Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-16
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Anticipated Attack on our Centre-Th
Rebels reported to be Massing arsun
DA%n

Anticipated Attack on our Centre-The
Rebels reported to be MassinS around
Petersburg.
CITY POINT, VA, Feb. 12.-From the repor,s
of deserters, and from other sources of infor-
nation Ii would seem that General Lee is con-
tempiating an attack on our centre, and is
making, or has made the necessary DISPOSE
lions for such q movement. 1t wrote you ves-
tefday that if the enemy ventured any offen-
sive movement at ALL it would be most likely
directed against the centre OF our lines The
emptation to make the effort is very great for.
with our lines at present SO extended, the CEN
tire would naturally seem to be the weakest
point, and If the enemy could gain any advan-
!aee here he might claim q decisive victory
We know from experience that it is faverite
species OF tactics with Lee to mass upon our
centre and endeavor to pierce il. In the
present campaign this seems TO be the only plan
of operations remaining to the rebel comman-
der. The Army OF the Potomac can no longer
be tanked, and if il Is to be dislodSed IL can
only be by cutting il in two.
Accordingly, Lee is reported 10 be massing
all available troops around Petersburg, with
the view OF making an attack. The scream or
the locomotive. whistles on the Southside road
can be distinctly heard i'm our camps, and they
have made the night unusually hidsous OF
late. There is evidently something astir 1t
is accepted here as q certainty that the enemy
VIII speedily attack us, and, likely enough, the
point OF attack may be somewh here in the vi.
clnlty OF Meade's Station, where the late
felgned assault was made.
Such an enterprise may seem rather bold for
the rebel army, but Lee is in a critical position.
ana must make some desperate push before
long unless he designs to evacuate Petersburg
Whatever his designs, he will discover that
they have been anticipated and prepared for.
FINANCIAL From yesterdays ". Y. Even
ing Post:
Wall street is pertnrbed to-day by con nhicting
rumors from Sherman and SchOfieli. The
consequence has been depression of Quota
tons and general indlsposition on the part
OF the public to operate either in stocks or in
gold.
Gold is dull, and from the pre- evailing sus-
Pense, very little business has been done. The
opening and highest price was 206k; the
lowest 2G5 \, and at the close 2l5H was bid
Exchange is dull a: IGSk for specie.
The loan market is over supplied, and the
rates OF interest favor the borro wer. Six per
cent is the ordinary rate, with few transac-
uons at seven. Commercial paper is scarce
and has free currency at kall
The stock market opened duh and irregular,
Governments are firm, state stock quiet rail-
road bonds fiat and bank shares neglected
Railroad shares are irregular, those OF the
western roads being chiefly in favor.
The Commercial says: The stock market
shows slight reaction from the improve
spirit of yesterday. With some slight excep-
tons, the whole list is dull, and prices show q
falling tendency. The cheapness OF money
has no effect upon the market. The brokers
find it impossible 10 enlist the outside public
in speculation, and, as rule, they do nor
relish speculation wholly among themselves
which is simply a process Of preying on each
other. The probability is, that no Important
the course of military operations so change the
aspect OF national affairs as to produce q ma
terial fuctuatioh in prices.
ID Gen. Ord has convened a board OF COL
ofed officers to consider whether the rations is-
sued to white troops contain sufficient nutri.
ment for negroes, and obtain medical testlmo-
ny as to what change, il any, shall be re.
quired.
IL Nearly seventeen hundred suits are
penang against New York, tor damages sus.
tained at the hands Of the mob, in the great
riots of July, two years age. Another verdict
has been rendered in favor of a party who lost
some property, in that way, At Allerton's Ho-
tel
HI The 795 national banks now authorized
have an aggregate capital OF SlSI, ,792, 736.
Their circulation amounts to $50, 500, ,706, OF
which the issue during the week ending Feb
ruary IL was no less than S3,s65, 400.
JFThe construction of the Government ar.
senal on Rock Island will be commenced i'm.
mediately 1t will cost 81, so 600, and win
be one of the largest structures Of the kind in
the world.
IL Five young kings in Europe are anxious.
ly looking for wives.
D-At Camp Douglas, Chicago, fourteen
hundred rebel prisoners are on the sfck ia
with an average number OF interments Of siT
per day. One OF the mest frequent causes Of
death is nostalgia, or home sickness.
IL Later accounts from Savannah con IA.
dict the report that no personal Injuries r.snlf.
ed from the recent fires in that city Tventv
lives are now said to be lost and one hundreS
buildings were burned. -.