Attack of Fort Fisher

JANUARY 7, 1865.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

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(Previous Page) legends of the region. So the resolute, simple hearted man makes his way to the sea board; interests the friends of Arctic research; finally procures two vessels and a convenient boat, and sails for Greenland. He pushes further on into the icy kingdom of the Esquimaux, with whom he domesticates himself after one of his vessels and his convenient boat are destroyed by a storm. Regarding residence merely as preparatory, he devoted himself to learning the language and the life of the inhabitants, and returned home after two years' absence, to start anew with the advantages of the two years wisely spent in preparation upon the spot; and with that purpose sailed again last June, and is now fulfilling his plans near the Pole. This volume is the record of the two years' training. It contains not only the most striking incidents of adventure, told with inexpressible naivete, but also the most interesting and comprehensive account of the Esquimaux. Mr. HALL is evidently of RAREY'S opinion. Kindness is the surest key to confidence. He believes that the Arctic race is friendly, and he finds it so. His description of the Esquimaux is very touching. The warmth of their affections and a mild docility of character make them very attractive. If Mr. HALL does not find the fate of Sir JOHN FRANKLIN he will have discovered and revealed to us the inhabitants of the region and we close his book heartily wishing that all the embassadors of civilization to the twilight races might be as sagacious, truthful, and devoted as this delightful traveler.

" The Queens of Song, etc. ; to which is added a Chronological List of all the Operas that have been performed in Europe, by ELLEN CREATHORNE CLAYTON, with Portraits." (HARPER & BROTHERS.) This is a collection of brief, entertaining biographies of all the most famous prime donne from Katherine Tofts, in 1703, when Opera was introduced in England; down to Louisa Pyne and Mademoiselle Tietjens, who are still living and singing. The memoirs are written with great spirit, and the work is a capital " parlor window book," or fireside companion. It is bright, chatty, gossipy, full of curious and interesting details of private and national life. Many of the best mots of Sophie Arnould are preserved here. Hearing one day that a Capuchin monk had been devoured by wolves, "Poor beasts !" said she, compassionately, " hunger must be a dreadful thing !" To a lady remarkable for beauty and silliness, who complained that she could not get rid of her lovers, Sophie said that she could easily do it if she chose. The lady besought her to tell her how. " You have only to open your mouth and speak," was the reply. She met a doctor going to see a patient, with a gun under his arm. " What ! Doctor," said Sophie, " are your ordinary resources failing?" The American admirers of Alboni, of Bosio, Sontag, Cinti, Damoreau, Mrs. Wood, Grisi, Malibran, Jenny Lind, Catherine Hayes, Piccolomini, and Louisa Pyne will find here plenty of pleasant information about all those Queens of Song.

"The Gentle Life" (WALTER Low, New York). This is a volume printed and bound in exquisite taste, a truly beautiful book, containing a series of brief and pleasant essays, which have been so popular in England that they have quickly passed through several editions. They are so generally genial and agreeable that the writer should have spared us his remark that our government is a failure. But he had not heard from Georgia and Tennessee. Such remarks, however, are merely blemishes upon a book of fireside essays which are very sure to be welcome in all cultivated circles.

HUMORS OF THE DAY.

BULLETINS OF THE HOSPITALS.

THE lady whose countenance fell on the receipt of a telegram, stating that her husband would not be home from the city till late, has undergone an operation and is pronounced out of danger.

The eminent lawyer who inadvertently allowed his eye to rest for a moment on a point in the evidence will, it is hoped, regain the use of the organ.

A small but interesting child was brought to the hospital a few days since, its nose having been put out of joint on the birth of a brother. The little sufferer is progressing favorably.

The literary gentleman who was brought in suffering acutely from an idea which had accidentally entered his head has been trephined, and is in a fair way to recover.

Dumas has been teaching the French public how to dress a rabbit. If he is so culinarily inclined he had better go to Compiegne, where a distinguished personage will no doubt cook his goose for him.   

Several country jurymen have, we understand, combined to send a petition to Mr. Banting, asking him to point out the best way for them to diminish their 'sizes.

A NEW FREIGHT.—The Parcels Delivery Company had recently a novelty intrusted to their charge a Lady wrapt up in her Baby.

THE NAME OF THE PUBLISHER OF MR. BANTING'S PORTRAIT—M'Lean.

THE WAY HE WAS MISSED.--When James Beresford, author of "The Miseries of Human Life," was at the Charter-house School, he was a remarkably gay and noisy fellow; and one day, having played truant to attend a concert, the school (says Southey) was as quiet without him that his absence was at once detected, and brought upon him a flogging.

A LEARNED (H)AIR.--The ladies in Paris, we are informed, are relinquishing the golden tint they applied to their locks for one of a more decidedly fiery hue. Poor thing, ; it is a pity that they are not better re(a)d instead of their hair.

"Molly," said Joe Kelly's ghost to his wife, "I'm in purgatory at this present," says he. " And what sort of a place is it?" says she. " Faix," says he, "'tis a sort of halfway house between you and heaven ; and I stand it mighty aisy after laving you."

A MEDICAL QUESTION.—May people in perfect health, who have never abused their constitutions, be said to be "no better than they should be?"

"THE Court OF EXCHEQUER.'''—" The worship of the

Golden Calf!'"

Hans, who is a judge of morals as well as money, says that being tender to another man's wife is not a "legal trader. "

A FITTING COMPARISON. Another lady burnt to death last week! Considering the number of fatal accidents that have occurred to ladies' dresses, it is painfully true to say that a lady is never so literally " dressed to death" as when she is wearing Crinoline.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT that. A young lady, a few days ago, when wanting to be very emphatic and persuasive we will not divulge to whore said, " I conjure you" I can "jaw" you!

" A NINE DAYS' WONDER."-- That of the kitten, which wonders when it'll see.

DOING THE LANDLORD.--" Do you suppose that you can do the landlord in the Lady of Lyons ?' " said a manager to a seedy actor in quest of an engagement. "I should think I might," was the reply, "1 have done a great many landlords."

MOTTO FOR LUNATICS. Out of sight and out of mind.

QUERIES FOR THE WIDE A WAKE. May not a bird who sleeps upon the wing be said to occupy a feather bed?

HOW TO REMOVE WRINKLES. It is said to be satisfactorily demonstrated that every time a wife scolds her husband she adds a wrinkle to her face ! It is thought the announcement of this fact will have the most salutary effect, especially as it is understood that every time a wife smiles on her husband it will remove one of the old wrinkles !

"Mr. Jones, you said you were connected with the fine arts do you mean that you are a sculptor?" "No, Sir, I don't scalp myself, but I furnish the stone to the man what does."

A man who lives almost exclusively upon tick--The telegraph operator.

If twenty grains make a scruple, how many will make a doubt?

A DRUGGIST'S EPITAPH--His pill-grimage is o'er.

When is a lady's neck not neck ?—When it is a little bear (bare).

" Setting a man trap" is the title given to the picture of a pretty young lady arranging her curls at a mirror.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.
THE SITUATION.

THE political news this week is unimportant. Congress adjourned December 22 until January 5. Previous to adjournment it passed the bill creating the rank of Vice-Admiral in the Navy. The Reciprocity Treaty came up, but its consideration was postponed until after the Holidays. The Military Committee in the Senate reported adversely to the House bill to drop from the rolls all unemployed officers in the army.

The military record for the week includes the capture. of Savannah, which is treated in another column, and the attack on Fort Fisher. Tie details will be given in connection with our sketches relating to these events in a succeeding number. General Thomas has advanced over twenty miles south of Columbia and is closely following Hood. Steedman's Corps has been dispatched to Decatur, near which there is now a good prospect of an engagement, as the river is eighteen feet above the shoals, and Hood will find great difficulty in crossing. The movement of Davidson toward Mobile has not yet taken a sufficiently definite shape for report. The same is true of other cooperative movements in North Carolina, and in the Valley of the Shenandoah.

CONGRESS.

December 20:

In the Senate, a bill was reported from the Committee on Finance, and passed, providing for the extension of the time allowed for the withdrawal of certain goods front the public stores. The bill creating the rank of Vice-Admiral was passed. It provides that the Vice-Admiral shall be selected from the list of Rear-Admirals, and shall be the ranking officer in the United States navy his relative rank with the officers of the army to be that of the Lieutenant-General : and his salary is fixed at $7000 per annum when at sea, $6000 when on shore, and $5000 when waiting orders. From the Committee on Foreign Affairs Mr. Sumner reported a substitute for the House resolution, which provides for the termination of the Reciprocity Treaty of June 5, 1854. The preamble of this substitute is a simple statement of the fact that the treaty provides for its own continuance ten years from the date of its coming into operation, and further, until the expiration of twelve months after either of the parties should give notice of its wish to terminate the treaty. The ten years close March 16, 1865.

In the House, a bill was reported from the Military Committee, and passed, providing for the amendment of the act of June 30, 1864, so as to give colored soldiers at that time the privileges allowed to others of the same race. A bill was passed providing for the modification of the fourth section of the act for the transportation of mails to foreign ports in such a manner that not only newspapers, but also periodicals, magazines, and exchanges, can be sent beyond the western boundary of Kansas or the eastern boundary of California without payment of letter postage. The Senate bill creating the rank of Vice, Admiral was passed. The bill was signed December 21 by the President, who immediately afterward nominated Rear-Admiral Farragut to be Vice-Admiral. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate the same day.

December 21:

In the Senate, the memorial of publishers, asking for an alteration of the law in regard to carrying periodical, in the overland mail. The House bill providing that the increased tax on whisky should go into operation January 1 instead of February 1 was passed. This bill, which makes the tax on whisky $2 per gallon is now become law. The Reciprocity Treaty was spoken of by Mr. Sumner, who said that the people of the United States had been uneasy under the treaty for some years, and as there seemed to be great unanimity among the Senators he called for an immediate vote. In accordance with a wish of Mr. Hale, who desired to speak on the subject, the consideration of it was postponed to January 6.

In the House, Mr. Worthington from Nevada was qualified and took his seat. It was voted that the Committee of Ways and Means examine into the expediency of reducing or suspending the import duty on printing paper. A resolution was passed calling on the Secretary of War to lay before the House all unpublished communications relating to the exchange of prisoners.

December 22:

In the Senate, Mr. Wilson from the Military Committee reported adversely to the House bill to drop from the rolls certain officers in the Army. A bill was passed which had been offered during the last session, requiring lawyers practicing in United States Courts to take the oath of allegience. The Senate adjourned till January 5, 1865.

In the House, there was no quorum.

GENERAL THOMAS'S CAMPAIGN.

After the battles of December 15 and 16 Thomas still continued the pursuit of Hood with Wilson's cavalry in advance. Six miles from Franklin an engagement occurred between the cavalry force of the two opposing armies in which the rebels were routed. Sunday night, the 18th, the railroad ran to Franklin, from which point Thomas was still pushing on. He that day captured three hundred prisoners, among whom was Brigadier-General Quarles. The next day the roads were obstructed by heavy rains: but these rains also swelled the Duck and Tennessee rivers, which lay in Hood's front. On the 20th Spring Hill was passed, and Hood was pursued beyond Dock River. Having nearly reached the Tennessee by the 25th, Hood, leaving a large portion of his wagon trains behind him, will probably attempt to cross the river some miles above Florence. Two corps Stewart's and Lee's went toward Florence as far as to Lexington. Cheatham

MAP OF WILMINGTON HARBOR, N. C.

went to Lawrenceburg, on the same road, and then struck westward, leaving his ammunition behind. Reports from the people indicate that the rebels were suffering greatly. The rebel General Buford was reported severely wounded, also General Lee. Since Hood started north he has lost eighteen Generals, killed, wounded, and captured; a loss of sixty-eight guns is also acknowledged. A dispatch from General Thomas, dated 6 P. M. December 25, states that Harrison's brigade, pressing closely, came upon a rebel force of four or five thousand men, protected by rail breast-works, and being compelled to fall back lost one gun. Harrison subsequently captured the position, but not the gun. Wilson and the Fourth Corps were still in pursuit, Steedman was at this time moving on Decatur, a point on the Tennessee, where it appeared that the rebels were about to cross. He was within seven miles of the place. Stragglers from Hood's army were being brought in continually.

While the battle was going on at. Nashville on the 15th Forrest and Rousseau were engaged at Murfreesborough. The former was beaten with a loss reported at 1500 men. General Lyon, who had crossed the Cumberland some days before into Kentucky, was now pursued by General M'Cook, but at latest accounts no decisive engagement had occurred. General Lyon's force is estimated at from two to three thousand cavalry, with six pieces of artillery. He had struck the Louisville and Nashville Railroad at Elizabethtown, and from that point had proceeded north toward Muldraugh's Hill, south of Louisville.

THE ATTACK ON FORT FISHER,

From Richmond papers we learn that Porter's fleet, estimated by the rebels at fifty vessels, including two Monitors, made a "furious" attack on Fort Fisher about 1 P.M., December 24, and was continued through the day, and repeated the next day ht 10 o'clock A.M. The enemy admits a loss of twenty-three wounded the first day. Under cover of a heavy fire Butler had succeeded in landing above the fort with his military division, consisting of portion, of the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Corps. General Butler's command still held its ground, although it had been repulsed in an assault on the fort. From a report which conies from Newborn, dated the 24th, it appears that during the night of the 23d a terrible explosion occurred. This was doubtless the explosion of the Louisiana, which had been laden with 300 tons of gunpowder,

and exploded in front of Fort Fisher previous to the near approach of the fleet. The rebel reports, however, make no mention of this fact, though they admit that the situation of the fort is precarious. Fort Fisher is situated on Federal Point, on the north bank, and at the mouth of Cape Fear River, twenty miles below Wilmington. It commands the approach to Wilmington by New Inlet, and its capture will insure a complete blockade of that most important port.

TOWARD MOBILE.

Last week we gave an account of Dana's raid from Vicksburg. At the same time with that expedition another was undertaken by General Davidson from Baton Rouge, who appears to have been operating around Mobile. He had reached Pascagoula December 14. On the 11th Governor Watts, of Alabama, issued a proclamation calling upon the people of the State to defend Mobile, which he said was threatened with attack both by land and water. He complains that he has not enough men.

FROM THE SHENANDOAH.

There is no strong Federal or Confederate force now in the Valley, and what still remains is mostly cavalry. An engagement occurred on the 20th near Harrisonburg in which a portion of Custer's cavalry was outnumbered and forced to retire.

NEWS ITEMS.

General Sherman, in his march through Georgia and by his capture of Savannah, has freed over 20,000 slaves. Bennet H. Young, the leader of the St. Alban raiders, with two accomplices, were recaptured December 21, at St. Francois, which point they had reached on their way to New Brunswick. Governor-General Monck has issued a proclamation offering a reward for the rearrest of the entire gang.

Three of the St. Alban raiders made their escape from Canada by secreting themselves in the cars until across the line. They then proceeded to Lebanon, New Hampshire, and enlisted, receiving the bounty, hoping to got back to Dixie at Uncle Sam's expense. They were, however, detected, and are now in the State prison at Concord. A considerable amount of money was found in their possession. Another one of the raiders was arrested in Toronto December 27.

Major-General Sherman's youngest child, six month old, died recently at South Bend, Indiana, at the residence of Speaker Colfax. The General's oldest children are pupils in the Catholic College in the vicinity of that town.

Mr. James William Wallack, the proprietor of the well known theatre that bears his name, died at his residence in this city on Sunday last, the 25th of December.

FOREIGN NEWS.

EUROPE.

THE EARL OF CARLISLE, Lord Morpeth, a reformer, an early free trader, and lately Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, died in England December 5.

In Italy martial law has been abolished in the insurrectionary districts.

The Frankfort Diet on the 5th carried the Austro-Prussian proposition for the evacuation of Holstein and Lauenburg by the Federal troops, the vote standing 9 against 6, Saxony, Wurtemburg, and Darmstad, voting with the minority. The Commissioners of the two Powers already acting in Schleswig will also assume the administration in Holstein and Lauenburg.

Russia has suppressed all monastic institutions in Poland. Instructions to this effect reached Warsaw November 27. In this capital the suppression was carried out as follows: Punctually at midnight a colonel, with a body of troops, repaired to each religious house, assembled the monks, read to them the Viceroy's order, and desired them to get ready to leave at half past four, by railway, to a foreign country. Of the twelve religious establishments in Warsaw three were exempted, upon condition that they should receive no more novices, and thus die out gradually.

Of the 155 monasteries and 42 convents in Poland (containing 1635 monks and 549 nuns), 71 monasteries, with 304 monks, and four convents, with 14 nuns, existed in contravention of the canonical rules, which ordain that, for the better observance of discipline, each religious house shall contain at least eight monks or nuns. Many of these have been found guilty of supporting the insurrection, of concealing bands and individual insurgents, of containing arms and secret printing-presses, of administering the oath to assassinate, etc. Among the establishments possessing the canonical number of inmates, 39, containing 674 monks, have been convicted of open and distinctly proved participation in the insurrection.

The Australians have promptly carried out their threat of retaliation for the continuance of transportation to Western Australia. The first batch of convicts whose time has expired have been reshipped to England.

REFERENCE TO SQUARES.—1. Washington Square.—2. Warren.—3. Reynolds --4. Johnson.—5. Ellis.—6. Franklin.--7. Green.—8. Columbia.—9. Oglethorpe.--10. Wright.—11. St. James.—12. Liberty.—13. Crawford.—14. Chippewa.—15. Orleans.—16. Elbert.—17. Troup. --18. Lafavette.—19. Madison.—20. Pulaski.—21. Whitefield.—22. Calhoun.—23. Monterey.—24. Chatham.

THE PRINCIPAL PART OF THE CITY OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.