, 1863-05-09
News of April 23d,

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News of April 23d.
WASHINGTON April 23.-Gen. Gordon has
reached here, and states that the Government en-
gineer who is charged with the duty of inspecting
iron-cads reports that the day after the battle Of
Charleston harbor they were fit for immediate
service.
Mr.. Worden, the Government agent to report
and superintend the sale of lands at st. Helena
reports that not above a township has been sold
while the ferries and timber lands and the town
of Beaufort were reserved for educational pur.
poses.
The personal staff of GepeTal Mcclellan has
been disposed Of The volunteer officers are to
be Immediately mustered out of the service. The
officers of the regular army have been assigned
to-day to duty in their regiments.
Dispatches from rebel sources say, that the bat
teries opposite Vicksburg opened on the 17th and
18th, with what success is not stated.
New YORK, April 23-The British steamer
Gertrude arrived last night. She was captured
on the 10th, off Harbor Island, by the U. S. gun
boat Vanderbilt, after a chase of several hours.
She was bound to Charleston, but arriving there
found the port too closely blockaded, and was re-
turning to Nassau, when she was captured Her
cargo consists of gunpowder and military stores.
A special dispatch from Washington says the
French Minister has received dispatches confirm
ing the telegram from France concerning the
bombardment of Puebla.
1t is stated that the French had carried the first
line of works around Puebla and we're confident
of soon capturing the city, and that their commu-
nication with Vera Cruz is uninterrupted. Rein
forcements and supplies were arriving daily. The
French troops were greatly elated with their sue
cess.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-The Government has
determined not to grant letters of marque and
reprisal, unless foreign war should arise.
On Tuesday a skrmish took place with the reb-
els above Kelys Ford. We captured one Lieu
tenant, two Colonels, and several Captains and "a
privates.
CHICAGO, April 23.-A terrific tornado visited
Grundy county, in this State, on Saturday last.
1t was first heard at the town of Norman, which
it prostrated. From thence its course was plainly
marked to the town of Mason. Houses were
torn frcm their foundations and dashed to pieces
The largest trees were torn into fragments.
Horses and cattle were scattered promiscously
about the fields. House furniture was carried a
distance Of half mile.
ST. LOUIS, April pa special dispatch from
Cairo says that the gunboats have destroyed the
rebel batteries at Warenton, below Vicksburg.
The fleet was at anchor at Carthage on the 18th.
Gen. Grant was to go down the same day.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-L d. Stykney, U. S.
Tax Collector for Florida and South Carolina has
reported to the Government the absolute success
of arming the slaves. He says the late expedi-
ton which took and held Jacksonville, Florida,
was composed entirely of black troops. They
held the post two weeks, and were engaged every
day with superior numbers of rebels. After
wards the blacks were reinforced by white regi-
ments.
The Sixth Connecticut regiment, by no means
favorable to negro soldiers, had an engagement
with the rebel cavalry and artillery, when the
former was supported by the First and Second
South Carolina blacks. After severe engage
ment in which the blacks were successful this
white regiment declared that they had no further
objections to negroes who showed such rluck
The former expedition up the St. Marys river,
by five companies of the 1st regiment South
Carolina volunteers, furnished an equally conclu-
sive evidence of the bravery of negro troops.
Marching through wood they were attacked by
the rebel cavalry. At the first discharge one man
was killed and four wounded, but instead of re-
treating the blacks returned the fire, emptying
thirteen saddles at the first discharge.
CHICAGO, April 23.-Dispatches from Mem
phis have reports that more gunboats and trans
ports ran the blockade at Vicksburg on Monday
night, and are now below Warrenton.
1t is also reported that FIVE boats passed the
batteries on the Yazoo, and are now above Hay-
ris Bluff
Gen. Grants headquarters are at New Car
thage.
New YORK, April 23.-James Ladd, clerk
in the Adiutant Generals office at Washington,
and J. Addison, chief clerk of the Pension Bur-
eau, have been caught in the act of carrying rebel
mails. The former has been in the War Depart
ment for thirty years, and had access to all i'm
portant orders and movements. Both owned
farms in Maryland, and kept up daily commun-
cations by means of carriages.
The Rev. John Martin and family, who live
near them, have been the medium of communica-
ton. They have also been arrested and will be
sent beyond the lines.
CAIRO, April 23.-The rebels occupy the south
side of the Coldwater river, the Federals the north
side. A report was received there tonight of
fighting in the vicinity of Cornth, but there is
nothing definite.
WASHINGTON, April 2S.-Dispatches from
Commodore Wilkes state that he was at Elm
thera, one of the Bahamas, on the 10th inst, in
stead of having left Havana on the 11th.
He makes no mention of having been paroled.
The report is doubtless false.
New YORK, April 23.-Sterling frmer, 1913
163 l-2. Gold firm at $50 l-4-150 ID.
THE Two WARS IN MExIco.-There is sur
prising difference between the results of the
American war in Mexico in 1861 and the
French one now going on. The army landed in
Mexico under Gen. Scott did not number more
than ten thousand effective men. But with these
he captured Vera Cruz, and, advancing into the
interior, won the great battle Of Cerro Gordo,
and captured several important cities, only halt
ing at Pueba. There his army was much re-
duced, chiefly by the expiration Of the term of en-
listment Of the twelve months men. He waited
for re-inforcements, and on the l7th of August,
1S47, marched from Puebla with about 1000
effective men, With this little force (mostly raw
troops) he won the victories of Contreras, Churu-
busco, Molino del Rey, Chaputepec and the city
of Mexico. When he entered trumphanty into
the capital he had not more than 5000 available
men. SCOTS forces were debarked near Vera
Cruz on the 9th of March, 1S47. He entered the
city of Mexico on the 18th of September, 1S47.
The whole campaign, including the delay of near
ly two months at Puebla, thus occupied only about
six months.
The French, with an army originally about 20,-
600 strong, and lately increased to about 10000,
have been in Mexico nearly years but they have
had no decisive victories have had numerous re-
pulses and seem further off from The conquest of
the country than they did six months ago. By
contrast with Gen. Forey's campaign, that Of
Gen. Scott looks even more magnificent than we
have heretofore been accustomed to regard it,
The achievements of our little army, most of whom
were volunteers, look stupendous in contrast with
those of the much more powerful army of France,
made up chiefly of the veterans of the Crimean
and Italian wars.
When it is remembered, also that we had to
fight against Mexico united, while there is con-
siderable party there in alliance with France, the
comparison of results is still more striking Louis
Napoleon must be heartily sick of his effort to
subiugate Mexico. Ifhe reflects, too, that Mex-
can frnnns such as be finds hard to Rhin. were