The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-12-09
THE WAR NEWS.

THE WAR NEWS.
The exciting news that was anticipated from
the Army Of the Potomac has all been received.
e. All quiet on the Potomac" viii doubtless
now again become prominent heading to the
telegraphic dispatches received by Us from day
to day. Gen. Meade has abandoned the pursuit
Of Lee, and returned 10 his old quarters on this
side Of the Rapdan. The army advanced as
far as Nine Run. where il was expected an en-
gagement would take place, but upon exam
nation Of the enemy's works they were found
to be 80 formidable and so well guarded. a.
to be capable of resisting any attack that
might be made by our forces. and General
Meade. after consulting with his officers.
deemed il advisable to withdraw TO the north
side of the Rapidan. and orders were accor-
dinghy issued TO that effect. Gen. Meade aban
doned the campaign when it became evident
that the enemy had anticipated his advance.
and rendered an approach TO Gordonsville and
Orange Court House an impossibility. II l.
stated also that the great difficulty of keeping
up the supplies of the troops at this season OF
the year, at any distance from the railroad as
we'll as the impractcability C the country for
offensive military operations. prevented more
extensive movement.
The falling back to our present position was
accomplished without the loss Of property or
men.
The entire casualties during the campaign
will not exceed 900 in killed. wounded and
missing.
FROM CHARLESTON.
A terrific FIRE has been kept up on Fort John
son for some time past.
Shells are thrown into Charleston at the rate
of about twenty per day. some Of which do
considerable damage.
A correspondent OF the Boston Herald in d
letter dated " on Charleston, Nov. Is says:
One or two rebel batteries on James Island
have been completely demolished by our i'm
mense shoal she'll. Sumter received an awful
pounding yesterday. One of our heavy shot
struck upon the inside of the wall and
sent an immense quantity Of it into the sea he
low. The walls are so broken up now that We
have a fine view through them.
Last night. sergeant and ten privates OF
] 2 It's
made good their escape during the darkness
and surrendered themselves to our forces on
Folly Island. They state that the Charlesto-
mans and the rebel troops are almost in state
Of panic All kinds of eatables are scarce and
enormously high. They say the South cannot
hold out much longer. The poor people were
in a state of starvation in Charleston and Sa-
vannah"
The rebels had heretofore kept q hospital
flag flying from the Monltre House. and OF
course our forces respectel it and avoided
firing upon it. But few days ago the rebels
commenced tearing down the MOultrie House.
and revealed to our forces formidable battery,
which had been secreted behind it while it was
under the protection Of the hospital flag.
No flag now floats over Sumpter. and only
an occasional shot is fred from its ruins
FROM KNOXVILLE.
A dispatch from Knoxville, Saturday, Nov.
18th. speaks of its being the twelfth day OF the
siege. Longstreet was threatening an assault
and the siege was causing some inconvenience
in getting forage, and considerable labor in for
tifying the position. No panic retreat, starva-
ton, assault or investment had occurred. The
siege was considered another rebel failure
The metal Of the men Of both sides had been
tested. and our Western boys had no awe OF
Longstreets veterans. The daily skirmshing
was spirited and on several occasions very Sc
we're, with lively shellng on both sides. Our
troops behaved zplendidly throughout Our
losses had not exceeded three hundred in all
Many Of the slightly wounded were returning
TO duty
A later dispatch, dated Nov. Doth, Sunday ]
says that the great rebel blow, anxiously an
ticipated 50 long. was struck that morning
Reinforced by the troops of Sam. Jones. Jack
son and Williams. Gen. Longstreet sought to
annihilate the Army of the Ohio by a single
blow; for which purpose he selected seven
picked regiments Skirmishing commenced
Saturday night at ten. and continued sharply
until near daylight on their left front, before
Fort Saunders. commanded by Gen. Ferrer,
and defended by the 18th New York, Benja-
Minis 81 {. S. artillery, and Buckley's Rhode
Island battery. The Union pickets were driven
in, aud the enemy had possessed themselves OF
some rife pits, but the Massachusetts boys
drove them back. suddenly the rebel storm
ing party, led by the 10th and 18th Georgia
and 18th Mississippi, under cover Of our own
retreatng men, came to the assault and APP
preached to within one hundred yards of the
fort unframed. Then cnsued a scene of des-
perate daring, stubborn resistance, death
carnage and horror. scarcely equaled during
the war. These men. veterans of the Poto
mac and the flower Of Longstreet's army. con-
fdent Of the promised victory. plunged into
hailing hell of lead. Wires had been stretch
ed from stump to stump. in front of the works
by Capt Poe. Over these the advancing enc
my fell in confused heaps with the killed and
wounded around them. Our artillery men
hurled she'll by hand forward upon the fallen
and doomed rebels.
Hot and hotter came the storm of shells.
The ground over which they passed was car
peted with the slain. The ditch was filed
with the dead. wounded and dying. Not one
on their side faltered not score of the gal
LIANT stOrmers escaped. The sun rising looked
down through the cold mist and chill Of that
November morning, upon the remains Of an
army. One thousand killed and wounded and
prisoners, was the cost Of the assault Of Fort
Saunders Noblv has II sustained the ren-,.o-