The cutting off of communication between Savannah and Fort Pulaski, the Savannah Republican, of Tuesday says:

February 28, 1862 – A reconnaissance by the steamer Savannah, yesterday, brought to light all the movements of the enemy in our river. They have erected three batteries, which effectually cut off communication with the fort–one of four guns on Venus’s Point, one of the same number of guns on a small marsh just above Long Island, and commanding the South channel, and the third on boats moored in Mud river. The three are located in the form of a triangle, and could not be passed by any vessel in our service. The guns are all of a heavy calibre, most of them throwing shot to the distance of three miles. A number was fired at the Savannah, but they all fell short.

The Atlanta Commonwealth, of Monday last, has information from passengers just from Tennessee that Nashville is now in the possession of the enemy. General Johnson deserted the city on the Friday previous, falling back upon Murfreesboro’ and Columbia At that time General Buell was at Gallatin, twenty-five miles distant from Nashville, and from that point the Yankees marched down the turnpike to Nashville, entering the city on Sunday evening. The railroad bridge had been previously destroyed by the citizens. The Commonwealth, adds:

General Johnson is represented as having only one-half of his original force at Murfreesboro’. The tracks from Nashville to Columbia and Murfreesboro’ are being torn up by bodies of soldiers sent out by General Johnson. Nearly all the railroad stock and Government stores were removed before the Yankees arrived. Buell’s force is said to have numbered sixty thousand. It is not known whether Johnson will make a permanent stand at Murfreesboro or not. If he should not, and the Yankees move upon Columbia, they can move down on the railroad to Decatur, Alabama, seize the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and operate at leisure against both Chattanooga and Memphis.

We copy the following interesting paragraph from the Charleston Mercury, of Wednesday:

A vessel with a cargo of coffee, salt, medicines, and dry goods, has lately reached a Confederate port. We learn that the steamer Nelly had left Nassau for a port further South. The Schooner known here as the Helen, was forced into Nassau by stress of weather, and was still there at last accounts The schooner Sallis, Capt. Byers, was also at that place. The pilot-boat Charleston has sailed from Nassau. The schooner Colonel McRae, we regret to learn, has lately been lost on the coast.

A report comes from St. Louis that Gen. Siegel, the great German commander, has been killed in a battle near Springfield; but as our advices, (later than those which come through Memphis,) make no mention of the fact, we are disposed to doubt it, The Memphis Appeal has dispatches from Fort Smith, dated February 19, announcing a big fight some thirty miles north of Fayetteville, Ark., in which the enemy was signally repulsed, one lows regiment being literally out to places.

Sources

The Daily Dispatch: February 28, 1862. Richmond Dispatch. 4 pages. by Cowardin & Hammersley. Richmond. February 28, 1862. microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mi : Proquest. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.

Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant provided support for entering this text.

* Noteworthy

1827 – The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is incorporated, becoming the first railroad in America offering commercial transportation of both people and freight.

1849 – Regular steamboat service from the west to the east coast of the United States begins with the arrival of the SS California in San Francisco Bay, four months 22 days after leaving New York Harbor.

1893 – The USS Indiana, the lead ship of her class and the first battleship in the United States Navy comparable to foreign battleships of the time, is launched.

1935 – DuPont scientist Wallace Carothers invents nylon.

1953 – James Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes place on April 25 following publication in April’s Nature (pub. April 2).

1954 – The first color television sets using the NTSC standard are offered for sale to the general public.