Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-01-31
The Latest News.
From Richmond.

Gen. Breckenridge has been appointed Secretary
Of War, and William johnson of North Carolina,
the competitor Of Gov Vance at his first election,
will be DO appointed. COmmissary General Uice
NorthroPe resigned
Senator Hunter, of Va, Vice President Stephens
and Judge Canpell of Ala, having been appointed
peace commissioners, to proceed to Washington and
confer with the United States government left
on the 29th. No developments relative TO
Blalrs mission have been made though it is cener-
ally supposed in Richmond that he will propose re-
union on such terms the Confederate authorities
might submit To.
Twenty five Surgeons and assistant Surgeons ar
, rived at RichmoEd on the Goth They were CAP
tured at Franklin, Tenn
Confederate Congress.
The most important business in the House on the
27th was the consideration of the Senate BILL to
provide Tor the employment Of free negroes and
slaves on fortifcariouS, &c Mr. Ramsay moved a
proviso that SAID slaves shall not be armed or used
as soldiers Mr.. Miles supported the amendment
lie was utterly opposed to arming the slaves
In The midst of his remarks, the House sustained
motion to transfer the bill to the secret calendar
then resolved into secret session.
The Senate concurred in the House joint rcsOu
tions OF thanks to Gen. Williams and passed, with
amendments, the House bill to increase the eficien
cy of the cavalry slso passed another bill to in
crease the number of active Hnidshipmen in the
navy, the provisions Of which are intended to OBJ
Viate the objections of the President it being bill
recently vetoed
/ Mr.. Wigfall introduced resolution restricting
all laws, authorizing the impressmeRt of property
for the use of the army, except by military officers
and IN case OF absolute necessity, which, after long
debate was adopted
The Senate on the 28th again passed the bill al-
thorizing the transmission of newspapers to the
soldiers free of postage notwithstanding the Presi
dents ohjection-yeas 10, nays 4.
Nothing Of Importance done in the House.
Georgia.
The Augusta Chronicle & Sentinel represents the
situation OF affairs in Northern Georgia truly de-
plorable. The country is infested by bands Of law
less marauders, who rob and murder IEdscrimnate-
ly. These predatory bands consist chiefly of de-
serters, and have thus far de6ed al attempts to cap
ture or disperse them.
Gov. Brown has convened the Legislature Of
Georgia to meet at Macon the 18th of February.
Sherman moved from Savannaipon the 18th inst.
! in three columns the main column moving on Char
lesion, taking nearly all his transportation, and the
others on BranchvIle. Refugees from Savannah
state that he had previously sent one rps up the
! river towards Augusta, another to Wilmington,
| and two others by water to Beaufort. The force
! sent towards Savannah recalled. A letter from
: Charleston to the Richmond Dispatch says the
force sent to B aufort moved out from Port Royal
on the 18th, and on the 14th encountered our. ad
I vance, (Colcotk'S cavalry) and drove it lack on
! POcOtaligG, which was evacuated by General Nc
! Laws during the following night without loss of
men or material. General McLaws took up position
! behind the Combahee, after destroying the bridges
| by which he crossed that river.
I From Pocotaligo to Branchville the distance does
not exceed forty five miles and be easily aecOm.
! plished in three days. The enemy once firmly es-
tablished on the railroad, either at Branchville
some point nearer Augusta, and the fall Of Charles
! ton becomes only question Of time, and short
time at that At Branchville Sherman's fanks
! would be protected by the ElistO and its swamps
on the left and by the Santee and its swampS OH
the right whilst his base at Charleston would be
unasSailable either by land or water.
Gen. Hill has issued orders for all non-cOmbat-
! ants to leave Augusta.
An accidental fire occurred in Marietta, Ga, on
the 10th ult, destroying the hotel ,
From Charleston. -
The Yankee gunboat Diaching, got aground in
| Combahee on the 9th inst. Our batteries opened
and set her ON fire She was burned to the waters
edge, but all the crew, excepting LeuteAant and
five men escaped.
Prisoners report that the vessel recently sunk of
Sullivsn's Island by torpedoes was the Patapsco-
Only Ave men, out crew of three hundred, escap-
ed. ALI the rest were drowned.
Nothing else important.
| From Wilmington.
fire occurred at l o'clock P. NJ, on the 2Sth,
in a hut'o cotton. Four hundred and thirty five
bales of cotton were consumed in front of the Gus.
tom House without any damage to the building,
however.
Two carloads Of cotton were burned the same
morning On the Wilmington and Weldon railroad,
four miles from the city.
There has been change in the land naval
! forces Of the enemy below.
! Weather very cold.
| Later.
] The Richmond Dispatch of the 9th, gives an
! account Of the operations OF our rams in james
River on Tuesday the Oath inst. The object of the
expedition was 20 b elk the Cnemy ponoon bridg 8
and if possible, destroy his stores at City Point.
; In Trents reach-a stretch in the river just be
. low HowletLs-two lines of distractions were
found and it was discovered that the channel Of
i the river was much changed by the late freshet.-
The Drewry grounded within point blank range Of
one of the enemy's batteries, and tremendous fire
! was Immediately concentrated upon her. 1t being
found impossible get her off, she was abandoned
by her crew, and blew up in ten minutes AFTER ha7.
ing received 100 pound shot in her magazine
The Virginia also ran aground and was subject
ed to a heavy fire. The Fredericksburg passed the
distractions but put back on it being seen that the
rest OF the feet could not follow her. On the high
tide the Virginia got ahoat, and the feet re
| turned to its anchorage off Graveyard bend. Be
sides the Drewry, the Virginia alone received any
injury. The casing near one of her port holes wa!
somewhat stove in. Our casualties were five killed
strA fourteen wounded --f ---.-.z-,-
The Confederate Peace Commissioners were still
in Richmond on the 29th. They were expected Il
pass through Bushrod Johnson's lines on their wa,
north. There was some cannonading along tn
| lines at Petersburg on Sunday last
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