CHICAGO, March 12.
A special Washington dispatch to the Tribune says, it is believed that rebels have been evacuating Manassas for months back.
McClellan will to-morrow cease to be General-in-Chief. Stanton will issue a general order, announcing the change.
Flag officer Dupont writes in a private letter that the rifled 120 pounder, captured at Fernandina, was a finer cannon than any we have.
A special to the Times, dated Centreville, 11th, says this stronghold presents scenes of gloom and desolation rarely witnessed. The rebels commenced evacuating on Saturday last, and continued until Sunday night. They then blew up all the bridges and tore up railroad tracks, but during the latter part of the evacuation a terrible panic seems to have seized the rebels, they leaving in greatest haste, burning the remaining tents, forage, transportation and provisions. In fact they destroyed everything they could not remove.
Most of their cannon have been carried away. Those remaining are of inferior quality, but all spiked. The fortifications are most formidable, stretching over a chain of hills in the rear of Centreville for several miles, one behind the other, at proper distances; so if we took one we would be at the mercy of the next. They are all constructed with great skill, and command the surrounding country.
The fortifications at Manassas are not so formidable, appearing to be the same that were there when the Bull Run battle was fought. Bomb-proof casemates were in those at Centerville. Our cavalry entered the latter place during the night, and soon after reached Manassas Junction, hoisting the stars and stripes on the flag-staff. It is evident the greater part of the rebels retreated to Culpepper Court House. During Sunday night, the rebels on the lower Potomac fled in a panic by the Fredericksburg railroad to Richmond. The country back of here for thirty miles is almost a perfect picture of desolation and destruction. It is the prevailing impression that the rebels will not stop this side of Richmond.
A special dispatch from Cairo, 11th to the Tribune, says: A brigade of our troops went around new Madrid Saturday last and arrived on Sunday at a small settlement on the Mississippi, called Point Pleasant, about ten miles below the former place, and took possession of it.
The occupation of this place by our troops cuts off communication of the rebels at New Madrid.
The bridges upon the Cairo and Fulton Railroad are repaired, and trains run regularly from Bird’s Point to Sykeston.
Authentic news received at Headquarters say the rebels are strongly fortifying Island No. 10. Gunboats are thoroughly prepared for the emergency. Mortars are also in readiness.
The transport Hiawatha arrived this p.m. laden down with Iowa troops; destination up the Tennessee.
The Times’ Cairo special dispatch says an arrival from below says the rebels will make a desperate stand at Fort Pillow. They have the river fortified for three quarters of a mile.
Large numbers of sick from the 51st Ill. regiment arrived last night. The regiment is now with Gen. Pope. Waterhouse’s Chicago battery is now encamped just north of the city. 28 are on the sick list.
Brig. Gen. Cullum, Chief of Gen. Halleck’s staff and Chief Engineer of the department of Missouri, returns to St. Louis immediately, his heath rendering a change necessary. Gen. Strong relieves him.
WASHINGTON, March 11.
Dispatches from Fort Monroe this evening state that all was quiet. No information has been obtained about the Merrimac’s injuries. She reached Norfolk Sunday evening.
There is evidence that the main body of the rebel army left Manassas nearly two weeks ago.
The roads in Virginia are improving.
It is believed that a portion of the rebels who evacuated Centreville were ordered to reinforce Winchester.
The forces under Gens. Hamilton and Williams, constituting a reconnoisance, arrived at Stephenson’s depot, five miles from Winchester, this evening, without serious opposition.
WASHINGTON, March 11.
Six Southern men voted aye, and nine nay, in the House to-day, on the President’s emancipation resolution. The others from the border States were not in their seats.
Herald’s Dispatch
Before dark, last night, Col. Averill, with a large body of cavalry, entered the far-famed rebel works at Manassas, and bivouacked for the night under the ruins of the rebel stronghold.
The intelligence gathered at Manassas and in the neighborhood tends to show that the whole rebel army has retired southward. – It is not credited that they will attempt to make a stand near, as the country is open, level, and unpromising for defensive warfare.
The opinion is gaining ground that Gordonsville was simply the rendezvous for what was lately the rebel army of the Potomac, as it is the junction of the Orange and Alexandria with the Virginia Central R. R. The only point at which they can, with any sort of confidence, attempt to make a stand is near the junction of the Frederick and Potomac with the Central Virginia railroad, in which neighborhood the North Anna and South Anna rivers united and form the Pamunkey river about twenty miles north of Richmond. At this point the country is much broken and admirably adapted for defense.
It is reported that in their retreat the rebels have destroyed the railroad bridge across the north fork of the Rappahannock. In their haste they have left behind straggling parties of soldiers, who seem to be very glad to be made prisoners. Wherever they have gone, it is evident that their army is completely demoralized and totally unfit for service. The moral effect of the retreat from Manassas to Richmond will be the same throughout the South as it is in this part of Virginia, and the impression prevails that the Southern Confederacy has collapsed, and many of the people thank God for it.
The forts are all abandoned, but log houses, hundreds in number and ample to accommodate fully 30,000 troops, still remain. Also immense numbers of tents and heaps of dead horses cover the fields in the vicinity. The log huts are strewn all along between Centreville and Manassas. The railroad track is undisturbed, except the bridge across Bull Run, on the Warrenton turnpike, is blown up; as also the bridge across Cab river between Centreville and Manassas indicated to the precipitate fight of the rebels. Some caissons were found, but no guns. Piles of bullets and cartridges were left, and an immense quantity of Quartermaster’s stores. In one place were discovered about 30,000 bushels of corn, which had been set fire and was still smouldering. Among the trophies are pack saddles, army orders, muskets, revolvers, bowie knives, letters, &c. Over 1,000 pack saddles were found, all new and marked C. S. A.
People in the vicinity state that prior to the evacuation there were 100,000 troops at Manassas and Centerville. Covering the breastworks were what appeared to be cannon, but on examination they proved to be wooden affairs, got up for effect.
Two Pennsylvania cavalry regiments were the first Union troops entering Centerville at Brentsville, four miles from Manassas.
A home guard had been organized to protect themselves against the secessionists.
Gen. McClellan has taken up his quarters at Fairfax Court House.
A Dispatch has been received here contradicting the announcement that Winchester was occupied yesterday by our troops and stating that it is held by a rebel force.
It is believed here by the best informed critics on military affairs that the rebels there are simply a portion of the Virginia militia, left there to cover the retreat of the main body of the rebels. It is not probably that nay considerable force would be maintained in that part of Virginia after the evacuation of Manassas, which commands the only railroad avenue thence to Richmond.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 13, 1862, p. 2
