March 5, 1863, The New York Herald
Despatches from Savannah state that the rebel steamer Nashville ran aground before Fort McAllister and was destroyed by the Union iron-clads. The fort, however, is not captured. There is nothing in the Richmond journals relative to affairs at Vicksburg, neither has any definite news of importance reached us since our last publication.
The steamers Ruby and Douglas, from Nassau, N.P., with dates to the 26th ult., ran the blockade at Charleston on the 1st inst.
There is nothing stirring in the Army of the Potomac.
A reconnoissance was made recently towards Aldie to surprise a band of rebel guerillas, commanded by Captain Mosely, at the farm of Captain Schultze, now attached to the Union cavalry. The Captain led the attack, and came upon the enemy by secreting his men in his own barn. He captured several prisoners by this manoeuvre and drove the rebels from their haunt.
The various reports prevailing in some of the Western cities for a few days past relative to great battles and victories receive no confirmation whatever at Washington, and are doubtless mere idle gossip.
An arrival at Cairo from Memphis reports that at last advices from Vicksburg two dredges were at work on the canal. The river was then rising so rapidly that the camps at island No. 95 were seriously inconvenienced; the levees were broken down, and the water pouring over at a fearful rate. Another flatboat had run the blockade at Vicksburg. Nearly the whole town of Lake Providence was destroyed by fire on Monday, together with a large amount of commissary stores.
Some rumors were circulated yesterday in the city that the Alabama was taken. This, we believe, is about the sixth time that the famous rebel pirate was captured – in the streets; but as intelligence of any such desirable event comes by the regular channels of reliable information, it may be safe to conclude that the Alabama is still afloat, unless some one has taken Mr. Welles by the shoulder, and given him a good shake and waked him up.