among the rebel
prisoners brought to Chicago from the South
west. Nearly one hundred (9.i) died within the
past week They We're III wlctchcd condition
when thry arrived, nearly one thousand being
under the Surgeons care. The diseases ~,
those induced by want and exposure in the
rebel camps, being principally typhoid fever
Pneumonia, and other affections OF the lung:
and throat. Nj the Surgeons, both Union and
Rebel, have their hands full. The hospitals are
all crowded, but the barracks are comtorabIc
The Navy Department have information
that on the 18th ultimo the United States
steamer Victoria, Lieutenant T.. Hooker,
commanding, captured the brig EMMA, of
Quebec, from Nassau, y. p, loaded with
salt drugs, &C., while attempting to run the
blockade near Bacon Inlet, on the coast Of
North Carolina.
A Union Club has just been formed in
Boston, Edward Everett presiding. They
have bought the Abbott Lawrence mansion,
at cost of 500. 900, for their headquarters
The Object of the organization is the I'M
wavering support of the Government in put
ting down the rebellion.
General ROsecrans has Just dismissed
forty. two officers from the service, for alb.
scnce. INSTRUMENTATION, drunkenness, cow
ardice and other ofenses. IN a General
Order he announces that dcscrtion will
hereafter be punished by dca.h.
A despatch from Savannah of the LIST
inst states that the Rebel steamer Nash
vile ran aground before Fort McAlliStcr
and was destroyed by one Of our ron-clatls.
The fort was then taken.
LARGE SALE or COAI-Coal is going down