Washington Items

LATER FROM ISLAND NO. 10.

WASHINGTON, March 24. – Col. Segur, representative from the Accomac district arrived here this morning confirming the intelligence about the privateer Nashville and Fort Macon being destroyed by the rebels.

Gen. Scott is here aiding the war Department by his advice.

Senator Lane of Indiana has received advices from Indiana of the formation of ten regiments of Indianians.

The Republican states that the President has removed Gen. Denver from the command of the Department of Kansas.

The entire national debt is now four hundred million dollars.

WASHINGTON, March 24. – Col. Van Amburg of the New York 22d Regiment, has been appointed Military Governor at Alexandria, Va.  Gen. Montgomery becoming Military Governor of Annapolis.

Letters from Port Royal declare the investment of Fort Pulaski complete.  Tatnal, with his flotilla carrying supplies of wood and water have been driven back.  It is believed the garrison will soon be forced to surrender.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was fully opened to-day for passengers and freight.

An immense quantity of bids, plans, specifications and models of iron-clad vessels have already been received at the Navy Department, for the sea-board and Western States.  One from Ericsoon for a vessel similar to the Monitor but 300 feet in length.

Secretary Welles has, in the name of the President, sent a letter of thanks to Lieut. Worden, in which he says the action of the Monitor with two guns, engaging a powerful armed steamer of at least eight guns, and repulsing her, has elicited general admiration and received the applause of the whole country.  He thanks him and commends him for the heroism displayed and the great service rendered, and adds, in the action on the 10th, the performance, power, and capacity of the Monitor must effect a radical changes in Naval warfare.

Representative Arnold introduced a bill to-day to make freedom national and slavery sectional.  It prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude in all territories now existing or hereafter to be formed or acquired in any way, in all places purchased or to be purchased by the U. S. for dock yards, arsenals, vessels on the high seas or national highways outside of State jurisdiction, and in all places where the National Government has exclusive jurisdiction and power.  Slaves in such places are declared to be free and may assert their freedom at any time thereafter, on the principle “once free always free.”

The House sent the Segur case to the Committee on Elections to-day.

Gen. Strong and Col. Munson, of the Tenth Indiana, were to-day confirmed Brigadier Generals.

The following nominations for Brigadier Generals were sent into the Senate to-day: Col. Dodge, 4th Iowa; Col. Canby, Commanding in New Mexico, and Major Weisel, Sixth U. S. Infantry, Kentucky.

Mr. Wickliffe introduced a bill to-day placing public lands and the proceeds of sales thereof, surveyed or unsurveyed, to the payment of the public debt.

Capt. Summers, of the Steamer Lake Erie No. 2, left Island No. 10 at 11 o’clock Sunday evening, and reports that about 10 o’clock a bright light was discovered in the direction of the Island.  It was thought by officers of the Erie that it proceeded from burning transports ignited by bursting shells from the mortars. – Nothing confirmatory of this report has been received at headquarters.  The river is rising rapidly.

On board Steamer D. F. Wilson,

Off Island No. 10,

March 24, 9 o’clock P.M.

Everything is quiet at Island No. 10.  The mortars continue firing all day and night at intervals of every half hour, mostly concentrated upon the upper battery which is now fairly silenced.  This battery has not replied for two days.  Only one gun can be seen in position and that is probably a [goll]*.  The batteries on the main shore and the Island are also mysteriously silent.  Their encampments grow smaller day by day and transports still continue flying about apparently carrying away troops.

The river is still rising rapidly and everything is overflowed.  The rebels are drowned out of some of their batteries, and are attempting to erect new ones, but the well directed fire of our mortars prevents them.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4.  *In the Indiana Messenger, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, March 26, 1862, p. 3, the Portland Daily Advertiser, Portland, Maine, Tuesday, March 25, 1862 and the New York Times, New York, New York, March 25, 1862 all give this word as “Quaker.”