The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-27
TIE NEN&

TIE NEWG
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An official report giving m account Of
the operations Of our rams in james
river last Tuesday, was received at the
Navy Department on Wednesday night
hut was sent to the President by whom
/ i. has not been made public The facts
stated therein are, however, pretty gene
rally known. The object Of the expedi-
ton was to break the encmy's pontoons,
aud, il possible, to destroy their stores at
City Point. In TseRs's reach-a stretch
in the river just below Howlctts-two
Mines Of instructions were found, and it
was discovered. that the channel Of the
River was much changed by the late
ireshet The Drcwry grounded within
point blank range Of one Of the enelny's
batteries, and q tremendous fire was linz
nediately concentrated upon her. It
bcing foundimpossible to get her OF, she
ras abandoned by hcr crew, and blew
(p in ten minutes after, having received
1O0,pound shot in her magazine. The
irginia also ran aground, and was SUBJ
Pcted to heavy fire. The Fredcricks-
urg passed the distractions, bur put
hck on it being seen that the rcstsof the
Get could not follow her. On the high
de tho Virginia Was got a1oat. and the
get returned to its anchorage off Grave
ard bend Besides the Drewry, the
irginia alone received any injury. The
Passing near one Of her port. holes was
ssomcwhat stove in. Our casualtics were
/ Eve killed and fourteen wounded.
We have received authentic informa~
ton that, on Thursday last, fleet Of
vesscls-men of.war, gunboats and trans
ports came into Hampton Reads
This is supposed to be the fleet which
recently operated SO successfully against
Fort Fisher.
The report that the Tallahassee had
been captured while attempting to run
into, the Cape Fear river is discreditcd by
: the War Department.
An. official dispatch from General
Hardec, dated on the Gath, says there arc
no movements being made by Ia. enemy
on either side of the Savannah river
4 That is, that Sherman was not demon
strating against either Augusta or Branch
4 vile; but, on Wednesday, it was re-
ported in Charleston that the enemy
were withdrawing from Pocotaligo, and
Z that large column was moving from
Savannah up the Augusta road.
It was reported yesterday that the
President had appointed General R. Z.
Lee Generalin Chief Of the Armies Of
the Confederate States, and had assigned
General Joseph f. Johnston to the com
mand of the Army of Northern Virginia.
The general expectation had been that
General Johnston would be assigned to
the command of our forces now confront
ing Sherman, in South Carolina.
General Gusts Lee has been made .
major general, and assigned to the com :
\ mand Of division on the north side o.
the James.
The House Of Representatives, on yes
terday, refused to pass the midshipman
bill over the veto Of the President.
The President has vetoed the bill re-
Gently passed by Congress authorizing
newspapers to be sent BY mail to sol
diers free Of charge. His objections are
that the bill is ia violation Of the Con
jstitution and Of the tax laws. His veto
| message has been made the special ofdel
| in the Senate for hall past II o'clock to-
morrow.
We have received tho proceedings Of
meeting Of tho Texas brigade. They VII
appear tomorrow.