December 5.—The Navy Department at Washington received despatches from Capt. Palmer, commanding the U. S. steamer Iroquois, in which he stated that the Government at Martinique refused to give the Sumter coals, but allowed her to come to St. Pierre, where she obtained a supply from English merchants. Capt. Palmer said the officers of the Sumter were treated with great courtesy at Martinique. He stated also that he had a correspondence with the governor relative to belligerent rights, the result of which was that the Iroquois was obliged to anchor one marine league from shore while the Sumter was in port. The citizens generally were in favor of the Sumter, and the authorities threw every obstacle in Capt. Palmer’s way to prevent his making a prize of her. Owing to the distance which the Iroquois was obliged to keep from the shore, and to the fact that the bay is fifteen miles wide, the Sumter was enabled to escape, The Iroquois followed on her track, but to no purpose, and the chase was abandoned.— (Doc. 214.)
—The Louisville Journal of this day contains the following: “On the 22d ult., a party of Home Guards from Edmondson and Grayson Counties, numbering one hundred men, advanced across Green River and took possession of the town of Brownsville, Ky., (which is on the south side of that stream, and within Buckner’s lines,) and hoisted the Federal flag, which had been taken down a short time before by the rebels. The Guards sent out their pickets in the direction of the rebel encampment, whose pickets extended within three miles of town. The Unionists remained in peaceable possession long enough to dine and refresh themselves, when their pickets came in and gave notice of the approach of about two hundred rebel cavalry and infantry, with two pieces of artillery, commanded by Brig.-Gen. T. C. Hindman, of Arkansas. The Home Guards then proceeded cautiously to the river. Crossing at their leisure, they had ample time to select their position on the north side, which was above and below the ferry, where they were sheltered by heavy timber, the embankments forming fine fortifications for the undisciplined Green River hunters. The enemy opened a heavy fire with their cannon and muskets, which was promptly responded to by our brave boys, who were armed with muskets and hunting rifles. The engagement continued for two hours and a half, during which time there was a constant fire kept up by both parties. As night approached the rebels retreated with a loss of three killed and five wounded, the Home Guards sustaining no injury.”
—In the United States Senate at Washington, a petition was presented by Charles Sumner, from the citizens of Haverhill, Mass., praying that the slaves of rebels might be liberated unconditionally, and the slaves of Union men on fair remuneration being made.
Mr. Trumbull, of Illinois, also introduced his bill for confiscating the property of rebels and giving freedom to their slaves. It provided for the absolute and complete forfeiture forever to the United States of every species of property, real and personal, wherever situated within the United States, belonging to persons beyond the jurisdiction of the United States, or beyond the reach of civil process, who had, or should in any way, take up arms against the United States, or in any wise aid or abet the rebellion —making their slaves free as a consequence.
—At one o’clock to-night, the Thirteenth Massachusetts regiment, under command of Col. Leonard, was called out to make a midnight foray into Virginia. Companies A and B crossed the Potomac in a scow. They had strict orders not to make a noise. After several incidents, such as are common to such expeditions, they marched on and drove the rebels from Hancock to Bath, Va., and then drove them from the place last named without firing a single shot. They reached Berkley Springs, Va., about daylight, and stopped long enough to take a bath in the sulphur spring, and then returned, having taken eleven hundred bushels of corn, several cart-loads of potatoes, turnips, cabbages, &o., which were destined for the use of the rebels.—Boston Transcript, Dec. 12.
—This morning, before daylight, Commander Rodgers left Tybee Roads, Ga,, with three United States gunboats, and proceeded to Warsaw Island, Ga., the rebel fort upon which was found to be entirely deserted. It consisted of an enclosed octagonal work, with platforms for eight guns on the water faces. The guns had been removed and the magazine blown up. Another battery, however, still in possession of the rebels, was discovered about three miles up on the Wilmington River, (a creek,) which runs parallel with the Savannah River, leading up from the rear of Little Tybee. The highest point to which Commander Rodgers penetrated was eight miles from Warsaw Bar and ten miles from Savannah, Ga.—(Doc. 215.)
—The reports of the Secretaries of War and the Navy show that the Government of the United States had in service for the suppression of the rebellion, six hundred and eighty-two thousand nine hundred and seventy-one men, all of whom had volunteered. They were divided as follows: Volunteer militia, six hundred and forty thousand six hundred and thirty-seven; Regular army, twenty thousand three hundred and thirty-four; Seamen and marines, twenty-two thousand.
