We have received copies of New York papers of Wednesday, the 19th instant:
Latest from Georgia--Hood represented as retreating before Sherman — the Situation.
The Yankees are again in communication with Sherman, and claim that General Hood is retreating before him. The following official dispatches are published:
Ship Gap, October 16--5 P. M.
We took Ship gap to-day, capturing a part of the Twenty-fourth North Carolina. Two corps are represented to be at Lafayette, and one went south from Villanova plain.
They obstructed Snake Creek pass to delay our trains; but by to-morrow I can move in any direction.
Deserters from Hood's army report his force at thirty thousand. The strength of his cavalry is not known.
There is no additional news from the Tennessee river, except that Roddy's forces moved from Tuscumbia yesterday.
Chattanooga,October 17--10 A. M.
The rear of Hood's army left Lafayette, going south, at daylight this morning.
The country south and southwest of Lafayette is exceedingly difficult for an inferior army vigorously pursued, consisting of narrow valleys parallel to the ranges of Taylor's ridge and Lookout mountain, broken by rough hills, and destitute of food for men or beast until you reach the Coosa river, a distance equal to three days forced marches.
Another official dispatch, dated at Chattanooga on the 17th, is as follows:
‘ I left General Sherman at Ship gap, in Taylor's ridge, at dark last night. The general and army are all right and in the best of spirits.
’ General Slocum is all right at Atlanta, with plenty of provisions and forage. Hood's raid has produced no military result as yet.
If he wants to invade Tennessee, as he has promised his men, he will lose by desertion twice as many as he has captured. The losses in men thus far have been in our favor.
Hood's army has destroyed the railroad for twenty-three miles between Tunnel Hill and Resaca, also between Big Shanty and Altoona.
The rebel commander demanded the surrender of Resaca, threatening the garrison with death if his demand was not complied with. Colonel Weaver, of the Eighth Ohio, commanding the post, refused to surrender. After some brisk skirmishing the rebel force withdrew.
The enemy advanced upon Dalton, which was surrendered without a shot by Colonel Johnson, of the Forty-fourth United States colored infantry, who could have easily held the town if so disposed.
Tunnel Hill was unmolested. The cars and building at that station were destroyed.
From that point Hood went southward on the road, and was confronted by the Fourth corps, under General Stanley, at Snake Creek gap. Severe fighting ensued. The result is not obtainable.
A telegram from Chattanooga, dated the 18th, says it was reported that General Hood was falling back on Blue mountain. It adds:
Wheeler's cavalry are hanging about Rome. Forrest was threatening to cross near Bridgeport and hold the gaps on Pigeon mountain for the purpose of aiding Hood in moving his army to Bridgeport.--He is now covering Hood's retreat.
Sherman is skirmishing with Hood's rear. The results of Hood's movements are favorable to our army. It is thought he will not give battle unless too hard pressed by Sherman. Hood's wagons and a brigade, as guard, are at Caneadea. He may possibly give battle at this point; if not, he will have to fall back on Galena, Alabama, where communications are open.
Slocum sent out a foraging party of fifteen hundred wagons towards Rough and Ready and Decatur, and all returned laden with corn. The army has plenty of supplies both in Atlanta and in the field. It is thought Hood has all his army with him, and it is supposed to be about thirty-five thousand men. Prisoners and scouts state that they are living on parched corn and some dried fruit collected through the country.
The New York Herald, commenting on General Hood's movements, says:
‘ Our latest advices report him encamped near Lafayette, with Sherman at Ship's gap of Taylor's ridge, twelve miles southeast of Lafayette. If Hood permits Sherman to pass through Ship gap and get into the narrow valley of the Chickamauga, it will be too small to hold both peacefully. Hood cannot well go further west, as the Lookout mountain range, at whose feet he now lies, cannot he crossed by a large army without special preparation. Many days would be consumed in crossing it with so large an army as Hood boasts of having. Should be advance further north in the valley, he will be inevitably hemmed in and forced to surrender. Hood will, in all probability, hold control, as he can do, of Ship gap until his troops are well south of Lafayette, in the valley, and then allow Sherman to cross the mountain. He will have an easy route south by way of Somerville; but in taking such a route, he abandons all attempts to cut Sherman's communications.
’
From Sheridan's Department — Sheridan Resumed command.
General Sheridan arrived in Martinsburg on Tuesday evening on his return from Washington to his command. A letter from there, dated the 18th, says:‘ Powell's division of cavalry has been on a raid in Luray Valley, and has succeeded in laying that valley in waste in the same degree with the Shenandoah. Everything of value to the rebel cause has been destroyed.
’ While General Sheridan has been absent on his flying circuit about his command, we have been entertained here by rebel stories of the defeat of our armies in the Valley. Of course these reports were entirely without foundation. General Sheridan never leaves his command for two days where it is in danger of an attack. He is always present where it fights, and, what is more, as the great Napoleon always thought, he is always successful.
A gentleman who left Sheridan's army yesterday reports that the rebels re-occupy Fisher's Hill, on the left of the position heretofore carried by General Crook, and are erecting fortifications there. Our troops are in the neighborhood of Strasburg.
Meeting of a "peace" Convention.
The "Peace Convention" met in Chicago on the 18th instant. Alexander Long, of Ohio, was one of the prominent men present. Candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States are to be nominated. A telegram says:‘ It is understood that the nominations will be made conditional. If either of the Presidential candidates, Lincoln or McClellan, subscribes to the platform, these nominations will be withdrawn and peace men will support him. The delegates are very bitter on McClellan. They complain that they were unhandsomely treated at Chicago, and very scurvily by McClellan. No delegate is admitted to the Convention who does not sign a pledge that he will not support McClellan. They think his dawdling polities, like his shilly shally in military policy, will only serve to prolong the war; and, between the two, prefer the sharp and vigorous policy of the Administration as likely soonest to bring peace. Vallandigham peace men are not admitted. They are considered time-servers of the meanest sort of political worms, who will wriggle into any shape for selfish purposes.
’ The platform will be fixed to-morrow and nominations made on the day after. Long is talked of as candidate for President and Singleton as Vice-President.
McClellan men affect to despise this movement; but it is likely to make no inconsiderable division unless McClellan comes down from his war stills. The chief object of the Convention is to bring such a pressure on him as will bring him up roundly to the support of the Chicago resolutions.
General Price's movements in Missouri.
A telegram, dated St. Louis the 13th, gives the following as the latest news from General Price's movements in Missouri:Price's headquarters are reported to be at Lexington. General Curtis drove the rebels out of Independence on Sunday, and his advance, at last accounts, was fifteen miles this side.
A raid into Kentucky.
The New Albany (Indiana) Ledger of this evening publishes a report, which it deems reliable, that from one thousand to one thousand two hundred guerrillas, under Hinds, who made a raid into Indiana, near Leavenworth, last year, have concentrated near Bradenburg, Kentucky, and a portion of them had entered the town and robbed the citizens of a large amount of valuable property.
The free State Constitution for
The Abolition Convention was already in hand to get up a new free States government for Maryland. Directly it was announced that the emancipation constitution had been called, this convention met and nominated Thomas Swan, of Baltimore, for Governor, and Dr. C. C. Cox, of Talbot county, for Lieutenant-Governor. A letter from Baltimore says:‘ Mr. Swann's past career in the State and city is well known as president for a long while of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad when it was being pushed through to the Ohio river, and subsequently as Mayor of Baltimore in Know-Nothing times.--Though at first holding back on the emancipation subject, and committing himself to a gradual system, he finally went over to the radicals under the pressure and exigency of immediate action, and secures a nomination which is equivalent to an election.--Dr. Cox is medical director here, and resides in Talbot county. Hon. Alexander Randall, of Annapolis, was nominated. for Attorney-General of the State, Robert J. Jump, of Caroline, for Comptroller, and Hon. Daniel Weisel for Judge of the Court of Appeals. The latter being an additional judgeship, increases the court to five judges.
’ It is stated in Washington that Governor Bradford had decided to throw out the soldiers' vote upon the new constitution of Maryland, as, according to the existing State law, soldiers were not authorized to vote. This will knock the convention's work in the head, if true, as without the soldiers' vote the constitution is in a minority.
Around Richmond — death of General Birney.
Comparative quiet, according to the Herald, reigns in the Yankee army in front of Richmond and Petersburg. On Sunday, Secretary of War Stanton and Secretary of the Treasury Fessenden, accompanied by a very distinguished party, visited General Grant's headquarters. A call was also made upon General Butler, and it was the intention of the gentlemen present to visit the front at Petersburg on Monday. The rebels are showing a disposition to press the right of our line lying south of the Appomattox, but have made no direct attack.--The rebels still keep up their artillery fire on their friends at Dutch Gap canal. The weather continues cool and pleasant.Major-General D. B. Birney, who left his command in front of Richmond, a few days since, on account of an attack of malarial fever, died at Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
Miscellaneous.
The superintendent of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, in a letter dated at Point of Rocks, Maryland, says Mosby made a raid on the boats on Saturday, capturing and burning four or five and carrying away many mules and horses and some prisoners.--Many boats are there, but will not move until something be done by the military authorities for their protection.Gold opened in New York on Tuesday at 215, and under reports that the Government was selling, fell to 205⅞. From this point it rallied to 211, and closed at 209¾.
It was reported at Memphis on Sunday evening that General Forrest, at the head of a strong body of cavalry, was but a short distance from that city. Much excitement prevented in consequence.
Charles H. Porter, of Virginia, State Attorney at Norfolk, has been sentenced to six months confinement for the use of treasonable language.
The captain of a schooner which arrived at Havana on the 11th instant from Nassau, New Providence, reports that he was spoken off Salt Key bank by the privateer Florida, which was steering towards Havana.
The Democrats of Massachusetts have nominated for Congress Judge Abbott for the Fourth Congressional District.
