The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-01-14
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY Y, January II.
The Foreign News

embrace an entire month, from the Goth of No
yember TO the 18th of December. Wars and ru-
mors Of wars are increasing in every part of the
world, and il seems not unlikely, judging from
present indications, that the year 1864 will stand
as one Of the most bloody ON record. The war
cry has already been sounded in Germany anu
Denmark, and the clash Of arms has probably
ere this begun. With war between these nations
and the revolution in Poland, it seems hardly
possible that Russia. France and England will
escape being drawn into the maelstrom and thus
all Europe be set in q blaze. Besides this i'm
pending trouble in Europe. we have the civil war
in America, the French war with Mexico, the
trouble between foreign nations and Japan, and
by the last adyices received, a new rebellion has
broken out in India. All these troubles in diff
ferent parts of the world may not prove to be so
extensive as now appears probable, yet expert
ence shows that it is easier lighting the torch of
rebellion than distinguishing it.
Turning to the United States we may take q
hasty glance there. The general tenor of the
news from all quarters, is decidedly favorable to
the Union cause, to the restoration of peace, and
to the reconstruction of the Union on some plan
not clearly developed, but of which the full and
total abolition Of slavery will be the chief and
unconditional basis. In this reconstruction of
the Union, it seems clear that the power of the
slave holders as 4 class will be entirely crushed,
and that a new order of things will be establish
ed even at the South.
The PROCLAMATION of the President, offering an
amnesty and pardon TO all who have been engag-
ed in the rebellion excepting the leaders, is time
ly, and will have a great influence on the masses
at the South, so soon as they feel relieved from
the tyranny of the rebel leaders. This procla-
nation as well as the message of the President
will be found in the California weeklies of the
18th Of December
The military position in Virginia appears not
to have changed much during December. The
same see-saw mode of warfare which has been n
popularity Of the tactics of that State ever since
the opening of the rebellion, still continues.
One army advances and the other retreats before
it, with various losses in killed and captured.
Then the same programme is followed by the op-
posing army with about the same result. The
two armies appear to be about equal in size. and
up To the Goth Of December, were reported TO
have gone. into winter quarters, Lees army on
the south side of the Rapidan, and Meade's on
the north side of the same river. But the latest
advices by the Halle Jackson, report that Lee
having been reinforced by LOngstreet's forces,
which had returned from Knoxville, had crossed
the Rapidan to attack Meade, and that the latter
was falling back as usual towards Washington.
The story of General Averill's expedition up
the Shenandoah Valley as far as Salem, which
will be found among the latest a6vices by the
Halle Jackson, forms one of the most brilliant
and daring exploits of the war. TO under
stand it better, it should be stated that his forces
were stationed at or near Winchester, and that
proceeding up the valley he passed StauntOn and
reached the Virginia and Tennessee railroad at
Salem, which is located some forty miles west of
Lynchburg and about one hundred and fifty
miles south of Winchester. This raid, if the
facts correspond with his account, is hardly less
bold and remarkable than the famous Grierson
raid in Mississippi.
From Charleston we have advices to about the
18th of December. Gilmore continued to bonn
bard the city, sending his 200 pound shells a dis
tance OF over four miles from the celebrated
g swamp angels which he has planted around
Cummings Point. The Charleston papers de-
cline to state the amount of damage caused by
the Smelling of the city, but from statements in
some of the Southern papers, it appears that sew
era, confagrations have occurred there in conse-
quence of the bombardment. The reported loss
of the LrOnSideS is positively contradicted. 1t
arose from the fact that one of the iron-clads,
the Lehigh which had passed Fort Sumter and
gone up towards the city, got fouled in the OBJ
structions opposite Fort johnson, and received
considerable damage from that fort. The Iron
sides and two other veseels went to her relief and
succeeded in rescuing her. !
From the West the news is most cheering.
Grant at Chattanooga, assisted by Hooker,
Thomas and other well-known generals, attack
ed Bragg's forces before that place on the Odd
and 9th of November, gaining n most decisive
victory over the rebels, who were pursued by
the Union troops to Dalton in the State of
chattanooga. a more complete victory by the
Union forces, OF a more disastrous defeat, accom-
panied with a most shameful rOut of the rebels,
has not taken place during the war. The con-
sequence is, that Bragg has been dismissed and
General Johnston, formerly at Mobile, placed
in command of his army.
At Knoxville 4 victory no less important has
been achieved by Burnside and Foster; the result
of which is, that the rebel troops in that neigh
borhood, after a severe loss, stated to be about
!, 900, have been compelled To retire, leaving
the State entirely cleared of rebel troops. The
ant, that the President issued q proclamation
desiring public thanks to be given throughout
the Union.
In Texas, too. the Union cause is sweeping
everything before it. and General Banks adj