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July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Fortress Monroe Correspondence.

FORTRESS MONROE, Va., July 23, 1862.

The most gratifying piece of intelligence that I can convey in my letter today is the fact that the Hygeia Hospital is to be broken up, and the patients removed to the Mill creek hospitals. Indeed, the good work has already began, and a large portion of the patients are now comfortably situated in the clean, wholesome hospitals across Mill creek. The balance will be transformed as soon as it is possible to remove them. I presume the few remaining are quite too ill to be removed at present; but at the very earliest day they will be sent over, and the hospital building, which was never adapted for the purpose, cleared out, and I trust finally closed.

I presume Mr. Willard will take possession of the entire building. I shall have something to say of the hotel in a future letter.

Dr. Cuyler, who has been so long stationed at this post as post surgeon, and since the breaking out of the rebellion has been the Medical Director of this department, leaves to-morrow night for a new scene of labors. The President has recognized in a handsome manner his long and important services to the country, and has appointed him one of the Medical Inspectors of the army under the recent act of Congress, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The promotion is well merited, and I have no doubt that Dr. Cuyler will prove as efficient and valuable in his new sphere as he has proven himself to be here. He leaves here with the well wishers of all, and of none more than those of your correspondent, who has been indebted to him for many warm acts of kindness. Dr. Gilbert, brigade surgeon, is Dr. Cuyler’s successor.

I am glad to say that the hospital in the Hygeia was placed there against the advice of Dr. Cuyler, and he has always opposed its continuance longer than was absolutely necessary. But in this he has been overruled by higher rank, although not by better judgment. The removal meets with his hearty approval.

There is no news from up river. All is quiet.

The Maratanza, Lieutenant Commanding Thomas H. Stearns, came down the river yesterday for repairs. It is uncertain as yet when she will go from here, as it will be a long and troublesome job to repair her properly at the Point. She needs to go into dry dock and have one of her rudders repaired. It is possible she may go to Washington, but it is not settled. The officers and crew are more or less affected by their long and arduous service in the James river, with its poisonous miasma, and need a change of atmosphere.

The Marblehead, Lieutenant commanding Somerville Nicholson, said yesterday for Port Royal.

The sanitary commissioners’ steamer Daniel Webster, Captain Blethen, arrived today from New York, and will immediately proceed up the river. She is deeply laden with potatoes, onions and vegetables for the troops, which they will very gladly receive.

The Canonicus went up the river with a flag of truce today, carrying some rebel officers who have been about the Point some time. There is a very general sense of satisfaction expressed at their departure. A few of course, may not be overjoyed, but their feelings are of no sort of consequence to any one, one way or the other.

July 28, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

RICHMOND, Friday, July 25.

Are there a millions of South Carolinians in the service, and do you never intend to stop sending them here? Such enormous regiments, too. I was told that one of those which came in yesterday was 1500 strong. I hear, also, of a splendid battery from South Carolina, which arrived some days ago — the pieces belonging to it being part of the Crimean cargo presented to us by the British and Scotch merchants. Well, we need all the men we can get, if not all the artillery. Of the latter, there ought to be a superabundance, if it be true, as stated in the papers, that there are 117 pieces in Longstreets division alone. At that rate, there ought to be 500 pieces in the army around Richmond. Deduct 100 and you will be nearly correct. What are we to do with all this […..] property, when the Yankees are making fun of us for making a charge for the sake of an oil cloth?

I can give you all the news in two brief items — viz: A cavalry skirmish yesterday at Malvern Hill, in which we lost seven men, and drove the enemy off; and Morgan telegraphs General Cooper that he has taken eleven towns and cities in Kentucky, and thinks he can hold them. As Kit North said of Dryden, so ought we to say of our great partizan — ‘Glorious John !’ What a pity he can’t iron-plate his horses. Imagine the Arkansas on four thorough-bred legs, with a mane and tail according, and Jack Morgan a straddle of it. Whew! How the pigs in Cincinnati would squeal!

Jackson is hardly strong enough to assume the offensive; but Bragg is. The latter has a large, compact, thoroughly disciplined and mobilized army of veterans. He is a fighting man, with more capacity, it is said, as a General, than Beauregard; a perfect bull-dog tenacity of purpose, and has the entire confidence of his men. He will hurt somebody before long, if somebody don’t take care.

Here in Virginia, we have never had a disciplinarian, except Jackson. Lee does his best; but how is it possible for a General to do his duty where the mistaken clemency of the Executive almost sets a premium upon desertion, and the War Department relies on the moral suasion of public opinion to cure straggling, instead of holding officers of all grades to the sternest accountability. If this system is to be pursued, the folly of Manassas must needs be re-enacted. That Gen. Jackson fears something of this sort, is evident from the excitement he exhibited not many days after the late battles, when, in speaking of the delay of the government, he said, holding out his wrists, ‘If this folly is to be repeated, then let them manacle us at once.’

While this inaction is telling upon the spirit of the troops, and exciting uneasiness in the people, the President appears smiling and cheerful to a degree unknown before. Up to the late battles, he was very glum, but since then he has been almost gay. He wears a broad-brimmed straw hat and a suit of brown clothes, cut very full, in the modern style, and often takes General Lee to dine with him at six o’clock, p.m. The latter appears to have fattened, and has turned out a tremendous pair of grey whiskers. He is a fine looking old fellow, even in a jeans sack coat.

HERMES.

July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

We have received from the Navy Department a copy of the official report of the capture of forts Jackson and St. Philip, and the city of New Orleans. The caption of the work, which is published in octavo form, introduces the reader to the entire series of brilliant actions which gave to the national arms, on the 24th of April last, possession of the great commercial city of the South — up to the time of attack and capture the most remote from the scene of active hostilities. It contains plans, maps, diagrams, and cuts of forts Jackson and St. Philip, of the approaches thereto, of the rebel rams Louisiana and Manassas, and graphic and concise reports of the unparalleled naval engagement which resulted in our complete success and the utter discomfiture of the rebels. The work will be read with great interest, and we hail it as the first instalment of regular continuation of like reports of the war from headquarters which we hope to see published from time to time. This single work, in itself, is vastly more valuable than whole times of the useless rubbish ordered by Congress session after session, and which, costing the country thousands and hundreds of thousands, is never read by the people. Nothing could give the country greater satisfaction than to be assured that the government would immediately issue similar authorized publications for general information; and such an assurance, while due to the people at large, would be the most powerful incentive to individual heroism that could be devised — just to the country, just to the individual, soldier and seaman. To the present time the HERALD, and, in their lesser spheres of public usefulness the other newspapers of the free States, have been the only chroniclers of devotion to the country, of sacrifices therefore, and acts of heroism which Grecian or Roman history, in the purest and best times of those republics, only can produced rare examples of. In the work to which we refer will be found the reports of officers commanding, speaking for themselves; the commendations to the department of subordinates in command under them; of the gallant rank and file; with the list of the killed and wounded — this to the latter an honorable record for future reference, for the former a silent but deathless memento to keep alive the gratitude of a free and grateful people. We would recommend the government to at once undertaken the publication of all official reports of engagements between the national troops and the rebels, by land and sea, that have up to the present time taken place, and to continue the same until the rebellion is finally crushed out, and thus bequeath to posterity a salutary warning towards the repression of treason in the future and an assurance of success to all who stand faithful to the Union, the constitution and the laws.

July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

July 26, 1862.

Nine hundred wounded paroled prisoners arrived yesterday from Richmond. Two died before they arrived at Petersburg. They left yesterday afternoon for the Northern hospitals. More will be received tomorrow.

A flag of truce boat, containing Colonel Wright and Lieutenant Colonel Sweitzer, yesterday went to Aiken’s Landing, twenty-one miles above City Point, to meet Robert Ould, formerly District Attorney for Washington city, appointed Commissioner by the rebels to carry out the new arrangement for an exchange of prisoners.

The schooner Louisa Reever, containing 4,000 bushels condemned corn, anchored in the middle of the river, was boarded last night about twelve o’clock by a part of rebels, who came from the opposite shore in a boat. After setting the schooner on fire they left, carrying the captain with them. The schooner was destroyed.

Generals Halleck, Dix, Mergs and Burnside left here this morning, after paying a visit to Gen. McClellan.

General Marcy’s hearing having been restored, he has resumed his duties as chief of the general staff.

The flag of truce today brought down Dr. McGregor […..] and Confederate States. Hiram Eddy, of the Third Connecticut regiment. Drs. Stone and Gray, of the United States Army, and Rev. G. W. Dodge, Eleventh New York regiment, who were taken prisoners at Bull run, and are just released from the prison at Salsibury N. C.

July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Fortress Monroe Correspondence.

FORTRESS MONROE, Va., July 25, 1862.

Each day is now becoming duller and duller in this department. In fact it is dwindling down to a more routine character, and it is with the greatest difficulty that we can comply with the great public demand for news.

I have already referred to the change there has been in the hospital attached to the Hygeia Hotel, and to those that have been transferred to the much better located Mill Creek Hospital, where they will not be subjected to the many annoyances they were obliged to undergo in the other. The people of the vicinity appear much better pleased at the idea that the patients are to be removed and the building devoted to its original purpose — that of a hotel. The number of strangers that daily arrive here require all the accommodation that can be given them, and this change is the only thing that can accomplish it.

Dr. Gilbert, the successor of Dr. Cuyler, has entered upon his new duties with a will and an energy that angur well for the future; and the simple fact that he commences on the little troubles shows that he is merely preparing himself for the greater ones that the sick and wounded are subject to that but little attention is paid to, and these the Doctor intends to have so remedied that further complaint will be impossible.

We are looking every moment for fresh arrivals of wounded and sick soldiers from up the river. This will soon, however, cease, and then all will once more be along the lines, until the movement of our forces and the victorious armies of McClellan shall have entered Richmond.

Major General Burnside arrived this morning from Washington, where he has been in close consultation with the War Department. He has left us again, but only for a short time. It is certain that whomever Gen. Burnside makes a strike, let his forces be what they may, it will be decisive and brilliant.

The weather here has been excessively warm, and outside work has consequently been anything but pleasant, although the “Point” really ought to be cool and pleasant at all times of summer months, owing to its delightful situation. The heat of the sun appears to act here with a greater power than ordinary; and, while the grounds outside of the fort are suffering from the intensity of the heat, inside the fortification it is as cool and refreshing as any one could desire. The pleasant walks, the shade trees and other things combined render it a most desirable locality of a warm day.

The late order of General Pope has been received here with every evidence of satisfaction, and the question arises why a similar one would not be advantageous somewhere in this neighborhood — Norfolk and Suffolk, for instance — where it is well known there are as many rebel sympathizers as there are in any Southern place of like extent. A little more strictness than is usually observed would be extremely useful, as it is hinted that from those places the rebels receive all the information they get with regard to our movements.

Your readers know what an exertion was made to rid us of those plagues, known as pedlers, or, as they dignifiedly call themselves, sutlers. There are many here yet of this description, and the sooner they are sent home the better for the soldiers. They do as much to injure an army as a defeat. Some consider them necessary evils; I cannot think so.

The boat from Harrison’s Landing has arrived, but reports nothing new. She brought away with her a number of musicians, who have been mustered out of the United States service. They return North on the afternoon Baltimore boat. Quite a number of laborers and sick soldiers and officers came down on their way home.

July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

We are glad to learn that government is attending to that most important ingredient in the Commissary department — vegetables. It is impossible to preserve the health of the troops without this antiscorbutic class of food, and we hope that the authorities will not relax their efforts to keep up the supply. They should send plenty of tomatoes, onions and potatoes — these three vegetables in particular — to the peninsula at once. They will prove more valuable and more economical than medical stores.

July 28, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

RICHMOND, Thursday, July 24.

The hot days drag slowly by. Another dash has been made by the Yankees upon the Central Road, but that does not stir the pulses of people who have listened to the battles on the Chickahominy. It is very dull. There is no business but that of the army and the doctors, for there is much sickness here among the citizens as well as soldiers. Queer sights are seen at the doors of hospitals and private houses. Wounded men — some of them officers — consider themselves privileged to display their persons on the front steps and passages in the scantiest costumes. Because a man has lost an arm, need he not be decent?

England has heard of McClellan’s repulse, but, so far as the meagre extracts in Yankee papers of the 21st and 22d go, seems, if anything, less inclined than ever to interfere, or even to recognize us. If we can do our own fighting and win all we want, why should she go to the expense of a war for nothing. This seems to be England’s reasoning.

To cure the great evil of straggling and desertion, the Executive selects a strange method. — Here is a case in point. A man, named Squires, belonging to the Purcell Battery, deserted, was pursued, and caught in the act of calling to the enemy’s pickets across the Rappahannock or Pamunkey to come over and take him. He was imprisoned, tried by Court Martial, and condemned to be shot. The President reprieved him thrice, then granted him a full pardon, and sent him back to his company. The day of his return, six others deserted. The captain protested against this system of encouraging desertions, but all in vain.

Magruder’s case is a hard one, and not very clear. Common report says he was certainly under the influence of alcohol or opium when he ordered his men to the mad and murderous charges at Malvern Hill. His friends say that Gen. Lee was on the field, commanding in person — he might have been a mile off, at the time these charges were made — that Magruder’s subordinate officers may have been to blame; that at any rate he was acting under orders; that Malvern Hill was a powerful position, which the enemy intended to occupy as a base, and from which it was all important to drive him; and that, had he been to blame, it was the duty of the commanding General to have taken notice of his conduct during the twelve days he remained in the city, instead of recalling him after he had gotten half way to the new department to which he had been assigned.

But this is not all, according to the Magruder party. Price came here to solicit for himself the command of the Trans-Mississippi department. The President positively refused, although it had been agreed that he (Price) should return to Missouri after the battle of Corinth. Price determined to resign and return to his State as simple Sterling Price, to begin again just where he had started. In this dilemma, Magruder called on him, and the result of the interview was such that Price went away not only satisfied but pleased. This is the Magruder side of the question; the other, I have not heard fully. It is said Magruder objected to a Court Martial, but will make a report of the part he took in the late battles, and let the President take what course he pleases.

A private telegram, received day before yesterday, brings the grateful intelligence that a powerful column (not in this State), is at last in motion.

HERMES.

July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

All eyes are turned on Richmond. While McClellan and Wilkes and Pope are concentrating their means and forces, let us see what and where Richmond is.

Richmond, the capital of Virginia, and the so-called capital of the rebel States, is situated on the left, or northeast, bank of the James river, at the head of tidewater, and below the lower falls. It is the seat of justice for Henrico county, and is distant from Washington, in an air line, about one hundred miles, south by west. The distance by railroad is one hundred and thirty miles from Washington, one hundred and sixty-eight from Baltimore, and twenty-two miles from Petersburg, which is south of the Virginia capital. Richmond lies in latitude 37.32 north, longitude 77.27 west of Greenwich, or 0.25 west of Washington. It is the largest town in Virginia, and has been considered one of the most beautiful in the United States. The situation of the city and the scenery of the environs were much admired, combining in a high degree the elements of grandeur, beauty and variety. The river, winding among verdant hills, which rise with graceful swells and undulations, is interrupted by numerous islands and granite rocks, among which it tumbles and foams for a distance of several miles. The city is built on several hills, the most considerable of which are Shockoe and Richmond hills, separated from each by the Shockoe creek, and is laid out with general regularity in rectangular blocks. About twelve parallel streets, nearly three miles in length, extend northwest and southeast, and were originally distinguished by the letters of the alphabet, “A” street being next the river; but other names, however, are now generally used. The principal thoroughfare of business and fashion is Main, formerly “E” street. The cross streets, or those which intersect the streets, just mentioned, are designated by numbers, such as First, Second and so on. The Capitol and other public buildings are situated on Shockoe Hill, the top of which is an elevated plain in the western part of the city. This is the fashionable quarter, and is considered the most desirable for private residences. The Capitol, for its size and elevated position, is the most conspicuous object in Richmond. It stands in the centre of a public square of about eight acres, in which is a splendid questrian statue of Washington. The building is adorned with a portico of Ionic columns, and contains a marble statue of Washington, by Houdon, taken from life, and considered a perfect likeness. The City Hall is an elegant and costly building, in the Doric style, at an angle of Capitol square. The penitentiary, which stands near the river, in the western suburbs of the city, has a front three hundred feet in length, and is one hundred and ten feet deep. The number of prisoners in September, 1853, was two hundred and seventy thus showing it to be commodious. The city at one time contained a court house, jail, an armory three hundred and twenty feet long by two hundred and eight feet wide, two market houses, theatre (not long since destroyed by fire), an Orphan Asylum and a Masonic Hall. A new custom house was here erected by the United States government at a cost of about four hundred thousand dollars. There were also three banks, with an aggregate capital of over two millions, and several insurance offices. The public press was, before the rebellion, represented by several daily and weekly journals, in all about a dozen, and there are twenty-three churches in the city. A beautiful cemetery, named Hollywood adorns the outskirts, and in this the remains of President Monroe were interred after being removed from this city in 1859.

The falls of James river are a short distance above the city proper, and afford considerable water power, by which machinery of the factories are worked. The Tredegar Iron Works are situated near the river, and have latterly turned out an immense amount of artillery and war material. Vessels drawing about ten feet of water could, previous to the rebellion, have easily ascended to a place called Rocketts, which are only about a mile from the city, and can now, unless the rebels have entirely destroyed the channel, a not unlikely proceeding, and larger vessels could also have come within four miles of the city proper. At City Point there are fifty feet of water in the river, and there are also about twelve feet of water over the bar, a short distance above City Point. A canal has been built around the falls, and above them there is navigation for two hundred miles, to Covington.

The city was founded in 1742, and became the capital of the State in 1799. In June, 1861, the rebels made it the capital of their rotten confederacy. There are five direct lines of railroad which enter the city, and from which many others branch within a few miles of the same. The following table of railway distances may be interesting: —

Distances. Miles.

From Richmond to Petersburg… 22

From Richmond to Weldon, via Petersburg.. 86

From Richmond to Suffolk, via Petersburg… 80

From Richmond to Norfolk, via Petersburg… 102

From Richmond to Lynchburg, via Petersburg… 145

From Richmond to White House… 24

From Richmond to Fredericksburg… 60

From Richmond to Aquia Creek… 75

From Richmond to Danville… 140

From Richmond to Gordonsville… 76

From Richmond to Staunton, via Gordonsville…136

From Richmond to Mount Jackson, via

Gordonsville and Manassas Gap… 222

The following is an extract from a statement of a gentleman who visited the city last summer: —

The principal feature that strikes every one who sees Richmond for the first time is its curious topography. From the James river, which, tumbling over its rocky bed, makes a wide bend here, with its convex face to the city, rise without any regard to uniformity of direction, some half dozen hills, of gravel formation and of pretty considerable elevation. There has never been any attempt to grade them into level streets, but the city is scattered promiscuously up and on and over them, just as fashion, taste or business may have happened to dictate. The principal part of the city, however, occupies actually one of those elevations, and the garden spot of that one is the Capitol square, where stands the building of which Jefferson procured the design in France; but which, however magnificent it may have been deemed in the simple, unostentatious days in which it was built, is certainly not to be lauded now either for its beauty of for its adaptation to the wants of a State Legislature, much less to those of a Congress of Confederate States. In the centre of the square is the beautiful equestrian statue of Washington, looking as calm and serene and commanding as if the city which he overlooks was not the centre and hot-bed of the foulest treason that ever showed itself in the light of day. The pedestal is designed for eight other statues of distinguished Virginians, but three of which have yet been put in their places. These are Jefferson, Henry and Mason — not the arrogant, self-conceited blockhead who recently represented the State in the Senate at Washington, and has now gone seeking recognition at London as the diplomatic representative of secessiondom - but a far purer, wiser and more patriotic namesake of his. Here also is a small statue of Henry Clay.

Richmond has really but one business thoroughfare. That is Main street. Most of the hotels, banks, newspaper offices and stores are located on it. It extends northward into the open country, and south eastward to a suburb called Rocketts. In this later section of it are situated some of the tobacco warehouses where our Union prisoners are now confined. These are large, old brick edifices, of mouldy, dilapidated appearance. They stand three together on one side of the street, which here is of a most dingy character, and two nearly opposite. Those on the north side are overlooked by the bluffs in which Church Hill here terminates, and which supply gravel for the city, while those on the south side of the street have the James river and Kanawha canal, and the river itself immediately in their rear.

Near the summit of the elevation known as Church Hill is an large old-fashioned brick building known as the Almshouse. It has been converted from its original purpose, and now serves as a hospital for our sick and wounded. Sisters of Charity come and go, untiring angels of consolation and the hearse is kept in constant requisition, so great is the mortality that prevails here. Many of the private houses in the vicinity are also converted into temporary hospitals. As a general thing the former residents of this part of the city have gone elsewhere since the location of the hospitals here; and now on every tenth house or more, you see waving a little dirty, whitish yellow flag, denoting a lazaretto. The Odd Fellows Hall, on Broad street, is also used as a general hospital. On the most commanding part of Church Hill still stands, in good preservation, too, the church in which Patrick Henry made the famous speech at the commencement of the revolutionary struggle, where he used that memorable and oft-quoted phrases, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Around the church are the graves of the last generation of the people of Richmond, and I was no little disgusted to observe that few of the headstones had escaped the vandalism of some scoundrels, who, as a proof of their wit, cut the figure […..] before the figures recording the ages of the deceased, making it appear that those who rested here from their labors had enjoyed incredibly patriarchal length of years.

Between this hill and the rickety suburb known as Rocketts there is a large encampment, and I believe there are also batteries here, for the defence of the river. I know that there certainly are batteries on the bluffs above and beyond Rocketts. Near here the few steamers and sailing craft that used to trade to Richmond had their mooring places, and here also the James river and Kanawha canal has its southern outlet into the river. This is a great work of internal improvement so far as the design is concerned; but, unfortunately for Virginia, her execution does not keep pace with her plans, and the canal, though open for many years, does not come within a long distance of the Kanawha river, which it was intended to tap. If it ever will do so, it must be after secession is crushed and the Union restored.

July 28, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial furnished the following account of MORGAN’S raid in Kentucky:

On Saturday, the 12th, John Morgan’s outlaws were threatening the two most important cities in central Kentucky. Morgan had moved from Harrodsburg to Lawrenceburg, in Anderson county, his scouts approaching Nicholasville on the east, as they pushed north, creating the impression that an advance was being made on that place. The village was in an uproar on Sunday, and the citizens made excellent time in abandoning it. They poured into Lexington by every means of conveyance, and by their exaggerated reports added intensity to the excitement there. Two cool-headed gentlemen, a railroad agent and a telegraph operator, towards evening took a hand car and proceeded down the track to Nicholasville. They found the town abandoned to darkness and the dogs — the expressmen, operator, switchmen, everybody, in fact, fled incontinently. Doors stood wide open, windows unbarred, offices inviting ingress and a train of cars loaded with commissary stores standing unharmed at the depot. It was some time before Lexington could be made to believe that Morgan was not in Nicholasville.

Lexington was in a terrible state of excitement Sunday and Monday. All business was suspended — stores, shops, offices shut up — even the post-office; Stringent martial law was declared. — Every man capable of bearing arms was ordered out. The streets were patrolled by a citizen’s guard, authorized to arrest or shoot down any man found on the streets without arms. This drove traitors to their holes. A lisp of sympathy for Morgan or the rebellion was as much as a man’s life was worth. The 85th Ohio, Colonel Sowers, from Camp Chase, arrived on Monday, to the infinite relief of the inhabitants. They were received with the greatest enthusiasm. Other reinforcements came pouring in. Brigadier General Ward, commandant of the post, made preparations for an apprehended attack. Morgan was said to be within a few miles of the city. Morgan was at Midway Station. Morgan was on the banks of the Kentucky, advancing on Frankfort; then came reports that the fight had commenced at Frankfort.

It was decided that the Eighty-fifth Ohio should go to the relief of besieged Frankfort. One company mutinied; they had agreed to go to Lexington, but no farther, they said; but they did go, and the resolution of the officers is creditable. They prevented the disgrace of the regiment and the State it represents in the face of the enemy.

We proceeded to Frankfort, expecting John and his outlaws all along the road, but he didn’t appear. We saw nothing but pleasant fields of blue grass, fat cattle, and acres of wheat in shock. Not a hostile shot was fired on the way, for want of somebody to shoot at. Arrived at Frankfort, we could not hear of the enemy very near there. There had been no skirmishing with pickets, and no evidence of Morgan being about, but an attack was momentarily expected.

It is true, Morgan has made a demonstration on Frankfort, but it was a feint. From Lawrenceburg he had sent advance guards to Rough and Ready, and even as far as the Military Institute, within six miles of the city. Here they stopped. They had effected their purpose, creating an uproar and excitement in the capital, which put the people on the defensive. They didn’t think of taking the offensive. Then Morgan turned east, crossed the Kentucky River, at Sarylock Station, and marched to Versailles, which is about equidistant from Franklin and Lexington. There he stayed Monday night. Finding the coast clear the next day he moved north to Midway Station, on the Louisville and Lexington Railroad, tore up the track and destroyed the Elkhorn Bridge, while his advance guard, passing by Georgetown, made a sudden dash on the Kentucky Central Road, destroyed a bridge and burned Keyser’s extensive distillery, between Paris and Cynthiana, thus completely cutting Lexington off from its northern and western communications. His exploits seem to have been more familiar to Cincinnati than to those of us who were at Lexington.

Morgan’s great objects in this raid into Kentucky have been panic among the people and indecision among military managers. He has, in fact, kept every considerable place in Central Kentucky in a state of siege, and frantically calling for assistance to defend it. Lexington could not spare a man to pursue him — because she momentarily expected an attack. Frankfort couldn’t send her privates in pursuit, because Morgan was hovering at her gates. Paris and Cynthiana were in the same condition, and really had need of more men than could be brought to their defence. Morgan’s forces have been greatly exaggerated. He had not, at Lawrenceburg, more than 1,000 men. He obtained about 25 recruits in Henderson county and as many in Versailles. I hear that he also received considerable accessions from Owen county, one of the most pestilent holes in the State, but there is no general rising.

The idea of a horse thieving and plundering gang of scoundrels marching through their Empire State with impunity, is something they cannot tolerate with patience. Even the quasi-secessionists openly disapprove of this raid, and have offered their services in defence of their cities and homes against such lawless outrages. This was the case in Frankfort, and several individual cases, of men of standing and influence, came under my notice. There is, therefore, no need to apprehend a rising in this State against the Government. A few who have nothing to lose, animated by hope of plunder, and regardless of remote consequences, will join in this raid upon their neighbors. If John Morgan is allowed to remain in Central Kentucky, attack town after town, defeat their defenders in detail, capture citizens, plunder houses, burn bridges, rob banks, steal horses, and the like, he may become formidable. In its military character, his raid is contemptible, and, in its dash and daring, it is admirable.

What Morgan has commenced as a raid may be become a revolution, and it will unless he is checked.

What is being done to put a stop to this miserable business, do you ask? Very little, it seems to an observer, as it should be done. A defensive policy is adopted. That is what Morgan wants. If he can keep the forces that should be pursuing him busy defending towns for fear he might slip in at the back door, he gains everything and risks nothing. And that is what is being done in Kentucky. While forces sufficient, if massed, to pursue, rout and disperse his gang, are squatted down on the hills about Frankfort and Lexington, John slips between, destroys bridges and interrupts communications. Why, when at Versailles, his men so fagged out that they slept in streets, with their horses bridles on their arms, was not a movement made simultaneously from Frankford, Lexington and Nicholasville? At the first named place were the 85th Ohio, Colonel Sowers; the 55th Indiana battalion, Col. Mohen; two or three pieces of artillery, quite a body of regular troops, and mounted men sufficient for scouting and flanking purposes. Brigadier Gen. Ward was at Lexington with a force of not less than 1500 men, probably 2000, and there were 300 at Nicholasville, irregular troops, it is true, but men in earnest in defence not over fourteen miles, and cars might have been employed, if necessary, to transport troops a portion of the way. It was proposed, and might have been successfully executed on Monday night. But while it was being discussed the hours slipped away, and it was found too late to undertake the enterprise.

A golden opportunity to put Morgan on the defensive had passed. Next day we were not surprised to hear that Morgan had left his encampment on Zeb. Ward’s farm, from which he took a large number of blooded horses, had moved north, and occupied Midway Station, tearing up the track on the Lexington and Louisville Road. It does seem that the bridges on the road might have been saved by posting infantry in position to defend them. But there was such a tenacity to the defensive system that it was not done. It was deemed more important to endure an interruption of communication than to risk the safety of a town. The place to fight Morgan was at the very gates; besides, who could think of marching infantry under such a sun?

When I left Frankfort, cavalry, artillery and infantry were pouring into the city by every train. Brigadier General Clay Smith had arrived to take command, and as he is said to be a man of spirit, with daring and dash in his composition, and military capacity, perhaps something may happen. There are regular and irregular troops in and about Lexington and Frankfort to eat up John and his thieves, and not furnish half rations at that. It will be a blistering shame if he is allowed to escape after having plundered and despoiled the fairest portion of Kentucky.

The people are willing to second the enterprise of a military chieftain. All they want is direction. Companies of mounted men were being raised, horsed impressed, and every means taken to outfit an expedition formidable in its proportions and swift in its movements. But there is so much waiting, so much preparations, so much desire to make a thing of it, that by the time the Federals are ready to move Morgan will be on his retreat and a hundred or two hundred miles from here.

July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

Generals Halleck, Dix, Meigs, Burnside and McClellan have just had an interview at the headquarters of the latter. The meeting between General Halleck and General McClellan is said to have been as cordial as the former officer’s opinion of the Potomac Army was laudatory and satisfactory. General Halleck expressed himself highly gratified at the condition of the troops after their late severe trials in the field. A vigorous programme is said to have been agreed upon, and that immediate activity is to be the order of the day.

The news from General Pope’s command smacks also of coming action. On Friday General Gibbon, with a body of infantry, artillery and cavalry, was sent out on a reconnoissance in the direction of Gordonsville, to ascertain the position and force of the enemy. The expedition proved quite successful. The party went within two miles of Orange Court House, where a short skirmish was had. Several prisoners were taken, who reported five of the enemy killed and several wounded. Jackson, with twenty thousand men, was between Orange Court House and Madison Court House, anticipating an advance of Gen. Pope in that direction. Gen. Robertson was at the Court House, with two regiments and a battalion of cavalry, and Ewell’s brigade lay three miles beyond. Gen. Pope’s Order No 6, relative to the seizure of forage, was carried out admirably, to the great comfort of the troops and chagrin of the rebels. Not a man of the expedition was captured or wounded.

A party of rebels boarded a schooner laden with 4,000 bushels of condemned corn on Saturday night, nearly opposite the headquarters of the army, which they set on fire. Of course the loss of the grain was of no importance, being worthless. The rebels came from the opposite side of the river in a small boat at midnight.

We have some interesting news from the West. The Tenth Ohio regiment, which was guarding the Memphis and Charleston road, between Decatur and Courtland, was attacked on the 26th inst. by a large force of rebel guerillas under General Stearns and General Ward. Some thirty or forty of our troops were killed and the road was damaged to some extent. It is said that there is a large rebel force at Tuscumbia, and that Colonel Forrest is at Carthage. The supposed object of this concentration is said to be an attack on the Louisville Railroad.

The Southern papers are commenting on the President’s new call for troops, and they urge the immediate necessity of striking a blow before the new levies can be raised. While doubting the practicability of procuring fresh men at the North, they advise that the rebel government shall act as though it could be done, and vigorously enforce conscription.

The report that the rebel ram Arkansas has been cut out by our gunboats under the batteries of the enemy at Vicksburg, which reached us previously from Cairo, is confirmed by the Grenada (late Memphis) Appeal, which admits the fact.

July 28, 1862, The New York Herald

For the purpose of liberally aiding in their seasonable circulation among all parties concerned, we republish this morning the President’s confiscation proclamation, and the act and supplemental act of Congress to which this proclamation refers.

It will be seen from the first of these acts that this sixty days’ notice of the President is limited to the comparatively innocent masses of our Southern people, who have been carried away from their proper allegiance by the pressure of this rebellion. They are allowed theses sixty days’ grace, while the leading conspirators and office holders, civil and military, of the Confederate and States governments in the service of the rebellion, are liable to all the pains and penalties of this confiscation bill from the day of its approval. It will next be observed from the supplemental act or resolution passed in pursuance of the President suggestions, that the confiscations of the real estate under the aforesaid law are only to apply during the lifetime of the guilty parties concerned, as enjoined by the constitution of the United States.

The President, having previously caused the issue of a general order from the War Office in regard to the employment of negroes in the army, we presume that with this brief and simply conventional proclamation, he has said all that he intends to say in the interpretation and enforcement of this Confiscation bill. Both as a military and as a judicial measure he touches it very gingerly. He evidently considers it a channel leading out into the boundless sea of anarchy. He still desires to treat our revolted States and their people as within the reach of a magnanimous forbearance. The paramount object of the radical abolition majority of Congress in the passage of this bill was the emancipation of the slaves of the South. The provisions of the bill to this end are sweeping and decisive; but, as they do not embrace a proclamation from the President on the subject, he has not issued one.

Unquestionably, if his views of the act, as a war measure, were identical with those of Senators Sumner and Chandler, and such abolition disorganizers, his first proceeding would have been a flaming appeal to the slaves of Southern rebels to rush within the protecting lines of our army and be free. As President Lincoln’s great object, however, is not the abolition of slavery, but the restoration of the Union, he very wisely keeps the negro in the background as far as possible. Hence, in his manifestoes on this Confiscation act, he says nothing about negro emancipation. He does not, at this critical period of the war, desire to destroy at a single blow — that is, in a proclamation of freedom to Southern slaves — the invaluable foothold which we have gained against this rebellion in the border slave States; but he wishes to retain their support. He believes, too, that our twenty-three millions of loyal free whites, including the border slave States devoted to the Union, are strong enough to cope with the five millions of whites devoted to this rebellion, without calling upon their three millions of slaves to help us. If they choose to come within our military lines they will be taken care of; but their liberation is very properly treated by our patriotic President as an incidental and secondary question.

We have no doubt that the sagacious policy of President Lincoln in regard to this confiscation bill has been strongly supported by Mr. Seward, whose distinguished course, as the head of the State Department, has won for him the universal approbation of our loyal people. In this connection we are gratified with the assurances lately emanating from Washington that Mr. Seward is entirely at the service of the President, and has no higher ambition, in any event, than the maintenance of the Union. We are also glad to believe that, with the appointment of General Halleck as the General-in-Chief of the army, we have the promise of perfect harmony and co-operation in the Cabinet in reference to the movements of our armies and the generals commanding them. In all these matters General Halleck will take the place of Mr. Secretary Stanton, who will have quite enough to do to look after the supplies and our swindling army jobbers and contractors.

Next, in the fact that General Halleck has gone down upon a visit to General McClellan, the country will be gratified with the assurance of a accord between those two distinguished officers, and that our new General-in-Chief proceeds in the right way to supply the present wants and to provide for the future operations of General McClellan’s army. Meantime, as the headquarters of General Pope are still at Washington, there can be no doubt that he already is thoroughly posted with the programme in which he and General McClellan are to co-operate against the great rebel army of Virginia.

The President, the Cabinet and the army appear to be working more cordially together than at any previous time since the outbreak of this rebellion. The general direction of the war is again in the hands of a skilful, experienced and accomplished soldier. From the time that it was taken away from General McClellan, and placed in the hands of a lawyer, we may date our military reverses, disappointments, and disasters in the all important field of Virginia. Now we have every reason to hope that a succession of brilliant victories will soon be opened. The work of reinforcing our two armies of Virginia, upon which the destinies of this country now depend, is going encouragingly on; but the more rapidly the reduced regiments of Gen. McClellan and General Pope are filled up, the more certainly and speedily will great victories be secured. Five hundred recruits to fill up a regiment of veterans will be worth more for the work immediately before us than two full regiments of raw volunteers, officers and privates. Let the energies and preferences all concerned in the good work of raising soldiers be devoted, first to the important task of filling up the blanks in our veteran regimens; of this one hundred thousand men will be worth twice or thrice that number of raw regiments for active service in the field. Let us hear that the wasted regiments of McClellan and Pope are replenished, and we shall next hear of a great rise of stocks in Wall street. In keeping up the full strength of our experienced regiments we maintain an army of veteran soldiers.

The Confiscation bill being disposed of, and the new war policy and programme of the administration being clear and satisfactory, all that remains to be done to turn the tide against the rebels is to fill up at once the reduced ranks of our armies.

by John Beauchamp Jones

JULY 27TH.—Gen. Lovell, it is said, will be tried by a court-martial. The same has been said of Generals Magruder and Huger. But I doubt it.

July 27, 1862, The New York Herald

The latest news from the camps on the James river is up to Friday night, and reports no fresh movements.

The President has issued a proclamation, in pursuance of the sixth section of the act of Congress entitled “An act to suppress insurrection, to punish treason and rebellion, to seize and confiscate the property of rebels, and for other purposes,” warning all persons to cease participating in aiding, countenancing or abetting the existing rebellion, or any rebellion, against the government of the United States, and to return to their proper allegiance to the United States, on pain of the forfeitures and seizures as by said sixth section provided.

The call of Governor Gamble, of Missouri, for the militia to turn out and protect themselves against the rebel guerillas, has created quite a sensation in St. Louis among those residents who, it appears, consider themselves entitled to the protection of the British flag. There was somewhat of a row about the English Consul’s office there on Thursday. several loyal and patriotic citizens, it seems, objected to parties who had shared the prosperity of the city for so long, in time of peace, deserting it in time of war and anticipated danger, and consequently there was a good deal of trouble, almost amounting to a serious riot, while those persons were seeking to obtain their protection papers.

The extracts which we give from the Richmond papers throw considerable light on the state of affairs in the South. Desertions from the army are complained of as frequent and demoralizing. We are told, too, by the Richmond Examiner, that there is a lasting stigma left by this war on the character of the South, and that it is almost universal rage in the South of the vile lusts of avarice and extortion, in which native Southern merchants have outdone Yankees and Jews, and have not only defiled themselves, but inflicted a burning disgrace upon the nation, prostituted a noble war to the most infamous purposes, and blackened their country in the eyes of the world. The whole South, it says, […..] with the lust of extortion. The extent to which it prevails in this city is enormous and shameless; trade is reduced to a devilish art to make money out of the distress of humanity; and, that the hypocrisy may be added to other diabolical accomplishments.

To judge from the tone of the Tennessee papers, it would appear that the rebels expect to make considerable progress in the middle part of that State, and that Generals Buell and Mitchel are about to be vigorously attacked. Despatches from Cairo yesterday, moreover, state that the steamer Evansville, from the Tennessee river, brings the news of a rebel raid at Florence, Ala., on Tuesday last. The rebels, it is said, entered the city and burned all the warehouses used for our commissary and quartermaster stores, and all the cotton in the vicinity. They also seized the United States steamer Colonna, used for conveying army supplies over the shoals. They took all the money belonging to the boat and passengers, and then burned her. A small detachment of General Mitchel’s army was captured. The rebels then proceeded down the Tennessee river to Chickasaw, Waterloo and the vicinity of Eastport, and burned all the warehouses which contained cotton. Another band of forty rebels attacked a wagon train near Pittsburg Landing, and captured sixty wagons conveying commissary and quartermaster stores.

July 27, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Beaufort Correspondence.

BEAUFORT, N.C., July 18, 1862.

Owing to observation and association, the people of this place are becoming every day more and more well disposed toward our officers and men. They treat them with great respect and a high degree of cordiality. Even the young misses and old madams have condescendingly turned down their nature sticking out — I mean their noses — to visit and be visited by our officers, and discover for themselves that the wild chimera stories of Southern imagination, derogatory to our purpose and character, never had any foundation in fact — except of falsehood.

There is not much trade going on here now. This is principally owing to the fact that the natives are sadly in need of the golden American eagle, or anything of a legitimate currency character.

Fort Macon is undergoing a thorough system of improvement, both in regard to its appearance and armament. The late attack on this fort developed many of its weak points, and these are fast being strengthened and remedied, as far as practicable. The whole place presents a decidedly different and more inviting appearance from what it did when it was occupied by the Confederate troops.

There has been an evening party in the house of a paroled rebel officer. How strange; and yet how true; for I really had the opportunity afforded me to-night to be present in the enjoyment of the peculiarities of such an occasion. Do you presume we went into a shot and shell discussion of politics? Not at all. We enjoyed ourselves like gentlemen — and scholars. I say scholars; because we mutually desired to be taught a certain lesson, and learn more of each other by experience and to our benefit. Wine, wit and women formed the prominent features of the evening’s entertainment; and to these were added all the soothing, enlivening and elevating tendencies incident to the execution of harmonious music, and the cheering specialties pertaining to an animated conversation. Although the ladies and gentlemen of the household and neighborhood of the Southern cause — principally from their education and social associations — still they manifested no bitterness toward the Northerners present — exclusively officers — but on the contrary, treated us so kindly and generously that it was hard at times to realize the fact that we were in the house and company of an arrowed rebel a man who had actually ordered the forces under his command to fire at our men from Fort Macon, and who had even the aims of the great and small guns himself. We conversed on different subjects, and resorted to various amusements as a matter of pastime; but always maintained a degree of moderation, yet withal, vivacity and respect; nevertheless, cordiality and good fellowship was truly inspiring in its character and result. No one manifested the slightest ill will. We all expressed ourselves freely, yet with due consideration for the feelings of others, and associated together as brothers met under trying circumstances on the sandy shore of Beaufort, to maintain to a proper culture the gratifying spirit of harmony and peace. I will admit that there are some in our midst who love secesh better than they love God, but it is all because their pecuniary interests are with the South far in preference to the North. And I am constrained to believe, from actual conversation and association with Southerners, that by far the greatest part of them — I mean the leaders — are actuated to a course of rebellion because of the situation of their pecuniary or other interest affairs.

The hospital at this point is full of patients. Since its opening on the 20th of May last, it has had 603 patients. Three hundred of these, up to the present time have been discharged; almost all for duty. Of the three hundred remaining, the majority are convalescents from fever […..]

This hospital is greatly in want of all of those delicacies so gratifying and nourishing to invalids. Will not some of our kind friends of the North remember the poor soldier on a Carolina’s shore. Will not they forward some of those specialties which I have referred to. If they will, just address them to the surgeon in charge at this post and they will be duly received. I am told by the hospital authorities that they absolutely need all of those articles which have been recommended and forwarded in other ports by the Sanitary Committee. Jellies and wines beneficial, and they will be decidedly acceptable. The invalids need them. In fact, some have died for the lack of them, while others are kept lingering in consequence of the same want.

Alexander Mills and Jicknias Jones, citizens of Beaufort, are confined in jail here as political prisoners.

July 27, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Strasburg Correspondence.

STRASBURG, July 18, 1862.

I think the locality of Strasburg a much handsomer site for a village than any other in the vicinity. Its close proximity to a very high hill gives it very much the appearance of Bellow’s Falls, Vt., while, again, the eye can trace the mountains, irregular and grand, to the horizon. They are covered with trees and a thick undergrowth, and do not present the gloomy appearance so common in other districts by ravages by fire.

The town itself is nothing but a common country one, of four or five hundred inhabitants — and such inhabitants! Women looking sourer than old maids who bear children; Men with the everlasting secesh weeded felt hat, that is ever ready for a funeral. There is something peculiar in the dress of this people. The pants, are of gray homespun, small in the legs; the hat as I have described, of an upper story pattern, with a broad black ribbon or crape; a coat decidedly antiquarian in style and fabric; a vest generally dirty, but of lightish appearance, and boots large. The women, many of them, dress in cloth woven by themselves, strong as twine can make them, and of a dirty hue; cape bonnets are a la mode, and bootees and pantalets complete the toilet.

Not a soul did I see laugh; no young maiden would peep out to throw a glance at the handsome young officers; and me thought what an excellent plan it would be for some Northern missionary society to engage Dan Setchell or Wm. Warren to come out here to stir up their risibilities. Sadness or despondency can be tolerated; but sourness is beyond endurance.

The Virginia Hotel, kept by a Mr. Richardson, who professes to be a Union man, is doing a brisk and profitable business. It is full to repletion, and his table, meanly furnished, is well patronized by troops at fifty cents per meal.

Were Strasburg inhabited by Northern people, it would be one of the lovliest places in the valley for a residence. But now the streets are filthy, a smell of decay pervades the atmosphere, the houses are weather worn and poorly patched, making one feel that he is in the abode of a pauper, stealing a glimpse of a beautiful sunset from a broken window.

Dead horses lie rotting by the roadside and old beat bones are being bleached by the sun. “A cheerful look and a broken heart” might be applied to Strasburg.

There is an old fashioned, comfortable looking brick church (Methodist Episcopal); with a white belfry and portico. It was used for a hospital, and about forty graves in the yard attest to the uncertainty of a soldier’s life. I never have seen so many graves together so sadly neglected. Five or six are unmarked, and the head boards of the others are of miserable, small bits of wood hastily and poorly inscribed in ink or pencil. A few weeks’ time will entirely efface them, and I have taken some pains to make them out, thinking a list might be of value to some of the lost ones’ friends [….]

July 27, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Harrison’s Landing Correspondence.

HARRISON’S LANDING, July 21, 1862.

The HERALD of Saturday did the government and the soldiers a good service by its remarks on the delinquency or dishonesty of paymasters. There were other phases of this subject which the HERALD might have touched and shown the evil up even more forcibly. To relinquish honest labor and live on the government is already come to be the curse of this nation. Men least qualified are the most greedy applicants for serving the government when there is no danger, but little work and large pay. When the exigencies of this rebellion called a large army in the the field, and patriotic men were offering themselves to serve in its ranks, a swarm of men who had always been more ornamental than useful to society might have been seen at the doors of the White House, importuning for the office of paymaster. You might there see the shabby lawyer, unable to live by the practice of law; the decayed parson, in seedy raiment and spectacles; abolition and temperance lecturers, in slouch hats and dingy linen, and broken down politicians, whose trade was gone, and with it their credit at the tavern bar. Not one of a dozen of these men was such as you would have given credit for a pair of boots. But they had borne torches during the campaign, and were set up for good republicans. Mr. Lincoln has a great and good heart, and with his accustomed pity for needy gentlemen gave at least a full regiment of these worthless appointments as paymasters of the United States Army. Now, whether it is the result of inefficiency or want of energy I cannot say, but it is a well known fact here in the army that as the number of these paymasters increases the less promptly do the troops get their pay. The luxury of enjoying the rank and wearing the shoulder straps of a major; with corresponding pay and emoluments, would seem to have turned the heads of very many of them and rendered them useless ornaments in the pay of the government. Just before our late battles in front of Richmond there was great dissatisfaction and more suffering among the troops, many of whom had not received a cent of pay for nearly five months. Every man of common sense can easily see what the influence of rations and no pay must be on troops in the field. Charges of bad faith on the part of the government were freely made, and not a few curses laid at the door of the Treasury Department. But the government and the Treasury Department had performed their duty. The money to pay some of those regiments, so long kept without a cent, had been in the hands of paymasters three and four months. The plea for withholding this money was that the army was moving, and the paymasters could not find the regiments. This is simply ridiculous. The simple truth is that paymasters made no effort to find the regiments they were assigned to pay. We could have been found and paid at Yorktown, at West Point, at Cumberland, at the White House and on the banks of the Chickahominy, where we remained five weeks. It has been said that he is a good soldier who looks well after his family at home. Experience has taught me that nothing could be more true. And you, sir, know full well that when a soldier faces the enemy and thinks of what he has to endure and suffer, and how narrow is the line drawn between him and death, his affections strengthen and his thoughts of home increase. He too frequently feels that the family he has left at home is made to suffer by the laxity or bad faith of the government he is fighting to uphold. It was indeed painful to see the degrading shifts to which some of our troops were reduced while on the peninsula to raise small sums of money to send home to their suffering families. Men who were good credit with the sutler or […..] man could get six dollars for their month pay of thirteen dollars. Officers, whose expenses are always increased when on a march, were forced to send their pay rolls to some friend in Washington, to get discounted, and it was no uncommon thing to have to pay from six to fourteen per cent discount to get the money on rolls already due, and the money to pay them in the hands of the paymaster. Collusion between paymasters and the brokers who charge such an outrageous rate of interest has been freely charged; and appearances go to strengthen the belief that the charges are true. The evil calls loudly for a remedy, and the government should at once apply it.

I am not much of a logician, and hence never could understand why it was that an official, who had once every two months to purchase up the pay rolls of three or four regiments (a very simple proceeding), draw his money from the Treasury, take his horse and proceed to make his payments, which he could do in a week, if he were competent, should be honored with the rank, pay and emoluments of a major, with a clerk at $800 a year, while in regimental quartermaster, whose duties and responsibilities are at least twenty fold, and who is entrusted with millions of government property monthly, should be made to content himself with a simple first lieutenancy, with lieutenant’s pay, and ten dollars a month extra. There is something radically wrong about this; but as it is in keeping with everything else that appertains to our army we must of course wait and wish for a reform. It is like the Congressman and the general riding in a railroad car together on public service; the Congressman, who does but little for the country weal, getting forty cents mileage, and the general, who risks his life and fights his country’s battles, getting only six. Draw the moral as you will.

July 27, 1862, The New York Herald

Times change, and men change with them. There are now but twenty-five Revolutionary patriots left in the country; but as they disappear a new order of men spring up to take their places. Once upon a time it use to be considered the duty of a patriot to make every effort and sacrifice for his country. Now, however, the enlarged intelligence of the nineteenth century has changed all this, and he is the purest patriot who can make the most money out of his government in the shortest space of time. We find our most illustrious examples of perfect patriotism and exemplary virtue, therefore, in our government contractors. The reports of our investigating committees are the annals of our most distinguished men, whose names will shine brightest in the history of this war. In this view of the case, the embryo contractors who design to make themselves patriots out of the equipment and supplies of the new army of three hundred thousand men recently called for by the President will find much to admire and emulate in the cases cited by the Contract Investigating Committee of the House, in its second or supplementary report, just published.

In regard to the purchase and character of ships, for example, the committee have discovered countless modes and instances of patriotism. They bring before the bar of public opinion the patriotic George D. Morgan, with his two and a half per cent commission, and the numberless middlemen or shipbroker patriots of whom he is the type. Prominent among these is Mr. Russell Sturgis, of this city — a patriot who managed to receive commissions both from the government and the men whose ships he purchased for the government. Mr. John Tucker, a patriot of Pennsylvania, having been appointed “General Transport Agent for the War Department,” purchased two vessels which had previously been rejected by a government officer, and paid their owner, Mr. Marshall O. Roberts, eighty-nine thousand dollars more than their actual cost. These boats were loaded with provisions and troops and sent to Port Royal. One of them foundered and sunk on her first voyage, her cargo being a total loss. The other ship reached port after throwing much of her freight overboard, and was immediately condemned by a survey as useless. The steamer Governor was purchased by the agents of the War Department after having been condemned by the Navy Department, and sunk on her first voyage, her cargo being lost and her crew only escaping a watery grave by the skill and energy of Captain Ringgold, of the frigate Sabine. Are not the men who sold and the brokers who bought these ships for the government to be honored and esteemed as patriots?

In the New England Department Mr. Paul R. George chartered the ships for the Ship Island expedition. This patriot was surrounded by favorites, whose influence had to be purchased. In some instances one sum of money was received by the owner of a vessel, while another and much larger sum was named in the charter, paid by the government and received by the government agent. Is there not patriotism in such dealing? In this and all other departments, ships were chartered at heavy prices, and allowed to lie idle while under pay. The steamer Constitution, chartered in Boston, earned her patriotic owners $135,000 before sailing, simply by lying idle at the wharf. Other chartered vessels earned more than their value before leaving the dock. The committee might have added that, by some similar patriotic arrangement, the small vessels, receiving $250 a day, have always been loaded and unloaded first, while the large vessels, receiving $2,500 a day, have been left for weeks untouched. C. S. Bushnell, the very distinguished patriot who sold the Stars and Stripes to Morgan for $34,000 more than she cost to build, was immediately taken to Morgan’s bosom, and was his agent for the purchase of the Varuna. Mr. Bushnell bought the Varuna, unfinished, for $110,000; had her completed at a government shipyard without any expense to himself, and then sold her to the government for $135,000 — clearing $25,000 by the transaction — besides making the government pay twice for completing the vessel. Turn from the sea to the land, and we find records of the same patriotism. Mr. Thomas A. Scott, an official patriot, was employed to superintend the government railroad transportation; and at the same time he was vice president of a railroad company over whose line most of the transportation came. How could Mr. Scott consult the best interests of both the government and his railroad? He patriotically fixed a tariff of charges for government transportation at least one-third higher than the prices paid by private individuals. The consequence was that Mr. Scott’s railroad increased its profits about forty per cent, and the national treasury proportionately suffered. Is there no patriotism in this?

But these matters of transportation are insignificant when compared with the patriotism displayed in procuring supplies for the government. General Fremont, a military patriot, sent Major Corwine to Cincinnati — though Cincinnati was not in Fremont’s department — to raise an army. That appointment gave birth to numerous contract patriots. A Mr. Reeside charged $22,000 for commissions in purchasing horses, and Captain Darl, a brother-in-law of Major Corwine, added from six to seven per cent to the cost of fitting out two regiments as his profit on the affair. At St. Louis, General Fremont made an agreement with Mr. Beard, a patriot of California, to build fortifications, and paid Beard $85,000 within eight days after, and before any contract was drawn up and signed. Mr. Beard cleared $100,000 profit in two months and seven days as a reward for his patriotism. In Colorado Territory the patriotic Governor Gilpin became frantic for fear that somebody would attack him; went to work organizing and equipping forces for his protection, and wasted immense amounts of money. It is consoling to know that the Governor’s cousin and the Governor’s friends grew rich upon this patriotic but unnecessary and unauthorized expenditure. In Chicago and Cairo innumerable contract patriots were discovered. In the West, officers of regiments negotiated with officers of railroads, and received bonuses to have their troops go over certain lines. In the East, generals are accused of patriotically taxing the sutlers one hundred dollars a month to pay for the general’s segars, and such things. Whether at Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, St. Louis or in Pennsylvania, the government was patriotically served in the purchase of horses. Blind, swenied, stiff-shouldered, curved-legged, split-hoofed, deformed-backed, stiff-necked, stoven-shouldered, glandered, distempered, ringboned, wind-broken, big-kneed horses were foisted upon the government at extravagant and patriotic prices, while often the government repurchased its own horses; and in Missouri the government stock was scattered about the country, patriotically used by everybody and cared for by nobody.

Such are a few of the instances of patriotism displayed by government contractors and recorded in a single report of a single committee. Judge, then, how many patriots this country would proudly claim if the whole truth in regard to contracts were known. We beg leave to respectfully suggest to the President that these contract patriots should not be allowed to remain rewarded only by their filthy lucre, their approving consciences and the applause of their fellow citizens, but that each of them should be provided with lodgings in one of our national castles, at the expense of a grateful government; and that Secretary Stanton, who now has plenty of time to write, be duly authorized to furnish each one of them with a pass to the accommodations aforesaid.

July 27, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Port Royal Correspondence.

PORT ROYAL, S.C., July 10, 1862.

General Hunter’s letter to the Secretary of War does not tell all the facts about his arming the negroes. One of the first things he did after arriving here was to make a requisition on the War Department for fifty thousand stand of arms and equipments, and ten million cartridges. This he did without consulting anybody, probably with the notion that he could any day call so many negroes into camp and organize them into an army. There were arms enough here for all our troops, and for all the negroes he could possibly muster; for there were not in his whole dominions and control two thousand male contrabands capable of bearing arms, and these were all needed in the Quartermaster’s Department as servants and on the plantations. He did not even make his requisition through his ordinance officer in the regular way, nor did he inform that officer that he had made any such requisition. How or why the Ordnance Department ever answered such a requisition is a mystery, unless they had that amount of muskets and ammunition which they wanted to get rid of. But they did do it, and the consequence was that the muskets (French rifled muskets, costing some $18 each) and so forth were suddenly precipitated upon our hands without any place having been provided for them; and, as a result, they were necessarily piled up on the sand, with no covering but canvass; and, being in poorly constructed boxes, were subject to rust and ruin. Some were put in a leaky boat and sent to Beaufort; but at the stampede at Beaufort they were brought back to this place and deposited on the wharf, where, with broken boxes and exposure to rain, their condition was the worst imaginable. Here was an outlay of some $2,000,000 to $2,500,000 as the result of a fanciful idea that half a day’s rational consideration would have corrected.

The next move of General Hunter was to endeavor to find the men to use his war material, and he consequently issued an order that all the male contrabands capable of bearing arms in his department in South Carolina and Georgia should be immediately sent to this place under guard. The consequence was that, under this wholesale conscription, private servants, quartermasters’ laborers, plantation workmen and all were incontinently seized and sent to Hilton Head, to the consternation of the darkeys and the inconvenience of everybody. As a result of this, both blacks and whites became alarmed, and Gen. Hunter was obliged to countermand his order and let the contrabands go. At length he succeeded in getting about five hundred male contrabands to enlist, and those now constitute his African battalion, whose parades and reviews he has attended ten times as often as the parades and reviews of any white regiment. Meantime the 50,000 French muskets, belts, bayonets, cartridge boxes, &c., and the 10,000,000 cartridges, remain a monument of the economical forecast and military genius sufficient in these times to prove the competency of a man to be the military commander of a Southern Department.

Since then the War Department has sent out to us Brigadier General Saxton, as a military governor of negroes and plantations, with powers and duties independent of the General commanding the department, when his whole constituency will not number as many, including women and children, as a full brigade. If government would put General Saxton, who is a West Point officer, in the field, with his staff, it would show a becoming desire to make the best use of the proper means for vigorously prosecuting the war; and if it would send out here good, thorough, honest business men to do business work, it would show a commendable intention to serve the economical and business interests of the public.

The fact is, when General Benham went away from here all the fight went with him. He and his staff would do more practical work in a week than all there are left will do in a month. As it is now, we are only a police force kept here to aid in developing the social condition of the negro.

by John Beauchamp Jones

JULY 26TH—There is a pause in the depreciation of C. S. securities.

edited by G.W. Cable

Oak Ridge, July 26, 1862, Saturday.—It was not till Wednesday that H. could get into Vicksburg, ten miles distant, for a passport, without which we could not go on the cars. We started Thursday morning. I had to ride seven miles on a hard-trotting horse to the nearest station. The day was burning at white heat. When the station was reached my hair was down, my hat on my neck, and my feelings were indescribable.

On the train one seemed to be right in the stream of war, among officers, soldiers, sick men and cripples, adieus, tears, laughter, constant chatter, and, strangest of all, sentinels posted at the locked car-doors demanding passports. There was no train south from Jackson that day, so we put up at the Bowman House. The excitement was indescribable. All the world appeared to be traveling through Jackson. People were besieging the two hotels, offering enormous prices for the privilege of sleeping anywhere under a roof. There were many refugees from New Orleans, among them some acquaintances of mine. The peculiar style of [women’s] dress necessitated by the exigencies of war gave the crowd a very striking appearance. In single suits I saw sleeves of one color, the waist of another, the skirt of another; scarlet jackets and gray skirts; black waists and blue skirts; black skirts and gray waists; the trimming chiefly gold braid and buttons, to give a military air. The gray and gold uniforms of the officers, glittering between, made up a carnival of color. Every moment we saw strange meetings and partings of people from all over the South. Conditions of time, space, locality, and estate were all loosened; everybody seemed floating he knew not whither, but determined to be jolly, and keep up an excitement. At supper we had tough steak, heavy, dirty-looking bread, Confederate coffee. The coffee was made of either parched rye or cornmeal, or of sweet potatoes cut in small cubes and roasted. This was the favorite. When flavored with “coffee essence,” sweetened with sorghum, and tinctured with chalky milk, it made a curious beverage, which, after tasting, I preferred not to drink. Every one else was drinking it, and an acquaintance said, “Oh, you’ll get bravely over that. I used to be a Jewess about pork, but now we just kill a hog and eat it, and kill another and do the same. It’s all we have.”

Friday morning we took the down train for the station near my friend’s house. At every station we had to go through the examination of passes, as if in a foreign country.

The conscript camp was at Brookhaven, and every man had been ordered to report there or to Read more

July 26, 1862, The New York Herald

Our Harrison’s Landing Correspondence.

NEAR HARRISON’S LANDING, July 21, 1862.

Another steamboat load of our wounded and prisoners arrived last evening from Richmond, having been received on board under a flag of truce at Haxall’s Landing. The steamer was well loaded, and only stayed here long enough to allow to come ashore those able to rejoin their regiments. A sufficient number of medical attendants were on board, so that in this respect the men are being well cared for. But few were in condition to admit of their stopping here. Al the men seemed in excellent spirits, considering the sufferings and privations they have gone through during their captivity, and only a few of them are mortally wounded. From brief conversations with several I am satisfied that their stay in Rebeldom has enhanced rather than decreased their desire to take up arms again in aiding to put down the rebellion. Father Scully, chaplain of the Ninth Massachusetts regiment, and Surgeon Bentley, of General Butterfield’s brigade, are among those who arrived in the steamer. Both are now here, and promise to make themselves as useful in the future as they have been useful in the past in the discharge of their respective professional duties. Each gives an interesting statement of the condition of our wounded and prisoners now in the Confederate capital, as also the general condition of matters there.

Father Scully was in Richmond several days. He enjoyed almost unlimited freedom in visiting the various hospitals and other places where our sick, wounded and prisoners are confined. Our total list of sick, wounded and prisoners, he says, does not exceed five thousand. This embraces all who have been taken by the enemy from the commencement of hostilities in front of Richmond. Considering the facilities at command of the enemy in providing for sick and wounded soldiers, he gives them great credit for the care and attention given our men. He says their own men fare but little better. The list of their own sick and wounded more than trebles ours. He describes Richmond, indeed, as only one grand hospital. His own observations, and the statements of both officers and privates he conversed with, justify him in the conclusion that in all the battles before Richmond the rebel loss far exceeded ours, although they assume, and he has no doubt they believe it to be true, that our loss has been greatly ahead of theirs. He estimates the present forces in and about Richmond in the neighborhood of 175,000 effective men, and he is well assured they will fight desperately to retain possession of their capital. Let Richmond be taken from them, and the backbone of the rebellion is broken. They believe this, and that the salvation of Richmond is their only salvation. Richmond is now, therefore, their rallying battle cry.

Dr. Bentley did not see as much of Richmond as Father Scully, being confined to the care of a portion of our wounded occupying a tobacco warehouse, used as a hospital. He does not give the rebels as much credit for humanity, but thinks they could do much better in supplying the medical wants and other necessities of our men than they do. It is his own conviction that the rank and file of the rebel army are heartily sick of the war, and would joyously throw up their hats at a proposal to draw up articles of capitulation and bring the war to an immediate close. He was at Gaines’ Hill the day after the battle. On the evening of the fight he says Dr. Gaines gave at his residence a grand entertainment to the leading rebel officers, at which champagne and old and costly wines filling his cellar, and over which our soldiers had been keeping zealous guard for weeks, formed part of the splendid feast. The next day he heard Dr. Gaines ask our wounded, in a sneering and mocking tone, “What do you think of the damned rebels now? Haven’t you had your belly full of fighting, or do you want more?” It was with difficulty he could restrain himself, all unarmed as he was, from pitching bodily into the Doctor, and converting him into a subject for dissection.

Among those on the steamer is Dr. Guy C. Marshall, surgeon of the First regiment United States Sharpshooters, who was taken at the battle of Hanover Court House. Upon his arrival at Richmond he found in a tobacco warehouse, used as a prison hospital, a large number of wounded Union prisoners. They were attended by a single rebel surgeon, and were in a very bad condition. He immediately proffered his professional services, relieved the surgeon in attendance, and assumed the medical charge of our prisoners. From that time he was indefatigable in his exertions for their comfort and welfare, devoting himself incessantly to his duties. He had the hospital thoroughly cleansed and put in order. After the battle of Fair Oaks large numbers of our wounded were brought in, and for four days and nights he labored almost without rest or cessation. To his self-sacrificing devotion hundreds of our brave fellows owe their lives, and the enthusiasm and affection manifested by them whenever his name were mentioned was most touching. They all seemed to regard him as a dear and beloved friend, in whose praise too much could not be said. He returns in a very sick and feeble condition from his exceedingly severe labors. He proceeded North on the boat, and it is to be hoped that he may soon recover and be enabled to return to his duties with the army, which can ill afford to lose so skilful and devoted an officer. While the boat lay in the river General McClellan visited it, and was highly complimentary to Dr. Marshall, as well as others, for their invaluable and devoted services.

Among the wounded was Lieutenant Pert, of the sharpshooters, who was reported killed at the Malvern Hill battle, but who, though severely, is not mortally wounded, and will probably recover.

It is each day becoming more an established fact that much credit is due to Lieutenant Colonel T. C. Butler, of the Ninety-third regiment New York Volunteers, local Provost Marshal at the landing here, and who has the charge and superintendence of the landing and the arrangements for the arrival and departure of the mail steamers. He is a most courteous and efficient officer, and fills the delicate duties of his office to the great satisfaction of all with whom he is brought in contact. His duties are often unpleasant; but he is always kind and considerate in their performance, and has won the esteem and good will even of those whom he is compelled to disoblige, in accordance with the orders and regulations of his superior officers, which it becomes his duty to enforce. A better man for the place cannot be found, and it is to be hoped that he and his gentlemanly assistants may be continued in the positions which they so ably fill. The duties of the provost guard are discharged by the Ninety third regiment New York Volunteers.

Since writing the above I have learned that Father Scully has applied for a temporary leave of absence which has been granted. He goes to recruit his health, which, never very strong, has been greatly impaired by his recent arduous labors. He is one of the few chaplains of the army who have been unfaltering in their attentions to their regiments. He was with them in every battle until captured by the enemy. Speaking of leaves of absence, Captain Weeden, of Weeden’s battery, left today, having sent in his resignation, which was accepted. He has been obliged to leave on account of his private business, his continuance with the army thus far having necessitated a sacrifice of $30,000 and over. His withdrawal from his command is deeply regretted. He has left a gallant record, however, having been in all the recent battles, and foremost among the brave heroes who so nobly risked their lives in their country’s defence.

General McClellan has just arranged to send a large quantity of clothing and a liberal supply of lemons, jellies and other luxuries to our sick and wounded in Richmond. The rebel authorities assure those returning here that anything sent our men should be faithfully distributed among them.

For two or three days past the weather has been comparatively cool and comfortable, and this has aided very much in reinvigorating the exhausted and depressed soldiers. The good effect upon the army is very manifest, and it is to be hoped that we may be favored with a continuance of these healthful breezes, and the time rapidly hastened when our brave soldiers shall be prepared to renew the much wished for movements, looking for the deferred but not abandoned project of the reduction of the rebel capital and defeat of the great force assembled for its protection.

July 26, 1862, The New York Herald

Our St. Louis Correspondence.

ST. LOUIS, July 23, 1862.

Tremendous excitement has been caused in this city, and will doubtless occur likewise in all parts of the state, by an order issued by Governor Gamble and General John M. Schofield, conjointly, for the immediate organization of all able bodied citizens capable of bearing arms, for the purpose of exterminating the guerillas now infesting the State. This highly important order for a levy en masse, within a brief period, has stirred up so much excitement that there is scarcely anything else spoken of today. Nearly every kind of business is at a stand still. Citizens are asking each other whether there will be a forcible draft if voluntary enlistment does not succeed. General Schofield’s order provides;—

1. That every able bodied man subject to military duty is ordered to report within six days to the nearest military post, with a gun and a horse, if possible, but without them if neither can be provided.

2. All arms not in use by loyal militia will be seized immediately.

3. The militia will be organized into companies, selecting their own officers.

4. Troops thus organized shall be subject to the rules and articles of war.

5. Furloughs will be given to such militiamen as cannot be absent from their business without serious detriment not to exceed ten days in duration.

6. The enrollment of militia in St. Louis to be under the direction of Colonel Lewis Merrill.

In accordance with the last section of the above order, Colonel Merrill has appointed enrolling officers for every ward, and the work will be commenced immediately. An order has likewise been issued by the Provost Marshall General, providing that all dealers in arms and ammunition shall cease offering the same for sale, and furnish the marshal with an inventory of the stocks on hand, so that the same may be taken into possession of the government if necessary. The removal or concealment of arms or ammunition will be regarded as a grave military crime, and parties guilty of the same will be treated as traitors.

That these stringent orders should cause some excitement is not surprising; but when it is shown what a narrow escape St. Louis has had from the machinations of rebels, the surprise will be still less. There is reason to believe that a plot has been hatching for weeks by which the rebels hoped to dispossess the Union authorities of this city. This plan was simple in design and possible of execution. The fortifications around the city are feebly garrisoned, and a sally of twenty determined men into each one of them on any dark night might have resulted in their capture. The city is full of secession vagabonds, both enough and sufficiently reckless of consequences to attempt the seizure. Once in possession of these famous Fremont fortifications, and the city would be entirely at their mercy. An uprising of secession citizens and a reorganization of the city government would speedily follow. It is said that commissions have been sent to neighboring counties by the notorious Claib. Jackson, pretending to act as Governor, authorizing various prominent rebels of St. Louis to seize the reins of civil and military power, and levy a contribution on the Union people for the support of guerillas in the interior. This plot may seem preposterous to distant readers; but the facts show that it was clearly within the range of probable success. Less than fifteen hundred troops have guarded this city of one hundred and sixty thousand inhabitants till day before yesterday. Of these less than twenty-five men composed the garrison of each fort. The arsenal was nearly defenceless. A bold concentration of twenty-five hundred rebels would have sufficed to capture the city, and the assistance of the resident rebel sympahtizers would have enabled them to hold it long enough to inflict a very serious and lasting injury on the people and the city itself.

I have authority for stating that the ringleaders of this plot are known, and are under surveillance. When the confederates are ascertained all hands will be arrested. In the meantime the principals cannot escape. The first information of this affair came to light several days ago. One of the first precautionary movements was the removal of two hundred and fifty rebel prisoners from McDowell’s College prison to Alton, Ill. The prisoners left on Saturday. Very few persons at this time suspected that the transfer of so many prisoners had any connection with rebel designs on St. Louis; but the matter is sufficiently plain now.

The activity of the guerillas has measurably increased since the first of the month. The spontaneity of this uprising leads to the belief that the rebels in Richmond have instructed their friends in Missouri to create as much trouble as possible, so as to divert the attention of Western troops in this State, and thereby prevent the sending of reinforcements to McClellan. The order for drafting all able bodied Missourians will nip this snug little scheme in the bud. The boldness of the guerillas is unquestionable. On the 21st a band of three hundred attacked two companies of State troops at Greenville, fifty miles south of Pilot Knob. The State troops were routed and Capt. Leeper, their commander, killed. A fight took place on the 20th, ten miles from Memphis, Scotland county, which lasted one hour, between four companies of Merrill’s horse and Porter’s guerillas. The latter were defeated, and it is said Porter was killed. This man has lately been very active in committing outrages on Union men in North Missouri, and news of his death is hailed with great satisfaction.

Sedalia, the terminus of the Pacific Railroad, was thrown into a fever of excitement a few days ago by a report that three hundred guerillas were approaching that place. It turned out that the report was false as to the distance. The commander of the post has received word that there are five hundred rebels in arms in Henry county waging war on Union citizens.

Benton county and the vicinity of the Osage river, between Warsaw and Osceola, have lately been thick with rebel bushwackers. Major Eno, with two companies of cavalry, has left the country rather quiet lately. They are said to have killed about fifty guerillas during the last month.

Saline county, the former residence of Claib, Jackson, has also been the scene of several guerilla outrages within a few days. On the 17th, twenty thieves claiming to be Southern soldiers entered the town of Cambridge, in this county, and sacked the stores and dwellings of several hundred dollars worth of property, besides abusing the inhabitants most shamefully. Two companies of State troops were recently withdrawn from the town. This is the invariable result; as soon as Union troops are withdrawn from a place it is the signal for outrages on Union men.

The mail carriers in Saline and Lafayette counties are constantly stopped by guerrillas. The contents of the mails from Harrisonville bound to Lexington were destroyed on the 12th, and the next day the mail between Lexington and Independence was destroyed by guerillas. They took the mail carrier’s horses in each case. The last route is one of those recently restored by the Postmaster General.

The town of Frankfort, Saline county, on the Missouri river, was robbed in the same manner as Cambridge, on the 15th inst., by three hundred guerillas. Columbia, the county seat of Boone county, was likewise visited by guerillas last week; but the rebel residents persuaded them to leave without doing any damage, for fear of provoking retaliation on the part of the Union troops.

A Missouri river captain makes the following report: —

At various points on the river, if not at all, there existed considerable excitement, and the secesh were, as usual, jubilant, and declared that when Price would again come into the State he would be welcomed and instantly joined by a hundred thousand men.

There seemed to be an organized rising of guerrilla parties in different counties, and a determination to commit as much mischief as possible while the Union sentiment was quiescent and meek.

The garrison at Rola has lately been strengthened in anticipation of an attack on that place.

Mr. Samuel Gaston, an old resident of Lafayette county, was brutally murdered for loyalty to the Union by guerillas on the 15th inst. Mr. Gaston was carried off by guerillas last February, and released, after a long detention, on paying a large sum of money. He invoked the aid of the military to recover some of his property, and this act exasperated the guerillas so much that they threatened his life. On the 15th he was on his way home with his nephew. Four men stopped them, took Gaston aside and shot him dead. The nephew ran and escaped in the brush. One of his murderers was subsequently captured and shot.

These outrages, occurring in the four sections of the State, are only a few of the many instances of robbery and assassination by guerillas which are reported. The necessity for vigorous treatment and the annihilation of these gangs is apparent.

A young man named Legrand Ham was lynched by the indignant citizens of Franklin county on the 16th inst., for murdering his own sister while she was comforting the last moments of his and her father. The only reason for this fratricidal act was that the father had made his will, leaving the daughter more property than the wicked son.

Thirteen hundred paroled soldiers recently arrived here from the South, being a portion of the prisoners captured at Shiloh. They have lately been in a state bordering on mutiny, caused by bad treatment and by a supposed attempt to make them violate their parole. The matter has, however, been remedied. Brigadier General McKean has been placed in command over all paroled prisoners in the department.

July 26, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

(FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.)

RICHMOND, VA., July 22.

It would not be invidious to say, when […..] had done well in the late battles before Richmond, that there was no division in the army which rendered more effectual service in repulsing the Yankees from Richmond, than the division of Major General A.P. HILL; and amongst the many distinguished brigades in that division, none were conspicuous for coolness, bravery and gallant deeds that Brig. Gen. Gregg’s brigade during the battle of the 27th, called ‘Cold Harbor.’

From my position during that memorable day, I had every opportunity of seeing the movement of Gregg’s brigade, and I propose giving a brief sketch of its movements:

When Gen. Hill’s division was advancing upon Mechanicsville by the Meadow Bridge road, Gregg’s brigade was put in the rear — Fields, Anderson and Pender in the advance. These advanced brigades gallantly drove the enemy from the Meadow Bridge back upon his strong works in and around Mechanicsville, and by dark had all his works captured but one, which he was compelled to leave before sunrise the next morning. During the engagement there seemed to be no need of Gregg’s brigade, and he was ordered to form line of battle as a support to the other brigades. Although not being actually in the engagement, yet they had to stand under a destructive fire of shell and grape from two batteries of the enemy for two and a half hours, having many killed and wounded.

The next morning, Friday, 27th, Gen. Lee having determined to move in three columns upon the enemy down the Chickahominy, assigned the right to Longstreet, the centre to Hill, and the left to Jackson. General Hill now placed General Gregg brigade in the advance of his division, where he had been anxious to get as soon as it was known we were going to attack the enemy. The respective columns moved down the Chickahominy as fast as circumstances would allow; Gregg’s brigade pressing so close upon the heels of the enemy, that they were compelled to leave piles of commissary and quartermaster’s stores, knapsacks, trunks, wagons, ambulances, pontoon bridges, large boats mounted on wheels, and every appliance for carrying on war that any nation could desire. I could but be struck while looking at the deserted camps of the Yankees, with the contrast between the two armies, then opposing each other, in point of military equipments. The one armed with the most improved guns and death dealing instruments that his own country and Europe could afford. Ours, with just such guns as we found in the Confederate States upon secession — such as we took in battles from the enemy, or such as we could run the blockade with; with not a grain of powder to spare on our part, while the others have thousands of pounds to blow up in heaps, whenever hard pressed. But the sequel of the battles proved that it is not fine guns and equipments, nor great military displays, that wins battles. It is the strong arm and stout hearts, nerved with a love of country, when well directed, wins battles.

But to return to our Brigade, which had pressed so close upon the rear of the enemy that he was overtaken at Gaines’ Mill, where he had posted a strong rear guard to prevent our rebuilding the bridge. General Gregg soon formed his Brigade — Cols. Hamilton, Marshall, Edwards, and Barnes — in line of battle. The Brigade advanced upon the enemy, and, after a sharp contest of fifteen or twenty minutes, they retreated in the direction of Cold Harbor, their strong position.

While the bridge was being rebuilt by the pioneers, the troops had a fine chance to luxuriate upon soda crackers, cheese, pickles, lobsters, &c., which were found in great abundance near the mill, in a hastily deserted camp of the Yankees. Your humble servant supplied his haversack with four days’ rations of these new luxuries. I am satisfied that our troops would have fought three days around such a pile of nick nacks before deserting them. But some Generals contend that it is best to starve troops to make them fight well. Be that as it may, the brigade passed over Gaines’ Mill with haversacks full of Yankee good things in pursuit of the enemy.

Gregg’s brigade was again put in the advance to scour the woods and fields, on the left of the road leading to Cold Harbor, while the other brigades of the division were sent to the right. Gregg formed line of battle, and advanced on the enemy, flushing his rear guard two or three times in the pines — carrying on a running fight, in which we killed and wounded many of the enemy, having only a few wounded on our side. When near Cold Harbor House Gen. Gregg halted his brigade, to rest for a few moments, while he advanced Capt. Crenshaw’s battery to the front, in an old field, for the purpose of discovering where the enemy’s batteries were posted. Our battery opened in gallant style, and it was not long before the enemy opened with two heavy batteries, posted in front, and within a mile of our position. The shot and shell from the enemy’s batteries fell like hail around the Crenshaw battery and in the brigade, but not a man flinched from his post. There is no ordeal to a soldier more trying to his courage than to be shot at with shell and grape, and not the power to return the fire. During this trial to the brigade, the Crenshaw battery gallantly responded by some as fine shooting as I saw during the series of battles before Richmond. They fought the enemy for four hours, and did them, as was afterwards ascertained, considerable damage. They had 13 men killed, 24 wounded, and 28 horses killed.

General Gregg was not the man to play at long taw, long; he soon formed his brigade in line of battle, and dashed on the right wing of the enemy, driving them in a gallant style over fallen trees, through marshes and branches, until his brigade gained the brow of the hill, where were posted about 8000 of the enemy, besides heavy batteries. Receiving orders from General Hill not to advance further until the other brigades had got in position, he rested here his brigade from two to four p.m. During this respite on our part, the enemy kept up a continual fire of shell, grape and canister upon the brigade, now and then killing a man and wounding many. The General, under this fire, became very impatient for orders to advance, and at four, p.m., he was permitted to advance. For this purpose he formed Cols. Hamilton’s and Barnes’ regiments in line of battle and ordered them to advance to the left, which was the extreme right of the enemy, dislodge them, and take their batteries if possible. These two regiments advanced in gallant style, driving in the enemy’s pickets until they came to the edge of the open field, where were posted a large force of the enemy and two batteries. As soon as the regiments presented themselves on the edge of the field, they were met by a most terrific fire of grape, canister and musketry. They, in turn, opened a deadly fire upon the enemy, but their guns could not reach the enemy’s batteries; but they slayed them that were posted in front of the battery on the brow of the hill. To prevent the regiments from being cut to pieces by the artillery, they fell back under cover of the hill after having held their position for over one hour. Here they kept up a strong fire upon the enemy, preventing any advance on his part.

There was another battery that had been playing upon the right of the brigade, besides a large body of the enemy, posted in the woods in rear of the place where the battery was supposed to be. The General determined to take it and drive the enemy back, and for this purpose he called for Col. Marshall’s 1st So. Co. Rifles, which responded through its gallant Colonel, who stepped in front of his regiment and told the General he would do it, if it were possible. He formed his ‘Brown Coats,’ as the enemy called them, in line of battle, throwing out his skirmishers one hundred yards in advance of the regiment. — Before giving the word to advance, he addressed them in a few words, the most eloquent, yet solemn, that I had ever before heard. ‘Remember the State you are from; put your trust in God; acquit yourselves like men, and follow me.’ — There was a coolness and calmness of the Colonel under the balls of the enemy, while he was getting his regiment ready for the charge, that inspired every heart in the regiment to follow him to the death. The regiment was put in motion at a quick, and as soon as they entered the open field the Colonel gave the command — ‘Charge bayonets !’ Here he was met by a most destructive fire in front from Gen. Sykes’ brigade of five regiments of regulars and the 69th Pennsylvania, and from the New York Zouaves on his left. As soon as the regiment reached the middle of the field, the two batteries of the enemy on his left poured into the regiment a perfect hail of grape and canister. The men fell thick and fast from one end of the line to the other, yet they never faltered. Finding that the enemy had removed their battery, they dashed on to the woods, where they closed in at once upon the enemy. Here they commenced a most deadly fire upon Gen. Sykes’ brigade, steadily advancing as they delivered their fire, until they had driven the brigade over the branch, back to their camp, some of the men actually going into the camp.

The Zouaves, finding that this regiment had no support, and that there was nothing in its rear, dashed down on the left, with a view, no doubt, of capturing it. No sooner was this movement discovered, than the left wing of the regiment about-faced, and poured a deadly fire into their ranks, and brought their left to a stand still. This fire was kept up for more than an hour on five regiments in front, which the prisoners said the next day had given way after the first half hour, and the Zouaves on the left. To prevent his regiment from being annihilated, seeing that no support came to his relief, the Colonel formed his regiment on the road, in the edge of the woods, and conducted them by the right flank to the brow of the hill in the front of the Zouaves, where, with the assistance of a part of a North Carolina Regiment, he drove the Zouaves back, leaving many red breeches dead on the field.

Thus ended one of the most gallant and desperate charges that was made during the battles before Richmond, and none * I am certain was made by any regiment under so destructive a cross fire. The loss of the regiment was 81 killed, 234 wounded, and 48 missing — carried into action 537. Many regiments suffered severely during the battle, but no account that I have seen published can compare with the killed and wounded of this regiment.

The other regiment of the brigade, Colonel Edwards, was ordered to act as a support to the brigade, and to move as circumstances demanded. It suffered severely in the exposed position in which it was placed.

About 6 p.m., Colonel McGowan’s regiment, which had been left on picket duty at the old camp, came up, and Gen. Gregg ordered one of his staff to lead it into action in the direction of the ground occupied by his brigade. It soon formed the line of battle, and advanced in gallant style upon the enemy, posted in strong numbers in the pines on the brow of the hill. Here the enemy opened a deadly fire upon the regiment, and the regiment in turn gave them a double receipt, causing many of them to bite the dust. This fire continued for over half an hour against tremendous odds; and the Colonel, to save his regiment, caused it to fall back under the brow of the hill. He formed again, and charged the enemy, who seemed to redouble his fire, that annihilation seemed certain. The Colonel again caused his regiment to fall back under the brow of the hill, where he held his position until ‘Stonewall’ Jackson threw his division on the centre of the enemy with such impetuosity that the enemy soon began to give way, and by dark a complete rout ensued.

Thus ended, Mr. Editor, one of the best planned and hardest fought battles, on both sides, that has ever occurred on this continent, and the one that decided the fate of the Yankee army. Had the generals in command of the forces between the Chicahominy and James river done their part, McClellan would not have escaped with 10,000 men. But it is glory enough for one time, to whip the self-styled ‘Napoleon of the West’ in six successive battles, and drive him thirty miles down the James river under cover of his gunboats. — ‘Strategetic base!’

During the whole of these movements of the 2d Brigade, Gen. Gregg bore himself gallantly in the midst of his men. Perfectly cool, and indifferent to the bursting of shell and whizzing of bullets around him, he played his part nobly, and sustained his former reputation for an accomplished soldier and officer. His staff officers, Capt. Haskell, Capt. Lee, Lieut. Haskell, Capts. Hammond and Memminger, distinguished themselves for their gallantry during the battle.

July 26, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

The fundamental principle of all free republican governments is — that the people rule themselves. They rule themselves through their representatives. The acts of the representative are their acts, because he is amenable to their control, and carries out their volitions. Now, cut off the responsibility of the representatives to the people; let them know nothing of his actings and doings, as their representative, and of what avail is the representative to the people? They can neither control him, nor rule themselves. The representative becomes an irresponsible ruler of the people; or, what is more probable, the tool of the Executive, from whom all patronage flows, to carry out his despotic behests. For the people to rule themselves through their representatives, it is clear they must know all his transactions, and be able to support or to repudiate them, and to continue or to change their agent — the representative.

To bring this matter nearer home to our apprehensions, let us turn to the election which will shortly take place for representatives to the Congress of the Confederate States. What do the people know of the actings and doings of their representatives in Congress, since the establishment of the Confederate States Government? Can they be called to account for their stewardship, and be understandingly approved of or rejected? They have covered themselves with the mantle of secresy. They established a rule amongst themselves, that if any of their members should presume to communicate anything of his transactions to his constituents, he should be expelled from Congress — thus, at a single blow, thrusting aside the people and annihilating all responsibility to them. The consequence is, the people, in the approaching elections, are utterly in the dark as to the transactions of their representatives, in a struggle for their liberty, involving all that is dear to men. Take, for instance, two cases, by way of illustration: The Constitution of the Provisional Government prescribes as follows: ‘The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, during the period of the Provisional Government, a compensation at the rate of twenty five thousand dollars per annum; and he shall not receive during that period any other emolument from this Confederacy, or any of the States thereof. ‘It is impossible to mistake these words of the Constitution. Human language could not devise a more distinct declaration that the President should receive twenty five thousand dollars per annum, as his emolument, and nothing more. Yet we turn to the acts of this Congress, soon after the President was installed in office, and we find the following resolution: ‘The Congress of the Confederate States of America do resolve, that the Committee to arrange for Government buildings be authorized to lease a furnished mansion for the residence of the President of the Confederate States.’ Here is a resolution to add to the […..] of the President a furnished mansion, equal to seven thousand dollars — making his emoluments thirty two thousand dollars, instead of twenty five thousand dollars. Do the people know how their representatives voted on this plain and palpable violation of the Constitution for the benefit of the President?

The other matter we would notice is the Presidential vetos. It is understood that President DAVIS vetoed more bills of the Provisional Congress, than all the Presidents of the United States, from GEORGE WASHINGTON to ANDREW JACKSON included. Do the people know anywhere how their representatives voted — first, on these bills; and, second, on the vetos upon them? Which of them supported this outrageous abuse of the veto power? What were the measures which thus brought the Executive and Legislative Departments of the Government into such repeated and angry collision, in the midst of a struggle for our liberties and independence, when conciliation and forbearance were so much required? Do the people know? Do they know hat part their representatives played in these grave transactions? Did they vote for the bills, and then stultify themselves, by upholding the vetos of the Executive upon them? Or did they oppose the bills, and consistently uphold the vetos of the Executive? Who knows? The people are called upon, in the approaching elections, to vote for their representatives, in profound ignorance of their course in all these matters — an ignorance forced upon them by their representatives themselves. Can any other exemplifications be necessary to prove the utter incompatibility of secret sessions in Congress, with the right of the people to rule themselves?

July 26, 1862, The New York Herald

The exploits of the rebel steam ram Arkansas, which recently descended the Yazoo river and assailed our whole fleet above Vicksburg, and escaped with comparative impunity to the shelter of the guns of the fort, while she inflicted considerable damage upon our vessels, furnish a new lesson in the art of naval warfare, in which America has taken the lead among the nations of the world.

The Arkansas is an improvement upon the Merrimac, the latter having had no protection for her portholes, while the Arkansas, like the iron battery in the attack on Fort Sumter, has a hinged door which falls down when the gun recoils after each discharge. It appears, too, that her iron mail is of immense thickness over her most vulnerable parts, solid shot flying off it like hail, and shells being shattered to atoms without producing any effect. So strong is she that the ram Sumter ran into her with as little injury as if a rock had been struck. Her great breadth of bean enables her to carry an enormous weight of iron plating. In another point of view she is an improvement on the Merrimac. She has a steam hose apparatus by which she repels boarders — a novelty first introduced in the present war. She has besides numerous loopholes for musketry and pistols. That she did not inflict greater damage is owing to want of skill or lack of courage in her commander.

It appears that a similar vessel is now being finished at Richmond, and is expected to make a descent very soon; and other iron-clad ships-of-war are in preparation in Southern ports and rivers not yet in the possession of the federal government.

This is what the South has done with its limited means and without mechanics. What is it compared with what the north can do with its iron and steam power, its boundless resources, its numerous artisans and manufactories of machinery? We have vessels now on the stocks, and some in process of completion, which will make short work of all the rebel craft in the James river, the Mississippi, the Yazoo or elsewhere. We have vessels which will ascend to Richmond, and take it in despite of all the forts and batteries on its banks and all the rams and iron-clad steamers on its waters. That they will do so before long there can be very little doubt. We are only beginning to develop our strength. In the present age we have given the first lesson to Europe in naval warfare by the battle of Hampton Roads. We taught them there the practical value of iron-clad vessels-of-war. We have given them a second lesson at Vicksburg; and it will not be long till we astonish the world with another lesson, and show the maritime nations of Europe that the American republic is as unconquerable by sea as it is by land, and that no earthly Power can assail it on either element with impunity.

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