Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-08-09
WAR NEWS.
Later from the North.


June and was done with so much secTesy that other
corps around knew nothing definite in regard to it
Two hundred and sixty Eve Of the most valuable
public and private buildings were destroyed at
ChamberSburg. Most of the stocks of merchants
were remoy ed before the rebels arrived The losses
from fire were largely over million dollars. Three
thousand people were rendered houseless
Lancaster telegram says q raid towards Wheel
ing is intended by Breckenridge and while Long
street threatens Washington, Early will hold the
Valley.
From Petersburg.
PETERSBURG, August This being Lincoln's
fasting humiliation and prayer day the Yankees
have not fred a gun. The enemy is so near in
Gracies front that pickets both sides have used
hand grenades.
Capt. V. j. B. Girardy, Mahons's A. A. G., was
yesterday promoted by the President to the tenn
porary rank Of Brigadier General and assigned to
the command Of Wrights Georgia Brigade
From Georgia.
ATLANTA Aug 4,-Lste yesterday afternoon
heavy skirmishing occurred along our entire lines
and continued until after nightfal. Every effort to
dslodge our skrmish line was defeated and We still
hold our original lines. ..-a
The firing Of musketry and artillery was brisk
portion Of the time. A few prisoners were captur-
ed in our front The city was in the meantime
vigorously shelled. During the night one young
lady was killed by shell.
From the upper Potomac.
We are without later intelligence from General
Early. The dread of Johnston and his sixty
thousand men has frightened Lincoln out of his
wits. A gentleman, who left the Potomac Satur-
day evening" confirms our statement Of yesterday
as to the movement Of Yankee troops up the river.
He says up to the hour Ofeaving empty ira psports
were coming down the river, aud transports filed
with soldiers were going up. On Friday last, CON-
mencing at an early hour in the morning and last
Ing till night our informant heard heavy canno-
nading in the direction Of Washington AS he was
not more than thirty miles, on an air line, from
Washington, he could hear the reports very dis
tlnctly 1t may be that q Confederate army is again
bes.eging the Yankee capital, and this may account
for Grants hurrying up his troops to the defence of
his capital which has been threatened twice in one
months S-SentiReL
The mine sprung at P, ,tersburg was near the
centre of our lneS and the principal sufferers
Pegram's Petersburg Battery and Eots S. O.
Brigade. the chaem caused by the explosion ap.
peared to be 40 feet in depth by 200 in circumer-
ence. Immense masses of earth were piled up one
above the other, and great fragment Of Oombproofs
gun carriages, limbers &c, were lying proniscu-
OuSly in every direction. The length Of the sap
made by the Yankees is supposed to have been 600
feet and six tons of powder were used in the
blast In the engagement that Immediately ensued
the enemy loss is estimated at 800 ours at 700
From the United States.
WASHINGTON, July 20 "A letter from the army
Of the Potomac, dated July 2S, says: The arrival
of some troops in the vicinity of Bermuda Hun-
dred day or two ago, attracted the attention of
the enemy and caused them to believe that an ad
vance on Richmond by way Of Malvern Hill was
intended. force consisting of Kershaw division,
of Longstreets corps, and Wilcoxs division, of
Hills corps, was Immediately withdrawn from the
vicinity of Petersburg, and sent down to check
the movement To counteract this movement on
the part dfthe enemy, the second corps was de.
aInl o,,A Ia,,. L.lf
past six o'clock yesterday morning. the advance met
the rebel skirmshers in an open field opposite
Jones Neck. Their battery was in position at the
edge of the woods on the further side Of the field
long line Of skirnishers was thrown out at once
from our force, who soon drove the rebels to their
breastworks, where they were kept hotly engaged,
while brigade of the first division moved around
on the left of their flank, charged them driving the
rebels from their guns into the woods capturing
City or sixty prisoners and four guns, and quan.
tity of small arms.
The enemy fell back on their reinforcements, who
occupied some strong works, built there some two
years ago Our troops followed taking up posi-
ton on the front and their ank and before this
reaches you, the entire party, it is hoped would be
capturedUr routed.
The guns taken were twenty pounders-Parrotts
marked captured May 29, 1864, near Rich.
moDd" and were the same which were captured
from the 18th corps at Drurys Bluff last May.
Our loss in the affair was only about half dozen
men wounded; none are reported seriously hurt
Gen. Grant rode to the front in the afternoon
and 10 company with Gen. Hancock viewed the
position the enemy had taken up He seemed to
be well pleased with the mornings operations.
Gen. Fosters command had quite lively time
with the enemy yesterday at this place, out his
force being weak, he Tell back about q half mile
to strong position, which he held until the arrival
Of the second corps. He lost forty or fifty men
wounded during the day.
The Conspiracy fer the Formation of a North.
westS N COnfederacy.
ST. LOUIS, July 2s.-The Democrat publishes
long account of the conspiracy for the erection of
the Northwestern Confederacy referred to q few
days since. The organization gagged in this con-
sp racy is known as the 0rNier of American Knights
and the objects to embarrass the government in
the conduct of the war, and overthrow the govern
ment if necessary, for the supremacy OF the Order
rs profession and purposes different in different
States 1t proclaims war policy in New York.
PENNSYLVANIA, New Jersey and other Eastern States
while in the West it is for peace. The order is
Southern organization, being erected on the ruins
of the Knights OF the Golden Circle, and General
Sterling Price is Supreme Commander.
Vallandigbam, while in Richmond, was made
Supreme Commander of the Northern section Of
the Order; and conspiracy vas entered into be.
tween him and the rebel authorizes to divide the
East and West and then aid the Southern rebellion
VaIlandgham's time in Canada was principally
spent in iurthering this scheme He had a con-
ference with some of the leading spirits in the
North soon after his arrival in Canada, and ar
ranged for the establishment Of the Order through
out the loyal States.
The names of all who visited him ut the Clifton
House are known to the government, among them
William B. Reed, OF Philadelphia; Pendleton and
Pugh, of Ohio; Kri5ben, of St Louis; Storey and
Merrick, Of Chicago, are published The results Of
this conference are also known to the Government
tha 6rcf af Jonnary han, III
an address to the loyal States, in which he calls
upon the members to renew their VOWS. He says
the time is fast approaching which will test their
sincerity. That the prosecution of the war is vi