The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-03-13
New York. Friday, March IL. 1868.
THE SITUATION.

New York, Friday, March IL, 1868.
THE SITUATION.
The news from the army ON the Rappahannock
to-day is unimportant The pickets Of the enemy
along certain portions Of the line on the opposite
side Of the Rappahannock are one half negroes
and one half white men. The negroes are armed
and uniformed the same as the whites. Only one
hundred to one hundred and fifty yards intervenes
between our pckets and the enemys, and they
are plainly to be distinguished without the aid Of
glass.
A despatch from Rutherford's creek, Tennessee
states that the whole rebel force Of Van Dorm re.
treated towards Shelbyvlle on Wednesday night
that the country between Nashville and Columbia
is now cleared of marauders, and that the means
Of crossing Duck river are destroyed. This post
pones for a time the expected engagement in that
quarter.
The account of our special correspondent on
board the gunboat Montauk of the late fight of our
lron-clads at Fort McAlster, on the Ogeechee,
will be found intensely interesting. The Mon
tauk was struck with solid shot seventy times,
and was lifted clear out of the water at the bow
by the explosion of torpedo but she was not
injured. The action was a terrific one, no
less than three hundred and one shells hav.
ing been thrown by our vessels, and two hun.
bred and seventy-seven solid shot and shell by the
Oyr Er;u xho rnrk ~r:G
seatly directed, and, notwithstanding the state.
ments in the Southern journals that Fort
HcAllister was uninjured, il proves that it was
very seriously damaged. We give very fine map
to-day showing the scene Of action and the posi-.
ton OF all our vessels during the engagement. The
mprcgnability of our ironclads under the heaviest
Gro pretty well established BY the result Of this
conflict.
An arrival Of three steamers from Port Royal
yesterday furnishes us with the latest news from
that quarter. The attack on Charleston has not
yet commenced. The papers OF that city say that
neither the Indianola nor Queen OF the West have
been destroyed, but are still in good condition.
An officer Of the rebel army who was taken
prisoner in the vicinity Of Charleston states that
negotiations for peace have been under considers
ton for the past three weeks at Richmond.
but that the fact had not been permitted
70 go before the public. The Britsh steamer
Queen Of the Wave ran ashore near Charleston
aud Admiral Dupont was using every exerton to
save her. The British steamship, the Douro, which
was captured OF Cape Fear, on the 9th instant
BY the United States gunboat Quaker City, was
Brought into this port yesterday by the latter yes
scl a. prize. Her cargo consisted Of four hun
drsd and twenty bales Of cotton and some turpen
tine and tobacco. She ran the blockade at vii
Sniugton. North Carolina, and was making fol
Nassau when intercepted by the Quaker City.
The difficulties existing between General Hunter
aud the officers of General Fosters command ap
pear to be yet unsettled. General Naglee has
been ordered to New York by General Hunter, and
has issued farewell address to his division, in
which he predicts that truth is mighty and will
prevail"
Several valuable prizes are now on their way tc
this city. The prize steamer Adela has arrived al
Fortress Monroe from Key West, bound te
New York. The prize steamer Virginia
bark Mohlen Williamson and brig ]. W
Sawyer, with prize csrgoes of twenty
seven vessels, left Key West for this port on tn,
same day. The steamship Peter Hof, Captain
Jsmran. R. N, with q valuable cargo. was cap
tured on the 25th Of February of 81. Thomas by
the United States gunboat Vanderbilt, and arrived
at Key West, where she was sent for adjudication
The Hod was bound from London to Mstamoras vic
and Anne Hortenz have also arrived ct the Same
place.
The whereabouts OF the pirate Florida remains
smystery. She Ia reported ~ having been seen
ct so many different places, and under 90 many
various circumstances. She was reported, for in
stance. as being seen on Absco on the 24th ult.,
same day she is said TO have been taking in coal
and provisions at Barbados, whereas q bark
which arrived here and sailed from that port on
the Ath reports that no privatcen were there q.
chat time.
BY the Anglo-Saxon, which arrived here yester.
day, we have the latest features Of the European
view Of the American question. The London
Times, commenting upon the recent action Of the
conservative States, says that they are taking
steps which prove that their object is peace, and
Andins . federal government unwilling to Civ,
HGsss v their dSpirs. hare superseded it, action