We have more accounts (unofficial) of a victory near Shreveport, La. One of the enemy’s gun-boats has been blown up and sunk in Florida.
By late Northern arrivals we see that a Mr. Long, member of Congress, has spoken in favor of our recognition. A resolution of expulsion was soon after introduced.
Gen. Lee has suggested, and the Secretary of War has approved, a project for removing a portion of the population from Richmond into the country. Its object is to accumulate supplies for the army. If some 20,000 could be moved away, it would relieve the rest to some extent.
Troops are passing northward every night. The carnage and carnival of death will soon begin!
April 17th.—Rained until bedtime—then cleared off quite cold. This morning it is cold, with occasional sunshine.
Gen. Beauregard’s instructions to Major-Gen. Anderson in Florida, who has but 8000 men, opposed by 15,000, were referred by the Secretary of War to Gen. Bragg, who returned them with the following snappish indorsement: “The enemy’s strength seems greatly exaggerated, and the instructions too much on the defensive.”
April 18th.—Cleared away in the night—frost. To-day it clouded up again!
We have an account from the West, to the effect that Forrest stormed Fort Pillow, putting all the garrison, but one hundred, to the sword; there being 700 in the fort—400 negroes.
April 19th.—Cloudy and cold.
We have no authentic war news, but are on the tip-toe of expectation. The city is in some commotion on a rumor that the non combating population will be required to leave, to avoid transportation of food to the city. Corn is selling at $1.25 per bushel in Georgia and Alabama; here, at $40—such is the deplorable condition of the railroads, or rather of the management of them. Col. Northrop, Commissary-General, said to-day that Gen. Lee and the Secretary of War were responsible for the precarious state of affairs, in not taking all the means of transportation for the use of the army; and that our fate was suspended by a hair.