April 22, 1863, The New York Herald
The city experienced no little excitement yesterday, after a lull of some days, from the news which reached here from different quarters; each of a highly important and interesting character. For example: –
1. – New Orleans.
2. – Vicksburg.
3. – Nansemond river.
4. – Washington, N.C.
5. – Mexico.
6. – Europe.
It is rarely that so large an amount of intelligence of like interest arrives in one day.
The news from New Orleans comes by the steamship Geo. Washington, with dates to the 14th inst. The campaign has been gloriously opened by Gen. Banks. The rebel forces of General Sibley have been so completely hemmed in by the armies of General Grover, Emory and Weitzel that their annihilation or capture is almost certain. General Sibley was abandoning his position near Brashear City, leaving his guns and ammunition behind him. The fine ram Queen of the West was retaken on Grand Lake by our troops, and her captain and drew are now prisoners in Berwick Bay. The capture of the steamer Diana, lately seized by the rebels, was also almost ensured, the United States steamer Clifton having removed the obstructions in the river and closing rapidly upon her. This is the substance of the news from the Extreme Southwest, and it tells well for the activity of our army and navy there. The full details will be found in our New Orleans correspondence. We give, in illustration of this valuable intelligence, a map of Brashear City, Berwick, and the surrounding country and waters, showing the position, fortifications and force of the rebel General Sibley. It is impossible to calculate the effect of these operations upon the entire phase of the war in the Southwest; but it must tend greatly to the advantage of General Grant and General Rosecrans, and may eventuate in the abandonment of Vicksburg and Port Hudson. Indeed a despatch was sent from Memphis yesterday by General Hurlbut to the effect that he had information from rebel sources that the enemy were then evacuating Vicksburg. We must wait for confirmation of this report, however, before according full credit to it.
It is certain that on Thursday last seven gunboats and three transports of Admiral Porter’s fleet ran by the rebel batteries at Vicksburg and got safely down between that place and Port Hudson to assist General Banks. With the single exception of the loss of one transport – which caught fire and was destroyed – the fleet passed gallantly through the fire of the batteries, which lasted for over three hours, as the vessels were running down. On reaching Warrenton Admiral Porter bombarded that village, with what effect is not known.
Another despatch received at Cincinnati yesterday, from General Hurlbut, at Memphis, reports that General Dodge, commanding at Corinth, attacked the enemy and drove them from Bear creek to Crane creek. Our loss was one hundred killed and wounded. The rebel loss is not stated.
Our intelligence from North Carolina comes by the steamer Augusta Densmore from Port Royal, with dates to the 18th instant. Affairs on the Nansemond river are full of interest. Official despatches from General Dix and Admiral Lee contain the important information of the capture of a rebel battery at West Branch, containing five field pieces and one hundred and sixty men. They were taken by the gunboats under Lieut. Lamson and the land forces under General Getty. The enemy have retreated from their position around the town of Washington, after a siege of three weeks. Their batteries on Tar river have been abandoned. General Foster left Newbern on the 18th for Washington, North Carolina, with a brigade from Hilton Head, to relieve his army, but it is not probable that he will require this reinforcement except to pursue the enemy. Our map of the scene of operations on the Nansemond will be found most valuable in comprehending the recent movements in that vicinity.
The Mexican news details the defeat of the French army at Puebla, after a desperate contest with the enemy, under General Ortega, upon whose authority the information is based. The attack was made on the 27th ult. we have news up to the 1st inst., to the effect that the French then held the outer works at Puebla, but it does not follow from this that they were not severely repulsed on the 27th of March, as General Ortega states. That the Mexicans have made a noble stand in defence of the city of Puebla is, however, quite manifest, from all the news which we are enabled to give today.
The important case of the British steamer Peterhoff, seized as a prize, was before the United States District (Prize) Court yesterday, Judge Betts presiding. It will be recollected that the Peterhoff has been the subject of diplomatic and commercial correspondence, and involves some principles of international law which may be either easily magnified into a disruption or amicably settled by legal jurisdiction. The government, through its representative, United States District Attorney E. Delafield Smith, proposed to hand over to her Britannic MajestyConsul in this city the mails which he said were duly authenticated as coming legitimately from the Post Office, London, England, to Matamoros, Mexico This proposition was disented from by Mr. Upton, on the part of the naval captors, who contended that the District Attorney had no power to impair the legal rights of his clients by giving up the mails which might afford convincing evidence for the confiscation of the vessel and cargo (valued at about $600,000), and thereby enhance the claim of the captors; and that once the case was before the court it was not in the power of the District Attorney to withdraw it from the adjudication of the Prize Judge. The Court was impressed with the very great importance of the question at issue, and was desirous that the matter should be calmly and dispassionately submitted by counsel; he would give it every consideration, as he was unwilling to precipitate the two governments into any difficulty in this matter. The case was then postponed for a few days.
The steamships Kangaroo and City of Baltimore, from Queenstown on the 4th and 9th instant respectively, arrived at this port early yesterday morning, and the Hammonia, from Southampton on the 8th instant, reached her dock last night. The steamship Jura, from Londonderry on the 10th inst., arrived at Portland, Me., yesterday morning. By these arrivals we have very interesting news from Europe – five days later than the advices of the Arabia.
A slight accident had occurred to the Great Eastern, which will prevent her sailing on her appointed day for New York.
Messrs. Pile, Spence & Co., owners of the captured steamer Peterhoff, had submitted copies of all the papers connected with the clearance and voyage of that vessel to Earl Russell, at the Foreign Office, London. The Earl, in reply, states that in his opinion there was no prima facia case for her seizure. He adds, however: – “It is the right of the belligerents to capture all vessel reasonably suspected of either of these transgressions of international law”– either a breach of blockade or the carriage of contraband; […..], whenever any cause of capture is alleged, the case cannot be withdrawn from the consideration of the prize court of the captor.” The English government will Lord Lyons to make an immediate representation of the circumstances to the government at Washington, and, if no legal ground of capture should be alleged, then to press for the release of the vessel and her cargo, with compensation, and without the delay of proceedings in the prize court.”
It was understood in London that two financial agents of the government in Washington – one from New York and the other from Boston – had placed a proposal for a loan, ranging from fifty to one hundred millions of dollars, before the houses of George Peabody, the Messrs. Barings and others. It was said also that these gentlemen were instructed to dispose of £2,000,000 of six per cent American bonds, with which they are furnished. The commissioners in question were expected to employ part of the £2,000,000, which they were instructed positively to dispose of, in buying up the gunboats now building in England for the rebels, and thus disarm Jeff. Davis on the ocean.
The rebel loan had rallied from the decline, and ranged, on the 10th inst., at from par to one per cent premium.
The English government had made an active and very important movement towards putting a stop to the furnishing and equipping of war vessels in the United Kingdom for the rebel service. On the 5th of April one of the customs surveyors at Liverpool seized the Alexandra, a small gunboat, recently launched from the yard of Messrs. Miller & Co. The officer acted on the instructions received by Mr. Pierce Edwards, Collector of Customs, from the government, who had reason to believe that the Alexandra was being fitted for the service of the Confederates. The matter will be fully investigated by the law and other officers of the crown. It was at first said that two guns had been found on board the Alexandra; but such was not the fact. The Alexandra is a wooden screw steamer.
A vessel called the Japan, or Virginia, supposed to be destined for the rebel service, had got out from the port of Greenock, Scotland. The government had ordered her detention; but she baffled the vigilance of the officials.
The revolution in Poland had extended all over the country, and embraced in its ranks all classes of the people and men of every profession.
In the Liverpool cotton market the sales for the week footed up thirty-five thousand bales. Prices had declined from one-fourth to one-half of a penny on American during the period. On the 10th instant the market closed quiet and unchanged. Breadstuffs were quiet, but steady and, provisions flat, on the 10th of April. Consols closed in London, on the 10th instant, at 92 5/8 for money.