Late Northern News.
Attempt to Capture a Yankee Steamboat on the Kanawha — The Administration and Gen. Wool--Order for the Release of Confederate Prisoners, &c., &c.The Cincinnati Commercial, of October 12th, contains the following special dispatch, dated ‘"Gallipolis, October 11:"’
On arriving at the Red House Shoals, on the Kanawha river, this afternoon, the steamer Izetta, with a cargo of Government horses and wagons, was fired into by one hundred rebel cavalry, and ordered to land, which Captain Windsor declined doing. Rifle balls riddled the pilot house so thick and fast as to compel its abandonment, when Capt. Windsor wisely determined to 'bout ship, which he succeeded in doing with the engines alone, and descended the river, arriving here without material injury. The rebels fired about two hundred shots, first at the pilot house and then at the engines and boat generally. The balls passed through and through the cabin, texas, engine room, and steam pipe, but strange to say, ‘"nobody was hurt. "’
Much praise is due Capt. Windsor for his successful effort in saving two hundred and forty horses, with wagons, &c., which the rebels attempted to capture.
During the firing a Government steamer supposed to be the Sliver Lake, armed with a six pounder, hove in sight, coming down, but on discovering the trouble, reversed her propellor, and when last seen was endeavoring to get back up the river.
A rumor, which is not credited generally, says that seven thousand rebels are advancing to the Kanawha, to cut off army supplies.
The Horizon and Empire City, with a regiment of Federal troops, passed up the Kanawha only an hour ahead of the Izetta.
The Indiana troops.
The following dispatch, dated ‘"Indianapolis, Oct. 11," ’ is taken from the Cincinnati Commercial, of the 12th:Gen. Stone has returned to Grafton and Cheal Mountain to see what has been received and what is needed for Indiana. The troops will be marched out of Western Virginia if they are robbed, swindled, and neglected again as in time past. Neither her Governor nor their officers will suffer a repetition of these outrages.
The morning papers will contain a portion of Gov. Morton's dispatches relating to clothing our troops in Western Virginia.
The Thirty-Ninth Illinois regiment left Chicago yesterday for St. Louis. The Indianapolis Journal says:
‘ This makes forty regiments that Illinois will have in the field, and will increase the number of Illinois troops in the country's service to forty-two thousand men.
The Cavalry regiment under Col. Farnsworth will leave in two or three days, and, probably, two or three other regiments will leave this State ‘"for the wars"’ within eight or ten days.
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Gen. Wool Sustains Fremont and Condemns the Administration.
The following paragraph, from the New York Herald, of the 16th, plainly indicates a difference in sentiment between Lincoln and his Generals in regard to the conduct of Fremont:There is no doubt but it was intended by the ‘"highest authorities"’ at Washington to displace Gen. Fremont, and give Gen. Wool command of the Western Department. But the veteran General looking over the field with the official records before him, showing the number of men and amount of material at the disposal of Fremont, would not take command unless largely reinforced. He would not attempt to achieve immense successes with inadequate means. This the Cabinet Caucus considered making too many conditions, and so let Fremont remain in command. The country will rightly consider the act of Gen. Wool a rebuke of the Administration, and a justification of Gen. Fremont
There is no excuse — there can be none — for the ragged and destitute condition of the troops at Cheat Mountain. Ample supplies of clothing have been provided. There has been ample transportation made ready.--Therefore some of the officers in the employment of the United States are thieves or incapable. There is no evading this point.--The soldiers know it, and the people at home know it. We would say to the loafers and scoundrels in the case, ‘"Be sure your sins will find you out."’ They will be hunted down and made infamous, and the men who have shivered with naked limbs through the wintry storms of the Cheat Mountains, may find a summary method of dealing with those whose rascality, negligence of idiocy, has caused them such suffering.
Order for the release of Confederate prisoners.
The following has been issued from the headquarters of the army at Washington, as a special order, under date of October 15th:Fifty-seven of the United States soldiers detained as prisoners in Richmond, having been released on taking an oath not to bear arms against the States in rebellion, an equal number of the prisoners of war taken from those States, now continued in Washington and New York harbor, will be released on taking the prescribed oath of allegiance to the United States, or an oath not to engage in arms against the United States.
Of those confined in this city the 37 here named will be released as above. Townsend Hobbs, W. Lafin, R. G. Alford, D. D. Fiquaet, S. S. Green, David Porter. G. A. Thomas, Thos. Anderson, A. C. Ferrill, J. A. Winfield, J. R. Payne, W. James, A. Bomamdier, F. Ward, W. A. Wilson, C. Long, R. B. Boone, R. Walker, Wm. T. Thompson. W. Johnson, W. Burrows, J. N. McFall, Geo. Banker, J. Carlin, J. O'Brien. S. Garritt, L. Rielk, W. A. Barron, G. H. Gamling, J. Leadbetter, A. J. Smith, J. F. Grayson, R. Pinckney, W. J. N. Barton, Geo. Larrabee, J. T. Elliott, Geo. Miller.
Col. Loomis, commanding at Fort Columbus, will, in connection with Lieut. Colonel Burke, select twenty from among the prisoners of war under their charge, to make up the number indicated. The prisoners to be released will be sent by the first opportunity to Fortress Monroe, and thence under a flag of truce through the United States lines.
The Government has thus quietly recognized the kindness of the rebels in releasing the wounded prisoners who were sent from Richmond a few days since, by ordering the release of a like number of rebel prisoners of war held by us. If the rebels see fit to continue to thus virtually exchange prisoners, it is probable our Government will acquiesce, although it will do nothing in the way of an exchange by the ordinary customs of belligerents.
Affairs at the Washington Navy-yard.
The Washington correspondent of the New York Times, of the 14th, represents great activity in the navy-yard at that place. The following is an extract:There are about 800 men employed in the yard now. An order was issued, a few days since, to increase the casting of shot, shell and canister to the greatest extent possible. --Accordingly, the foundry shops have become the centre of unparalleled activity. To-day it is contemplated to use near 17 tons of iron at the iron foundry, in casting the desirable articles mentioned. Four hundred 9-inch and 10-inch solid shot were cast here to-day.
For the last six weeks ten tons of iron have been used per day at this shop in casting projectiles. At the ordnance foundry they are casting only brass 12-pounders now. All guns of late have been rifled. During the last month twelve guns were cast in this shop; previous to this, it was usual to get one per day. Here, also, there is about one ton of iron used in forming shot and shell. Gangs work both night and day. Several guns are in the lathes; on these they work both night and day. A few other guns are waiting their turn to go through the same operation.
Reported Capture of Mason and Slidell.
The New York Tribune, of Oct. 16th, says editorially:‘ Unless the rebel emissaries, Mason and Slidell, suddenly changed the place agreed upon for their exodus from the rebel States, they have not, as represented in the Southern journals, sailed for Europe from Charleston in defiance of the blockade. But directly the intelligence published to-day reached here, the Navy Department, with commendable zeal and promptness, ordered a fast steamer to intercept them, and a dispatch from New York to Secretary Welles was received to-night, stating that the steamer was ready and would start off at once. If, however, Mason and Slidell have not sailed from Charleston, but have taken the route first agreed upon, they will still find our Government on the watch for them.
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The Probabilities of an early advance by the Yankees.
The Tribune pretends to know what are the intentions of the commanding General of the Yankee forces about Washington with regard to an early advance upon our troops. It says:‘ Without claiming to have official or detailed information of the approaching movement of the National Army of the Potomac, we may insure our readers that the great contest is indeed close at hand. It is impossible to say with accuracy when it will begins, but it must be within comparatively a few days. But army now stands so that a single intelligent glance shows its altitude to be one preceding offensive movements. If the projected haven't expeditions and the for ward step of the army should be simultaneous, the effect can but to crushing. However it may be as to this concert of action, there need be no doubt about the operations of the army, and hardly anything short of a miracle can delay our speedy advance.
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Hon. John J. Crittenden.
A letter in the Cincinnati Commercial from a Yankee parson, dated ‘ "Camp Dick Robinson, Ky., Oct. 9,"’ has the following in regard to the arrival of John J. Crittenden, of Ky., at that place:‘ Since I last wrote to you, nothing of public importance has transpired in our camp, except the arrival of the Hon. J. J. Crittenden on last evening. As soon as it was known that this distinguished gentleman was in the neighborhood, such honors were paid him as merit alone deserves. To-day, accompanied by several of his friends, he made a visit to our regiment. He was welcomed by Colonel Walker, at his headquarters. I was present a part of the time, and heard him converse upon the present disastrous affairs of our nation. Among other things that he said, was, that ‘"we can make this war, by God's help, a blessing to us as a nation for all time to come."’ In regard to the subject of neutrality that has long been talked about, he remarked, ‘"that the neutrality of Gov. Magoflin, and the neutrality of the loyal citizens of the State of Kentucky, differs so much as loyalty and rebellion." ’
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