Later from the North
Northern papers of the 17th have been received at this office. Col. Corcoran and other released Federals had arrived at Washington. An Irish regiment has been authorized in Hamilton county, Ohio, to be called the ‘"Corcoran Avengers."’ The Washington Chronicle gives an editorial on the fact that persons from Maryland are annoying visitors at Northern watering places by ‘"Dixie"’ and ‘"Maryland"’ The fight in Tazewell, Va., is said to have resulted in the capture of 213 wagons of forage by the Federals, but they lost ‘"the knapsacks of two regiments."’ The Federals are enrolling the citizens of Alexandria, Va. The ‘"rebel"’ steamer Mercadeta was advertised to leave London on the 15th inst. Col. Turchin, charged with numerous barbarities in Northern Alabama, has been acquitted. The Washington Chronicle has the following:
The scene Changed.
General McClellan has abandoned Harrison's Landing, and is now on his march to Williamsburg. This has been the rumor for many days, and we see in the New York Times an elaborate and very circumstantial account of the evacuation, as far as it has taken place. What McClellan proposes to gain by this we do not know. It would be idle to speculate in the absence of the facts, and ignorant as we are of the immediate circumstances surrounding his retreat. By some it is thought he intends to join Burnside at Aquia Creek, and consolidate all our troops on the Rappahannock. Others anticipate a crossing of the James river and an advance upon Petersburg, while all admit that the war on the Peninsula is over. What will become of Norfolk it is impossible to say. Fortress Monroe becomes a garrisoned fort of minor importance, our gunboats will hold the rivers and the towns on their banks. We turn our eyes to other portions of the map, and find a new scene for our drama.Where will it be? General McClellan can have no idea of making his army a more guard for the defence of Washington. He has months before him, dry and bracing weather, hard roads and a healthy country to operate in. He has the splendid remnant of a magnificent army, larger even now than any other army under our flag — his men are experienced veterans. They must be put to some immediate, active, and busy purpose. We do not think that the movement at all has been that of McClellan. It so completely alters his plans, and throws a new phase upon the military condition of affairs, that we must accept it as the scheme of another mind — and that mind our Commander in Chief. General Halleck's visit to Gen. McClellan, and his observations on the Peninsula, are seen in the movements of the army to-day. The mighty North is at his back. New armies are being made, and before the leaves begin to fall, a million of men will be at his bidding. McClellan and Pope are the advance guards of this mighty army, and very soon we shall see it buried with irresistible force upon the South. We think we can see the beginning of the end.
The escape of prisoners from Richmond.
The New York Herald contains an account of the escape of Lieut. Murphy, Capt. Oakley, Lieut. Biddle, and others, from the military prison at Richmond. The statement of the parties says:‘ We escaped from Richmond prison — a place heretofore used as tobacco warehouse No.6 --on the morning of the 7th, by tearing off a board from the rear of the house, which led into an alley.--When we reached the alley, our hearts palpitated to the utmost degree, fearing that the sentry would discover us; but, after carefully reconnoitering a few moments, we found the coast clear, as we thought. The first sentry lay asleep across the alley, and the second, a very short distance off, stretched on his back, with his head reclining on his arm, snoring soundly. While groping our way in the darkness of the night, in the most silent manner, so as not to wake the sleeping sentries, we discovered another, wide awake, in front of the prison. This made us so cautious and nervous that one of our party stumbled over one of the sleeping sentries; but, as inck would have it, he was so stupefied that he was unable to distinguish what hit him, and concluding it was his comrade, while we were skedaddling, went up and struck him; but hearing our departing footsteps, the alarm was given and chase was made. We ran up Eighth street, and in a short time finding that the sentries were not to be heard, we consulted as to what was best to be done. Finding the coast was clear, we slept on a cellar door all night.
’ Early the next morning we visited a house occupied by a lady of the most thoroughgoing. Union sentiments, who furnished us with food and clothing. We also met other Union friends here, who did everything in their power to aid our escape. So complete was the disguise afforded by those friends, we were enabled to visit the fortifications of the city, which enabled us to get the positions of the forts, what part of the country they commanded, and the number of guns they mounted. In order to escape from here successfully, they forged exemption tickets, which represented them to be employees on Government contract work in the Eagle works. Finding those would not work, Gen. Winder being the only person who could issue a pass, they were obliged to turn back, and tried another point to the left of the city. They had not proceeded far when they were hailed by a sentry, to whom they made the excuse that they were blackberrying. Finding they could not pass this way, after satisfying the sentry they were all right, they returned towards the city; but when out of sight, concluding that to the left was their safest direction, they took that route through the woods, and after footing some four miles were overtaken by a severe rain storm, which lasted so long they were obliged to lay concealed in the woods until morning. When the sun rose they discovered a cavalry picket some fifty feet distant, but avoided discovery by stealing cautiously away.
After many narrow escapes, recorded in full in their account, they succeeded, however, in reaching the shore at the point where the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers form the York. They unexpectedly came across some pickets here, whom they supposed rebels, but the Lieutenant who was in command of them recognizing Captain Oakley as an old friend, their tolls were brought to a close.--They were furnished with horses here and taken to Williamsburg, where they were treated with the utmost kindness by Col. Campbell, of the Fifth Pennsylvania. Next day they went to Jamestown Island, where they took boats for Gen. McClellan's headquarters. They gave him some very valuable information, and received furloughs to go home and recruit their health.
Disbanding Hunter's negro brigade in South Carolina.
The Northern papers give the following account of the disbanding of the negro brigade raised at Port Royal, S. C., by Gen. Hunter:The negro brigade, organized by Gen. Hunter, has proved an unmitigated failure. Out of eight hundred contrabands on the muster roll, there were some five hundred who ‘"skedaddled, "’ and many of the remainder felt so uneasy under military control and discipline that they watched for opportunities to escape. On Saturday afternoon last a rumor prevailed around Hilton Head that the famous negro brigade would be disbanded that afternoon.--The rumor of the disbandment proved correct, for General Hunter had dispatched an Adjutant and several officers to Ellicott's plantation, where the brigade was in camp.
On the arrival of these officers their purpose soon spread through the camp, creating the wildest joy among the ‘"soldiers."’ The fragmentary remnant of the brigade soon fell into line, and were officially disbanded. They were delighted, but not more so than the white troops. The ex-soldiers rushed to and fro, and were soon busy in making preparations for their homes in Beaufort and other places.
The discharged negro regiment was styled the ‘"1st regiment South Carolina volunteers, "’ and, on being disbanded, were furnished with papers declaring them free forever, and also their wives and children.
The vast number of contrabands brought from Edisto and Stono, together with those imported from Georgetown, has made some provision for their employment necessary. They are, accordingly, to be instructed in the fine arts, so far as they relate to the construction of tubs and baskets.
Latest from Pope's army
It is also reported that a large force of the enemy now occupy the line of the Central Railroad from Louisa to Charlottesville. From this it would appear that they have formed a new line of defence, and intend to fight a decisive battle at or near Gordonsville.
Gen. Buford took many prisoners, some of whom came from their hiding places and voluntarily surrendered. They said they were tired of the war. Col. Donnelly died last night. All is believed to be quiet in front this morning.
Scenes at the sailing of a Forkton steamer — Capturing Runaways.
The Philadelphia Inquirer gives an amusing account of the sailing of the packet Zered from there for Liverpool, and the capture of a number of persons attempting to escape the operations of the draft. It says:‘ Late on Monday night and early on Tuesday morning, numbers of old, infirm, and decrepit per sons might have been seen wending their way to the vessel, and a casual observer would have supposed that all the halt and maimed cripples in our city hospitals were about to be transported to the Flying Islands, where crutches are superfluous — It was a pitiable sight to witness men whose beards had been as black as a Congo contraband's the day before, suddenly turned gray, not with grief, but with the application of a magic dye; men with stalwart forms resembled trembling ‘"Uncle Toms"’ on the stage, and men who were so clear-sighted as to see their way out of a scrape, were blind as bats — But they soon saw ‘"stars"’ on the coats of policemen, and found their mean subterfuges of no avail.
’ When the police, under Chief Eagles and Provost Marshal Kern, visited the vessel about nine o'clock in the morning, just as she was about to leave this ‘"distracted country," ’ they found passengers stowed away in every conceivable place of concealment. Some — like the renowned Henry D. Brown, who was sent up on the underground road, from Dixie, in a box, labelled ‘", this side up with care,"’ and rode, by mistake, most of the way upon his head — were neatly packed in boxes others were hid under piles of sails, and some word so sick they couldn't leave their berths. After great care and considerable searching on the part of the officials, the cowardly fellows were all ferreted out, and the vessel allowed to depart, minus over one hundred ‘"British subjects,"’ as most of them claimed to be.
The major part of those arrested were Irish, and it was interesting to see the indignation of the Irish in the crowd assembled, which represented all colors, classes, and creeds, at the craven conduct of those who claimed affinity with them. The women, especially, were very demonstrative; and one poor German, who claimed to be an Irishman, in order, we suppose, to propitiate the wrathy damsels was in danger of being soused in the dock. A large number were discharged latter the vessel had sailed, and the rest were finally taken to the station-house, amid the jeers, cheers, and hisses of the motley throng that surrounded them; and long after they had been placed in durance, the crowd remained to canvass the merits of the case. Some enthusiastic and irrepressible stevedores, failing to get a whack at the detained travelers, proposed to vent their spleen upon the negroes, many of whom were present, and whom the exalted Clefs contended were the source of all the trouble brought upon the country; but the presence of a large body of policemen commanded order, and the immense crowd slowly dispersed, elated at the success of the authorities in caging so many able bodied men.
Rebel audacity Rebuked
Under this head the Washington Chronicle says:‘ No one can fail to read with pride the correspondence between the authorities of the rebel States and those of the United States on the subject of retaliation. Gen. Halleck rebukes the bombast of Jeff. Davis in a proper way, and in returning to his General his impertinent letter he performed an act which will thrill the American people. What we want is boldness. The people like an exhibition of manhood. Had our Government permitted the insolence of Mr. Davis to go unrebuked, we should have had him imposing upon the North the most insolent terms, and, under the pretence of retaliation and protecting Southern Secessionists, we should have had him conducting the war in his own way, and virtually dictating the terms of peace to the North. Gen. Halleck will no longer permit this — The audacity of the rebel has been rebuked, and a just policy announced by the Commander in Chief.
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