Stirring news may be expected from the lower Mississippi, by the way of New Orleans, shortly. Correspondents at that city state that preparations have been made for an immediate attack on Port Hudson, troops and munitions having already been moved in that direction. The attack is to be made by land and by water. General Banks commanding in person. He left New Orleans for Baton Rouge on the 7th instant, in company with General Grover.

A skirmish occurred near Bolivar, Tennessee, on Monday, the 9th instant, in which the Confederates were defeated, and eighteen taken prisoners. The official report of General Rosecrans of the recent scouting expedition states that one hundred and fourteen prisoners were taken.

St. Louis, Feb. 18, 1863.

The great iron-clad gunboat Neosho was launched to-day at 4 o’clock. She is designed on the Monitor plan.

Gen. Davidson’s division has been joined to the army of the frontier, and not attacked, as the telegraph blunderingly said lately.