The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-16

Richmond papers Of Friday last announce that Francis
night and he was expected to leave again for General
Grants lines on last Saturday. He had kept his
ments from tho public eye and his stopping place
was mystery; but It said tbat he had had inter
views with JoG Davis and the principal officers OF his
government
four thousand Union troops Franklin Mills, Dog
river Mobile city, without transportation their
supplies being received by way Of the river The rebels
had had a skirmsh with them; but their position Is
described as e'unassailablc.r
Admiral Porter has sent communication 10 the Navy
Department in which he responds to Of General
Buffers statements regard the naval part OF the
pcdton delaying the attack on Fort Fisher, and thus
causing its failure He says that tho only work
signed to the navy to silence the rebel works. and
that 1t did that cfcctuaiy on the oath and 25th of
December; but that, General Butler then decided
assault by his military force uneasblc Il would have
been less earlier day lie Is Of the opinion that
tho tort could easily have been taken by the troops II
petition tho Admiral says before the lcet was
ready cooperate with him. and thus by exposing his
transports to the view Of the enemy warned them OF
their danger He also charges that the army portion Of
thc enterprise wss gotten up In Q very unmitary
manner
Deserers from Fort Fisher who have recently come OF
20 the Union ce report that that work was about sur
rendering the 25th ut when thcy astonshed
learn that the Union troops being Withdrawn They
represent the garrison greatly demorazcd and the
quarters all destroyed.
There was . report in General sheridans army on
Saturday night that large body Of rebels advancing
on Weston, Lsws county, Virginia situated the IVES,
branch Of tho MonongaheA river; but accounts from
that region yesterday did not confirm this rumor.
On Friday last, while four companies from the Army
OF the Potomac were out foragng expedition, they
were attacked by party OF rebels ambush and STAN
pcded. Captain Burasc Rice, Of the Fifth corps, who
Commanded the foraging detachment, was lef,
behind in the flight OF his men, and from
Che sppoaance Of his body, which, stripped Of every
particle OF clothing, and with two shots through the
head was afterwards recovered II looked though he
had been murdered after being captured. Tho Rich.
mond newspapers OF last Friday say that General
Grants army railroad day and night, and Is
transporting vast TO the extreme left Of his lines
where they expect his next effort TO be made, and where
they say Il Is rumorcd he has recently succeeded in ad
Sancng his pickets They report that the frcshcs
on james river commenced 70 subsido la,
THURSDAY, md think that II must either render
navigabc the Dutch Gap canal or encctually
close u up An explosion beard on the 9th inst
10 surmised 70 have been second Yankee effort to blow
a. out The frcshet they state caused several OF their
bombproofs along the river cave in, which resulted in
Some Casualties Tie YANKEE artillery Gre IN Chesterfield
a. reported as being sti Kept up
We publish the second page or ,h,s morning a
usRALp vmy interesting matter ca,ivo 10 the b..
portani enanci, alton movements Il Kentucky and
Missouri Including the proceedings or the conycn.
lion In the latter Eia,c, whcl lassed tho ord.
%a0ss aboIlstipg slavery. and v. Iynopsls Of