October 25.–General Fremont’s body guard, numbering three hundred men, under command of Major Zagonyi, charged against two thousand rebels, drawn up in line of battle at their camp, near Springfield, Missouri, routed them, cleared Springfield of rebels, and retired.–(Doc. 106.)
–At Pilot Knob, Missouri, Col. Boyd, of the Twenty-fourth Missouri regiment, commandant of the post, announced the modification of the proclamation of Gen. Fremont by the President, and declared that martial law would be rigidly enforced in the counties of Jefferson, St. Francois, Washington, and Ironton, and that all persons taken in arms against the Government of the United States, in an irregular warfare, or who might be found to have participated in any manner in the burning or otherwise injuring railroad or other bridges, or cutting telegraph wire, or injuring any public property, would be summarily shot. Also, that the sympathizers with the rebellion, who were constantly visiting the stations on the Iron Mountain Railroad, and giving information to the rebels, would hereafter be arrested and dealt with as spies.–N. Y. World, Oct. 26.
–The Ulster Guard, Twentieth regiment of New York Volunteers, under the command of Col. George W. Pratt, left Kingston for the seat of war. The regiment numbers nine hundred and seventy-five men.–Idem.
–Gen Franklin extended his picket lines a mile beyond Annandale, on the Little River turnpike, which leads direct to Fairfax Court House, Va,–Walter W. Smith, one of the crew of the privateer Jeff Davis, captured on board the Enchantress, was convicted of the crime of piracy.–Col. Marshall, of the Seventh Maine regiment, died in Baltimore, of typhoid fever. He had been sick two weeks. His regiment started for Washington.–N. Y. Times, Oct. 26.
–An artillery duel was fought across the Potomac River, at Edwards’ Ferry. Firing was kept up by rifled cannon from nine o’clock in the morning until two in the afternoon. A large number of shots were thrown from both parties. Several balls fell in a portion of Gen. Banks’ encampment, killing two and wounding two or three. A few tents were struck and injured, rendering it prudent to move the encampment some distance back. Shot and shell were thrown rapidly into the Confederate encampments, doing, as is believed, serious damage. The rebels were also obliged to move their quarters/–Cincinnati Gazette, October 30.
–Yesterday, at Charleston, S. C., Judge A. G. Magrath, in the “Confederate” court, delivered an opinion with regard to questions raised by J. L. Pettigru, Nelson Mitchell, and William Whaley, as to the constitutionality of the rebel sequestration act.–(Doc. 109.)
–At a banquet given at Inverary, Scotland, the Duke of Argyle declared that “no more tremendous issues were ever submitted to the dread arbitrament of war, than these which are now submitted to it upon the American continent;” that it is “the absolute duty of Great Britain to remain entirely neutral;” and that “we ought to admit, in fairness to the Americans, that there are some things worth fighting for, and that National existence is one of them.” – London Times, October 29.
–The Fifteenth Mass, regiment, in Maryland, had to-day their first parade since the battle at Ball’s Bluff, on the 21st. After the parade the regiment was formed in a square and the gallant Colonel Devens made them an address. No description could produce the tender subdued fervor with which the colonel first spoke, the electric sympathy by which his men were affected, or the earnest determination with which the question was asked and answered:
“Soldiers of Massachusetts, men of Worcester County, with these fearful gaps in your lines, with the recollection of the terrible struggle of Monday fresh upon your thoughts, with the knowledge of the bereaved and soul-stricken ones at home, weeping for these whom they will see no more on earth, – with that hospital before your eyes, filled with wounded and maimed comrades, – I ask you now whether you are ready again to meet the traitorous foe who are endeavoring to subvert our Government, and who are crushing under the iron heel of despotism the liberties of a part of our country? would you go next week? would you go to-morrow? would you go this moment?” One hearty “Yes!” burst from every lip.
Brigadier General Kelley with Twenty-five hundred men, of Virginia and Ohio Volunteers, left New Creek, Virginia, at night, on an expedition against the rebels in Romney. Nearly at the same time, Thomas Johns, of Second regiment Potomac brigade, marched from the mouth of Patterson’s Creek, with seven hundred men, to favor Gen. Kelley’s attack on Romney, by a feint or diversion toward the north of the town. – Wheeling Intelligencer, Nov. 2.