LATER NEWS FROM AMERICA.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 58, 18 November 1863, Page 6

LATER NEWS FROM AMERICA.

Uy the * 4 Boy Ben Dixen," from San Francisco to Auckland.] New York, August 27. The * Times' Washington special telegram gays —Moseby's operations in our immediate front are assuming rather gigantic proportions. From a band of sixty desperadoes his force has grown to eight hundred able-bodied guerrillas, who prey upon everything which passes between Fairfax and Warrenton. Early this morning, with the whole of his force, he attacked a sutler's train, between Bun Run and Centreville, captured sixty-one wagons with teams, a number of Government horses, and much other property on its way to the army. The Arago, from Charleston Bar, 25th, has arrived. A despatch dated off Morris Island, 24th August, noon, says:—Admiral Dahlgren at midnight, on Saturday, with five Monitors, bombarded Sumter till six o'clock. The fort was struck over one hundred times, the balls going through the sea wall. The whole parapet also was carried away. Sumter fired one gun five times, but Moultrie, Gregg, and Beauregard, for three hours, fired shell on the Monitors. They were struck several times, but no harm was done. Sumter is defunct. The last gun was dismounted yesterday. To-day the grand army and naval attack on Wagner and Gregg takes place. Now that Sumter is defunct, the rebels will be driven from Morris Island. Gilmore is determined to have possession tonight. Gilmore, on Thursday, notified to Beauregard that if he did not surrender the forts he would shell the city in twenty-four hours. No attention was paid to the demand, and on Friday night, Gilmore threw fifteen shells charged with Greek fire into the city. Saturday afternoon, Beauregard sent a flag with an urgent protest, denouncing Greek fire as a most villainous compound, unworthy of civilised nations, and demanded more time. The English, French, and Spanish Consuls also denounced the short time given. They claimed more time to remove the subjects of their respective countries. Gilmore replied by renewing the demand for the surrender. Beauregard asked a truce of forty hours. Gilmore refused the truce, on any terms but unconditional surrender. At 12 o'clock last night shelling with Greek fire was resumed. It is generally thought that the Stars and Stripes will wave over Sumter to-night. There is evidently great trouble in Charleston. It is not believed that there are over twenty men in the ruins of Sumter; her guns are now mounted on Sullivan's Island. The end is approaching. Washington, August 27.—General Halleck has received an official despatch from General Gilmore, dated Morris Island, the 24th, giving particulars of the demolition of Fort Sumter, and that he had begun shelling the city of Charleston. The projectiles used on the city, Beauregard designated as the most destructive missiles ever used in war. On the 23rd, making good his notice to Beauregard, General Gilmore directed Lieutenant Selmoner, commanding the Marsh Battery to open with rifled guns upon Charleton. During the night, and between one and two o'clock on Saturday morning, fifteen shells of Briney's invention were pitched over the James Island batteries, across the harbour into the town. The effect of this demonstration against the city was quite satisfactory to ourselves, and jKrhaps Beauregard had considered Gilmore's threat to shell Charleston at a distance of five miles too preposterous to demand attention, as it is certain that the city had not been evacuated by all non-combatants. The most uproarious panic was soon created, and universal confusion followed, the skedaddle being soon discovered by the light of the burning buildings, the ringing of bells from every steeple, and screeching and screaming of locomotive whistles. Another letter from Morris Island on the 24th says:—"There is little to note concerning the operations of yesterday. Though Fort Sumter has been rendered useless for defence, the big guns in our batteries were deliberately engaged in rounding off its remaining angles, and putting the finishing touches to its destruction. Fort Wagner is a hard nut to crack, though foot by foot, yard by yard, our brave soldiers are digging their way into it. During the bombardment of seven days, not a moment was lost in the work Wore Wagner. With its supplies cut off, and our men using pickaxe and spade under its very parapet, the prcspect of its early transfer to Federal ownership daily brightens. The destruction of Sumter relieves the guns of batteries vhioh may be now otherwise employed.

i New York, August 29. A special Washington telegram to the World says the rebels made a daring raid on the Rappahannock on Thursday, capturing two gunboats of the Potomac flotilla and the revenue cutter Putnam. The rebels came off I in small boats, seized the Satellite, killing the captain, and then dashed on the Leslie, which they succeeded in taking. A signal was then made to the Putnam, which also came into their clutches. Each gunboat carried one nine-inch Dahlgren gun. The mouth of the Rappahannock is blockaded, and it is not be lieved that the rebels will be able to get the boats out of the river, otherwise they might come up the river and do much damage. Washington, August 29. Official information of a skirmish between a detachment of the Second Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment, and Moseby's men, has been received. The attack was made by Moseby a few miles this side of Fairfax. Our men numbered but twenty-five, and were attacked in front and rear at the same time. They fought nobly, lost two killed, three wounded, and nine taken prisoners, together with all their horses, fifteen of which were re-captured. The enemy's loss was two officers killed and four men wounded. Moseby himself was wounded in two places, it is believed mortally. The enemy was afterwards chased from Centreville to Snicker's Gap. Leavensworth, September 1. Advices from Gibson to the 24th state that General Blount, with six thousand men and twelve pieces of artill ry, crossed the Arkansas on the day before, but the enemy declined a battle, and fell back. The rebel force is estimated at twelve thousand. Considerable sickness prevailed at Fort Gibson, but with few deaths, however. The small pox prevails to some extent among the Indians in the neighborhood. It was reported in Fort Scott on the 28th, that General Brunt had had a battle and been whipped out with a loss of three hundred, but we have no particulars. September 3. Information having been received that a naval expedition was to be sent up the Rappahannock to re-take the gunboats Satellite and Reliance, General Kilpatrick was directed to move down with his cavalry division and co-operate in such a manner as the circumstances might require. In accordance with these instructions. General Kilpatrick moved yesterday morning to the vicinity of Corbin's Neck, where the gunboats were lying, causing the rebel cavalry in the neighborhood to precipitately ford the river. Finding that no gunboats had appeared to engage the Reliance and Satellite, General Kilpatrick ordered his batteries to open on the boats, which were moored to the shore opposite Corbin's Neck, and having no steam up, they were unable to escape. They were thoroughly riddled and disabled, .aiid can never be again used by the enemy. The enemy played upon our force for a short time, with a few field pieces, without damage, but were speedily quieted. These boats were merely tugs altered for the Navy. Deserters now coming in report Lee's army generally discussing another raid across the Potomac. There must be certain indications or expressions dropped from those high in command,to warrant the assumption reported. Lee's army is again in excellent fighting condition, and desertions are not as frequent as formerly. New York, 4th September.—The Tribunes Washington despatch says it has been ordered that a premium of two dollars be paid for accepted recruits for the regular army and volunteers, which shall be also paid for accepted colored recruits. The Times' head-quarters' despatch says— Guerilla operations in our rear continue. A mail party of eight was attacked on the road between Warrenton Junction and Hart wood, one day last week, and four of them, including the mail, captured. A member of General Kilpatrick's body guard was killed a couple of days ago by guerillas, when the whole body guard obtained permission to hunt guerillas. They have been gone three days, aDd their success may be estimated by the number of guerilla carcases suspended as scarecrows from trees, on their line of march.