November 1. —An expedition, consisting of the U. S. steamer Northerner and gunboat States of the North, with a detachment of the Third New York cavalry, and two pieces of Allis’s artillery, under the command of Major Garrard, proceeded, on the twenty-ninth ultimo, up the Pungo Creek, N. C., where they captured two rebel schooners. Proceeding to Montgomery, the troops disembarked. Major Garrard then marched his force to Germantown, Swanquarter, and Middletown, capturing in these places one hundred and thirty horses and mules, and twenty-five prisoners, among whom were a rebel lieutenant-colonel, a major, a captain, and a lieutenant. To-day, on returning from Middletown, they were met by a squad of rebel cavalry, on whom they opened one of their field-pieces, when they fled at the first fire. The force then returned to Montgomery, and embarked on the steamer without further molestation.–Philadelphia Ledger.
—At New Orleans, La., General Butler issued the following orders: —No pass to go beyond the lines of this army, in any direction, will be respected by any officer or soldier, unless it bear the personal signature of the Commanding General of this Department.
“All persons of the age of sixteen years and upward, coming within the lines, will be held as spies, unless they take the oath of allegiance to the United States, or show that they are neutral aliens; and all persons whatsoever thus coming will immediately report themselves at the office of the Provost-Marshal.
“No person will be arrested as a slave by any policeman or other person, and put in confinement for safe keeping, unless the person arresting knows that such person is owned by a loyal citizen of the United States.
“The Inspector and Superintendent of Prisons is authorized to discharge from confinement all slaves not known to be the slaves of loyal owners.
—Yesterday and to-day, the U. S. gunboats Clifton and Westfield bombarded the town of Lavacca, on Matagorda Bay, Texas. The rebels opened fire on the gunboats from two batteries, but without doing them any injury. After firing more than one hundred and thirty rounds, the gunboats found their ammunition was nearly exhausted, and they were thus compelled to raise the siege without effecting a capture of the town. During the bombardment, a one hundred pound rifled gun on board the Westfield, burst, wounding three men and Acting Master Warren.
—Governor Brown, of Georgia, issued an address to the planters of that State, calling upon them voluntarily to send to General Mercer one fifth of their negroes, in order to complete the fortifications around Savannah. If they were not sent in, General Mercer was authorized to impress whatever number he required for that purpose. — (Doc. 22.)
—The rebel schooner Adventurer, laden with salt, leather, etc., was captured by the United States steamer Kensington, in the vicinity of Mermanteau Pass, La. —Major-General Peck, from his headquarters at Suffolk, Va., issued a general order denouncing pillage, and calling upon his forces to cooperate with him in bringing the guilty to a speedy trial. —The Richmond Whig of this date opposes the rebel conscription law as “unpopular, if not odious, among a large class of the people.”
—A National force composed of the First Mounted Riflemen, N. Y. S. V., Follett’s battery, the Eleventh cavalry of Pennsylvania volunteers, and General Wessell’s brigade, visited Franklin, Va., to-day, and succeeded in driving the rebels from the town with some loss. —New York Tribune.
