From Fort Monroe

FORT MONROE, Feb. 7.

The steamer Eastern State arrived here this morning, having left Hatteras yesterday. She brings the important news that Gen. Burnside’s fleet left their anchorage on Wednesday morning. The gun-boats started at sunrise and the troops and ships followed soon after. The destination was Roanoke Island. News of the arrival of the fleet at the island was expected. Three or four regiments were left at the inlet. – Nothing had been heard at Norfolk of the Burnside expedition.

The only copy of the Norfolk Day Book received contains an editorial censuring the newspapers for giving publicity to the statement that the Merrimac is a failure. It admits that fact to be true, and gives a full statement of the difficulties in regard to her. It appears that the calculations were erroneous. An error amounting to more than 200 tons was discovered when the ship was floated off, and this causes the present detention.

The chief subject of regret, however, is that when she was shoved up again, the ship caught upon the blocks and received a considerable strain. It is vain to deny that it is a serious injury, but we are happy to state that it is by no means irreparable.

The Norfolk Day Book of yesterday has the following:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 5.

On Sunday, Lieut. Col. White’s cavalry encountered a force of Lincoln’s infantry in Morgan county, Tenn., on the mountain side. The Lincoln force was estimated at from 150 to 300. White charged upon the enemy. Capt. Duncan rallied his men twice, when he was shot through the head and killed. The Kentucky Unionists were then completely routed, and fled in confusion, leaving seven of their dead on the field.

The Savannah Republican says: There were no new movements of Federal vessels lying in the cut north of the river, beyond an addition to their number. Vessels occupying their position can readily command the main passage.

The Richmond Dispatch says that the Burnside expedition will at least have the effect of making us look well to our defence in that quarter. - Roanoke Island ought to be made impregnable, and all our batteries there and elsewhere should be provided with bomb proof coverings; the channel should be obstructed, and no means left to foil the enemy.

The editorial on the Merrimac also says the great draft of water will prevent her from taking part in active operations. – This draft originally was about twenty-four feet, and it has been considerably increased. The editor comforts himself that at all events she can be used as a floating battery.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, February 10, 1862, p. 1