Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-03-18

A dispatch OF the oth says lO-uay
large rebel cavalry force appeared before
Nickajack Gap and pressed our cavalry out.
Deserters from the rebel army continue to
arrive at the rate OF thirty a day.
Another dispatch dated Chattanooga, Ith
inst, says:
The rebel cavalry have retired and our
forces now occupy Nickajack Gap. 1t is not
unlikely that the rebels may assume the Of
fensive
a large force of rebel cavalry attacked 90
men of the Third Tenn, at Panther Springs
on the 9Th inst Our loss was killed, 8
wounded, and % captured. The rebel loss
was 80 killed and wounded.
A dispatch was received Tuesday evening
from Gen Butler, which says; The flag of
truce boat is in, bringing over As officers and
over 600 priyates delivered for exchange.
The Richmond papers give an account of
Col. Dahlgren's death and Maj. Cooks cap
ture.
The Richmond papers of to-day say, on
the 9th of March Gen. Sherman was aC Can
ton on the Mississippi Central R R, that he
has taken a large number of negroes and
leaves the country impoverished. The pa
pers also state that the confeder Ates have or
dered all of Gen. Kilpatrick's officers whom
they have captured to be placed in irons.
The Richmond Sentinel Of the 6th has the
following dispatches:
MERIDIAS, March fisherman was at
Canton last Wednesday Our cavalry are
fighting him on all sides. There was heavy
cannonading at Canton all day Wednesday
Sherman has taken large number Of ne
groes. lie leaves the country perfectly I'M
poyerished wherever he has been.
WILMINGTON, Mar. "A blockade steam
er was sunk off Cape Fear river.
Dispatches from Cairo say that passengers
from Memphis report that Sherman's expe-
dition penetrated IS miles beyond Meridian +,
destroying all the railroads in that vicinity,
80 locomotives and large number of cars
There was no more fighting after leaving Can
ton, where Writ Adams rebel cavalry was
encountered. Sherman's loss in killed,
wounded and missing is 500. A large num-
Der of plantations were destroyed.
A skirmish took place Wednesday, miles
this side of Suffolk Va, between the enemy
and companies Of our colored cavalry The
rebel loss was % our loss was 10 killed
Our forces entered Suffolk next morning
after brief struggle. We now hold the
place.
Maj. Gen. Sigel has assumed command of
West Virginia. His headquarters are at
Cumberland, Nd.
News from Arkansas reports that Waldron
some 90 miles south of Fl Smith, and re-
Gently the advanced post of our forces, was
burned by guerrillas few nights since.
Twenty steamers and large supply train
from Little Rock have arrived at Fl. Smith.
The steamer Leon, laden with commissary
stores, sunk in the river above Little Rock
on the 9th.
Gen. Price has returned from Matamoras,
Mexico, where his recent furlough allowed
him TO visit his family. lie now commands
the rebels in the Department Of Arkansas.
Rebel deserters continue to arrive in consid-
cradle numbers.
a dispatch from Knoxville dated March s.,
says
The rebels are beyond Greenyille, still
slowly and sullenly retreating. They lately
shot seven deserters and are relentlessly
hunting down conscripts. They have sent
forty pieces of artillery to the great Virginia
Salines, which place they will doubtless hold
under Buckner and Breckenridge, and from
it they threaten Kentucky. They are not
terrifying Bulls Gap.
Norfolk letters of the llth confirm the ex-
pulsion of rebels from Suffolk and our occu-
patton Of the place on the 10th. This is
later than the reported repulse OF our troops
which occurred on the 9th.
Army officers leaving Chattanooga Friday
noon report all quiet there; and also at
Knoxville, as far as heard from.
a heavy column of infantry was reported
moving up from Ringgold; but was ascer-
tanned to be nothing more than an escort TO
a body of refugees seeking the Federal lines.
Boats from Knoxville report guerillas quiet
along the river.
The receipts of rebel deserters average 80
per day. Gen. Sherman, commanding the
post, Is issuing so, 900 rations daily. Citi-
zens come from distance of so miles. All
unemployed and unenlisted contrabands will
be shipped north. on Monday. As an evi-
dence of reconstruction, the Masonic Lodge
at Chattanooga has revived and will soon
commence work.
News comes from New Orleans to the 9th
inst
Part of Gen. Lees cavalry had left New
Orleans for Red River. Gen. Sherman arrived
at New Orleans on the ID, on the gunboat
Diana. His late expedition is called by him
self a big raid, in the course of which he
reached point east of Meridian without any
opposition worthy of the name, and returned
with |, 100 mules, 1000 contrabands, 500
prisoners, and a large amount of supplies
Transports are rapidly bringing troops
back from Texas.
Gov. Hahn was inaugurated on the 4th,
with imposing ceremonies, at New Orleans
Gen. Banks delivered an address in which he
predicted the reduction Of the instruction
to three or four States on the Atlantic coast
by this seasons campaign. He said a. Let
US remember that the re-iDauguration we
celebrate has the basis of a century, for we
have achieved deeds OF century in the past
two years, and so long as the people are faith
full and true to themselves, so long will stand
Louisiana the first returning State in which
every man is free man."
Gen. Beauregard's wife died on the ID.
the funeral on the 4th was the largest ever
seen in New Orleans Over 5000 persons
attended, and the cortege was over one mile
in length. Gen. Banks kindly extended to the
family the steamer Nebraska to convey the
remains a few miles up the river to her ia
theirs plantation. The body was followed to
the levee by thousands of ladies who wished
to take last farewell of one who was loved
and esteemed by all.
The Natchez Courier of the 4th reports
heavy firing on Ouachita river near Harrison
burg on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Capt Ketchum of the Island City captur-
ed two large tOrpedoes near the mouth Of St.
Johns river, evidently made for the destruc-
ton of our blockade squadron. Affairs at
jacksonville remain quiet and unchanged.
The small pox was very prevalent at Port
Royal and Beaufort, mostly confined to col
ored troops.
Reports have reached New York that the
,rebels are preparing another piratical e1pe-
dition from some of the small Inlets of Chesa- I
peak Bay. The utmost vigilance is required
of the gunboats and it is believed the next
party trying the experiment cannot fail of
falling into our hands.
Gen Grant went hack 10 tho We.t on