April 18.—The United States gunboat Tioga was successfully launched at the Navy-Yard at Charlestown, Mass., this afternoon.—N. Y. Tribune, April 19.
—At Philadelphia, Pa., Parson Brownlow was received at Independence Hall by the city authorities this morning —Mr. Tregg, President of the Common Council, receiving him with words of the heartiest welcome. Mr. Brownlow replied in a characteristic address of some length, delivered from a stand erected in front of the Hall, to an immense audience. He recited the tribulations East-Tennessee Unionists had undergone. —Philadelphia Press, April 19.
—Wm. Gilchrist, arrested some months ago on the charge of furnishing “aid and comfort to the enemy,” and sent to Fort Warren, and afterward upon his release, by order of the Government, arrested by Detective Franklin, on the charge of “treason,” has now been discharged unconditionally, after months’ imprisonment, without trial.—K Y. Commercial, April 19.
—Gen. McClellan, before Yorktown, Va., telegraphed as follows to the War Department: “At about one half-hour after midnight, the enemy attacked Smith’s position, and attempted to carry his guns. Smith repulsed them handsomely, and took some prisoners. I have no details. Will forward them as soon as my aids return. The firing was very heavy. All is now quiet.
“Second Despatch.—My position occupied yesterday by Smith was intrenched last night, so that we have been able to prevent the enemy from working to-day, and kept his guns silent Same result at the batteries at Hyam’s Mills.
“Yorktown was shelled by our gunboats and some of our barges to-day, without effect
“There has been a good deal of firing from the Yorktown land batteries.”
—Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburgh, Va:, was occupied by the forces of the United States. Their progress was disputed by a rebel force of one regiment of infantry, one of cavalry, and a battery of artillery, which attempted to make two distinct stands. They wore, however, driven across the Rappahannock, after inflicting upon the Unionists a loss of five killed and sixteen wounded, all of them cavalry, including Lieut. Decker, of the Harris cavalry, killed; Col. Fitzpatrick, wounded, and a valuable scout, named Britten, badly wounded. Col. Bayard’s horse was badly wounded under him. Immediately after making their escape across the Rappahannock bridge, opposite Fredericksburgh, the rebels applied the torch to it, and thus temporarily delayed progress into the town.—(Doc. 143.)
In the afternoon, Lieut. Wood, of Gen. King’s staff, Lieut. Campbell, Fourth artillery, and Major Duffle, of the Harris light cavalry, crossed the Rappahannock under a flag of truce, and communicated with the municipal authorities of the city.
The City Councils had called a meeting immediately after the appearance of the forces, and appointed a committee consisting of the Mayor, Mr. Slaughter, three members from each Board, and three citizens, to confer with Gen. Augur relative to the occupation of Fredericksburgh and the protection of property. The Councils at the same time adopted a series of resolutions declaring that the city, since the adoption of the ordinance of secession, had been unanimously in favor of disunion, and was still firmly attached to the Southern cause, surrendering only upon conditions of protection to private property.
—Martial law was declared in Eastern Tennessee, by the rebel government.—(Doc. 141.)
—Henry T. Clark, the rebel Governor of North Carolina, issued the following notice to the people of that State:
“By an advertisement in the public papers, signed W. S. Ashe, you are informed that he will appoint, and send agents through every county in the State to borrow, purchase, and, if necessary, to impress, all the arms now in the hands of private citizens.
“Any attempt to seize the arms of our citizens is directly at variance with the Constitution, and in opposition to the declared policy of the government, which makes it the duty of every citizen to keep and bear arms, and protects the arms of the militia even from execution for debt
“But while I notify you that these agents have no lawful authority to seize your private arms, and you will be protected in preserving the means of self-defence, I must enjoin upon you in this emergency, as an act of the highest patriotism and duty, that you should discover to the proper State authorities all public arms, muskets or rifles, within your knowledge, and of selling to the State all the arms, the property of individuals, which can be spared.
“The colonels of the several regiments of militia will act as agents for the State, and will notify me whenever any such arms are delivered or offered to them. Their prompt and earnest attention is called to the execution of this order.— Raleigh Standard, April 26.
—The bombardment of Forts Jackson and St Philip, on the Mississippi River below New-Orleans, was this day commenced by the National fleet under the command of Flag-Officer Farragut.
