, 1865-03-03
Eastern News.
News of February 23d.

lmllan army, having loSt talth IN JeH. DAVIS
Confederacy. It Is stated that several other reb-
ell officers have lately arrived at Matamoras
with like intent
The Richmond Sentinel of Feb. 10th, says:-
The Union forces are making raids in Florida,
and were at last accounts advancing on Rich
Bluff in unknown force.
The Enquirer of the 14th says: Grant APP
pears to lie preparing to push forward his lines
still further having by the recent movement ad-
Yanced them three miles further to the west of
Petersburg
Breckenridge has been installedas Confederate
Secretary of War.
New York, Feb 1.-THE Ricmond papers of
the l4th show that the question of arming the
slaves has been temporarily laid aside in the
rebel Congress.
Late rebel papers present some very curious
and interesting disclosures regarding financial
and military matters in jeff Davis dominions
the new currency is now considered of less value
than the old. There is no money even Of this
worthless character in the Treasury to settle the
immense outstanding account, and taxation is
declared as heavy the people can stand.
A correspondent ofthe Herald says: The clos
ing of the port of Wilmington has been a sad
blow to Nassau. All is stagnation here On
the Sd there were over 80 steamers and 100 sail
recently engaged in cOntraband trade. The
warehouses are filled with goods The pirate
Tallahassee now called the Chameleon was there
on the first of the month, and the attention of
the government was called to the fact by our
Consul Our gunboat Honduras arrived there
on the 3lst, and asked permission to anchor in
the harbor, but was refused.
The steamer Ogle from Havana, brings dates
and private letters from Mexico Reports say
that Gen. Bazane has been defeated three times
at Oxaca with heavy losses. On one occasion he
! found himself almost surrounded by ymasked bat
teries which did fearful execution. Gen. Deaz
] g 11,rr
! This force is constantly increasing. twas re-
ported at Vera Cruz that Bazane had been Sc
verely wounded. Seven hundred fthe Foreign
| Legion had deserted most ofthem going over to
| the liberals The liberals have increased in
! strength. 1t is now said they number go, 900 and
that they have recovered the State ofJalsco.
The Herald's Fort Fisher correspondent says
that on the 8th with about 5Omen, Lieut. Cush-
ing captured the town of Shanotte, garrisoued,
by 100 ebels and held it for several hours, du-
ring which he destroyed large stores of army
! supplies and provisions, and about so bales Of
cotton and escaped without loss. On the night
! of the 10th, he made Reconnaissance up Cape
! Fear River, actually penetrating to the wharYes
! of Wilmington, where be remained long enough
to gain much vauable information. He discovered
the pirate Chkamauga sunk in the channel of
| the river The next night with four boats crews,
! he went up to the rebel Fort Anderson, and man
| aged to get close enough under the walls to hear
an officer, supposed to be Gen. Bragg harangu-
ing his men on the last ditch, and the last stroke
/ for Southern independence,
Chicago, Feb. %, IL A. M.-Charleston and
all its defenses, with 200 cannon, supplies and
ammunition came unto our possessions on the
morning'of the 18th. All the cotton was des-
| troyed by the rebels
New York, Feb. I8-A committee Of the
Richmond Congress has presented SiddOn, late
War Secretary, as guilty ofgross swindlingi and
| the Richmond journals make statements which
add to his guilt
Information has been received to the effect
that Schofeld's corps landed at Masonboro,
thus putting it beyond doubt that Wilmington
! is by this time closely beseiged, if not already
in the hands of our forces.
/ T-;~-a s..s.aoro vvore osrrsnt yesterd0y touch
ing the evacuation of that city, but no confrma-
tion has yet been received. By landing at Ma
sonboro Scho6eld avoided the necessity of
marching up the peninsula.
City Point, Feb. l9.-The following is taken
from Richmond dispatch of to-day: Sherman
| took possession Of Columbia yesterday. The
intelligence communicated yesterday by
Beauregard in an official dispatch Columbia is
situated on the north bank the Congaree river.
below the confluence of the Saluda and Broad
rivers From Beauregard' dispatches it ap-
pears that on Thursday evening the enemy ap
preached the south bank of the Congaree and
threw number of shells into the city. During
the night they moved up the river. Yesterday
morning they forded the Saluda and Broad riv-
ers, our troops under Beauregard evacuated CO.
lumba The enemy soon after took full posses
sion. The fall of Columbia necessiates the eyac-
uation of Charleston
New Orleans, Feb. l0.A refugee from West
ern Texas reports Prices command at about
5000 strong mostly cavalry from Texas Large
numbers of deserters were constantly arriving
at the Rio Grand, and escaping north into Ar
kansas and Missouri. Prices headquarters were
at Borham, Texas, forty miles south of Red
River, in a fine foraging region. Magruder is
at Camden Arkansas, with part of his COM
mand. The main body, chiefly cavalry, is on
a stealing expedition in Texas. The horses of
both commands are in an exhausted condition
Magruder has twenty thousand men on the mus
ter rolls, two thirds of whom are effective. Kirby
Smiths headquarters still at Shreveport,
Louisiana. His entire strength is estimated at
thirty-eight thousand, only about twenty five
thousand of whom are servceable. An immense
drove of beef cattle, numbering some hundred
thousand head, is roaming the praries of Wes-
tern Texas. Reports of Kirby Smiths, Ma
gruder's and other rebel officers cotton spec
ulations still continue to be made. Hart, rebel
agent st Matamoras, is said to have made
million dollars in gold.
The Examiner of the 10th, says that at Kings
vile, Sherman would be able to destroy the
Columbia and Charlotte and Wilmington and
Manchester Railroad
Echols has succeeded Breckinridge in com
mand in East Tennessee.
New York. Feb. 1.-The sloop of war San
Jacinto was wrecked between Key West and
Turg Reef. The crew and the greater part
of the munitions were saved.
New York, Feb. 14.-Maj. Gen. Schofeld
has assumed command of the Department of
North Carolina. This places him at the head
Of all the military forces operating in the Vi
cinity of Wilmington. A Newbern correspon-
dent says; An expedition is preparing here,
which in all probability will make advance
on Godsboro. Ifcaptured, this will give the
United States all of Southeastern Carolina.
The Worlds Washington correspondentreit-
crates his former statement that the rebels will
soon evacuate Richmond and the Atlantic coast,
and fall back TO the mountains in the interior.
He now says that Lee and Beaureguard will
command two grand armies and that prepara-
tons are making for an overwhelming attack on
Sherman
New York, Feb. 17.-The movements toward
Wilmington last Saturday resulted in perma-
nent advance, the Union lines being moved
over two miles OF new ground The position
was held and works were Immediately thrown