December 19.—Maj. Frank K. Bloom, of Macon, Ga., Aide to Gen. Henry R. Jackson, died to-night of pneumonia, at that place. He distinguished himself at Sewall’s Point and at Greenbrier, Va., and was possessed of all the generous qualities and greatness of soul which characterize the true patriot and soldier; and in the community in which he lived no man was more beloved or had more devoted friends. —Richmond Dispatch, Dec. 27.
—Captain Ricketts, First Artillery U. S. A., who was wounded and captured at the battle of Ball Ran, arrived at Washington, released on parole, accompanied by his wife.
—At ten o’clock this morning a rebel battery of three guns, flanked with about two hundred infantry, suddenly commenced shelling the encampment of Col. Geary’s Pennsylvania regiment, near Point of Rocks, Md. About twenty shell, well aimed, fell in the midst of the encampment—the first within a few feet of Lieut. Col. De Korponay, commanding. The six companies in camp were well deployed and entrenched. The Twenty-eighth regiment opened fire with two guns—the first shot disabling one of the rebel guns, and the second falling in the centre. The Union battery then advanced and poured a continuous fire into them, silencing all their guns and driving back a fourth one reinforcing. The rebels were driven from their position in full retreat. Fourteen of them were killed, and many wounded. The Nationals did act lose a man. The engagement lasted a half hour. After the rout of the rebels their victors turned their guns on some houses near an old furnace, on the Virginia side of the Potomac, where about a hundred and fifty rebels were secreted, and drove them out, killing and wounding many.
—The British ship Cheshire, of Liverpool, Eng., Capt. Craig, from Liverpool Oct. 10th, and Belfast 19th, via Savannah Bar 6th inst., arrived at New York in charge of a prize crew, and in command of Prizemaster Heath, of the U. S. steamer Augusta, Capt. Parrot. The Cheshire was discovered on the 6th inst. off Tybee Island, in six fathoms water, and, upon being boarded, it was found that she had cleared for Nassau, N. P., and that her cargo consisted of coffee, salt, and army blankets, which was deemed very suspicious. Upon her captain being questioned as to why, if he was bound to Nassau, he should be found in that locality, he replied that he had received instructions at Liverpool to speak the blockading squadron, “but for what purpose it was not made known.” Not deeming it safe to allow her to proceed, and as the replies were not satisfactory, she was towed to Charleston by the U. S. steamer Angusta, Capt. Parrot, a prize crew put on board, and then sent to New York.
—About nine o’clock to-night a rebel band, called “Moccasin Rangers,” entered and took possession of the town of Ripley, Jackson Co., Va. The inhabitants were defenceless, their arms having been locked up in the jail by a man who had been recruiting in the town for the United States army. The rangers, after robbing the town, decamped with their booty. —(Doc. 233.)
—C. J. Faulkner arrived at Richmond, Va., this evening. He was met at the depot by Governor Letcher, the mayor of the city, and a large concourse, with music, and escorted through a portion of the city, when the crowd increased to thousands. The ladies from the windows and crowded balconies saluted the procession with smiles and waving handkerchiefs, and cheers from the thronged sidewalks greeted the procession along the route to the City Hall. Mayor Mayo introduced Mr. Faulkner, when he made a speech, detailing his captivity, imprisonment, and position on parole, and referred to the position of England and the United States. He said if Lincoln recedes from the present status in the Mason and Slidell affair, the furious Abolition sentiment would overwhelm him, and if he does not they will be involved in a war with England. Mr. Faulkner said he was a fellow prisoner in Fort Warren with Messrs. Mason and Slidell, and said they never wavered, but felt confident that England would protect them and her flag. Governor Letcher made a few remarks, welcoming Mr. Faulkner to Virginia, and the immense crowd dispersed.—Fredericksburg ( Va.) Recorder, Dec. 28.
—To-night the office of The St. Croix Herald, St. Stephens, was broken into, and a large quantity of type, and other material, destroyed. The editor’s opposition to secession was the cause of the outrage.—N. Y. Tribune, Dec. 21.
—The Memphis Appeal of this day says that “property to the amount of two million five hundred thousand dollars has been already confiscated by the receivers, and this is only about one-half the amount of Northern property in our midst. Some reports have already been made of real estate, and many others are to be made.—The cost of taking the floating battery up the Mississippi was one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.—The Mississippi Legislature have a plan under consideration to advance to planters twenty-five dollars per bale on cotton.”
—The Eleventh and four companies of the Third Iowa regiments, which went up the Missouri River from Jefferson City on the 14th, returned to-day with property valued at five thousand dollars, and seven prisoners. Among the property taken were one hundred and seventy-two kegs of powder, which were intended for the rebel General Price.—N. Y. Commercial, Dec. 27.
—This night a party of the Connecticut Fifth regiment and some of the men of Lieut. Rickett’s battery crossed the Potomac in a skiff, and burnt the mill at Dam No. 5, which had been occupied by the rebels as a stronghold. They captured some guns, tools for breaking up the canal dam, blankets, etc.
—A Bill passed the Mississippi Legislature, providing that the banks should receive State Treasury notes in payment of debts, and that the notes of the banks should be receivable for all public dues except the Confederate war tax.
