Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-23
THE NEWS.
GENERAL.N. CHIEE OF THE CONFEDERATE
ARMIES


ARMIES.
The following is the bill providing for the appoint
ment Of Geueral-n- Chief which was passed by Con-
-ress in secret session:
An Acr 10 Droutds for TIE appointment Of q Cen
Co,b-Ctig Or the Armies Of tie Confederate
Tie Congress- Of the Confederate States Of Anierica
10 .EQc That there shall be appointed by the Prcsi-
lent bv and with the advice and consent Of the SEN
ate au officer who shall be known and designated as
Geaeyqlty- riicf, who shall be the ranking officer
If The army and, as such, shall have command Of
,he military iogccs.of the Confederate States.
Sec 2 That the act providing staff for the Gen
sral who may be assigned 10 duty al the seat Of
Government, J. hereby repealed aud that the Gen
eral-in- Chief 'ho may be appointed under the Eo-
visions OF this act, shall have stat not less than
that now allowed General in the field, TO be as
signed by the President, or TO be appointed by him,
b. aud with the advice and consent Of the SSrate.
GEN. JOSEPH E JOHNSTON
The following joint resolution was passed by both
Houses Of Congress in secret session. Tic secrecy
being now removed, we are able 70 publish il:
Psso.rsi lthe House of Representatives concur
riugl That # the President shall assign Gen. Jos.
L. JohnstsaS the command Of the army Of Ten
uessee il wffi be hailed with JOY by che army and
wiihJeceive the approval Of the country.
SOUTH CAROLINA REFUGEES
Tie Augusta Corstitg.;oRGijS. Of the 18th says
that for several days the streets OF that city have
been througcd with fugitives from Sputh Carolina,
accompanied by their families, focks herds cattle,
servants and stock Of al kinds, There seems 10 be
. general exodus from the old Palmetto State, ana
the planters in the district OF Barnwell especially
ne fleeing from what they conceive 10 be "the
wrath TO come" Safety and security from the e.
roads Of the Yankees are being sought in the inte-
riyr OF Georgia.
This movement IS not prcdicatcd upon slavish
.ear>but is Ia accordance with the orders Of Cover
nor M0gr0tb. who was directed by the Legislature
Of South Carolina 70 remove all property from a
certain section o, the State, most liable to inter
ruptiou BY. the enemy As a matter Of precaution,
1t IS very commendatle, and the deserted country
that VIII be presented TO General Sherman will at
once embarrass ms movements and attest the self
denying patriotism OF the CaroiiGans
There IS something painful however in this daily
spectacle oil fleeing families accustomed as we have
been TO all the terrible scenes of the war Ii is
desetion OF home, rude swapping Of old and familiar
ties, venture upon the wide, wide world by those
who have never before quilted the shadow of the
household roof tree and exemplifes at once the
selt-sacrfcing spirit Of people and the bastard
Is aud uuciyized mode Of warfare conducted by the
Yankees.
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA
The Charleston Courier OF the 10th instant says
that information was received there Sunday tof last
week. that our forces had abandoned Pocotaligo
Saturday night, burning Satketcher abe bridge and
falling back to this side Of the Saltkehatchie river
1t was reported Saturday morning that heavy
tf ID
men, under the command Of General Foster, were
advancing on Pocotaligo. The enemy encountered
our forces hear the old battle ground at Old POGO
talgo. A fight eusued, and the enemy were held in
check until dark, when our troops, in accordance
with previous arrangements, withdrawn TO our
lines behind the Satkehatche. All the connnssary
stores Sc, at Pocotalgo were brought off safely
40 particulars were received.
The Mercury Of the 18th gives the following ac-
count Of the destruction ola gunboat mentioned in
"a telegram from Charleston last week
IL has been known for some time that, on dark
nights tie picket monitors were in the habit ofven-
turing much closer in the harbOr than in the day
time One of these turretted providers has az last
We are glad 10 announce, met fitting fate.
About O'Clock Oh Sunday night slight explo-
sion was heard by our men in Fort Sumter and on
SUlliyan's Island. II proceeded apparently from a
point about midway between the TWO posts, ana was
followed by . confused mingling Of shouts, impre-
cations and cries tor mercy. These presently died
ava. and the affair remained a mystery until day
light Monday morning, when it was discovered that
a monitor bad been sunk ly one Of our stationary
torpedCes. Her sm0kestacE vay still above water.
She is believed 70 have been the MOntauk, aud il is
considered that large proportion at least Of her
crew must have persisted by drowning.
There has been no other incident worthy Of men
tion in the harbOr.
FROM VII NTINGTON
The Wilmington Carolinian says that "since the
tall Of Fort Fisher there seems to be lull in the
war element, and quiet reigns along the lines. The
6erce part of the combat is yet 10 come Elated with
their success thus far, the Yankees will soon,
doubtless put forth another effort to beat back our
troops With the reinfoTcements continually ar
irving, and the position our lines have assumed, we
trust his next effort will be futile one. Both ar
mics arc Certifying in their respective positions, and
hot work may at any time DC 10 xed for"
The following despatch was read in the North
Carolina Senate on Wednesday by the Speaker,
sent from Wilmington BY E. D. Hall, Esq, Senator
from New Hanover