A Diary of American Events.

January 21.—The advance of the cavalry belonging to the National forces, in their retreat from Strawberry Plains, Tenn., reached Sevierville. Skirmishing was kept up all day between the National troops on one side of the Holston River, and the enemy on the other. The latter had a battery on College Hill, near Strawberry Plains, from which he played on the Nationals, while crossing the river. Comparatively little damage was done, the Union loss being not over a half-dozen wounded.—The shelling of Charleston from Fort Putnam continued night and day, at intervals of ten minutes. One gun alone has fired over one thousand one hundred rounds, at an elevation of forty degrees.—On account of the scarcity of grain in the department of the Ohio, and the factitious value given to it by the manufacture of whiskey, the distillation of that commodity was forbidden by Major-General Foster.— Rear-Admiral Farragut, accompanied by his staff, arrived at New-Orleans.