January 30.—The Senate of the United States confirmed the nomination of Major Frederick Steele, of the Eleventh regiment Infantry, as Brigadier-General of Volunteers.
—Captain Ericsson’s iron-plated steam battery, the Monitor, that for some months past has attracted no small share of attention, was successfully launched to-day from Sneeden’s ship-yard, at Greenpoint, Long Island, N. Y. A large number of people witnessed the launch, and as the strange-looking craft glided swiftly and gracefully into its new element, the assemblage cheered rapturously, and several salutes were fired from vessels in the neighborhood in honor of the event—(Doc 23.)
—A Notorious rebel marauder, Captain John Morgan, seized a party of six Union men at a church near Lebanon, Ky., to-day. Five he allowed to leave with some of their clothing, and setting fire to the church, forced the remaining victim into the building, intending to burn him alive. After some ineffectual attempts to escape, the man finally succeeded, while the attention of his persecutors was drawn off. As soon as the news of the occurrence reached the camp of the First regiment of Ohio Cavalry, not far distant, two companies were despatched in pursuit, but owing to the bad condition of the roads, and impassable streams, the chase had to be abandoned. —Cincinnati Commercial.
—In the United States Senate, n. M. Rice, of Minnesota, offered a joint resolution, which was adopted, that the Secretary of War be authorized to procure from officers and soldiers, now prisoners in the so-called Confederate States, allotment pay for families; the Secretary of War to issue drafts on New-York or Boston, Mass., to families.
