Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
New York, August 2—The French bark, Harriet Rolli, which was taken by our forces while running the blockade at New Orleans with a cargo of wines and brandies and arrived to-day under command of Capt. Conant, of the Mass. 4th regiment. She has 33 sick soldiers.
The following is the dispatch in the Richmond Whig from the commander of the rebel gunboat Arkansas:
Vicksburg, July 15, 1862.
We engaged today, from six to eight a. m., with the enemy’s fleet above Vicksburg, consisting of four or more iron clad vessels and two heavy sloops-of-war, and four gunboats and seven or eight rams. We drove an iron-clad ashore, with colors down and disabled, blew up a ram, burned one vessel and damaged several others. Our smokestack was so shot to pieces that we lost steam, and could not use our vessel as a ram. We were otherwise cut up as we engaged at close quarters. Lost ten killed and fifteen wounded others with slight wounds.
The Tribune’s Washington dispatch says a German printer boy who has been a year getting from New Orleans via Richmond, where he was imprisoned three months, has arrived here.
He estimates the number of fighting men at Richmond at 70,000, and confirms the report that four divisions under Longstreet, Ewell, Hill and Jackson are stationed along the railroad from Staunton to Gordonsville, and at Louisa Court House, under Stonewall Jackson, numbering in all. in his opinion, 50,000 men: but it is improbable that these divisions average more than 12,000 after the severe fighting on the Chickahominy. Thirty thousand is probably nearer the number. Their pickets extend to New Market, and their course appears to be up the Shenandoah Valley.
A letter from Norfolk states that there have been several cases of yellow fever there.
Headquarters Army Potomac, July 18.—A flag of truce went up yesterday from Turkey Island Creek, having on board Gen. Dix, who went to meet Gen. Hill for the purpose of making a permanent arrangement for an exchange of prisoners. The interview was highly satisfactory, but no conclusion being arrived at, the flag of truce will return to-day, when Gen. Lee will be present. Richmond papers of to-day contain accounts of the death of Gen. Twiggs at Augusta, .July 15th.
GREAT SENSATION AMONG THE SECESH.
New York, July 18.—The New York Tribunes Washington dispatch states: We have advices from Warrenton to-day. The news has been received that Gen. Hatch occupied Gordonsville. This has created great consternation among the leading rebels in Warrenton, who had not the least idea that Gen. Pope would reach that point without a great battle. Index, many of them said, would be held at all hazards, and that no Yankee army would be allowed to take it.
A correspondent writing from Corinth, Mississippi, sends the following in relation to the Commander in Chief of the Western armies:
There is yet no sign of an immediate intention of General Halleck to leave Corinth. But with him what is apparently improbable today may be certain tomorrow. Events may forecast their shadows but the move ments of General Halleck do not. His plans lie always buried in that safest of repositories—his own head—until the hour for their execution has arrived. Not even the members of his staff, holding the most confidential positions, share their burden until then. Independence of conception seems one of the main characteristics of his mind.