The New York herald., 1865-01-04
THE SITUATION.

HI NJ - = - - \ A~<1Ss
Earsy on Saturday morning the rebels mads attack
On the plokss Of the front line between Forts Howard
and wadsworth, Of the Army Of the Potomac They
were only about three hundred In NUMBER but
sAs s.sauls vas - unexpected, the enemy charging
with ye and firing rapidly they advanced that our
picket guard forced back within the intrsnchment
losing two killed. three wounded and thirtynvs captured
Ansr gashong up Che blankets, knapsacka &C., which
our msn LEFT q the piHket posss the rebels retired 70
their lines without losing man.
We havs reoevsd fun details Of the explosion Of the
mines under the bulhead Of the Dutch Gap canal and
diagrams aad illustrations showing the magnitude Of the
great wor The explosion took place on the afternoon
ef Jasnary l. Though In itself successful, II did mot
hare The sxpsctsd effect OF opening nayigsble COM
nunIoasos with The James river above Tho expansivs
naturally fel back upon It's original site The batteries
u the enemy have now range upon the canal
~ entire length and until the enemy dislodged the
the work Il practically useless. The use OF dredge-
boats h prevented by the encmy's shells Tho canal
certainly remarkable military work. and tho industry
the enemy rejects great credit upon the engineer
the working parties
We have New Orleans advices by way Of Cairo to the
0oth ult An expedonary force Of about two thousand
men consisting Of detachments from three regiments Of
cavalry three entire regiments of colored infantry and
two pieoes Of artillery, all under command Of
Colonel Robinson, Of the Nlnety-sc colored
Infantry, lcn New Orleans ON the 18th Of
December for raid into Alabama The
command reached Polard's station the 16sh and
sroysd the railroad depot Of eight cars mostly
allied with grain railroad storehouse filed with grain and
government property qunrtermasers and commissarics
storshouses filed with soros an ordnance building with
two thousand stand Of arms and the trese work and
number Of miles Of the railroad On the return Of the
Union forces tho object OF the expedition having been
xsculbiA and fight ensued the rebels being defeated
and battle Gags captured The total loss Of
feroes was seventy 1--WE killed, wounded and missing
Colonel Robinson being among the wounded.
Tho peace rumor founded upon the visit Of the Hon.
Francis r. Blair sE, and Montgomery Blair to City
named to washington II is stssed that they went on
private business from President Lincoln TO General Grant,
and tho TINT there any peace nego
ations contemplated purely speculative
We publish this morning accounts from tho Richmond
papers Of the operations Of neet before Wilmington
The storm through which the heot OF Admiral Porter
rode in safety stated have been the terrible
tAas had occurred ON ths coast for years. They
mention II a. special interposition Of Provi-
Asnos, = u gave them time to bring
up troops and complete the preparations necessary
defence The rebels In ocstaciss he supposed
mossincasaon OF the Yankees q their fAilura -Four
blookads runners succeeded in running into winington
during the attack on Fort Fisher The explosion Of the
tcepedo boa shook tho houses in the city Of Wilmington
severely; bat the rebels were under the impression
shas ono Of the Union gunboa having accidentally goa
aground and being unable 70 get on was blown
up on that account We also publish details from the
rsbsl papers Of the l Of Fort McAiscr and Savannah
interesting rebel reports OF Hoods campaign, &c. &c
Tho movement 70 make Leo commander chief Of all
the rebel armies continues Tho article which pub
EU4Usy0
shaA his appointment Is earnestly desired by the people,
bat intimAses that . bill creating the once
Of 0snsralisso would probably be vetoed BY Je Davis
Il appears from the statements Of the Augusta ConstitS
ona that Atlanta sacked by the Georsians after
Sherman had len t. They robbed each other 70 their
hearts oontent The dessrcn from the rebel army have
taken possession Of the North Carolina mountain dis
sric,s expelled tho rebel citizens and defy tho rebel
thorities TO force them from their retreat
EUROPEAN NEWS.
me steamships New York from Southampton the
2ls and Etna, from Queenstown the 22d OF December
reached this port yesterday morning. fNt
The news Is four days later.
President Lincons Message 70 Congress- with ths ~
ports Of the Cabinet Minister'S, which accompanied H.
were published In England, and oommepted ON ~ con-
siderable length by the London jounalk The remarks
were on the whole friendly the writers seeming lack
any fair argument for opposition to the State paperA
The London Timss approves Of Mr.. Lincons position
On the subject Of rebel raids from Canada
II was confidently predicted in England that General
ehrman would lose moro than half Of his army before
reschlng the Of Georgia his "rctrcat" from
Atlanta Il said, however, that he did reach the
coss even in this condition, he would have accom-
piishsd great military achievement
An Englishman resident in North Carolina, . strong
sympahizsr with the rebsls draws very gloomy picture
Of hs prospects Of the confedsracy in ettsr TO his
f1snda
England and France would, u said, accord
bsllgerent recognition TO the people Of 81 Domingo
The Queen Of Spain unable 10 form new Cabinet
ewing TO the difscutcs Of tho st. Domingo question
Marshal Narvaez remained n the head Of anaira The
Oores was 70 meet In session the 2ad Of December
The Czar Of Russia writes very friendly letter TO MAJ
imiian, recognizing the new empire Of Mexico
Consols closed IN London, December "a, at 90 seH
Cor money. The rebel cotton loan was slightly i'm
proved American stocks were steady.
The Liverpool cotton market was firm, with an ad-
vanciug tendency the 22d ultimo Brcadstufs were
QuIet and steady Provisions dull
THE LEGJsLATURE