New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-24


frcsn al Occasional Core pondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. % 1863.
Ex-senator Pierre Soule, who has recently
been appointed Director " of the bureaus Of the
War Department at Richmond with the rank and title
OF Brgader General IL. am informed the author Of a
project for the defense Of the Mississippi coasts and Of
the State of Louisiana in particular which has received
the approval Of jeff Davis and is TO be Immediately
put into practice Attempts have been made to keep
this project secret; but like oil projects conceived
within the walls Of public Office enough u II has
oozed ont TO allow the public 20 b. pretty wei informed
upon its essential character. This plan. am informed
consists merely in organizing moving columns Of guer'
rilas especially fitted ont and carrying with them light
guns transportablo by sections which be mounted
instantly upon points selected for attack and for defense
This project is not new. King Rinhnrd of Ncw.Or.
lesns is said have entertained it for the last two
years and have gone to Europe for the purpose Of
procuring tie guns necessary that kind of warfare
But ex Senator Soule finds convenient to have
them made in the South He went lately to Augusta to
confer with Col Rains the director the gun oundery
in that city to inquire whether they coad not be
featured in his establishments and receiving an airma
tive answer be gave Lin an order for one hundred
4poundeIs, which like the Armstrong guns not 10
be cast forged. These guns 20 be distributed
to several cavalry corps, who drilling their
horses for the transportation Of this implement Of
war; which is divided into three pieces each OF which
is TO be carried separately.
News has been received in Richmond concerning
Longstreets operations. He has not been reinforced
by sam Jones has been reported but in his retreat
from knoxville he met the broken columns Of that IN
fortunate officer who had been already roughly handled
by the troops under Cen Schaekeoid. Gen Jones is
said 10 he Of tie best surveyors oi the Conederacy
and the best 10 lead army through the passes
and denies OF the Cineh MountsiIs, which may be
guarded against very superior force. The Richmond
papers Of the 18th have an account Of fight al Rogers
vile and kellys Ford in which Gen schaekeliord's
forces ere said o have been put TO fight and Ia
have left two guns, several stands Of arms, and
several wagons H. the hands Of the Confcdcratcs.
The topography Of the country. well as the position
occupied by Longstreot is highly favorable both 10 an
offensive and defensive warfare lie is said 10 be 10.
Gated now above RoferSyille, AT point called Red
Bridge his back resting upon the Tennessee and Viz
GINA Railroad. forty miles distant only. and his front
guarding thc entrance Of the Cnch mountains which
command The Cumberland Gap. il IL assumed that
be either advance Iecede at Win from this
poiD. without much danger 20 himself. Gen. shaekel
ford, however. is within supporting distance Of Knox
lin having his headquarters Beans station with the
Hoston River his back. position which the Rebels
reprcsen. as a bad ono Cen LoIgstIeet il employing
such Of the inhabitants Of East Tennessee under
his control in gathering in caves and gules inter.
which is afterward forwarded TO Augusta Cor the pow
der mill Of that city.
1t not in my power to tend you at present any fur
ther information concerning the fate Of the Ironsdcs
and Of The two monitors alluded 10 In Charleston dis
patch said 10 hive been received Of Richmond. Ny
informant makes aluson whatever 10 the subject.
The army Of Georgia is at a siandstiI. Confederate
soldiers are telling down trees Which they aftervard
split into rails and slIi,e cdgcward into the ground
close 10 each other, thus forming long paraelogram
barracks for Winter quarters These eItcmporized
buildings are cauLcd inside with mud and dried leaves
MIXED together. excellent cement, against which
rain and wind powerloss. BY this means the Con
fedorate soldiers have succeeded in erecting pretty
comfortable houses, in which ihey can. unless dis
,urbcd spend pretty comfortable Winter.