From Washington

WASHINGTON, March 20.

An official dispatch from Commodore Foote received at 12 o’clock last night, at Cairo, and telegraphed hither says that Island No. 10 is harder to conquer than Columbus, as the Island shores are lined with forts, each fort commanding the one above it.

I am gradually approaching the Island but still do not hope for much until the occurrence of certain events which promise success.

Commodore Foote adds: “We are firing day and night on the rebels, and we gain on them.  We are having some of the most beautiful rifle practice ever witnessed.  The mortar shells have done fine execution.  One shell was landed on their floating battery and cleared the concern in short metre.”

Three rebel deserters, brought up by the steamer Leslie, this morning, confirm the report of the evacuation of Acquia Creek.  They say the rebel forces there had been 2,000.  Before the rebels left they tore up a large portion of the railroad, set fire to the station and wharves and burnt a large schooner.

A dispatch from flag officer Dupont, March 15^th, San Augustine, contains the following:

Further information from St. Johns river is satisfactory.

The burning of the mills and lumber with the fine hotel at Jacksonville, and the house of Mr. Robinson, a Union man, was by order of the rebel General Trapier.  After ingloriously flying with his forces from the town, with very considerable means of defence at hand, he sent a large force back for that incendiary purpose, on discovering that our gunboats had not been able on their first arrival to get across the bar.

Ex-Governor Morehead, of Kentucky was to-day released by order of the Secretary of War, upon the conditions of the parole, which he was requested to take at the time of his discharge from Fort Monroe.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 22, 1862, p. 1