Latest from the North.
We have received, through the courtesy of Major Norris, Chief of the Signal Corps, a file of Northern papers as late as the 1st inst. We copy a few items which are of interest:The New York World says that on the 30th ult. some excitement was created by reports that the rebels, in considerable force, were committing depredations in Western Virginia, on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and even threatening again to invade Pennsylvania--either Wheeling or Pittsburg being the point aimed at. These reports seem to have for a basis the fact that a considerable force of guerillas, under Jenkins, had appeared at Morgantown, Va., on the Monongahela River, and near the State line of Pennsylvania. It is not probable that they intend coming any further north. Other detachments of rebels appeared at the same time in other parts of Western Virginia, near the railroad line, but prompt measures, as we learn from the Wheeling Intelligencer, wore taken to intercept them, and it is not believed that they have been able to effect much.
We find the following highly important announcement in the National Intelligencer, of the 30th ult:
‘ "We shall not be announcing anything, we presume, not already known in the city, when we state generally that Gen. Hooker commenced at daylight yesterday morning a forward movement. Heavy masses of artillery and other troops were crossing the river at sunrise."
’ We append to this the following paragraph from a Washington letter in the Commercial Advertiser, dated the 27th:
‘ "Gen. Hooker is not idle. During the long storm just ended he made a feint of crossing at Kelly's ford, up the river, and another at Port Royal, down the river. Now, whether he will advance at one of these points, or elsewhere, no one knows. The General is understood to keep his own counsels, and when he is ready to start hard fighting may be expected, unless the wily rebels retreat to the North Anna and Pamunkey rivers, which is thought to be their line of defence."
’ The steamship Anglo Saxon, which left Liverpool on the 16th, with 360 passengers and a crew of 84 men, was wrecked four miles East of Cape Race, at noon on Monday, during a dense fog, and while a heavy sea was running. The number of lives lost is not yet known. Before she commenced breaking up, 73 persons escaped by ropes and spars, and 24 were in one of the life-boats. Two other life-boats were launched and filled with passengers, and subsequently picked up by a steaming and taken to Picton; but a raft, containing seven persons, was missing. The deck broke up about an hour after the ship struck, and nothing but the mizzen-mast was left standing. Several persons were clinging to the rigging at the time, but no assistance could be rendered them. The commander of the Anglo Saxon is supposed to be among the lost. Only about 130 persons are known to have been saved.
Five hundred rebel officers, confined at Fort Delaware, are to be sent immediately to City Point, for exchange. Among them is General Churchill, who will be exchanged for General Willich as soon as the prisoners reach Richmond. It is expected, also, that Gen. Stoughton's release will be effected at the same time. Thirty five of our exchanged officers arrived at City Point yesterday from Richmond. The rank and file have all been exchanged.
A correspondent of the New York Times gives an account of the "feeler," which the Yankees put in at Port Royal on the 24th ult. He says:
‘ The forces consisted of two regiments, the 24th Michigan, Col. Morrow, and the 14th Brooklyn, Col. Fowler, the entire force being under command of the former officer. One section of battery B, 4th U. S. artillery, under Lieut. Stewart. The force left camp at 2 P. M. of Wednesday, the 22d, and marched to Port Conway, distant 18 miles, by 10 P. M.--They bivouacked behind the village, and, by direction, built no fires, and kept very quiet. --The approach of our forces was conducted so secretly that our own cavalry pickets in Port Conway were not aware of the presence of our men until they marched into the town on Thursday morning.
Col. Morrow rested his men until 3½ A M. of the 23d, when he began to construct his pontoons, which had been brought down in wagons to the number of eighteen. The pontoons used were of a new pattern. They are composed of a light frame work, put together at the moment of use, and then set on a large piece of canvass, which is wrapped and looped and tightened around it by means of loopholes and ropes. One of these pontoons will weigh, when ready for launching, but six hundred pounds, while one of the old wooden style of boats weighs not less than two tons.
Our men put these boats together out of sight of the enemy, and then carried them down to the river and launched them. Owing to the unfamiliarity of the men with the method of putting them together, this work was not accomplished until about 6 A. M.--Sergeant French, of the Engineer Corps, superintended the construction. A heavy rain which prevailed also retarded operations.--But a few moments after 6 they were all ready to start across the stream.
The river here is about six hundred yards wide, and is a deep, placid, and beautiful stream. Owing to the rain, a mist or fog existed, which partially screened the opposite shore, rendering objects indistinct, and it was generally supposed that a force of rebels were there, concealed in their rifle pits, and that our men would have a warm time in crossing.
Shortly after 6 o'clock, Col. Morrow selected three hundred men from the two regiments, being less than half his force, and launching twelve of the pontoons, started for the opposite shore. Every man certainly expected to be greeted by a shower of bullets from the enemy, who was supposed to occupy the rifle pits on the top of the slope, which runs from the town to the river's edge. But not a shot was fired, and our men landed without the slightest resistance. So quiet and sudden was the entree of our troops that the enemy, who occupied the town with cavalry, had barely time to reach their horses, and they left one end of the village as our forces entered the other. Our boats landed at the upper end of the town, and the troops immediately deployed through it. The rebels found their horses not a moment too soon, and left at high speed down the Bowling Green road, abandoning their wagon train and a number of horses, which fell into our hands. Several prisoners were also taken, among whom was a wagon-master, who bemoaned his fate with deep curses at his cowardly comrades, who left him and his train to capture. The wagons were all destroyed by axes, as it was raining so hard that it was impossible to burn anything.
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