From Fortress Monroe

FORTRESS MONROE, April 5. – The Mobile Advertiser of the 4th has a special message from Memphis stating the Buell’s army reached Savannah, on the Tennessee river, and there had been brisk skirmishing, and great activity on both sides for the great struggle.

MOBILE, April 4. – Wednesday a Yankee force of 2,000 strong landed at Biloxi and cut the telegraph lines between Mobile and New Orleans.

There is authority from the War Department for saying that dispatches from Fortress Monroe, dated 3 P. M. Sunday had been received.

A reconnoissance had been made towards Yorktown.  The headquarters of our army are now about five miles from Yorktown.

There had been some cannonading, but with out injury on either side.

FORTRESS MONROE, April 5. – The latest intelligence received of the Virginia, otherwise Merrimac, is dated Norfolk, last night.  She was then coaling at the Navy Yard and was expected to come out to-day.  Capt. Pegram is still mentioned as likely to command her.

The Yorktown, Jamestown and Teazer and four other gunboats are at Norfolk.

A deserter who came in this morning reports the force on the Peninsula not so large as supposed.

Magruder’s headquarters are at Lee’s Mills.

Three tugs arrived from Newberne Thursday, bringing little news of interest.

Reports are current that Burnside has been ordered to evacuate Newberne within six days, and he replied that he would not.

The rebels at Goldsboro’, Raleigh and fort Macon still hold out.  Extensive preparations are being made for the reduction of the Fort. – A few shells had been already thrown at it.

FT. MONROE, April 7. – Nothing has been done in front, Yorktown except reconnoissance in that direction and some skirmishing.

A telegraph has been established at headquarters near Yorktown.

The Spaulding came in this morning from Shippings Point.  The rebel works abandoned there are quite formidable.  The rebels took off their guns.  Shippings Point is about eight miles from Yorktown, affording a fine base of operations.

A great crowd of Norfolk people assembled on the shore near Sewall’s Point on Sunday, including men, women and children, all eagerly engaged in watching the Yankees.

A Norfolk paper of this morning contains a dispatch from Mobile, dated the 6th inst., announcing the reception of news from Corinth that morning of a great battle – that the Confederates had taken Buell’s batteries, and a large number of prisoners.  It was expected that the whole Federal army would be swept away.  This is given as a specimen of the rebel mode of keeping up the spirits of the people, and the courage of the army.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 4