Progress of the War.
from the North.
We continue our summary of Northern news this morning from the latest papers received in this city.
The New York Herald, of the 5th December, came to hand last Monday night; but have made some extracts in our edition of the 9th, from a Northern paper of that date, we find but little else of interest to transfer to our columns:
Excitement in Paducah — quarrel among the Generals.
The St. Louis Democrat, of the 2d instant, publishes the following dispatch:Cairo. Nov. 28.--On Tuesday last a Secessionist in Paducah, by the name of Woolfolk, hung a secession flag out of his window as some of our troops were passing by, and hurrahed for Jeff. Davis. The man had done the same thing before, on several occasions, and the matter was reported to Gen. Smith, but he refused to interfere. This refusal of Gen. Smith caused great indignation among the troops, and doubts of his loyalty were freely expressed in Paducah.
The matter having been reported to Gen. Wallace, he sent his Aid-de-Camp, with a squad of men, to order the traitorous flag to be taken in, and if Woolfolk refused, then to take it in and erect the stars and stripes over his house. Woolfolk knowing that General Smith was senior officer, refused to obey Gen. Wallace's orders, whereupon Wallace's Aid forcibly took down the rebel flag and hoisted the stars and stripes in its stead.
In the meantime Woolfolk having appealed to Gen. Smith, the latter sent his aid, Lieut. Price, to order Gen. Wallace to have the stars and stripes taken down from Woolfolk's house. Wallace refused to obey the order, and sent word to Smith that the flag should not be taken down while there was a live man in his brigade. Wallace's aid said that Woolfolk should sleep under a loyal flag one night any how. Smith's aid replied he did not consider that any great honor.--Whereupon Wallace's aid knocked down Smith's aid. Gen. Paine sent Wallace assurance of his co-operation.
As Gen. Smith had nobody but his discomfited lieutenant to enforce his order, ‘"the old flag still waves."’
Brigadier General Smith, commanding the Federal forces, issued a proclamation on the 27th ult., attempting to mollify the exasperated feelings of the soldiers. The Democrat comments on the matter as follows:
‘ The unfortunate trouble at Paducah between Gen. Smith and his command, though for the present settled by the mild remonstrances of the commanding officer, is likely to breed difficulties in that division of the army, which will completely impair its efficiency and usefulness, unless a new commanding general is assigned to it.
Gen. Smith, right or wrong, has lost the confidence and respect of the troops under his direction. No number of conciliatory orders can ever recover for him the important ground he has lost; and it is simply waste paper and time to argue that, without due confidence and respect from his soldiers, no commander can do himself credit, or the country any service.
In a strictly military view, the action of Gen. Wallace and other officers was highly reprehensible; but the circumstances of the case are strongly palliative if not exonerating. The flaunting of a rebel flag in the faces of our soldiers would, in the opinion of a majority of loyal men, seem sufficiently aggravating to justify almost any excess that, in the temper of the moment, might be resorted to. Gen. Smith, it appears, not only excused the act of Woolfolk, but his aid-de-camp, in referring to the matter, delivered himself of a grossly insulting and traitorous speech. Hence the deep indignation of the troops, and the peremptory and very proper punishment which the latter received on the spot.
’
Letter from a Yankee prisoner at Charleston — what he says of his treatment.
The following letter from Lt. Dempsy, of the Second regiment N. Y. S. M., was received by a Mr. William Sorley, of New York city:
Charleston Jail, S. C., Nov. 24, 1861.
My Dear Friend
--Here we are, back in jail again, after being on exhibition for four months, to show the strength and power of the rebel rag under which we (I had almost said live, but that would be a eulogy) stay, in order to revive the drooping spirits of its admirers.
My Dear Friend
As you are aware, we were here before; but it is something hew for men to be imprisoned twice for the same offence. However, they say we are now permanently located for the winter.
We are surrounded by all the vile features peculiar to prison life. There are under the same roof with us persons guilty of the most revolting crimes that ever disgraced human nature — murderers, thieves, mail robbers, even the abandoned wretches of easy virtue; and so powerful is the secession feeling in this stronghold, of a rebellion that these vile criminals affect to despise your correspondent and his fellow-prisoners of war.
You know that I was always of the opinion that the South contained the better portion of our people; but I now see under what a delusion I labored. When I think of our condition, and the many petty tyrannies we have been subjected to, I wonder how they reconcile it with their boasted chivalry. I wish I had paper to give you a full account of all that has occurred to us since the battle of Manassas; but this is the last sheet in my possession.
You no doubt received the letter I sent you from the tobacco factory at Richmond, and I hope that this — which I send by an underground route — will also reach you. The inactivity of a life of this sort, to a man brought up to active business, is sufficient punishment, to say nothing of the many indignities which are heaped upon us. We have lost two men by death since we left Richmond.--They belonged to the Michigan First regiment. Now that the winter is upon us, how our poor fellows will get along I don't know — some of them without a shoe to wear, and many without a second shirt. Their sufferings you can better imagine than I can describe; yet they seldom grumble, except when they hear of peace meetings being held at the North, or when they think of those who were gallant soldiers in peace but are civilians in war.
We — that is, the ‘"New York mess,"’ consisting of Col. Corcoran and Lieut. Connolly, Sixty-ninth; Capt. Farrish, Seventy- ninth; Capt. Downey, Eleventh; Capt. Griffin, Eighth, and your humble servant — would have been in the same predicament had it not been for the kindness of Bishop Lynch, of Charleston, who visited Col. Corcoran, and, seeing us without a bed to sleep on, sent us cots, mattresses, pillows, &c., and, without being solicited, lent Col. Corcoran some money, which he, with his usual benevolence, distributed among us. The Bishop told the Colonel to draw on him for whatever money he wanted. But we were not allowed thus to be happy very long. On the 19th inst. the officer who had charge of us informed Col. Corcoran that in consequence of the conviction of Smith, the privateer's man, in Philadelphia, General Ripley had ordered the Colonel to be placed in one of the felon's cells, there to be kept in close confinement, with the positive assurance that if Smith was executed he would be also. To this Col. Corcoran replied, ‘"Well, sir, I am ready; when I engaged in this war I made up my mind to sacrifice my life, if necessary, in defence of that flag under which I have lived and gained an honorable position."’
The condemned cells in this jail are in the tower, seven cells on a floor; his cell is on the third floor, West side, No. 19. There are no means of heating the cells in the tower, except by a stove, situated in the cellar, the pipe of which runs up through to the roof.--This stove is usually heated with coal; but I am told there is none to be had at present; and as a cold, damp air arises here at this season of the year, the Colonel sufferers severely, yet he does not complain. I know he is in good spirits, for, as I was talking with him through the iron bars this morning he joked about his quarters, saying it was cold, but it could not intimidate him; yet I think his constitution will not stand it long. If our Government hangs Smith the Colonel will certainly be hanged; and although I am in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war, I cannot see any good that would result from hanging the privateers' men. One thing is certain, for every pirate our Government hangs the rebels will hang an officer and a valuable citizen. But if, on the other hand, the Colonel is left in his present quarters until he falls a prey to disease, and death relieves him from his sufferings, his country will have lost a true patriot and a gallant soldier.
Every channel of communication being cut off, newspapers included, we imagined something extraordinary had occurred, which was agreeably confirmed by underground intelligence, which informed us of the capture of Mason and Slidell, and the glorious victory at Port Royal. It is said that ‘"Royal Run"’ was second only to Bull Run. We have also heard that the notorious Wigfall has been taken. This gratified the prisoners, as he called on them in Richmond, and said they would be hanged, and otherwise cowardly browbeat them.
Hoping soon to see all my friends in New York, I remain,
The Union prisoners at Richmond.
The following is an extract from a letter from Captain Bowman, of the 15th Massachsetts regiment, under date of Richmond, November 27, received in Boston:‘ We are all, seven of us, confined in one cell, size eleven by seventeen feet. Our messs is made up of Cols. Coggswell and Wood, of New York; Col. Lee and Major Revere, of the Massachusetts 20th; Captain Re or Philadelphia; and Captain Lockwood and myself of the 18th Massachusetts regiment, we were house, where we had been confined since the battle at Leesburg, a fortnight ago. Standing as we do — for the privateers in New York — we are treated the same as persons charged with the crime. What will be the result of all this I do not know. I trust that all will be well. If we are marked to die, we are enough for our country to lose, and if to live, the fewer the men the greater share of honor.
’
Visit of Gen. M'Clellan to Baltimore to meet his wife and daughter.
McClellan has at last got a glimpse of his first born. On Wednesday morning last, the 4th inst., he left Washington for the first time since he assumed command of affairs there, to go to Baltimore to meet his wife and child.--The Washington telegraphic correspondent of the New York Herald, of the 4th instant, says:‘ At 11 o'clock this morning an engine and elegant car attached, left the Washington depot for Baltimore. Two persons occupied the car, one a lady and the other a gentleman. The latter was about five feet six, stout built, sandy complexion, with a handsome moustache and imperial. He was dressed in a plain black suit. The lady was the wife of one of General McClellan's staff. The special train, as it passed the principal military stations attracted the attention of the troops who were loitering about. They gazed at the occupants of the car, supposing them to be some distinguished strangers from abroad.
The train arrived at Baltimore, where the parties were to meet friends from the West.--An explosion of a locomotive on the Western road, causing the instant death of the engineer and fireman, delayed their friends, and kept the strangers in Baltimore several hours. A portion of the time was occupied in the room of the President of the Northern Central Railroad. The strangers, finding they had no time to spare, proceeded to the Eutaw House, and dined, not booking their names. Mr. Smith, Superintendent of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, acted as a cicerone. After dinner, conducted by Mr. Smith, the lady and gentleman drove quietly through Baltimore, in an open barouche.
At last their friends came from the West, and the strange gentleman greeted his wife, and gazed for the first time upon his first born. The whole company was soon conveyed to the Washington depot, and being safely seated in the splendid parlor car provided by Superintendent Smith, the engineer started the train, and the party arrived safely in this city about eight o'clock this evening.
The mysterious gentleman in black, with his precious charge, alighted from the car, accompanied by the rest of the party, all of whom took carriages and proceeded to a splendid mansion corner of H and Fifteenth streets.
This strange gentleman in black was no less a personage than George B. McClellan, General-in-Chief of the army of the United States. He proceeded on this quiet mission to meet his wife, daughter, and mother-in-law, Mrs. Marcy, and their friends. The General was accompanied from Washington by Mrs. Captain Raymond.
’
The Reported disagreement in the Cabinet — an attempt to Smooth it over.
From the following we should infer that Bennett's correspondent has been instructed to invent some pretext by which to make it appear that the reported difficulty between old Abe and his Cabinet had no foundation in fact. The effort, however, is fruitless, for the facts of a disagreement between them, communicated by more than one Washington correspondent, too plainly indicate that the rupture is of a serious character and may yet eventuate in a complete dissolution of the whole concern. We give below what the Herald's telegraphic correspondent says, under date of Washington, December 4:‘ There is a class of people in this city who employ their time in inventing falsehoods and circulating them, and when any of these reports reach the newspapers the inventors thereof chuckle in their sleeves and boast that they have sold somebody. Yesterday and last night the class of persons alluded to started the absurd report that there had been a row in the Cabinet, and that the quarrel was chiefly between Seward and Cameron; that the former announced his intention to resign if Cameron's report was not changed, and that Cameron swore he would resign if it was; and, finally, that it was agreed that it should be partially altered; that Cameron submitted gracefully, and harmony was restored. This whole statement was an invention of a fellow who had been snubbed by Gen. Cameron, because the latter had refused to comply with the former's demands for contracts. The falsifier was sent for by a Government officer and properly reprimanded. That the Message and reports were examined and properly discussed, and is the practice in such cases, is true; some were perhaps modified; but that the best of good feeling prevailed between the President and different members of the Cabinet, and that such feeling exists, now, is a positive and well known fact.
’
What the New York Herald says of old Abe's Message.
From the following editorial remarks of the New York Herald, of the 5th inst., we should not be surprised if Bennett's animosity towards the abolitionists of the North did not yet induce him to hoist the banner of peace, as the most effectual method by which to break down that party:‘ The President's Message, on the slavery question, will reassure the country, and give new heart and renewed hope to the loyal men of the South, awaiting their deliverance.--Our disorganizing abolitionists are taken aback, and will soon begin to show their teeth, no doubt; but as "Honest Old Abe" has "set his foot down firmly," the two houses of Congress will sustain him. The only trouble to be apprehended is from such abolition disturbers of the public harmony as Sumner.--But let the conservative men in Congress be firm and decided, and everything will come out right. We shall soon put down this rebellion, restore the Union, and resume with a new impulse of great power our glorious career of peaceful prosperity.
’
The character of our Scouts — the Confederate force at Germantown, &c.
The feeling about the removal of Fremont.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer, of November 22d, we take the following paragraph:‘ There is no disguising the fact that the feeling among the Republicans of our city, at the removal of Gen. Fremont, is general and intense. They regard the act as one of great cruelty toward that officer. His disgrace and humiliation could not have been contrived to be more thorough and complete by his bitterest enemies. They say that he has been embarrassed by official impeachment of his pecuniary credit as commander of his division; that he has been annoyed by telegraphic reports emanating from Washington that he was to be removed; that obstacles have been put in his way to cause him to stumble; the investigations were ordered in relation to his acts without giving him a chance to explain, and that everything was done that could be done to disgrace and break him down. That is the universal talk among the Republicans. Whether this feeling is just or unjust, we will not pretend to say. We merely chronicle the fact of the feeling about the last victim.
’
Muscle vs. Tears — the Bold "Benish" and Adah Isaacs Menken again.
From the following extract of a letter published by the Benicia Boy in one of the New York journals, it appears that ‘"Adah"’ has determined to make another effort to possess herself of the charming champion of the prize ring, John C. Heenan:‘ In this morning's issue of your paper is set forth the petition of Adah Isaacs Menken, who has again taken the liberty of coupling my name with hers. She and some of her friends have done so repeatedly before, with the object of attracting public sympathy and for the purpose of involving me in a newspaper controversy, and thereby making capital in her profession, whatever the same may be. I have heretofore carefully refrained from taking any notice of these vile slanders; but the publication of such a paper as the aforesaid petition, teeming with falsehoods and slanders, in the most influential and widely-circulated paper in the country, renders their of justice to herself and only to my friends. I, therefore, solemnly declare the allegations set form in the petition of Adah Isaacs Menken to be false in every particular. I declare that I was never married to her or any one else. I was never possessed of any of her means, and never, to my knowledge, received or spent a dollar of her money. In conclusion, I have only to say that I never shall take any notice of this affair in any manner, and it is with great reluctance that I do now.
’
John C. Heenan.
the New York Herald on the Tribune — the Tribune Desires the capture of Scott & co — expediency of Sending a Federal vessel in search of the Nashville.
We take the following spicy paragraph from the New York Herald, of the 3d inst.:
‘ The Tribune of yesterday intimates that the Nashville is fitting out at Southampton, and may, very possibly, waylay and capture the Arago, making captives of Gen. Scott, Archbishop Hughes, and Thurlow Weed. This appears mightily to tickle the philosophers of the Tribune, and they chuckle heartily at the idea of getting some of their old enemies out of the way, and safely stored between four stone walls, in some remote corner of Dixie's land. They don't care about Scott much, but Weed's prospective incarceration fills them with the kind of satisfaction their friend Satan experienced when he had successfully emancipated from celestial allegiance the inhabitants of the Garden of Eden. They grin a little, too, at the chance of evil happening to the venerable Archbishop, whom they hate on account of his supposed affiliation with Secretary of State Seward. Now our opinion is that Government ought to lose no time in dispatching steamers in search of the Nashville, and not rest until that vessel is safely docked in some Northern harbor, and incapable of such acts of piracy as the Tribune pants after. Let no room be left for after-regrets that proper precautions were not taken to prevent the imprisonment of the late Commander-in-Chief of the American armies, now seeking Europe for the benefit of his health, of the reverend Archbishop of the commercial metropolis of the Union, and of Mr. Weed, whose presence in Europe is so much needed to enlighten the understandings of British statesmen respecting American affairs.
’
Sent to Fort Lafayette.
H. J. Fuller, who was arrested at Lexington, Ky., a couple of weeks since, on a charge of disloyalty to the Government, was sent to Fort Lafayette, from Cincinnati, on Monday.
