The News.
From North Carolina.
The Yankee papers represent that Schofield has at Wilmington and Newbern a sufficient force to beat any troops that may be dispatched from Richmond against Sherman.
The Richmond and Petersburg lines.
All is quiet on this side of James river. During the forenoon of Monday, the enemy, shelled our works on the Appomattox with great fury, some of the shells falling in the city of Petersburg. Grant is extending his City Point railroad to his position on Hatcher's run.
East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia.
A report comes from Southwestern Virginia that Gilliam, with forty-five hundred Yankees, is advancing into Upper East Tennessee, their advance being now north of Greenville. It is believed to be their intention to try and occupy the whole of the State at the time of the coming election.Gilmer's brigade of Kentucky cavalry had an engagement last Saturday at Ball's bridge, in Lee county, Virginia, twenty-five miles north of Cumberland gap, resulting in a splendid victory to our arms. Our loss was not over sixty killed and wounded.
The negro soldier bill.
Yesterday, during the consideration in secret session by the Confederate Senate of the bill to raise two hundred thousand negro soldiers, a motion was made for its indefinite postponement, and which was agreed to by a majority of one. This is equivalent to laying the bill upon the table, but it can be called up at any time; and we have reason to know that it will be again taken up within the next few days, when it will be passed. The measure is delayed not because of a want of strength on the part of its advocates, but for a specific purpose.
