Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-05-06
LATEST FROM THE UNITED STATES.

4 kA I Et4 u ~ LII Oh Ac'
To ::ro Indebted TO q friend, just from
within the enemy linss, rc.' the Philade!>
phia Inquirer" of April 2Sth. 1851.
The special correspondent Of Inc Thiladel-
phie' Inquirer" writing from Norfolk, under
date of the 10Th ult., gives the annexed addi-
tional particulars in regard to the fight ct
Plymouth:
The array eunboat Burnsides, Lieutenant
Stewart j.. Donnelly, commander, arrived
here to-day from Roanoke Island, which
place sho left yesterday morning early. The
news brought By her is. that on Sunday the
transport Massasoit proceeded to Plymouth
with q flag Of truce to inquire about the con-
dition of the wounded. After a detention of
several hours, the rebels informed the officer
in charge of her that no communication could
be had.
Later on the same day, Gen Graham, " ith his
swift army gunboat Chamberlain, steamed up
to within a shor. distance Of Plymouth. He
was met by q launch from the robel ram,
which questioned him whether he came az o
h.g of truce. lie replied "No," but was on d
reconnaissance. While accommodating he
greatly surprised tho rebels by throwing sev-
eral shells into plymouth from his long range
guns. This was a brave and daring act, fully
characteristic of the military spirit of tht
General.
From the information obtained at Roanoke
land, it appears that our l0ss was quite
small, while tho rebols WAS very severe. Our
killed and. wounded who fell in the engage
msnt Will not amount to one hundred, whilo
the rebels have to mourn the loss Of over 100
r ,Lo;s Tbo ,vra,t liyporitu ~ n,,p
bers was caused by the grape, canister and
ranks during their repeated assaults upon the
Notifications.
There is . report prevalent that tho rebels,
after capturing the place, gathered together
all the Ioyal North Carolina soldiers, drew
them Up into line, and shot them in cold
blood. It is also said that the blacks remain
ing iii the town met with G similar fate
Should there b, a confirmation Of this, and it
be proven that the rebels acted in this ferO-
cious and inhuman manner, q swift and Sc
we're rctributjon should bo dealt out to them.
LIEuT-coMXAEDER wM. T. TRuxroN,
Onc Of the a6lest officers in tho navy is in
command of tho gunboat feet in the Abe
marie Sound. lis ti:g-ehip is the TacOny, a
ioublc-enler, built in Philadelphia. The reb.
81 rams will not catch Commander IruxtOn
mapping. lie has made every arrangement
10 capture or sink the rebel "~essels, and en-
ioYs the fnll confidence Of Admiral Lee and
all the off GERS OF The fleet. We hope it may
fail IN bis lot to successfully engage the pet
vessels Of the onemy.
"MoEAL suASIoS" rs THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
IMPORTANT ORDER OF MEADE.
The Star" Of this evening says: As the
time is approaching when ~ nrmber Of the
ratimcnts belonging ~ the army OF the PotO-
mac arc to be discharged from the military
service Of the United States, by reason Of the
expiration 81 tic term Uf service for which
they were mustered iuto said service, Major
General Meade has announced to such troops
that the War Department has decided that
the term Of service of q regiment is to b"
computed from the date Of muster into the
service of the United States, without reference
% the date of enrolment or any service ren-
deTed a State.
Tho Commanding General will, however, at
| all times, be glad t. receive and forward, for
tho consideration Of the proper authorities,
any respectful communication touching the
term CT service of n regiment, when such
term appears 10 be involved in doubt.
The Commanding General, in making this
announcements, expresses the hope that regi-
! mcnts which may be discharged will cheerful
~ ucuuiesce in the decision Of the Government
with regard to their term of service, and that
No ORGANIZED bodies of individuals, after hay
! ing borne an unsullied reputation during all
The c%yentful scenes which have marked their
! connection with the army Of the Potomac,
will suffer the honorable fame they have won
~ their gallautry and good conduct to he
furnished in the closing hours of their service
by acts Of INSTRUMENTATION, which, if ventured
I upon ty any, will BIO promptly suppressed,
! ard ran only terminate in the speedy and
certain punishment Of the oSnding parties.
FROM THE RED RIVER.
TriD Of the .Necmer "F6Iar Star" NTH a LII
Of Erchaaged PrisonerS-Shs is BOARDED
In the RsJel&-TAc Prisoners Rejoice orer
tie Federal Defeat.
Correspondence Of the s.. Louis MOI Democrat
ON BOARD STEAMER "PoLAR STAR"
Mourn or BL.cK RIVER, IN RED RIVER,
April Is, 1861.
Our expedition has been O. very %eventiul
ore. o. the jth instant wo left New Orleans
With ffty-seven officers and three hundred
and ninety ,f7o p~riyates, (secesh prisOners)
f., exchange, and reached Port Hudson next
m,rrioc, and tho mouth of Red river by
dark. and after arriving ct our present loca-
ton. mouth Of Black river, we lay until the
Iezr morning, tho 7th instant, and on that
Gay reached Alexandria, where we put of cur
deck load Of Data. On the evening OF the 9Th
we anchored ut Grand Ecore, and next morn
ing started again up tho river until we over
took the fleet, whore we anchored Tor the
night. On tho 10th we broke our rudder,
which caused us to lose five hours TIM IN re.
rair:ng. Ga the day before We passed the ALICE
Vivian. with her ri lder broken also. By
three P. NJ. Of tie l0th we had again over.
taken the fscs, and at t P. NJ, were met by
the rather startling order to retreat, as we
were then sixty milos beyond Banks lines,
hc having been defeated and compelled to re-
treat.
4 heavy force of rebels had been sers to
cut off our retreat. After the reception Of
this decidedly unpleasant news, we r%etreatcd
about fifteen miles and anchored for the night.
On the next morning we hoisted a white flag.
sad started for Grand Eiore, and wcro stopped
! twice by the Confederate forces under General
Liddcll, who, after some par!cying, concluded
70 respect th. flag, and allow US to pass on
unmoinsted, although they were in force and
had fifteen pieces of cannon. You may be
sure we were no. sarry 10 see Grand Ecore
and the five gunboats that were there.
TIC rebels boarded us, and having heen in
tie fight, were Of course posted, and spzead
tho rcgs among the prisoners, who were al
old acquaintances and friends, and it seemed
for q timc that P.udemorium was broken
loose. Such a babel Of tongues and such
shouting and yelling l never beard. Our poor
guards faces we're greatly elongated, but wc
we're unmolested for the rest of the day, and
anchored at Grand Ec0re for the night. The
next day l vent over tn SEQ the boys. WHO
frankly admitted being whipped, and say they
LOST about FIVE thousand killed, wounded and
prisoners; two hundred wagons, several horses
and twenty-five pieces Ct cannon. On Friday.
On Saturday they rcoaatu-ed ten pieces of
cannon and took fifteen hundred prisoners,