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June 28, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

THE RICHMOND LINES - THE BLOODY ENGAGEMENT OF WEDNESDAY ON THE WILLIAMSBURG ROAD.

We take the following from the Richmond Examiner of Thursday morning:

Yesterday an affair, which must be considered the prelude to the great battle now impending, occurred on the extreme right of the Confederate lines, on the Williamsburg road, about a mile removed from the scene of the battle of the Seven Pines. Our loss was heavy, especially in officers.

The following are the particulars of the engagement, as far as we have been able to gather them: On Tuesday night the enemy advanced and drove in the pickets of the 14th North Carolina regiment, and they were reinforced by the 4th Georgia and 1st Louisiana regiments, of Gen. Wright’s brigade. About 8 1/2 o’clock the enemy advanced to the number of three brigades, supposed to have been Hunter, Sickles’ and Sumner. They moved and fought under a pine thicket cover, our troops being in the open space. After heavy firing, the 1st Louisiana charged the enemy twice, and drove them back. In the last charge Lieut. Col. W. R. Shriver, of the 1st Louisiana, was wounded severely, also Major James Milligan; Lieuts. Gilmour and Murphy, of the same regiment, were both killed; and Lieuts. Hendricks and Buckley and other officers and privates wounded.

Shortly after noon the enemy retired, and the firing ceased. The loss inflicted on the enemy was serious in killed and wounded, besides between sixty and seventy prisoners captured. The casualties of many of our men were inflicted by shells thrown by a battery supporting the enemy’s infantry. The skirmishing and firing along the lines was pretty general at all points yesterday, and all indications point to a general engagement today or tomorrow.

The wounded on our side, to the number of fifteen or twenty, reached the city yesterday evening. Those of the Louisiana regiment are mostly at the Kent, Paine & Co. Hospital, on Main street. The others are at the various hospitals. Up to last night the Yankee prisoners had not arrived here.

Of course the engagement was without decisive results, but all accounts agree in stating that our troops displayed consummate bravery, and repulsed three times their number advantageously posted and supported by artillery.

The fighting, we learn, was principally between General Wright’s brigade, comprising the Second, Third and Twenty-third Georgia, the First Louisiana, and a North Carolina regiment, and at least two, and some say three, brigades of the enemy (Sickles’ and Meagher). Our forces were exposed, for a time, to a terrible crossfire while lying down. In the charge which drove the Yankees from their position the First Louisiana suffered the most severely. Our loss is about one hundred and fifty killed and wounded, and that of the enemy equally as great, if not more, beside prisoners.

The musketry firing lasted for an hour and a half, and was then succeeded by artillery, which was brought into play on both sides.

Two Yankee prisoners were captured by one of our officers after he had his right arm shattered by a ball. With gun in his left hand, he approached them and demanded them to throw down their arms, which they did, and were marched off to headquarters. One of the prisoners taken states that McClellan has built two roads parallel to the York River railroad, on which are placed heavy siege guns made to run upon the tracks.

June 28, 1862, The New York Herald

A little column of our brave soldiers in South Carolina, after a desperate engagement with some of the defensive rebel works on James Island, near Charleston, have been repulsed with a very heavy loss in killed and wounded. The details, which we publish at length, from our own officers and reporters, tell the melancholy story. We read it over, with the accompanying explanations; but still the question recurs, Where lies the responsibility?

General Benham, the officer in the immediate command of this Stono Inlet enterprise, has been seized upon as the responsible party, and has returned to this city under arrest, as having disobeyed or exceeded his orders in the battle. But, whatever true or false, we must strike at higher game than General Benham if we wish to reach the parties to whom the responsibility in this matter properly belongs. We think it very evident that General Benham’s force was much too small for the work which he undertook to accomplish. Five or ten thousand additional men would have given him a decisive, and, in all probability, a bloodless victory. Our supreme commander in that department, General Hunter, should have known better than to suppose that the small force detailed under General Benham would be sufficient to work its way round to the back door of Charleston. General Hunter, however, had been too much preoccupied with the negro question, his emancipation edicts and the contrabands of Hilton Head, and the abolition missionaries and school teachers among them - male and female - to know much of the rebel forces and defences around Charleston or anywhere else. We think, therefore, that, in the first place, the responsibility in question may be justly shifted from the back of General Benham to the shoulders of General Hunter.

Instead of conciliating, by a conservative policy on the slavery question, and by acts of charity and magnanimity, as General Halleck has conciliated the white population of the districts he had conquered, we find General Hunter, with his abolition decrees and abolition negro schools, to say nothing of negro soldiers laboring zealously, in behalf of our abolition fanatics and disorganizers, to exasperate the white race of his department to the fiercest desperation against him and the Union. But whence and why these extreme abolition manifestations on the part of General Hunter? That is the question. We answer that he has been encouraged in these proceedings by the emissaries and proteges of the Treasury Department, and by the full consent, if not by the active co-operation, of our present Secretary of War. While we may condemn General Hunter, therefore, in this business as the willing instrument of his superiors in official power and influence, they are the really responsible parties for this late military blunder near Charleston, and for the very unsatisfactory results of all our vast military expenditures in that quarter since our occupation of Port Royal harbor.

We charge upon Mr. Secretary Stanton, especially, this disaster at James Island and all the unprofitable results of our late military operations in South Carolina and Georgia as we charge upon him the chief responsibility for all our military blunders, reverses, losses, failures and entanglements, from the Rappahannock to the valley of Virginia, which have followed the breaking up of the original army and the plans of General McClellan. The President, however, appealing from the War Office to General Scott, has at length taken the proper course and the proper man to repair all these losses and blunders in the Shenandoah valley and the Rappahannock Department. General McDowell, General Banks and General Fremont, each as an independent commander in the same general field, have only served to embarrass each other, and make worse confounded. The latter has just resigned, and, under the comprehensive supreme command of General Pope, we dare say the others will do much better in having a superior, tried and approved military leader to direct their movements. A similar reform in the department of General Hunter, making abolition philanthropy, fanaticism and folly secondary to the more important work of putting down the armed forces of this rebellion, will leave us very little more to be desired in view of a speedy end to Jeff. Davis and to his spurious and intolerable despotism over the remnants remaining of our late so-called “Confederate States.”

June 27, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

To the Editor of The Charleston Mercury:

The war made by the Northern Government upon the Confederate States is wholly aggressive, unjust, and without excuse. It is not, however, without motive or objects — these being the desire to retain, and the end of retaining, the Southern people as their bondsmen, and all Southern property as their great source of gain, and subject of legal plunder, as heretofore. The fanatical abolitionists have still another object, the accomplishment of which would be still more deadly to the South. The war, so iniquitous in its motives and objects, has also been waged throughout by the Northern Government and people in violation of the laws of civilized warfare. Their invading armies have acted as if composed of felons instead of soldiers. Throughout they have been aggressors and invaders, and wherever they have occupied our soil, without exception, they have wasted the land by the plunder of private individuals, the wanton and profitless destruction of private property, the burning of country houses and villages, the seduction or forcible abduction of slaves, and in many instances by outrages still more atrocious. In some cases these crimes have been encouraged by the Yankee commanders; in others, they have been prohibited by words; but in no case have they been prevented or punished. The stealing of slaves, or seducing them to desert, is far worse than merely the crime committed against the rights of property. The pecuniary loss thereby inflicted is the least part of the damage. For the great object of this part of Yankee warfare (which has been approved and carried on by generals in command, by the Secretary of War, and by President LINCOLN) is manifestly to stimulate and aid compulsory and general emancipation, if not general servile insurrection. The proclamations of Fremont and Hunter, if a little premature, yet embody the feeling and policy of the freesoil North, and pre-admonish us of what our fate would be under Yankee rule. The brutal edict of Butler against the honor of our women, the frequent atrocities already perpetrated upon them by Northern soldiery, with the murders committed upon their defenders, the hanging of Mumford for pulling down the flag in New Orleans, the military assassination of Col. John Owens, of Missouri, because a guerilla, and a thousand exemplications of bloodthirsty ferocity, point us to the necessity of meeting our enemies in the same spirit, and of making it at once a war of extermination where quarter is neither asked or given. It is a policy forced upon us for self-preservation. We cannot, as a people, tamely submit to these outrages upon humanity, decency and the laws of civilized warfare.

The Southern people and their government have, so far, submitted to all these atrocities of the invaders with meek forbearance, and without retaliating by any deviation from the established usages of civilized warfare when carried on against honorable foes. Our patience and forbearance, so far from conciliating or shaming the invaders, and so inducing their better conduct, have served to encourage them to persevere in their atrocious procedure, by the implied assurance of impunity. Is this courage of submission to lawless outrage, or our forbearing from retaliation, just to our own suffering or endangered people, or calculated to lessen the horrors of war? We think not; but, on the contrary, that our surest method to check such atrocities will be to retaliate by inflicting the punishment of death on all the robber troops and their leaders who may hereafter come within our power when making predatory invasions of our soil.

We are aware of the ready objections to be made to this severe and bloody policy — to be urged both on the ground of the claims of humanity for our enemies, and the certainty of incurring the like doom for our own soldiers, who otherwise might be made prisoners by the enemy’s forces. We have well considered the question in all its aspects and consequences. As to the justice of such retaliation and such treatment being deserved by the Yankee invaders, and still more by their commanding officers, there can be so little of dissent that it is needless to argue that branch of the question. In regard to the effect of this policy on the enemy’s troops, there can be little doubt of its producing terror, and thereby restraining and limiting their predatory incursions, if not preventing them, in most cases. There can be no more potent discouragement to invaders than for them to know that no prisoners will be made, and that every invader fighting on our territory must either be a victor or a successful fugitive, or otherwise forfeit his life on the field.

But the enemy would act in like manner towards our soldiers, overcome in battle or captured. This may be true for the future. For the prisoners now in their hands there would be no such danger; for we hold in our military prisons enough of their captured soldiers to serve as hostages for their treatment of ours. There is every reason to believe that in the future progress of the war the preponderance of the slain (and of prisoners, if prisoners are still to be made) will not be less heavy against the enemy than heretofore. Invading armies are far more liable to heavy losses than the armies of the invaded countries.

It is admitted that, if the policy here advocated were adopted, it would induce the slaying on the field of battle of many, perhaps thousands, of our own brave defenders. This, indeed, would be deplorable; and yet not the worst alternative. By thus making the war (in the Northern phrase) , short and decisive, and thereby our defence more speedily successful — a consummation which this policy would certainly tend to effect — many more lives of our soldiers would be saved than would be lost by the direct operation of this policy. In war, it is inevitable that many lives must be sacrificed. but in most armies (and certainly in ours up to this time) many more have fallen victims to sickness than to the arms of the foe, even if all prisoners be counted as so many slain. The wounded and disabled in battle have borne but a small proportion to those who, after long sickness, are discharged with debilitated bodies and broken constitutions. It is far better for a brave soldier to be slain in battle, with glory and renown, than to avoid that fate — whether as a prisoner or otherwise — and then to die, obscurely and ingloriously, in a hospital, or to live long under the complicated infirmities following ordinary diseases of our own camps, or of the enemy’s prisons. To hasten the successful termination of the war, by almost any means, will be the most effectual mode of lessening the waste of lives of our soldiers; and, for this end, no policy will be more operative than that here proposed. It is high time for the Confederate Government to move in this matter. Further acquiescence will be disastrous to the tone of the Southern people. Our own government must not humiliate us.

JACKSON.

June 27, 1862, The New York Herald

We have to announce today an important change in the military command in Western Virginia, proving that our predictions as to the object of the President’s visit to West Point were perfectly accurate. General Pope has received the supreme command of affairs in the Shenandoah Valley, and will now be pitted against the rebel Stonewall Jackson. The forces under Major Generals Fremont, Banks and McDowell have been consolidated into one army, called Army of Virginia, and Major General Pope has been especially assigned by the President to the chief command. The forces under General Fremont constitute the first army corps, to be commanded by General Fremont. The forces under General Banks constitute the second army corps, and are to be commanded by him. The forces under General McDowell constitute the third army corps, to be commanded by him.

General Pope enters upon his new command with the prestige of former successes in the Mississippi valley and in Missouri surrounding his name, which no doubt will be a host in itself with the army of the Shenandoah, recently involved in a somewhat muddeld condition of affairs, under the management of the political generals. A soldier of great dash, combining a capacity for instant action with fine strategical power, as his conduct at Shawnee Mound, New Madrid and Island No. 10 evinced, General Pope is just the man for the position assigned to him. His appointment, under the circumstances, and in the prompt manner by which it was accomplished, is another evidence of the firmness, sagacity and independence of Mr. Lincoln, and will insure renewed confidence on the part of the whole North — rabid abolitionists of course excepted — in his capacity to bring the country safely through its present difficulty, and that speedily, too. We may look out now for some stirring times in Western Virginia, and the expulsion of Jackson from that region.

In connection with the appointment of General Pope we give today a brief sketch of the gallant officer’s career, which will be found exceedingly interesting.

We are in possession of some further particulars — which we publish — of the skirmish in front of Richmond, on Wednesday. The ground contended for was a swamp, scattered over with clumps of brushwood, with an open country in front. The main object of the advance appears to have been to obtain a dry and healthy location for that portion of our army then encamped in a swampy and sickly region. In this General McClellan proved entirely successful, as but little more ground has to be gained in order to place our men beyond the effects of their previous unpleasant position. The rebel camps in front of General Hooker’s division are now occupied by our troops. Our total loss in killed and wounded in the action of Wednesday did not amount to over two hundred — the killed being exceedingly small — while that of the enemy was much greater. General McClellan conducted the affair in person, and his presence stimulated the valor of the men engaged. We publish today a very interesting and comprehensive map of the rebel defences and positions of their forces in front of General McClellan’s army previous to the late affair.

A despatch received at the War Department yesterday afternoon from General McClellan states that the affair of yesterday was perfectly successful; that we hold the new picket line undisturbed, and that all is very quiet on the banks of the Chickahominy. On Wednesday evening one of our gunboats moved up and shelled the rebels on the Petersburg road, but without any casualties on the side of the rebels, according to their own account of the affair.

The official lists of the rebel losses at the battle of Fair Oaks have been published. Eighty-five regiments and battalions in all were engaged, sustaining a loss of killed, wounded and missing of five thousand, eight hundred and ninety-seven.

With the exception of some details of the recent expedition up the White river in Arkansas, and an engagement of our gunboats near Grand Gulf on the Mississippi river, between Natchez and Vicksburg, there is nothing important to report from the West today.

According to The Charleston Mercury everything was quiet at James Island on Sunday, but it says that our troops were busily engaged in throwing up earthworks there. It is reported that the steamer Memphis, a new iron vessel, from Liverpool via Nassau, arrived at Charleston on Monday last, having on board Mr. Ward, of Alabama, late United States Minister to China, and a valuable cargo of British goods. How she succeeded to run the blockade is not stated.

Our European files by the Arabia, dated in London and Paris on the 14th of June, contain verbatim reports of the speeches delivered in the two Houses of the British Parliament on the subjects of General Butler’s late proclamation respecting the exhibition of rebel sympathies by the […..] of New Orleans, and the idea of coalition between France and England for the purpose of […..] or intervening, in the governmental affairs of the United States, so far as relates to the suppression of the rebellion. The addresses of Earl Carnarvon, Earl Russell, Lord Palmerston, Sir J. Walsh and Mr. Gregory are more important in this shape than they appeared in our telegraphic synopsis from Halifax, published in the HERALD last Wednesday. Hence we give them in extenso.

It will be remarked from the very full letters of our Paris correspondents that the Count de Persigny arrived in London on the 11th of June, about two days before the debates occurred in the houses of Lords and Commons, and the essential point of the whole subject is to be found in the assertion that the Count was entrusted by Napoleon with the negotiation of the terms of a plan of […..] with England. The assumption obtained a very general credence in Paris from the fact that the Patrie of the 11th instant circulated the following paragraph in larger type than usual: — “We are assured that negotiations are about to commence in London to arrive at an understanding which may enable proposals to be made for a mediation in American affairs. If the negotiations in question succeed, the mediation of England and France will be tendered simultaneously, and in identical terms, to the belligerent parties.”

Senor Calderon Collantes, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, has officially and completely endorsed the action of General Prim in retiring from Mexico.

edited by G.W. Cable

Friday, June 27.—As soon as the cook was up again, we resumed preparations. We put all the clothing in order and had it nicely done up with the last of the soap and starch. “I wonder,” said Annie, “when I shall ever have nicely starched clothes after these? They had no starch in Natchez or Vicksburg when I was there.” We are now furbishing up dresses suitable for such rough summer travel. While we sat at work yesterday the quiet of the clear, calm noon was broken by a low, continuous roar like distant thunder. To-day we are told it was probably cannon at Vicksburg. This is a great distance, I think, to have heard it—over a hundred miles.

H. and Max have bought a large yawl and are busy on the lake bank repairing it and fitting it with lockers. Aunt Judy’s master has been notified when to send for her; a home for the cat Jeff has been engaged; Price is dead, and Sancho sold. Nearly all the furniture is disposed of, except things valued from association, which will be packed in H.’s office and left with some one likely to stay through the war. It is hardest to leave the books.

.

JUNE 27TH.—At the first dawn of day, the battle recommenced, farther round to the east. This was enough. The enemy had drawn in his right wing. And courier after courier announced the taking of his batteries by our brave defenders! But the battle rages loud and long, and the troops of Jackson’s corps, like the march of Fate, still upon McClellan’s right flank and rear. Jackson’s horse, and the gallant Stuart, with his irresistible cavalry, have cut the enemy’s communications with their base on the Pamunky. It is said they are burning their stores!
What genius! what audacity in Lee ! He has absolutely taken the greater portion of his army to the north side of the Chickahominy, leaving McClellan’s center and left wing on the south side, with apparently easy access to the city. This is (to the invaders) impenetrable strategy. The enemy believes Lee’s main forces are here, and will never think of advancing. We have so completely closed the avenues of intelligence that the enemy has not been able to get the slightest intimation of our strength or the dispositions of our forces.

June 27, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

IMPORTANT NEWS FROM RICHMOND.

THE GREAT BATTLE BEGUN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, ON THE LEFT WING.

RICHMOND, June 26. — The difficulty of obtaining information from the lines is illustrated by the indefinite accounts given by the city papers this morning, of the fight which took place on the Williamsburg road yesterday.

It now appears certain that the 1st Louisiana regiment was engaged for some time with two brigades of the enemy, who had driven in our pickets about 8 a.m. Regardless of the heavy odds brought against them, the Louisiana advanced rapidly upon the foe, shouting, as their battle-cry, ‘BUTLER! BUTLER!’ The Yankees in front immediately gave way before the impetuous advance of our men, and would have been driven from the field, but for the support they received from a heavy crossfire directed against us by several additional regiments of the enemy, which were ambuscaded in the woods.

The 1st Louisiana was afterwards reinforced by other regiments of Gen. WRIGHT’S brigade, and the fight was continued during the day until the Yankees were dislodged from the woods and driven back to their camp.

In the afternoon RANSOM’S and MAHONE’S brigades were engaged, and aided in driving the enemy back. Col. SHIVERS and Major NELLIGAN, of the 1st Louisiana, were both wounded in the arm. Lieuts. GILMORE and MURPHY, of the Montgomery Guards (of New Orleans), were both killed. The total Confederate loss is estimated at about 200 killed and wounded. The enemy’s loss was heavy.

Later.

Up to one o’clock today only occasional cannonading could be heard along the lines. The general expectation of a great battle today has not been realized.

The Latest.

Nine o’clock, p.m. The battle which is to decide the fate of Richmond, was begun this afternoon, on the left wing of the Confederate army. For three hours the firing in the direction of Mechanicsville has been rapid and continuous. The cannonading can be heard distinctly in the city, and crowds have gathered on the hills north of the city, whence the bursting of the shells is occasionally visible.

At eight o’clock the firing was still progressing furiously. It is not probable that any particulars will be received from the battlefield until morning.

There was no fighting of importance on the centre or right today. A general engagement tomorrow is considered inevitable.

by John Beauchamp Jones

JUNE 27TH.—At the first dawn of day, the battle recommenced, farther round to the east. This was enough. The enemy had drawn in his right wing. And courier after courier announced the taking of his batteries by our brave defenders! But the battle rages loud and long, and the troops of Jackson’s corps, like the march of Fate, still upon McClellan’s right flank and rear. Jackson’s horse, and the gallant Stuart, with his irresistible cavalry, have cut the enemy’s communications with their base on the Pamunky. It is said they are burning their stores!
What genius! what audacity in Lee ! He has absolutely taken the greater portion of his army to the north side of the Chickahominy, leaving McClellan’s center and left wing on the south side, with apparently easy access to the city. This is (to the invaders) impenetrable strategy. The enemy believes Lee’s main forces are here, and will never think of advancing. We have so completely closed the avenues of intelligence that the enemy has not been able to get the slightest intimation of our strength or the dispositions of our forces.

by John Beauchamp Jones

JUNE 27TH.—At the first dawn of day, the battle recommenced, farther round to the east. This was enough. The enemy had drawn in his right wing. And courier after courier announced the taking of his batteries by our brave defenders! But the battle rages loud and long, and the troops of Jackson’s corps, like the march of Fate, still upon McClellan’s right flank and rear. Jackson’s horse, and the gallant Stuart, with his irresistible cavalry, have cut the enemy’s communications with their base on the Pamunky. It is said they are burning their stores!
What genius! what audacity in Lee ! He has absolutely taken the greater portion of his army to the north side of the Chickahominy, leaving McClellan’s center and left wing on the south side, with apparently easy access to the city. This is (to the invaders) impenetrable strategy. The enemy believes Lee’s main forces are here, and will never think of advancing. We have so completely closed the avenues of intelligence that the enemy has not been able to get the slightest intimation of our strength or the dispositions of our forces.

June 27, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

Our last despatch from Richmond would seem to indicate that the long expected battle, on which we have staked the possession of Richmond, is at last begun. We hope that the intelligence may prove true, and that the fateful day has, indeed, arrived. Thus far, in this war, the South has met but few disasters on her battlefields, and we hail, with a reasonable confidence, for coming of the day on which the Army of JOHNSTON is to encounter the Yankee hordes which beleaguer the Southern Capitol.

If the engagement should, as anticipated, become general, the conflict will be one of terrible grandeur. Seldom in the world’s history and never, certainly, on this continent, have two such hosts been marshaled forth. In numbers, in equipment and in discipline, they surpass all the armies that have heretofore been arrayed on American soil. There are motives enough to inspire each with stern resolve. The army of the North fights for national ambition, fanatical hate and the profits of Southern trade. The army of the South fights to avert from the Southern people a tyranny most hideous and most abhorred. We must nerve ourselves to hear of a day of carnage. The attack has probably been made by our troops. They must carry the enemy’s earthworks with the bayonet. The loss may, and probably will, be fearful. But, if we triumph, the victory will be worth the cost. Never was cause more just and holy than ours. The patriot owes his life to his country in the hour of her extremity; and, while we strike for independence, we must be willing, ungrudgingly, to pay the price.

June 27, 1862, The New York Herald

McCLELLAN’S HEADQUARTERS, June 25 — Evening.

General Hooker, at nine o’clock this morning, advanced his division, with the view of occupying a new position. The result was that his troops met with a most determined resistance from the enemy, which lasted until four o’clock in the afternoon; but the rebels were forced to give way before the invincible courage of our men.

During the day everything indicated a general engagement; but the enemy, for some reason or other, backed out of it.

The troops all fought as gallantly as ever. The loss on our side will be about two hundred killed and wounded.

The following are among the wounded: —

Colonel Morrison, volunteer aid to General Palmer, wounded in the hand.

Captain Rafferty, of the Second Excelsior regiment, wounded in the leg.

The loss among the officers in the First Massachusetts regiment, which suffered the most, is as follows: —

Captain Wild, wounded in the hand.

Captain Carruth, wounded in the hand.

Captain Chamberlain, wounded in the face.

Lieutenant Thomas, wounded in the arm, amputated.

Lieutenant Dalton, wounded in the breast.

Lieutenant Parkerson, wounded in the leg.

Our killed is small, most of our men being wounded.

The loss of the enemy is not known, but it is believed to be equal to our own.

The camp of the rebels in front of General Hooker was captured, and is now occupied by his troops.

The ground fought for was a swamp, with thick underbrush, beyond which is an open country. The woods intervening between our troops and the enemy prevented the result of our artillery firing from being known.

Two Napoleon twelve-pounders, under Captain De Russy, succeeded in getting through the swamp during the afternoon, and did excellent service. An effort of the enemy to capture them resulted in their being driven back with some loss.

The result of today is highly important to the health of the army, as but little more ground is to be gained to place our troops beyond the swamp.

General McClellan was present during the whole day, superintending all movements.

June 27, 1862, The New York Herald

OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE GUNBOAT JACOB BELL AND THE REBEL BATTERY ON WATKINS’ BLUFF.

UNITED STATES STEAMER JACOB BELL,

JAMES RIVER, June 21, 1862.

Sir — I respectfully submit the following:—

Yesterday, in obedience to your order, I proceeded with the despatches up the river to the Monitor. On passing the Red Bluff, known as Watkins’ Bluff, I was opened upon by two batteries, three guns each, of twelve pounders, and about five hundred sharpshooters. The channel being very narrow, and being obliged to go within a few feet of the bluff, I suffered severely. The hail of bullets from the sharpshooters prevented me for a time from responding, as, having no covering for my men at the battery, I would not expose them to the heavy fire.

A shot, however, came and carried away the rudder chains, and my vessel got ashore in front of the batteries. I was determined to go by; so manned my guns, steaming on, and forced her over.

The batteries were so masked that I could not see them until opened upon, though the upper battery raked us as we headed towards it, which, from the nature of the river, I had to do; but we stood on under their fire for about five minutes; which I considered better, as I had no idea of retreating until my duties were performed, and as long as my vessel lasted. As soon as we got up to the upper battery the lower battery raked us aft, doing more damage to the upper works than the other. I think we should not have been damaged so much had it not been for our getting ashore directly in front of them, giving them but a few feet between us and their guns.

The officers and men behaved with their accustomed coolness and efficiency and promptly responded to the order […..] the battery, […..] tough under a heavy fire of musketry.

A shot has penetrated the flange of the port wheel, cracking it in several places. It will not do for me to be in any sea way, as we will lose the wheel. The starboard side of the pilot house was carried away together with two iron plates. In fact the upper works are completely riddled. One shot struck the valve stem, bending it, which slowed us down, fortunately not stopping the engine. As you ordered me to return after delivering the despatches, we passed the battery again after night, but were not fired at.

Ten shots struck the vessel in all, to say nothing of the quantity of bullets in the woodwork from the sharpshooters, but no one was injured on board.

Very respectfully your obedient servant,

E. P. McCrea, Lieut. Commanding.
Commander J. P. Gillis, commanding naval forces in James river.

June 27, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Army Correspondence.

BURNT CHIMNEYS, June 24, 1862.

A dashing reconnoissance was made by Captain Keenan, with two companies of cavalry, to James river, on Saturday. The Captain understood from citizens residing on the James river that a gunboat had of late been signalizing the shore, as if anxious to communicate with our land forces. He obtained permission from headquarters to undertake to open up communication with her, and left the camp of General Casey’s division on Friday afternoon. He found that General Henry A. Wise held a position opposite Fort Darling, with his command of five thousand troops, constituting the extreme right of the rebel army. The pickets of the rebels reached along the river bank several miles below, and, as they were closely posted, the Captain determined to hazard the probability of capture and go abroad alone. He penetrated in the early morning the enemy’s picket line, and forced a negro, whom he found in a house near by to row him to the Galena; for such was the gunboat. The negro accompanied him under protest, Captain Keenan holding a pistol to his ear to prevent treachery. He remained on board of the Galena till the approach of day light warned him to be away, when he returned and rejoined his command, having fully accomplished the purposes of his mission. Captain Keenan commands a company of the Pennsylvania cavalry, His regiment made all the reconnoissances on the left of our advance coming up to Yorktown.

June 27, 1862, The New York Herald

WASHINGTON, June 26, 1862.

The forces under Major Generals Fremont, Banks and McDowell have been consolidated into one army, called the Army of Virginia, and Major General Pope has been especially assigned by the President to the chief command. The forces under General Fremont constitute the first army corps, to be commanded by General Fremont. The forces under General Banks constitute the second army corps, are to be commanded by him. The forces under General McDowell constituted the third army corps, to be commanded by him.

Sketch of General John Pope.

Major General John Pope is a man nearly forty years of age, a native of Kentucky, but a citizen of Illinois and a graduate of West Point, which academy he entered in the year 1838. He graduated in 1842, standing high in a large class, and was appointed to the army from the State of Illinois, entering that service as a brevet second lieutenant of Topographical engineers. He was engaged in Mexico, and was brevetted a first lieutenant for gallant and meritorious conduct in several conflicts at Monterey — the brevet bearing date from September 23, 1846. On the 23d of February, 1847, he was brevetted captain for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Buena Vista. In 1849 he conducted the Minnesota exploring expedition, having accomplished which he acted as topographic engineer in New Mexico until 1853, when he was assigned to the command of one of the expeditions to survey the route of the Pacific Railroad. From 1854 to 1859 he was engaged in the exploration of the Rocky Mountains, during which time — viz : on the 1st of July, 1856 — he took the actual rank of captain in the corps of Topographical Engineers. On the 17th of May, 1861 was made a brigadier general of volunteers. He held a command in Missouri for some time before he became particularly noted; but when General Halleck took charge of the disorganized department, he, having great confidence in Brigadier General Pope, gave him the charge of the district of Central Missouri. This was in December, 1861. On the 17th of that month he scattered the rebel camp at Shawnee Mound, taking “prisoners and most of the enemy’s wagons, tents, baggage, horses, &c.” On the 18th he surprised another camp near Milford, took some 1,300 prisoners, 1,000 stand of arms, 1,000 horses, sixty-five wagons and a large quantity of tents, baggage and supplies. He also seized two tons of gunpowder. This campaign drove Price below the Osage river, which he never again crossed. Having cleared this district, he was next appointed to clear Southeastern Missouri. On the 23d of February, 1862 he reached Commerce with a small force. He there gathered his men together, and in six days marched to New Madrid. This place soon fell into his hands and shortly after, comparatively speaking, he cut that noted canal which caused the downfall of Island No. 10. For this masterpiece he was made a major general. He was next appointed to act at the head of a corps to co-operate with Halleck in the reduction of Corinth. After the evacuation, his remarkable pursuit and capture of part of Beauregard’s force are so fresh in the minds of our readers to need no description. One great feature in the military career of General Pope is the fact that he has never met with a repulse. He carries with him the prestige of success, and by the past we may safely judge of the future.

June 26, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

The Executive authorities of the States of the South constitute a very important part of the machinery of our complicated system of government. In the time of war they are really more important than in times of peace. For, although the Executive officers of the General Government are charged with the protection of the whole Confederacy, there is much that may be done, and that should be done, for the security of each State, by those who wield its own Executive powers. Especially in a time like the present, of difficulty and danger, of notorious inadequacy of preparation on the part of the Administration, and of threatened disaster in consequence, the people have a right to look, and do look, to the immediate guardians of their interests, to see that the State suffer no detriment by a want of foresight, energy and expenditure, in providing, as far as possible, whatever may be necessary to their security. Economy may be a commendable thing in ordinary times. It may commend men to popular favor. It may be an unpopular thing to disturb the comfort and convenience of portions of the community by putting them unexpectedly in the field. But not to use all available means, whether of men or of money, to meet grave emergencies, is a lapse from the path of sound public policy. The Executive authorities of the Southern States should possess and exhibit a little of that revolutionary energy and enterprise which alone are adequate to the times. The courageous assumption of responsibility for the preservation of the property and people of the State, is the thing that has been very generally needed and still is needed. How many thousand stand of arms; how many rifled cannon; how many thousand pounds of powder have the State authorities, to be used for the defence of their own particular people? How many that might have been thus secured and that are needed, have slipped wretchedly through our fingers? Supposing we have an ample number of troops to repel the force now threatening us, have we enough to overcome them when reinforced to the number of say 50,000? Are we then to wait quietly and get them from the Confederate Government, and in a day or two? We do not want troops raised by the hundred, but by the thousand; and the sooner they are in camp the better. The Confederate Government will, doubtless, receive and support them, if the State authorities will raise them.

The whole population of Charleston capable of military service are in the public service. With wealth and reputation, it is a very small place. The largest vote ever cast in Charleston was 3800. It is usually 3500. Charleston has 3200 troops in the field, 800 mechanics working in Confederate service, 500 railroad hands, 300 firemen, 250 in banks, newspapers and public offices, and 150 policemen. There are few or no other citizens here. Her defence depends upon the Confederate and State authorities. With the works we have, the defence from land attack is easy, if only provision of troops is made. Although the attack from sea is more doubtful, yet there is good reason for hope, and should the worst come to the worst, and some gunboats run by, we can, at any rate stand a bombardment, and answer gun for gun from the suburbs of the city. The enemy will have a warm reception. This is the voice of our citizens — this is the voice of the State. Let the Governor and Council do their duty, and without delay, and leave the consequences to God.

June 25, 1862, The New York Herald

The despatches received at the War Department up to a late hour yesterday from all the different points of the war indicate that no battles are progressing anywhere. All was quiet in front of Richmond. From General Halleck’s command there is nothing to report. General Banks’ army has not made any fresh move, so far as heard from.

News from Fortress Monroe reports that the gunboat Jacob Bell, while reconnoitering on the James river on Saturday, got aground on a sandbar in front of City Point, and the rebels, immediately on seeing her position, brought a battery of field pieces to the Point and fired upon her with shot and shell, doing her considerable injury before she got off the bar.

We have intelligence from Arkansas that a pretty brisk and bloody skirmish took place on the 13th instant near Jacksonport, between a portion of our troops from Col. Brackett’s command, and a body of the rebels 300 strong, known as Hooker’s Company — a band of guerillas. Major Humphrey, of the Ninth Illinois cavalry, commanded the Union troops, and by a brilliant charge he succeeded in completely routing the enemy, with considerable loss.

Information has reached General Halleck’s headquarters that Governor Rector and the whole rebel government of Arkansas have fled from Little Rock down the river on a flatboat.

Our intelligence from Washington, N.C., is of much interest. Governor Stanly arrived in that city on the 15th instant, and was received in a most flattering manner by the citizens and military. On Tuesday, the 17th instant, a large Union meeting was held in the city Court House, at which governor Stanly delivered a patriotic address. The audience was large — people coming a distance of forty or fifty miles to hear the Governor speak. We regret that the pressure upon our columns will not permit us to publish his speech today. The arguments it contains in favor of the Union and of the upright policy of the federal government are strong and forcible. He called upon the people to remember that the North has over 500,000 men in the field, that while a piece of iron can be found in the earth — while a grain of gunpowder can be manufactured — each one of them is ready to pour out his last drop of blood for the Union. He concluded his address by calling upon the people of the South to come back to the blessings offered them under their old flag, and to enjoy once more happiness, peace and plenty.

The European news brought by the Arabia to Halifax, dated on the 15th of June, is of a very important character so far as it relates to the apparent disposition of the rulers and Cabinets of France, England and Spain to interfere in the governmental affairs of the American continent, both in the United States and Mexico. The advices are fully treated of in our editorial columns today.

June 26, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

SPARTANBURG DISTRICT, S.C.

THESE SPRINGS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE reception and accommodation of visitors. Situated in a healthy locality, eight miles north of the town of Spartanburg, they offer inducements to our low country friends unsurpassed by any for health and comfort.

The proprietor feels confident that he will be able to please his visitors, and that, too, upon as reasonable terms as the times will permit.

Several Cabins to rent for the season on reasonable terms.

F. CANTRELL.

THE ABOVE PROPERTY CAN BE BOUGHT ON REASONABLE TERMS if application is made to the subscriber at an early day. Further particulars furnished when called for.

F. CANTRELL, Damascus P.O.

June 26, 1862, The New York Herald

Affairs in front of Richmond are ominously indicative of a grand denouement to the siege of the rebel capital. From the movements of the enemy on Monday night, and from information received, a general engagement was looked for on Tuesday morning. The troops were all under arms at daylight, and everything in readiness; but after a slight demonstration by the rebels, and finding themselves promptly met at every point, they retired to their old position. In conjunction with this information, we have the despatches received at the War Department throughout yesterday afternoon announcing some important skirmishing all along the lines, which resulted in taking some of the enemy’s redoubts and driving him from his camps. Hooker’s division, with Heintzelman’s corps, supported by General Keyes, were in the action, and General McClellan is warm in his praise of all the troops engaged. He says it was not a battle, but that the advantage sought was fully attained, and with little loss, though the enemy resisted stubbornly. Our men behaved splendidly, says the Commanding General, and have done all that could be desired. The object designed was entirely accomplished, and everything was quiet at five o’clock last evening. It would seem from this affair that the serious action before Richmond has in reality commenced, and the public will consequently be on the qui vive for further intelligence of the highest interest from the Army of the Potomac.

The intelligence from other quarters is not very important. Norfolk has been placed under martial law by General Viele because the city officers refused to take the oath. From Memphis we learn that White river is open to General Curtis’ army, and that a number of prisoners and an immense quantity of bacon were captured by our cavalry on the Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad at Cold Water.

General Carleton’s brigade of union troops has entered Arizona. The advance guard, under Colonel West, reached Tucson abut the 17th ult., the rebels having previously abandoned the place. The Stars and stripes were again hoisted over the ruins of Fort Breckinridge.

June 26, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Special Army Correspondence.

SAVAGE STATION, June 23, 1862.

The ominous silence of the past few days still continues, much to the apparent discomfiture of the rebels, who keep up a continuous close espionage of our forces. Occasionally some of them venture too near our pickets and find themselves in rather close proximity to our guns, to which they seem to have taken an utter dislike since the recent skirmish, in which they lost, in killed, wounded and prisoners, nearly two hundred men. With but a few exceptions our guns remain silent, as it seems to be the design of the enemy to find out the position and calibre of our guns. Thus far they have failed to procure the desired information, although they have sacrificed many lives for this special purpose.

Desertions from their picket regiments, from right to left, are becoming quite frequent. Most of these desertions are by men from the North who have been pressed into the service of Jeff. Davis, and seize the first opportunity to make good their escape from ignominy and starvation. On Saturday morning last six men of Northern birth made their way to our lines and were taken charge of. Their names are as follows: — Thos. McFarland, a native of Rhode Island, from the Third Louisiana battalion; James Rindal, a native of Massachusetts, from the Third Louisiana battalion; Frederick Vogel, a native of Germany, from the Third Louisiana battalion; Sydney Young, a native of New Hampshire, from the Third Louisiana battalion; Arthur Woodman, a native of New Hampshire, from Dubney’s siege gun battery; C. A. Murdock, a native of Ohio, from the Second Georgia cavalry.

These men were all regularly enlisted, having their choice between enlisting in the rebel army at New Orleans, where they happened to be at the time the State seceded from the national Union, or going to work as prisoners on some of the fortifications then in course of erection. Of the two alternatives they thought to choose the lesser, and according enlisted in the regiments then forming, with a view to make their escape North at the first opportunity. Shortly after the blockade was established off New Orleans the regiments were ordered to Virginia, and after spending a portion of last winter in North Virginia, under the command of Beauregard, they were ordered to Norfolk at which place they were garrisoned until the evacuation, when they were again ordered to Richmond. While the evacuation was going on, seven of the company of the Third Louisiana battalion managed to make their escape, and it was thought by the officers that the whole company was about to desert, and a strict watch was kept upon them. They were never allowed, until lately, to go on picket, although their services were frequently needed. At length the officers seemed to regain confidence, and after the raid of Jackson upon the column under General Banks they were placed on picket at the Mechanicsville pike. Early on Saturday morning, during a dense fog, they managed to make their way to the Union side of the Chickahominy undiscovered by either party. Here they lay in the swamp until daylight, when, after throwing their arms away, they proceeded to give themselves up to some of our videttes, and were marched, with lighter hearts than they had had for many a day, into the camp of some of their old friends.

During the first few months they were in the service their rations were good and plenty; but since the capture of Roanoke Island the supplies of coffee and sugar gradually became less, until within the past three months, when they ceased to receive their usual small quantity of coffee, and were forced to do without anything save an occasional ration of burnt rye, which was used in lieu of a more substantial beverage. Tea was an article not known in the army, and what little could be procured was used for hospital purposes. The sugar, which was of the poorest quality, gradually disappeared from their camp, and the privates were compelled to take their rye coffee without any sweetening whatever. This was in itself bad enough; but the worst was yet to come. Commissary stores of all kinds became suddenly very scarce, and for the past few weeks the troops have been on half rations, viz: nine ounces of flour or meal and a pound of bread per day. The scarcity of food has become such a bugbear that many of the troops are nearly in open rebellion against their officers. This, taken with the effect produced upon the troops by the frequent retreats and failures to accomplish any of their many undertakings, is working upon the men to such a degree that they only await the opportunity to make good their escape from the army of the Confederate States, whose cause they now believe to be utterly hopeless. The men seem fully aware of the manner in which their lives are being sacrificed by their leaders, and fully appreciate their position in the coming great fight in front of the rebel capital; and, what is most important, is the certainty of their having lost confidence in their commanders, with the exception of Magruder, whose conduct at Yorktown was the theme of conversation.

The retreat of Jackson in the valley of the Shenandoah is looked upon with considerable anxiety by the people, who fear for his safety. Numerous reinforcements have been sent to him, consisting of a whole division under the command of General Gustavus W. Smith, two batteries of artillery and a regiment of cavalry. It is thought that Jackson will make the best of his way back to Richmond, where the grand finale of the rebellion will take place.

The force of the rebels in and about Richmond at the present time is estimated at about one hundred and twenty-five thousand, some of whom are without arms other than those brought from home. Reinforcements from the West are looked for daily. They have numerous works thrown up around the city and considerable heavy ordnance.

The weather, which for the past few days has been intolerably warm, has tonight become quite pleasant, with every indication of a copious fall of rain, which although a matter not much to be wished for by the army, is nevertheless much needed, as the ground was becoming parched and vegetation suffering from want of water.

June 26, 1862, The New York Herald

The position of the country at the present moment is so intimately connected with the power of our navy that we have taken great pains to ascertain precisely how far we have advanced with our iron-clad vessels-of-war. A statement was made by several of our contemporaries last week relative to the laying of an iron keel at Jersey City, which has led the public to suppose that a vessel of a novel character was contemplated. So far from that being the case, the event announced with such a flourish was simply the laying of the ninth keel of the Monitor fleet. These vessels are two hundred feet long, forty-six feet beam and all constructed on plans furnished by Captain Ericsson, and so precisely alike that any part removed from any one vessel will fit its appropriate place in any of the others.

The history of naval engineering furnishes no precedent for a system so perfect, and much credit must be accorded to the Secretary of the Navy for having inaugurated it. The advantages are manifest, and derive additional importance from the fact that, before the detail of the machinery and vessels of the Monitor fleet was decided upon, the department caused a very rigorous scrutiny to be made of the operations and efficiency of every part on board of the Monitor. The most skilful engineers and officers were placed in charge of the machinery and vessels. Everything was carefully noted and communicated from time to time to the constructor of the new vessels. The assistant Secretary of the navy paid several visits to the Monitor in Hampton Roads, and contributed important information. It has been objected that the Engineer-in-Chief is not employed in the construction of the new vessels; but Secretary Welles, to the surprise and annoyance of many, has lately been found to entertain very peculiar notions on all matters connected directly with the efficiency of the navy, among which may be mentioned that of putting right man in the right place. We wish Secretary Stanton would do the like. The Monitor fleet wanted for the Western rivers — the construction of which has already been ordered — proves the determination of the department to attain the end by the direct road. Mr. J. B. Eads, of St. Louis, an engineer of great experience in constructing flat bottomed iron boats, has obtained the contract for building the pioneer Monitors for the shallow waters of the West, while Ericsson is only employed to furnish plans of their turrets. These Western Iron-clads must only draw three and a half feet of water; but no fears need be entertained; the man who has undertaken the work is an expert in building flat bottomed boats; he is another man in the right place — (only think of that, Mr. Stanton) — and will no doubt furnish a fleet of vessels suitable for hunting the rebels out of the shallow streams of the West.

Our fleet of nine seagoing Monitors will all be ready next fall. Early in August we may expect to witness in our bay the trial trips of several of them. Including the New Ironsides, Whitney’s iron boat, the large shot-proof iron vessel building at the Morgan Works, and the Roanoke, with her three turrets and heavy deck and side armor, thirteen iron-clad vessels will be added to those already afloat, without counting the iron-clads now building on the Western rivers. Europe will view with astonishment this prodigious display of energy and mechanical resources. It was supposed that our power would be taxed to its utmost in arming and sustaining an army of seven hundred thousand men, in addition to the cost of maintaining our active fighting vessels and enormous blockading fleets. Yet, while thus vigorously carrying on the greatest war ever known, we have created an impregnable fleet of nearly four hundred vessels of all kinds, and one hundred and thirty thousand seamen, that will enable us to defy all opponents. Our commerce, manufactures and resources are more than double those of England when she carried on a war of fifteen years with Napoleon and came out victorious at last. The rebels are growing weaker every day; the Union feeling is spreading, and we will be ready to defy all the maritime Powers of Europe combined in less than two months. Napoleon in Mexico may then look out.

June 26, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Special Army Correspondence.

FAIR OAKS, June 22, 1862.

Another three or four days has again passed without anything of very great importance occurring here, except a very lively skirmish between the pickets last evening, and which came very near bringing on a general engagement. I was some distance from the scene of the skirmish when it first commenced; but the rapid booming of cannon, which lasted nearly an hour, told me that something was occurring in that direction which I should know; so off I started, and as I approached the late battle field I became convinced that the heavy firing was altogether from our side. And so it proved when I arrived there. It seems that there is a redoubt of great force, and mounted with heavy guns, which the rebels have got an eye upon. In fact, I learn that they have had an eye upon it ever since it was commenced, as it is in plain sight of their pickets, who have attempted to capture it no less than four or five times, each time being repulsed with great loss. The last attempt will probably remain the last, until the great battle takes place, as they should by this time be satisfied that it is no use. If, however, they should wish to try it again, they will find as warm a reception both there and elsewhere as heretofore.

The particulars of the skirmish are as follows: — At five o’clock yesterday afternoon the pickets of the Second (Troy) regiment, Colonel Carr, New York State Volunteers, relieved those of another brigade. They were about four hundred strong, those on the right of the redoubt commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Olmstead, and those on the left by Major Otis. About six o’clock the enemy made a feint on the left pickets to draw the attention of the reserves in that direction. Almost at the same instant they attacked the right, and in a few minutes the whole line was engaged. The enemy were full six hundred strong, as no less than eight companies were seen by our pickets. The pickets commanded by Major Otis were outnumbered and driven in, retreating in good order, and placing themselves on the right of the redoubt, out of range from our battery and rifle pits. Those under command of Lieutenant Colonel Olmstead maintained their position from first to last. Three or four companies of the rebels followed the retreating pickets beyond the skirt of woods, exposing themselves to view, and commenced a galling fire of musketry on our rifle pits. When within range our men returned their fire, and the enemy still advancing, they approached so near the redoubt that the orders of the officers could be distinctly heard. Now was the time. The musket firing had lasted about three minutes, drawing the enemy on, when the artillery from a redoubt, in the centre opened upon them. This was instantly followed by a charge of canister from the redoubt on the right and shell on the left, making a cross fire, the musketry from the rifle pits still continuing. Nothing could withstand this, as shot shell and canister, with deadly aim flew amongst them, mowing them down and scattering them like chaff before the wind. They retreated in great disorder. The firing was continued some time longer, when the pickets who retreated to the rifle pits were sent to their original positions, holding the ground until relieved this morning. The enemy’s loss in killed and wounded must be very great. They were seen from the first removing them to the rear, and even to the end, as they supposed, carried off, all their dead and wounded with them; but early this morning our pickets observed a man lying upon the ground waving a white handkerchief. He was brought in, and found to be a rebel sergeant. He was badly wounded in the groin by a rifle ball, and his recovery is very doubtful. He reports a great number of the enemy killed and wounded, and states that he heard the cries and groans of the wounded and dying all night, and that they were all carried off but him. According to his account there were one Georgia regiment and four companies of the Second North Carolina engaged in the fight, and they had volunteered their services to take the redoubt. When they saw our pickets on the left retreat they yelled like madmen, and no doubt thought that the redoubt was already won. Our noble fellows fought bravely. Two were killed and seven wounded. Their names are as follows: — George Murry, Company B, killed, shot in the breast; Henry L. Dunham, Company B, flesh wound in arm; Jesse G. Huse, Company F, slightly in face and hand; James McGann, Company D, wounded in hip, seriously; George Paine, Company D, wounded badly in the arm, the ball entering at the elbow and coming out at the wrist, shattering the bone; Francis Megott, Company D, wounded in hip; Michael Barrett, Company D, shot through the hand; John McGovern, Company D, slightly in the face. The other that was killed belonged to the Third Excelsior, and was shot in the breast while on picket just before the skirmish commenced. I could not learn his name. Murry was from Schaghticoke, Rensselaer county, unmarried and about thirty-five years of age. He lived about an hour and a half after being shot. The wounded are all from Troy, N. Y., and were the advanced pickets. There is no doubt but that if the enemy had succeeded in capturing the redoubt a general engagement would have been the result. I forgot to say in the former part of my report that the first notice of anything unusual was the appearance of several officers apparently making a reconnoissance, and the chief officer sending aids to the right and left. Two horses belonging to the rebel officers were brought in by the pickets this morning, they having found them straying riderless in the woods. One was a very fine animal, the other moderate. A few days since two companies of this regiment — Company D, under command of Captain McGuire, and Company E, Lieutenant Wilson — drove the enemy, after they had driven in our pickets, skirmishing through the woods, back to their own rifle pits without losing a man. Colonel Carr, of this regiment, is acting Brigadier General, as General Patterson was taken sick and has returned home. I wish to correct an error in relation to the arrest of the two men of the Eighth Pennsylvania cavalry, published a day or two ago, who, I stated, were going to be shot for desertion to the enemy and acting as guides in the late cavalry raid. It is a mistake. The men, whose names are Thomas Cussen and James Clasby, went off on a drunken spree, and were arrested in a house where the rebels had been the night before. The Eighth Pennsylvania regiment was scouring the country in search of the rebels when they fortunately came upon the two missing worthies of their regiment. They are now under arrest.

I have just seen a number of rebel prisoners and contrabands who are on their way to Fortress Monroe. The contrabands were so stupid and thick-headed that I could learn nothing from them, and the rebels so bitterly secesh that I could learn very little from them. Of their appearance there as prisoners, however, I learned that some had been captured by our pickets, some were of the First Virginia cavalry and had been hunted down, as they termed it, while others, honest, quiet farmers, had been torn from their homes because they said that they would not take the oath of allegiance, and were probably supposed to be connected with or knew something of that little affair down the road the other evening. I have said they were bitterly secesh — bitter is no word for the scoundrels. They appear to delight in boasting of their connection with the rebel army, their intention never to take the oath of allegiance and their hatred and contempt of the Northern army and people. One man said, “Richmond is not yours yet, nor will it ever be.” I asked one, who appeared to be more intelligent than the rest, if he did not think we should be in Richmond before long. He said, “Yes, I think you will, but the same as I am here,” meaning as prisoners. They did say that they did not expect the kind treatment from us that the received; yet they act as if they despised us the more for it.

It will be recollected by your readers that shortly after General McClellan had paid his accustomed visit to our troops in this direction on Wednesday afternoon last, when he was greeted with such bursts of applause, the rebels attempted and succeeded in driving back, with an immensely superior force, our pickets to their reserve. The rebels engaged in this affair consisted of a whole brigade, while our picket and reserve did not out-number a whole regiment. What the motive for this attack was cannot be divined, unless it was to learn the cause of the immense glee in our camp. Secesh probably imagined that reinforcements were arriving for McClellan, and the reconnoissance in force was for the purpose of ascertaining the extent and nature of the reinforcements. At all events the effort, whatever may have been intended, was a perfect and entire failure, the shells from our batteries, driving them like chaff through the woods and swamps, and enabling our pickets to obtain an advanced position.

On Friday Orderly Sergeant H. D. Hanahan, Company I, Second South Carolina Volunteers, Colonel Kenneday, of Kershaw brigade, was found in the woods wounded in the legs, where he had been since Wednesday night. He suffered amputation at the hands of the surgeon of the First California. He was found in an emaciated condition by Captain W. P. Tomlinson, Company F, First California. The prisoner expressed a great desire to have one fact noticed in the HERALD to disabuse the minds of the Southern soldiery, who believe from representations of their leaders that their wounded do not receive merciful and charitable attention at our hands. He desires, through your correspondent, to express his thanks for the noble and generous treatment extended towards him since he has been a wounded prisoner in our hands. He believes that the loss of the rebels in the skirmish of Wednesday was severe, as the shells from our battery exploded right amongst them in their retreat through the woods.

An incident, illustrative as well of the fearlessness as of the vigilance and activity of our General, has not yet been recorded to my knowledge. General McClellan during Wednesday rode to the outer line of our pickets, and, pulling off his coat, mounted a tall tree generally used for reconnoitering purposes by our officers and men, with all the agility of a well trained […..] of the ocean, and ascended into its topmost branches, where he had a splendid view of the enemy’s position and defences, and also of his army’s Paridisian city of Richmond, the heart of rebellion. The rebels were no respectors of his valuable presence in the tree; for their vollies flew thick and fast around and amongst its clustering boughs, happily without injury to the above […..] a takin’ notes. The object of their most recent movement is judged by our general sot have been to capture some small quantity of commissary stores which they presumed laid near Fair Oaks station.

Our picket lines, during the whole of last night resounded with the crack of musketry, mostly from the rebels, who, from motives of spite, seem determined to prevent our forces in camp from enjoying their nightly sleep. These constantly recurring alarms in camp are now, however, taken cheerfully by the men, and the line of battle is uniformly formed after a few shots have been exchanged between the pickets.

While the position and strength of our forces are at present such as to dissipate all fear for our safety from any attack which the rebels may make upon us, a reinforcement of fifty thousand fresh troops would insure the immediate reduction of Richmond, with much less loss to our side than it could be accomplished otherwise. It is idle to deny the fact that the rebels outnumber us, though in effectiveness our army is superior to theirs in the field.

I am glad to see that some of our regiments have been provided, as a measure of protection from the fervent heat, with a neat and light straw hat, with the name of the regiment neatly printed on its black band. I noticed the Sixteenth New York I regimental line this morning, and they presented really a neat and tidy appearance with their new chapeaus.

If anything can be said to be hopeful about the rebels, the fact that yesterday they allowed the blessed Sabbath to pass — or, at least, the devotional morning hours of the same — without a resort to te messengers of death, would indicate a change for the better on their part.

The health of our troops has slightly improved since my last communication.

June 26, 1862, The New York Herald

Brilliant Engagement and Success of the Union Forces.

Despatches from General McClellan.

REDOUBT No. 3, June 25 — 1:30 P.M.

Hon. E.M. STANTON, Secretary of War:— We have advanced our pickets on the left considerably today, under sharp resistance. Our men have behaved very handsomely. Some firing still continues.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major General Commanding.

REDOUBT No. 3, June 25 — 3:15 P.M.

Hon. E.M. STANTON, Secretary of War:—

The enemy are making desperate resistance to the advance of our picket lines. Kearney and one half of Hooker’s are where I want them.

I have this moment reinforced Hooker’s right with a brigade and a couple of guns, and hope in a few minutes to finish the work intended for today.

Our men are behaving splendidly. The enemy are fighting well also.

This is not a battle; merely an affair of Heintzelman’s corps, supported by Keyes, and thus far all goes well, and we hold every foot we have gained.

If we succeed in what we have undertaken, it will be a very important advantage gained. Loss not large thus far.

The fighting up to this time has been done by General Hooker’s division, which has behaved as usual; that is, most handsomely.

On our right Porter has silenced the enemy’s batteries in his front.

G. B. McCLELLAN

REDOUBT No. 3, June 25 — 5 P.M.

Hon. E.M. STANTON, Secretary of War:— The affair is over, and we have gained our point fully and with but little loss, notwithstanding the strong opposition.

Our men have done all that could be desired.

The affair was partially decided by two guns that Capt. Deerusy brought gallantly into action under very difficult circumstances.

The enemy was driven from his camps in front of this and all is now quiet.

G. B. McCLELLAN,

Major General Commanding.

Movements Before the Engagement.

McCLELLAN’S HEADQUARTERS, June 24, 1862.

From the movements of the enemy last night, and from information received from a contraband, a general engagement was looked for this morning. The troops were all under arms at daylight, and everything in readiness, but after a slight demonstration by the rebels, and finding themselves promptly met at every point, they retired to their old position.

A terrible storm visited this section last night, lasting about three hours. The wind blew a hurricane, levelling tents and trees in all directions.

The Richmond papers complain of the large price paid for substitutes in the rebel army, many of whom immediately desert. They mention instances where as high as $17 and $20 have been paid.

The action of Colonel Rufus Ingalls at White House, in causing the arrest of some fifty of the most prominent citizens remaining in the rear of our army, is having a most salutary influence on those who are suffered to remain. Ten arrests were made yesterday in the neighborhood of New Kent Court House and Charles City, and the arrested parties sent to Fortress Monroe.

A ride at sunrise this morning along the entire front of the Union lines found everything remarkably ready for any emergency that might arise.

There has been less skirmishing within the past six hours than at any time since the battle of Fair Oaks.

The condition of the swamp for an encampment has rapidly improved within the last few days.

The movements of the enemy today have been mysterious. Their pickets at some points have been drawn in for half a mile, while at others they remain as usual.

The ground vacated by the enemy is now held by our troops.

The Richmond papers of today contain nothing of special interest, except the arrival of Gen. Price.

No mention is made of the whereabouts of Beauregard’s army.

June 26, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

SPARTANBURG C.H., SO. CA.

THE SUBSCRIBER WISHING TO devote his attention to other business, offers for sale or lease the above property. The Hotel is the largest building in the up-country, with every necessary out-building, and the largest Stable in the State. The Lot contains near three acres of land, in the centre of the town. Will let the Furniture and Provisions, and every thing necessary to carry on the business, go with the Hotel. To a responsible party, the property will be sold on a liberal credit. So much so, an enterprising party can make the property pay the purchase money.

ALFRED TOLLESON.

N.B. Until sold or leased, the House will be kept open for transient customers. Hacks will meet parties at the cars, and carry them to the Hotel.

June 26, 1862, The New York Herald

President Lincoln has made his visit to West Point, and has returned to Washington. He has had a long private conference with General Scott, the results of which will no doubt be developed in good season, to the satisfaction of the country. From his own declarations we are assured that the object of this journey of the President was not to make or unmake any generals now in the army; “that is nothing at all alarming going on;” and we have the testimony of General Scott that “Mr. Lincoln’s visit was not on account of any disaster, past or expected, and that he (the General) has no ideas of going to Washington again, as the state of his health would not bear so much labor.”

From these positive assurances we can only conclude that the object of this remarkable Presidential visit to West Point was for the purpose of a confidential consultation with General Scott in regard to the war, and especially in reference to late events in the great valley of Virginia, and to the present unsatisfactory state of affairs in this connection, that President Lincoln found it expedient to dispense with the presence of his right hand man and official military advisor, Mr. Secretary Stanton. True, the pressing business of the War Office may have rendered it inexpedient for Mr. Stanton to leave it even for two days at this particular time; but we are rather inclined to think that the President left Mr. Stanton behind because the object of this visit to General Scott was some all-important information and advice upon military affairs which only that experienced old soldier could give, and which might, perhaps, be somewhat embarrassing to all parties, if given in the presence of our patriotic Secretary of War.

We all known that, after the disastrous battle of Manassas, General Scott frankly confessed that he had been constrained to do violence to his own judgment in yielding as he did to the incessant clamors of the “Onward to Richmond” abolition faction. He had thus consented to the premature advance of General McDowell. We all know that this same disorganizing abolition faction, through their power in Congress and their influence in the Cabinet, constrained the President himself to yield so far to their demands last February and March as to inaugurate the grand campaign projected by General McClellan and General Halleck a month before their appointed time, and to break up the immediate army and department of General McClellan into three separate armies and departments and all under the general direction of a Secretary of War who, however zealous and patriotic, had nN]ever led a squadron to the field, nor the divisions of a battle known.

That this patriotic zeal of Mr. Secretary Stanton, without the requisite military knowledge or discretion has operated to prolong this war, we think it need no labored argument to prove. The late disastrous events in the valley of the Shenandoah, the present state of confusion prevailing there among our generals and their military movements, and the embarrassments which have thus impeded the movements of General McClellan, are unquestionably due to the breaking up of his army and his plans immediately after the rebel evacuation of Manassas. This event was part of his programme, in view of which he had provided for a movement upon Richmond which would have been sweeping and conclusive, leaving no predatory rebel columns in his rear. But this was incomprehensible to our abolition disorganizes; and hence those military drawbacks, derangements and blunders which have resulted in this visit of President Lincoln to General Scott.

The President has realized from rough experience the superior military wisdom and sagacity of the old soldier of West Point. The object is to repair the blunders which have been committed in abandoning the plans of himself and his successor at Washington under the pressure of their abolition enemies. It is possible, therefore, that among the results of this visit of the President to West Point we may not only secure some important changes among the figures on our side of the military chessboard in Virginia, but some essential modifications of the military plans and powers of the War Office.

The unscrupulous, treacherous and hostile government of England, and the peculiar necessities of Louis Napoleon, including cotton admonish us that we can no longer trifle with his rebellion. We have no doubt that this view of the subject has had its full share of influence in this visit of the President to General Scott. We can no longer afford to trifle with these rebel guerilla bands in the rear of Washington. While General McClellan is preparing for a decisive blow at Richmond they threaten to assume the proportions of a formidable aggressive army in the Shenandoah valley. They must be routed and dispersed, and we must reoccupy that valley without unnecessary delay, if for nothing else, to convince the British government and its organs that this rebellion, even in the rear of Washington, has become […..] Obsolete Idea.”

President Lincoln may not design, from this visit to West Point, the making or unmaking of any general in the army. We are entirely satisfied that there is no occasion for any alarm in regard to this remarkable journey, but every reason for increased confidence in the administration and in the Union cause in its hands. We think, however, that important rectifications of military blunders in Virginia may be expected, and that they will conform to the views and suggestions of General Scott, in regard not only to the military, but to the political, conduct of the war, regardless of the consequences to abolition leaders, political or military. A few days patience, and the problem will be solved.

June 26, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

THIS WELL KNOWN AND FAVORITE SUMMER RESIDENCE will be opened for visitors and guests on the 6th June.

TERMS:

Transients visitors, per day…………$2.
For the month, or four weeks…………….40.
Three months or longer, per month……….30.
Children and servants…….Half price.

Passengers can always find conveyances at Greenville, S.C. Further information as to routes will be given in another notice, and on application.

H.L. BUTTERFIELD, Proprietor

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