Columbia, prevented the authorities from making use of that avenue to save other valuable materials in the city. A large quantity of medical stores belonging to the Government were there, one-half of which were saved, and the rest, for want of time and transportation, destroyed. The presses and fixtures for printing treasury notes in the establishments of Evans & Cogswell & Ball were necessarily abandoned, together with the other extensive machinery of those well-known firms. The first-named establishment alone had 102 printing presses, and was unquestionably the largest and best equipped publishing house in the South.

The enemy's forces operating west of Columbia reached the banks of the Congaree opposite the city on Thursday evening, and threw in a number of shells, to which our batteries responded. A portion of this column moved up the river during the night and crossed the Saluda and Broad Rivers, the main tributaries of the Congaree, which meet near Columbia, a few miles above the city. During this movement General Beauregard evacuated the city, and on Friday morning the enemy entered and took possession without opposition. Our troops were withdrawn to a position some twenty miles from Columbia, where they remained on yesterday. The enemy's force entering Columbia consisted of Sherman's main army, a large portion of which immediately moved up the Charlotte road, while another portion has moved down in the direction of Charleston. The latter city has doubtless ere this been evacuated.

FROM CHARLESTON.

CHARLESTON, February 14.

The enemy's gun-boats and one monitor have been shelling our picket-lines on James Island all day. All quiet in our immediate front. Nothing definite from above. The enemy deep up a steady shelling of the city.

CHARLESTON, Febrary 15.

All quiet along our lines. The enemy are reported this morning to be moving in force near Columbia, on the Lexington road. It is reported that they crossed the Congaree to-day.

FROM WILMINGTON. -FURIOUS CANNNADING OF FORT ANDERSON.

WILMINGTON, February 18.

The enemy shelled Fort Anderson furiously yesterday afternoon, nearly all night, and this morning it is reported that a land force also attacked our forces at Anderson, but were repulsed. Cannonading is still going on at 1 p.m. We have no particulars. A dispatch has been received here stating that a force of the enemy, 4,000 strong, 2,000 of it cavalry, are advancing from Knoxville, and had reached Greeneville, which is fifty-four miles from Bristol. This expedition is supposed to be another raid on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.

The telegraph operator at Weldon reported yesterday that a raid from Washington or New Berne, N. C., was in progress, the supposed destination of the raiders being Rocky Mount Station, on the Wilmington road, Edgecombe County. The wires continued to work during yesterday morning through to Wilmington, however, from which it would appear that they had not then struck the road.

A movement of the enemy was reported yesterday in heavy force upon Kinston, N. C., and it was supposed in official quarters that Forster's forces had been moved up to New Berne. A cavalry raid was also reported in the direction of Tarborough. The force moving from New Berne has fifty or sixty pieces of artillery. We shall hear more of these movements in a few days. We are quite certain that they are in progress as we write.

Colonel Hatch, one of our commissioners of exchange, has gone to Wilmington, at which place he will, during the week, exchange 10,000 prisoners. We may remark here that the exchange of prisoners of James River will at the same time go on uninterruptedly.

A desperate affair occurred last Tuesday in Lunenburg County between some deserters from the Confederate army and some of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry, aided by citizens. Several on both sides were wounded. The deserters were finally captured.

General Ewell, commanding Department of Henrico, reports a wholesale roberry of nearly 100 returned paroled prisoners on Saturday night between Camp Lee and the city. Other robberies of returned prisoners are reported as occurring in the streets of Richmond.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.