The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-08-13
THE WAR NEWS.

THE WAR NEWS.
Nothing occurred on the lines in front of PETERS,
burg, yesterday, worthy of mention, except some
picket sk,rmshing, which was probably brought
about by way OF varying the monotony prevailing
for some days past. Persons who visited Port WAL
thti junction inform that dense clouds of dust
could be seen in the direction of the cnemys lines
supposed to have been caused by wagon trains NOV
ing towards City Point 1t Is further reported that
heavy columns of smoke were observed Yesterday in
the same direction, and indeed this was distinctly
seen last evening about sundown from the Peters
burg depot, in this city The inference is that the
Yankees are burning their surplus material, pre-
paratory 10 another change of base-this time pro-
batiy, to the Potomac. scout reports that there
are sufficient evidences of considerable diminution
OF the Federal force in front OF Peterabe,re and We
woulfnot be much surprised II the whole army at
no distant day, pulled up stakes and left bag and
baggage, for another scene OF operations. This
seems hardly possible, after their immense prepara
tons and vain boastings OF what they going to
accomplish on that line +; but the disaster of July
3Oth threw damper upon the spirits Of the Yam
kees, and filed them with dismal forebodings as to
the future. Besides, they have some apprehcnsons
for the safety of their capital, which may cause
them to abandon present forts for the reduction of
Petersburg and Richmond.
The enemy. burnt the village Of Prince George
Court-IIouse on the eth instant One account says
it was accidentally fired by some troops quartercd
there but the probability is that was done through
mere wantonness, and for the qualification of ma
lignant spite the part OF the Yankees. The
Court-ilouse is situated near the centre OF Prince
George county.
THE NORTHERN BORDER.
We have no later news concerning the movements
of forces III the Valley of Virginia The North
EN- papers of the 10th perfectly ignorant OF
their whereabouts, and content themselves with
mcndaciou7 statement of the affair at Mootfeld on
Sunday last. ~
Our troops seem TO have inflicted considerable
damage upon property in the enemy's country on
their last visit besides the burning OF ClnbeIsbut
The President of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal le
ports that the damage to that work will keep b.ick
oNeE hundred thousand tons Of coal from the
Washington market this season. Workmen We're
employed upon the badly-dsmaged section of the
canal at Antietan but the rebel forces in the vcin-
ity drove them aT-ey.
PROMOTED
We learn that Malog-deneral Maury has been
promoted to the rank OF Lieuenant-0eneral, and
takes charge OF the Military Department OF the
Gulf, (which includes Mobile, i'll the place of Lieu
tenant-Genelai Lee, who has been ordered to the
field, 1t is stated that General Higgins takes. the
place recently occupied by General Maury.
GENERAL FORREST
L We gTatied to learn that this gallant officer,
who wounded in the foot at Tupelo in the sad
<,d
ing from Memphis by way Of Holly Springs Cen
eral Forrest is III full command for this fight, and
the country Will expect him to conduct IL to a sue
ccsstul result.
TIE TRANS-MISSISSIF
The enemy still hold Morganza, Louisiana
twentytolr miles from Pol Hudson, but the ean1i-
consisting of 5000 mem is held in check b our
companies and squads which hover about the ycin-
ity. The Yankees doing their utmost to ruin
and devastate the country III the neighbothood
stealing hoIsos and cattle, and burning gins and
com cribs. Our army occupies nnc-tonths Of
the State of Louisiana; and writer says that but
for the iiyef and its tributaries (which gives them
the adydu;nr, OF gunLoat5 there would i'll ten day,
bc lankec foot upsn the soil of the old Pelican
State.
General Dick Taylor wis at Nltchi1oohes, Louis
lana, 1T last accounts. He wits tho. guest OF the
town, the municipal trustees having passed il reso-
tuition drpntinS the mayor and council - to take
care that he and la G,inUy provided with every
available comfort at the sole expense of the town
lie was there under orders from the general COM
niandlng to await the action of the President"-
Several causes have been assigned for General Tay
lor's withdrawal from his command but Mont
Eomoiy paper doubts them ALL and gives the follow
ing Is the true 1t seems that he fought the
battle OF Pleasant Hill contrary to orders whereby
he failed to have III the fight about ten thousand Of
his amy His orders to fall back and toll on
Banks till he got TO admirable position, about
sixteen miles in the of Pleasant Hill where he
could have had Ill the action the additional ten
thousand men alluded to- and would almost certainly
beer, able, from position and numbers 10 haSa aIilii-
hlttcd the Yankee army. II is stated that he gave
battle too soon, and although a great victory wa.
achieved the bulk of Banks army escaped back to
Alexandria, and during the retreat devastated the
country
Again, informed that General Smiths
plans laid not only to utterly destroy the army
but To capture the Yankee gunboats and transports
above the falls near Alexandria, which could have
been done if the battle had off in the admi-
Tabe position selected. Now, while We have no
means of ascertaining how these statements
approximate the truth, we have every reason to be
satisfied with the result Of General Taylor's cam
paif-I in Louisiana, though, to be sure, should
have been better pleased had General Smiths grand
corp succeeded. But we have heard stlll another
reason assigned for General Taylol's withdrawal
from his command IL is that he Was anxious to
pursue Banks and crush him, but General Smith
detached two of hs.divisions thus placing it beyond
his power 1t was tlnn that General Taylor
heved, at has oaon request
The Yankee papers III a complete muddle as
TO General Smiths movements, some Of them as
serting that portion of his army has already
crossed the Mississippi, and others urging that the
gunbosts closely guard every mile Of the river to
prevent it. They evidently afraid that he viii
elude their vigilance, cross the river reinforce Hood
and send sherman bowling back upon the defences
at Chattanooga.
.@..l...s.AH..
ADDITIONAL FROM THE NORTH.
We take from our latest Northern files some ad-
ditional items the limited States