Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-04-28

From The Richmond Enquirer Of April 18Th.


brings us some interesting information from that quarter
lie recently visited the camp of Gen Burnside, at Anna
pos where he encountered four thousand two hundred
Tents and learned that the forces amounted about th
W thousand men The transports to convey them to their
proposed destination had not arrived but expected
every day Meanwhile the organic of the expedition
was progressing with great industry The opinion pre-
vaing IN Annapolis B,ltimore aud Washington ind icated
tue james river AZ basis of operation for this formidable
diversion Burnside is to land short distance below
Drury Bluff which he is to take by assault whilst Meade
advances on Petersburg. Troops have been pouring
through Baltimore for the past two months The reg
ments are spoken of full though of Indifferent material
The Yankees far informant had opportunities Of
acquaintng himself with their private views universally
agreed that present was the last campaign in Virginia
Ii Grant should suffer defeat (" the game up"
VIEWS OF THE APPRoAcHING CAMPAIGN
With what will the President electry the country be-
fore the meeting of the Congress- which assemblies
now in less than thirty days. Will it be Maximilans
cognitlon' Will it be France and England combining to
raise the blockade Will it be a victory Of all the
good news that the President could communicate vic
tory would most electrfy his elowcitizens and most de-
press the public enemy.
Grant Is said to be planning another" to Richmond"
with smith and Burnside upon TANKS and The
vast preparations for the campaign duly notified to
authorities indeed publicly is the concentration being
made so osentaous the enemy of all their arrange
ment that cannot but doubt if these indications are
not designed to deceive The press of the United STATES
have duly advised us OF the reorganization Of the Army of
the Potomac and 80 clrcumstantay and fully that it
no difficult matter to correctly estimate its effective
strength Gen Burnside writes etters which are pub
shed in the New York papers, that is preparing com
mand Tor early active operations, that Annapolis ia his
rendezvous and we further Informed that North Car
DINA is his destination.
Gen Smith has been carried to Fortress Monroe in the
most public manner accompanying Gen. Grant, and the
two corps that be to command in expedition ND the
Peninsula are published in the principal journals Of the
country and these most obeiney brought to autho
ties by he enemys flag Oruce boat If no efforts have
been made to conceal these preparations certainly none
have been taken to prevent learning them for the
flag oftruce boat has regularly delivered full files of the
papers that Ware known to contain them Why then has
this publicity been given to preparations that all military
experience teaches should be seduousy kept
Can It be supposed that Gen Grant is nfdent of
success that like the Carthagnan General he would pre-
fer to fight two armies to falling upon one Is it to be
supposed that he has been intoxicated by that
he despses the usual precautions which the rudments of
military science demand We can hardly think so nor
will the authorities of the Confederate States be deceived
by this shallow device.
We have evidence of concentration on our part-no
passage of troops from department another Beau
regard still watches the enemy from the Notifications of
Charleston, seeks fight in the swamps Of Florida
From Southwestern Virginia hear rumors of move
ments into Kentucky and Tennessee Pickett and Whit
ing still hold their positions 10 Nerth Carolina and the
all Is quiet" on the Rapid Ann is unbroken by even
rumor. What efforts then, being made to meet this
conclude
per strategy and editorial campaigns have failed to make
that impression which takes action and that our author
ties IN possession of better information, hiding their
time and holding positions which, like that of Southwest
ern Virginia, Is point from which advance be
made right through the centre OF the enemys lines and
into the very heart OF his territory putting jeopardy the
Stat OF Kentucky turning all positions in East Tennessee
and, like Braggs campaign, throwing the enemy back
upon the Ohio by threatening Cincinnati and Louisville
THE FoRTFIcATioNs AT SHREVEPORT
We had the pleasure yesterday of an interview with
Capt John w. HnsdaIe Of Gen. Holmes staff, who has
just arrived from Shreveport, Louisiana and from whom
obtain some late and interesting Trans Mississippi in
telgence. Captain Hnsdale left Shreveport on the 22d
umo, at which time the place garrsoned by sui
Gent force to hold it against the expected attack The
Notifications complete ADD very extensive the natural
advantages of the place, which considerable having
been improved by much engineering skill and labor
The river at Shreveport about three hundred yards wide
The opposite banks low and the soil Doggy
prevent advance from that side Our batteries are
sufficiently elevated to purgipg shos against the
ron-clads aud the guns are Of heavy cabre and well
mounted In addition to these deences the river OBJ
strncted to such extent that the feet advance
the town without much difficulty and delay well AZ
danger. The garrison is provisoned for siege Of six
months the r"o7s in the best of spits and repose
Unlimited confidence 10 Gen. Smith The Trans. Missis.
sippi army ia better condition Many deser-
tons have place within the past year. s true but the
practice has ceased and the army thoroughly weed
ed, tested and harmonious and, under fayore leader
is prepared for victory.
Gen Holmes has been relieved from duty in the Arkan
district at his request and reports to Richmond
for orders Gen Sterling Price command Of the
department vacated by Gen Holmes. He has fine com
mand of brave and enthusiastic troops The forces Of
Banks, in the expedition, estimated at twenty
thousand The gunbOats according the statements
Of the enemy, twenty in number.
THE FRENCH TOBACCO.
The French tobacco stored in this city, and which will
be shipped to Europe consists of between seven and
eight thousand hogshesds all Of which is Of fine quality
and worth several millons Of dollars To transport il
away at will require eight ships aud it
said that the requisite number will be at City Point in
day two The quiet manner in which the Yankee Gov
eminent backed down from it's refusal to permit this to
bacco pass the blockade shows the stamina of Yankee
pluck before the demands Of France and tsfs
with equal force to the 10 policy Of h-t nation
upon any emergency wherever the opposing Power has
pluck enough itself to t demands with decent
persstency II has been the custom OF the French Gov
eminent to purchase two years supply of tobacco at
time and keep always two years supply ahead The last
supply evidently giving out and tobacco Of
the necessares OF Frenchmans existence would hardly
have been wise, udciousy brave for the Yankee
Government TO have stuck to its determination of pro
hbiting it's expectation from Richmond The Confederate
Government gains by the operation the export Duties and
maintain its prestige for fair dealing,