December 29.—The Ninety-third New-York, First Delaware, and Fifth Michigan regiments, left the army of the Potomac for home to recruit, under the general orders lately issued.—The gas company at Norfolk, Va., having sealed up their works and refused, for several months, to light the city, General Butler ordered the establishment to be seized and “carried on efficiently and economically, so that the city of Norfolk will be fully lighted, and its peace and quiet in the darkness of the night be assured, until it is made certain, that in case of an attack upon the city of Norfolk, the rebel proclivities of the owners will not leave the city in darkness, as a means of impairing the defence made by the United States forces, and when the owners have, by their works and not by their lips, convinced the military authorities that they can rely upon their loyalty for aiding in repelling an invasion of the rebels, and a keeping up of the works to aid us in that behalf; then, and not until then, will the works be returned to their custody.
“In the mean time, accurate accounts will be kept of the receipts and expenditures, and the excess of profits, which no doubt will be considerable, will be paid to those who are loyal in the sense of the word as understood by loyal men.”
— The battle of Mossy Creek, Tenn., was fought this day, and resulted in the defeat of the rebels, after a severe contest.—(Doc. 31.)
