March 30, 1863, The New York Herald
A despatch from Fortress Monroe states that the rebels, with a force of infantry and cavalry, yesterday morning attacked Williamsburg and were repulsed by the Fifth Pennsylvania cavalry under Colonel Lewis. The loss is not reported. It was stated by an officer who came into Norfolk yesterday from the rebel army, that the troops are evacuating Richmond as rapidly and as quietly as they can; but not much credit is attached to the report.
The rebels made another attack a few days ago on Winfield, N.C., on the Chowan river. They were met by a small body of the North Carolina Volunteers, under Lieutenant McClane, who defended themselves bravely in a blockhouse for an hour and a half, and drove the rebels off. General Foster came up from Plymouth with three companies, and four companies of the Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry were sent from Suffolk by General Peck. Colonel Brown succeeded in crossing the Chowan river with part of his force. The remainder were attacked near Edenton, and dispersed after a short resistance. Our troops are hunting the enemy up in the swamps.
With regard to matters in the West, we learn that two divisions of rebel infantry crossed the Cumberland on Friday, at Stagg’s ferry, near Wailsburg, Pulaski county. Frankfort and Lexington have been placed under martial law.
We are informed on the authority of Parson Brownlow, who has just arrived at Cincinnati from Tennessee, that the rebels are concentrating all their infantry, who were formerly in East Tennessee, at Tullahoma; that reinforcements from Virginia are coming up, and that their cavalry are making a diversion into the eastern part of Kentucky, with the intention of drawing out the forces of General Rosecrans. General Gillmore crossed the Kentucky river in force on Saturday, captured Danville, and is driving the rebels in the direction of Crab Orchard. A despatch was received by Secretary Welles yesterday from Admiral Farragut dated below Warrenton, Miss., March 19, in which he says that about ten miles above Grand Gulf he saw the wreck of the Indianola on the right bank of the river. She was partially submerged and her upper works were very much shattered by the explosion.
The physical and moral condition of General Hooker’s army is reported to be splendid, and the spirits of the officers are considerably raised at the fine state of discipline which the army has recently attained. It has been ascertained by the reports of deserters that the rebel army is suffering terribly from want of supplies. They are reduced to a daily ration of half a pound of flour and a quarter of a pound of meat. Desertions from the enemy are frequent. A strong cold wind is blowing on the Rappahannock and the roads are rapidly drying up.
The correspondence between the rebel agent in London, Mr. Mason, and Earl Russell, which we referred to so copiously yesterday, is given in full in our columns today, and is worthy of careful perusal. It touches upon the two important questions of the blockade and foreign intervention, in both of which the representative of the Southern confederacy appears to have been considerably snubbed by the British Minister for Foreign Affairs. In addition we give a very curious letter from Lord Lyons, at Washington, to Earl Russell, detailing his interview with the leading members of the New York […..] party, from whom he says he obtained much more information than from any persons in Washington. He represents the views of these very fully, and makes a full revelation of their desires and expectations with regard to the conduct of the war, prominent among which he says he perceived a […..] to put an end to the war, even at the risk of losing the Southern States altogether; but it was plain that it was not thought prudent to avow this desire. Indeed, some hints of it dropped before the elections were so ill received that a strong declaration in the contrary sense was deemed necessary for the democratic leaders. This document is not only a curious but a very important one in many respects, and we would refer our readers to it for some very interesting information upon the state of affairs here and the policy of Great Britain, as suggested by the representative of the British government in Washington.