January 5th 1863<\/u> – The New Year has opened under a bright sky and a cool but clear and moderate Temperature with but slight interruption until the present time – President Lincoln\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s negro Emancipation Proclamation was issued on the 1st Inst. – Giving and assuring Freedom by the power of the Army and the Navy of the United States, to all slaves in those States or parts of States in Rebellion where his authority is naught, and at the same time confirming Slavery in the States and parts of the Slave States where his authority is recognised and in force – No movements of importance have been reported from the Army of the Potomac besides occasional and successful Raids made by the Rebel Cavalry on the lines of the Federals – but we have had confused and contradictory Accounts of a great fight or Series of Battles which commenced on the 30th or 31st Ulto. near to Murfreesboro in Tennessee – in which there has been an immense loss of life but we cannot learn to what numbers on each side – The same contradictory accounts of a fight at or near to Vicksburg on the 28th & 29th Ulto. also reach us, where the Victory is claimed by both sides – But we have full reports, by the survivors, of the loss of the Monitor which foundered at sea on the __[left blank] Inst. off the Coast of N. Carolina when about 30 of her Crew were drowned in site of the efforts made for their rescue by the Crew of the Steamer Rhode Island which had her in tow, and which brought the Survivors into Fortress Munroe –<\/p>\n

January 8th \u00ac\u2020<\/u>Since the receipt of later accounts from the S. W. both of the great battle at Mumfressboro and the attack upon Vicksburg; We are led to believe from the most trustworthy and reliable of these that there was but little fighting at the first named Battle after the great contest on Tuesday 30th Ulto, when the Federal accounts, both Official and private, agree and admit that the day was with the Rebs. in all parts of the field except on their right wing – and as near as we can ascertain, the Feds were driven back several miles from their position taken on the morning of that day with the loss of 4000 Prisoners, 32 __?, also a large amount of Stores and ammunition, captured or destroyed, and an admitted loss of 8 or 9 Thousand Killed and wounded besides some slight Skirmishing an desultory attacks, there appears to have been no renewal of the Battle, and the Rebs to have retreated at their leisure, or their rear Guard did not leave until Monday the 5th Inst. The Feds pursuing on the next<\/u> day. As nothing was left behind there in Murfreesboro by the Rebs this Victory appears to have been a barren one indeed to the Feds – even if the Army of Genl Rosecranz is not in a bad condition. The attack made upon the rear of Vicksburg by Genl Sherman resulted in a severe battle which continued for several hours on the 29th Ulto when he succeeded in carrying the Reb works to within Two miles of the Town when reinforcements Came to the Rebs, and the Feds were driven back some three or four miles, with the loss of several Thousand men – and, it is said that they have taken refuge on board of the transports that brought them under the protection of Gunboats in the Yazoo River.<\/p>\n