LATER AMERICAN NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1973, 22 October 1863, Page 3

LATER AMERICAN NEWS.

The Southern Cross of the 10th inst. is in receipt of San Francisco papers to August 29th by the arrival of the brigantine Neva from San Francisco. As we have already published intelligence via Sun Francisco and Otagoto Aug. 14tb, we merely subjoin the summary of news given liy that journal. The brigantine Neva arrived yesterday after a quick passage from San Francisco, and wehave been favored by Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, the owners of the vessel, with San Francisco papers to August 29th, containing news from the seat of war up to August 26th. The files of papers being incomplete we are only able to give the news of the w*ek prior to the 26th of that month, and such us it is it must be taken with the usual allowance for exaggerations in intelligence received from that source. We have carefully scanned the papers, but cau see nothing to indicate that the position of the belligerents is much changed. Fire and the sword have carried desolation into the city of Lawrence, which had been burned to the ground by a band of guerillas under Quantrell, and 180 of its inhabitants killed. Only one house it is said remained standing ; and that was filled with the dead and wounded of all classes. One hundred and twenty of the bodies of the slain had been buried, many of them frightfully charred by fire. The Alta California says on this subject: — " The guerilla Quantrell has left a bloody track in Kansas, the city of Lawrence being destroyed by fire and most of its citizens brutally murdered. Our accauot blames the Commanding General of the Department for lack of energy, but it seems that the people themselves were beguiled into security by false reports, and made little or no resistance. It is probable that Quantrell has succeeded in reach • ing Missouri safely," The siege of Charleston was progressing " favorably" as the Federal account has it, and Fort Sumter was being bombarded by the combined army and navy of the Federals. The bombardment was commenced on the 16th August, and continued up to the date of the last advices, viz., the 23rd, by which time it is said the whole south end of (he Fort had been shot away ; and it was even reported that the Fort had surrendered. This, however, is probably only an Alta California exaggeration, although if the reports of the bombanlmeiit are anything like true, the defenders must be in a sad plight. The steamer City of Madison bad been blown up at Vicksburg while loading ammunition, and sixty live* were lost. From Washington the account is that there was a wide-spread suffering, and that fears were entertained of a famiue during the coming winter. Lee's army amounted to 35,000 men. It will be perceived that we have loter European news, and of its value we leave our readers to judge. One of the sensation headings in the Alta California is " The Rebel loan bites foreign sympathisers to the tune of four millions sterling," and the same paper quotes the London Spectator as having said " the friends of the rebels have lately paid £4,000,000 for their fiiendship, as the rebel loan has tumbled to such a degree as to be almost out of sight." We quote the following from the Alta California of the 24th August: "Accounts from Charleston represent the siege as progressing favorably. The combined army and navy have battered Fort Sumter so terribly that it is scarcely tenable. A day or two will bring the intelligence of its total demolition — an augury of equal success on the part of Federal operations against the city of Charleston. The bombardment of Charleston, as conducted by General Gilinore and Admiral Dahlgren, will furnish a brilliant chapter in the history of the suppression of the rebellion ; and the full of Charleston will be hailed with joy by all as the death knell of the rebel chances of prolonging their insane and fratricidal efforts. The various corps of General Bumside's army had commenced their march through Kentucky, and as they make a much larger force than he has been accredited with, we may confidently look for important successes at his hands. He has a finely disciplined army, and is assisted by capable Generals."