, 1863-03-12

bill shall have passed the House, there will be q
call made for from 100000 to 10000 troops. 1t
is expected that the soldiers whose term is about
expiring will offer themselves as substitutes for
unwilling conscTipts. ..'sA. .s.fs
The Texas Flag Of the 2d has accounts Of
the invasion Of rebel soil by Mexican banditt,
who were stealing horses, cattle, etc. About
800 Mexicans had been organized for the pur.
pose Of plundering our frontier. Their acts
were approved If by the Mexican authorities.
The bandits, At last accounts, were on the Texas
side Of the Rio Grande, some Of them under
the United States flag.
MEMPHIS, Feb 2l.
Advices from the fleet at Vcksburg to the
18th, furnish the agI eeable information that the
initial step Of the Inauguration Of actual hostili-
ties was taken that day. 1t was presumed that
grand attack would soon follow. Our mortar
boats have been towed down to positions about
the city, and opened the ball by firing brskly,
with what effect on the enemy is not known.
The firing was responded to by three Confederate
batteries. Our position was soon found to be
too mu:h exposed for eifectual operations upon
the Rebels, and was finally changed, when the
bombardment was again renewed.
WASHINGTON, Feb a.
The Conscription Bill was before the House
yesterday, but the previous question was moved
before vote was taken. The adjournment was
carried by one majority. u. a#lt
Late accounts from the army indicate greatly
improved discipline, and give promise Of state
Of efficiency never before known. Expeditions
were making successful forays against the enc.
my, capturing supplies and gaining valuable in
formation. The business Of smuggling goods into
the Rebel lines has nearly terminated. Desertions
were rapidly diminishing. The frequent capture
- Il l., 4.
that heretofore flourishing branch Of treason.
The Richmond Weekly Enquirer Of the 18th
says the Confederacy was duped by the recent
account Of the breaking Of the blockade Of
Charleston, and says the accounts published
by them are untrue in every particular; and
moreover the steamer Princess Royal, laden
with the most valuable cargo that ever entered
Charleston, was captured the night before, and
lay only mile and half from the shore during
the conflict, yet our so called victorious iron.
clads didn't rescue her. An official inquiry Is
to be made into this mismanagemcnt
The news in regard to the movements and op-
erations Of our army Is said to be interesting,
but it is considered contraband.
II is reported at Memphis that the Rebel Gen.
Cral, Forrest, died Of his wounds received at
Fort Donelson. @
On the 18th, a force Of 100 Confederate cav.
airy attacked forage train Of 10 wagons, from
Memphis, and captured it. We hear also, that
another train was captured near Moscow, on
Tuesday. The town Of Ilopeiied, nearly oppo-
site Memphis, has been burned by the Federal
authorities in consequence Of the citizens hav.
ing harborrd gu .rrillas who have been firing on
passing steamers.
The Richmond Er0miner Of the 2lst contains
q dispatch from Port Hudson the 18th, announc-
ing the capture Of the Queen Of The West, and
an iron-clSd gunbOat which recently ran the
blockade at Vicksburg She was attacking the
lOrtIicalionS on the river, aud after brisk can.
nonading, struck her colorS Thirteen Of her
officers aud crew are said to have beeL captured.
Feb 25-In the House the conscription I'LL
was taken up. An amendment combining tho
term Of service to the present re6ellion-not,
however, 10 exceed three years.-was adopted.
An amendment was adopted that all persons in
time Of war or rebellion, acting rs spies about
Notifications and camps be tried by general
court t.martialS, and on conviction suffer death.
Cox moved to cOniine the cOnscription to white
citizens; rejected. A motion exempting those
conscentinnsly s,rupulous against bearing arms
was also rejected. Other amendments were Of.
fercd and disagreed to- and after the rejection Of
u substitute offered by Holman, providing that
each class shall serve one year, unless sooner dis
charged; the bill passed-yeAs, ll6; nays, 45.
New YoRK, Feb. %.
The following has been received from Rebel
sources: AT Port Hudson, on the l7th, Capt.
Connor, from Red River, brings intelligence Of
the capture. uf the Federal steamer Queen, Of The
Wed, at Gorlon's Landing, Fort Taylor, on tho
Rcd River The Queen fthe West had cap.
tured the Confederate transport Ecd No. 8, and
fnrccd her pilot, John Burke, to take the wheel,
Al. A.. h..NN
Burke was frightened, but finally took the wheel
under Yankee guard, but upon nearing the
batteries he told the Yankees they were fifteen
miles from them, and Immediately putting close
in shore, she received shot which broke her
steam pipe, disabling the boat The Yankees
we're wholly unprepared for fight aud suspect.
ed no danger. In the confusion Burke jumped
overheard and escaped. The boat drifted to the
opposite shore, where her crew escaped, with the
exception Of thirteen, who fell into our hands.
The crew finally got aboard the Yankee boat IN
Soto and, with 200 negroes, effected their escape.
Later intelligence is TO the effect, Il Is reported,
that the Confederate steamer Webb had followed
ard recaptured the Erd. The Queen Of The
Vea was but slightly injured, and will soon be
in fighting trim under Confederate colors.
A Washington dispatch says Gen. Hooker has
arrested thirty deserters who have been tried and
sen enced TO be shot Gen. Hooker approves and
will execute the sentence. This Is inaugurating
system our army has long sadly needed.
CAIRo, Feb. 25. 20
A large feet Of boats left Memphis on Sunday
morning for below. One Of our gunboats has
passed into Lake Providence, where she found
the Rebels with large number Of negroes, fell
ing trees In the narrow passages to obstruct the
progress Of our boats. We are assured by Off.
NnrS ftraof from, XonnU,o poink that the haaI1I,
of the Gfmy was slowly improving.
80 NASHVILLE, Feb. 25.
General Wheelcr's whole force Of four brigades
Of cavalry Is on this side Of Columbia, Tenn,
and Is reported carrying off all able bodied con.
irnl,n nda IN iha So,iih A nnrfinn Of his E,srn