September 3, 1861

• In response to a federal build-up in the West, Leonidas Polk orders Gideon Pillow to lead a force into Kentucky to take Columbus, Kentucky, on September 3, 1861, violating Kentucky’s declared “neutrality” and provoking the State and the majority of its citizens to adhere to the Union.
• Bushwhackers from northwestern Missouri undermine the structure of a bridge on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. The train derails and falls into the Platte River east of St. Joseph, Missouri, killing as many as 20 passengers, including civilians, and results in the loss of Union-controlled freight and mail. The event temporarily shuts down the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, which is the only east-west rail connection in the state.

A Chronological History of the Civil War in America¹

• Massacre on Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad; the rebels having burned the Platte Bridge, the train fell into the river—17 lives lost.

1. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

September 2d.–Mr. Miles says he is not going anywhere at all, not even home. He is to sit here permanently–chairman of a committee to overhaul camps, commissariats, etc., etc.

We exchanged our ideas of Mr. Mason, in which we agreed perfectly. In the first place, he has a noble presence–really a handsome man; is a manly old Virginian, straightforward, brave, truthful, clever, the very beau-ideal of an independent, high-spirited F. F. V. If the English value a genuine man they will have one here. In every particular he is the exact opposite of Talleyrand. He has some peculiarities. He had never an ache or a pain himself; his physique is perfect, and he loudly declares that he hates to see persons ill; seems to him an unpardonable weakness.

It began to grow late. Many people had come to say good-by to me. I had fever as usual to-day, but in the excitement of this crowd of friends the invalid forgot fever. Mr. Chesnut held up his watch to me warningly and intimated “it was late, indeed, for one who has to travel tomorrow.” So, as the Yankees say after every defeat, I “retired in good order.”

Not quite, for I forgot handkerchief and fan. Gonzales rushed after and met me at the foot of the stairs. In his foreign, pathetic, polite, high-bred way, he bowed low and said he had made an excuse for the fan, for he had a present to make me, and then, though “startled and amazed, I paused and on the stranger gazed.” Alas! I am a woman approaching forty, and the offering proved to be a bottle of cherry bounce. Nothing could have been more opportune, and with a little ice, etc., will help, I am sure, to save my life on that dreadful journey home.

No discouragement now felt at the North. They take our forts and are satisfied for a while. Then the English are strictly neutral. Like the woman who saw her husband fight the bear, “It was the first fight she ever saw when she did not care who whipped.”

Mr. Davis was very kind about it all. He told Mr. Chesnut to go home and have an eye to all the State defenses, etc., and that he would give him any position he asked for if he still wished to continue in the army. Now, this would be all that heart could wish, but Mr. Chesnut will never ask for anything. What will he ask for? That’s the rub. I am certain of very few things in life now, but this is one I am certain of: Mr. Chesnut will never ask mortal man for any promotion for himself or for one of his own family.

Monday, 2d–We are having regular drilling now; company drill at 10 o’clock in the forenoon for two hours, and in the afternoon regimental drill for two hours. Every evening at 5 o’clock we have dress parade.

MONDAY 2

Pleasant day and has passed off with but little excitement. People feel better since the success at Hateras Inlet N.C. If we are successful on the other side of the River we shall be all right again. Took a long walk after dinner with wife & Julia out to the “Park” (7th St) to see the Cavalry there, some 3000. From there we went to Camp Cameron to see the “Anderson Zuaves.” Saw their Dress parade and Battallion drill. Introduced to a number of the officers.

______

The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of   Congress.

SEPTEMBER 2d.—I voluntarily hunted up Capt. Lee’s report, and prepared an article for the press based on its statements.

Astoria, Monday, Sept. 2nd.

Dear Georgy: Your interesting letter was highly appreciated by little May, as well as by her parents, who thought it very kind of you to elaborate so nice a little story out of the materials. May’s artistic efforts were revived by it and all her inspirations lately breathe of camp life and army movements. I enclose the last one, “Recollections of what I saw on Riker’s Island when passing in the boat,” which is really not bad for a fancy sketch. You would have been amused to hear her reading the newspapers aloud to little Bertha the other day. I was writing at the time and took down verbatim one sentence. “We are sorry to state that General Brigade, a contraband of war, was taken prisoner last night at Fort Schuyler: he was on his way to visit the navy-yard at Bulls Run and was brought home dead and very severely wounded.”

The children and nurses have just driven off with a carriage full of little pails and spades to spend the afternoon digging in the sand at Bowery Bay. You know the bliss, especially if the tide admits of rolling up their pantalettes and wading in. We are having lovely weather, which I wish you were sharing. Indeed, I am greatly disappointed that you will not come on while things are comparatively quiet and stay awhile with us. Robert and I have had some delicious sails in the boat, for which I have taken a great liking, and we are having a quiet but delightful summer. To-day the Astoria flags are out in great numbers for our naval capture; a little victory which is refreshing after so many defeats. Abby and Cousin William are very blue up in Lenox and write desponding notes in the Toots style. The Micawber mood will probably follow, in which Abby will be “inscribing her name with a rusty nail” on the walls of some southern dungeon. Indeed I begin to think she must be in the confidence of the rebel leaders, from the entire assurance with which she looks for an attack by sea upon some northern port, while the land army meantime marches triumphantly to Washington.

We are looking for Sarah Woolsey this week to make a little visit, and were in hopes that Rose Terry, who was with her, would come too.

I sent your two letters to Mother, who will enjoy them as much as May did. When you write again tell us more about Joe,–how he is looking after the summer’s campaign, how he really is, etc. It seems strange to think that autumn is already here and the dreaded hot weather for the troops nearly over, I suppose. If we can get anything for you in New York while the girls are away, or do any of the things for which you have depended upon them, be sure to let me know. . . . I wonder if a season will ever come when for once we can all spend it together without the need of ink and paper. Some large, generally satisfactory Utopian farmhouse, where, as in Pomfret days, one vehicle and one horse (alas, poor beast!) and Mother to drive, would be ample accommodation and style for all. Give our love and a God-speed to Joe when you see him next, and insist upon his taking good care of himself when out of your sight.

Affectionately yours,

Mary.

Civil War Era Photographic Portraiture No. 12

Title: [Unidentified boy in Union zouave uniform with drum]
Date Created/Published: [between 1861 and 1865]
Medium: 1 photograph : half-plate ambrotype, hand-colored ; 15.6 x 12.5 cm (case)
Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-ppmsca-34499 (digital file from original item)
Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
Access Advisory: Use digital images. Original served only by appointment because material requires special handling. For more information see:
Call Number: AMB/TIN no. 3039 [P&P]
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Notes:
…..Title devised by Library staff.
…..Case: Berg, no. 1-3S.
…..Gift; Tom Liljenquist; 2012; (DLC/PP-2012:127).
…..More information about this collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.lilj
…..Purchased from: George S. Whiteley IV, Atlanta, Ga., 2012.
…..Forms part of: Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs (Library of Congress).
…..Forms part of: Ambrotype/Tintype photograph filing series (Library of Congress).
…..Exhibited: “The Civil War in America” at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., 2013.

Library of Congress item permalink

Mike’s notes:

Image restoration note – This image has been digitally adjusted for one or more of the following:
– fade correction,
– color, contrast, and/or saturation enhancement
– selected spot and/or scratch removal
– cropped for composition and/or to accentuate subject matter
– straighten image

Image restoration is the process of using digital restoration tools to create new digital versions of the images while also improving their quality and repairing damage.

2nd.–The following extract from a letter which I have just written to a friend, is the sum and substance of my thoughts, journalized for to-day. “Major _____ will not write his mother whether an attack on Washington is expected. I will tell you what I think: From the dome of the Capitol we can see the rebels throwing up works just beyond Arlington. Every day or two we have picket skirmishing. On Wednesday night we had, within a short distance of Washington, seven men set as picket guards. The next day I saw one of the seven wounded in the side by a musket ball. The other six were killed. Almost everybody here is looking for an attack, but I do not believe we shall have one. I have no doubt that Beauregard would like to draw us out to attack him; that he would then retreat, with the hope of drawing us into his nets as he did at Bull Run. But he will not attack us here.

September 2nd.–It would seem as if the North were perfectly destitute of common sense. Here they are as rampant because they have succeeded with an overwhelming fleet in shelling out the defenders of some poor unfinished earthworks, on a spit of sand on the coast of North Carolina, as if they had already crushed the Southern rebellion. They affect to consider this achievement a counterpoise to Bull Run.

Surely the press cannot represent the feelings of the staid and thinking masses of the Northern States! The success is unquestionably useful to the Federalists, but it no more adds to their chances of crushing the Confederacy, than shooting off the end of an elephant’s tail contributes to the hunter’s capture of the animal.

An officious little person, who was buzzing about here as correspondent of a London newspaper, made himself agreeable by coming with a caricature of my humble self at the battle of Bull Run, in a laborious and most unsuccessful imitation of Punch, in which I am represented with rather a flattering face and figure, seated before a huge telescope, surrounded by bottles of London stout, and looking at the fight. This is supposed to be very humorous and amusing, and my good-natured friend was rather astonished when I cut it out and inserted it carefully in a scrap-book, opposite a sketch from fancy of the New York Fire Zouaves charging a battery and routing a regiment of cavalry, which appeared last week in a much more imaginative and amusing periodical, which aspires to describe with pen and pencil the actual current events of the war.

Going out for my usual ride to-day, I saw General Scott, between two aides-de-camp, slowly pacing homewards from the War Office. He is still Commander-in-Chief of the army, and affects to direct movements and to control the disposition of the troops, but a power greater than his increases steadily at General M^cClellan’s head-quarters. For my own part I confess that General M^cClellan does not appear to me a man of action, or, at least, a man who intends to act as speedily as the crisis demands. He should be out with his army across the Potomac, living among his generals, studying the composition of his army, investigating its defects, and, above all, showing himself to the men as soon afterwards as possible, if he cannot be with them at the time, in the small affairs which constantly occur along the front, and never permitting them to receive a blow without taking care that they give at least two in return. General Scott, jam fracta membra labore, would do all the work of departments and superintendence admirably well; but, as Montesquieu taught long ago, faction and intrigue are the cancers which peculiarly eat into the body politic of republics, and M^cClellan fears, no doubt, that his absence from the capital, even though he went but across the river, would animate his enemies to undermine and supplant him.

I have heard several people say lately, “I wish old Scott would go away,” by which they mean that they would be happy to strike him down when his back was turned, but feared his personal influence with the President and his Cabinet. Two months ago and his was the most honoured name in the States: one was sickened by the constant repetition of elaborate plans, in which the General was represented playing the part of an Indian juggler, and holding an enormous boa constrictor of a Federal army in his hands, which he was preparing to let go as soon as he had coiled it completely round the frightened Secessionist rabbit; “now none so poor to do him reverence.” Hard is the fate of those who serve republics. The officers who met the old man in the street to-day passed him by without a salute or mark of recognition, although he wore his uniform coat, with yellow lapels and yellow sash; and one of a group which came out of a restaurant close to the General’s house, exclaimed, almost in his hearing, “Old fuss-and-feathers don’t look first-rate to-day.” [continue reading…]

September 2.–A procession of several hundred stout negro men, members of the “domestic institution,” marched through the streets of Memphis, Tenn., in military order, under the command of Confederate officers. They were armed and equipped with shovels, axes, blankets, etc. A merrier set never were seen. They were brimful of patriotism, shouting for Jeff. Davis and singing war-songs, and each looked as if he only wanted the privilege of shooting an abolitionist. The arms of these colored warriors were rather mysterious. Could it be that those gleaming axes were intended to drive into the thick skulls of abolitionists the truth, to which they are wilfully blind, that their interference in behalf of Southern slaves is neither appreciated nor desired; or that these shovels were intended to dig trenches for the interment of their carcasses? It may be that the shovels are to be used in digging ditches, throwing up breastworks, or the construction of masked batteries, these abominations to every abolition Paul Pry who is so unlucky as to stumble upon them.–Memphis Avalanche, September 3.

–To-day six hundred rebels under Gen. Rains approached Fort Scott and seized eighty mules belonging to the United States, killing the teamster. A messenger was despatched to Montgomery, who had five hundred men. He pursued Rains eleven miles, killing several of his men, when, coming on the main body of the enemy, a battle commenced, the rebels having cannon, and Montgomery one howitzer only. The fight lasted two hours, when Montgomery slowly retreated, keeping up a running fight until nightfall.–N. Y. World, September 17.

– Jeff. Thompson at Camp Hunter, Mo., issued a proclamation, in which, as a retaliative measure for Fremont’s proclamation, he threatened, for every Southern soldier and citizen executed, to hang, draw, and quarter a minion of Abraham Lincoln.–(Doc. 24.)

–The Louisville (Ky.) Journal of this morning, strongly condemns the proclamation of Gen. Fremont, and urges the State Legislature by its action to avoid the contingency of any such action here. It says the Legislature must now decide whether it will organize a body of local soldiery for State purposes, strong enough to enforce the obligations of loyal neutrality, or whether it will suffer things to go on as they have been doing, with a prospect of lapsing at no distant day into the condition which, in so brief a time, has brought on the sway of martial law in Missouri. [continue reading…]

September 2, 1861

• Vernon County, Missouri—Battle of the Mules [Confederate], Battle of Dry Wood Creek [Union]
• On September 2^nd, Grant’s Federals occupied Belmont, preparatory to seizing Columbus, across the Mississippi river.

A Chronological History of the Civil War in America¹

• Sec. of the Treasury issued an appeal to the people for a national loan.
• Legislature of Kentucky met; Senate 27 Union and 11 secession; House 76 Union and 24 secession
• Floating dock at Pensacola, Fla., burned.

1. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1861.

Another delightful day. Went to church with wife and boys in the morning and read at home nearly all the rest of the day. Good news today rcd from Genl Butlers naval expedition which sailed from Fortress Monroe. It will be reviveing to all after our recent disasters. Watched a smoke on the Virginia Hills and thought it might be from a battle there. Took a walk with Julia in evening, called with her at Doct Everitts. Came home and went down to the camp with wife & Julia to hear the Band of the Regt which performed very finely.

______

The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of   Congress.

Title: [Soldiers from Richmond Grays at execution of abolitionist John Brown in Charles Town, West Virginia]
Other Title: Young Confederates off to war.
Young Southerners at Richmond making light of war.
Creator(s): Dinkle, Lewis Graham, 1829-1906, photographer
Date Created/Published: [New York] : [The Review of Reviews Co.], [photographed 1859, printed 1911]
Medium: 1 photograph : photomechanical print ; image 19 x 14 cm, page 27 x 19 cm.
Summary: Photomechanical print from reproduction of sixth-plate ambrotype shows group portrait of soldiers at the execution of John Brown; most are from Richmond Grays (which became Company A, 1st Virginia Volunteers Regiment in 1861) including Robert Alexander Caskie, center with goatee; John Wilkes Booth, left of Caskie’s shoulder; and Aylett Reins Woodson, bottom center; also Lieutenant Julian Alluisi of the Virginia Rifles in shako hat at top right. Tentatively identified are Louis F. Bossieux, center right; Cyrus Bossieux, top far left; Charles D. Clark, top right; David Garrick Wilson, bottom right; and William H. Caskie, behind Charles D. Clark. Photograph was previously thought to be of Confederate soldiers during the Civil War (Source: Angela Smythe, 2016).
Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-8908 (b&w film copy neg.)
Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
Call Number: Illus. in E468.7 .M64 1911 [P&P]
Repository: Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Notes:
…..Title devised by Library staff.
…..Illus. in: The Photographic history of the Civil War : Thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities / Francis Trevelyan Miller, editor-in-chief ; Robert S. Lanier, managing editor. New York : The Review of Reviews Co., 1911, volume 1, page 145, “Young Southerners at Richmond making light of war.”
…..Photograph attributed to Charles Town, West Virginia, ambrotypist, Lewis Graham Dinkle (Source: Angela Smythe, 2016).
…..Identification of John Wilkes Booth front Antebellumrichmond.com, “Chasing Shadows 150 Years Old, Part II; Conversations Through the Glass, ” by Angela Smythe, May 10, 2014.
…..Original ambrotype in private collection in Richmond, Virginia.

Library of Congress item permalink

Smythe, Angela. “Has He Been Hiding in Plain Sight? John Wilkes Booth and the Richmond Grays.” Antebellum Richmond, May 10, 2014. http://antebellumrichmond.com/conversations.html.

Mike’s notes:

Image restoration note – This image has been digitally adjusted for one or more of the following:
– fade correction,
– color, contrast, and/or saturation enhancement
– selected spot and/or scratch removal
– cropped for composition and/or to accentuate subject matter
– straighten image

Image restoration is the process of using digital restoration tools to create new digital versions of the images while also improving their quality and repairing damage.

Tri-Weekly Telegraph (Houston)
September 1, 1862,

There are in this State about two thousand wheat growers. The crop this season is a plentiful one, and yet flour is worth $30 per barrel. Now, with all due respect–which simply means our own interests considered–we propose to drop wheat-raisers, wheat-grinders, and wheat-ground sellers, for the present altogether. In other words, we propose to discard the use of flour, and use as a substitute corn meal. In view of this fact, we will send the Weekly Telegraph one year to the man, or his friend, who will tell us the greatest number of ways that corn can be served up, as an article of food for man, not in figures only, but in living examples. Tell us all about corn meal, hominy, fritters, &c.

Sunday, 1 [September].–Drummed three men (youngsters) out of Captain Drake’s company, by [the] colonel’s order. The men all approve it but it makes me sick. The boys all probably confirmed thieves before they joined the army, but it makes me sick. Also sent back a waggon-master and drivers. This pleased me. The rascals refused to drive further unless certain conditions were complied with. Sent off, all right! Took the mutinous waggon-master off his horse.

Sunday, September 1.—Col. Geary received three hundred additional men for his regiment.

SEPTEMBER 1st.—The press and congressional critics are opening their batteries on the Secretary of War, for incompetency. He is not to blame. A month ago, Capt. Lee, son of the general, and a good engineer, was sent to the coast of North Carolina to inspect the defenses. His report was well executed; and the recommendations therein attended to with all possible expedition. It is now asserted that the garrison was deficient in ammunition. This was not the case. The position was simply not tenable under the fire of the U. S. ships of war.

September 1st.–North Carolina writes for arms for her soldiers. Have we any to send? No. Brewster, the plainspoken, says, “The President is ill, and our affairs are in the hands of noodles. All the generals away with the army; nobody here; General Lee in Western Virginia. Reading the third Psalm. The devil is sick, the devil a saint would be. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against me!”

1 September

       Lewis arrived from Virginia and went up that night to see about his Commission. He returned yesterday, having been obliged to wait several days to see the Governor. He had companions, for there were many there waiting for the same purpose. He returned having received his Commission he is to apply to the Surgeon General or some such person and then he will go some where. I think upon the whole it is the best, as he will be in the line of his profession.—

       He looks well and upon the whole I think it has not injured him. He says it was the life of a hound and all the evil selfish feelings brought out. In this Palmetoe Guard one day Capn Cuthbert would be very pleasant & easy with the men and soon after, like a raging lion. Many shirked duty[,] lied, stole, and others had to work all the time because they stayed in Camp and were quiet, many of the flourishing tales we heard of prowes on the battle field were made up for home. What poor creatures we all are!

       Heard from Papa he says Charles writes to him. Judge Law wrote to Mrs Butler she must come South. P. Butler is in Fort Lafayete New York Harbour, a prisoner. Mr Wharton her Phila lawyer is also in prison. Julian McAllister is promoted to be Captain in the U.S. forces. Mrs McAllister is with her Mother with her 2 younger children.—Ann Barnwell has an admirer in Lionel Nowel he is a clerk, gets 15 hundred a year & is said to be a very gentlemanly man.

       The Troops are said to be still suffering from fevers, &c., in Virginia. The Hospitals I expect are under the charge of inexperienced Surgeons. After the Battle we heard that the legs and arms were sawed off and thrown out of doors & windows and many lives lost from ignorance. Lewis has brought home a Dressing Gown taken from a Yankee’s trunk a pistol a bowy knife a picture of a little Yankee girl.

       After a great many delays Lewis got his appointment and the next day at 7 o’clock went off to Cole’s Island where some troops are stationed. We fixed him up and now it is proposed that Lewis should to applied for a Confederate appointment from Walker.—Mr Grimball is to write a letter to that effect I suppose nothing will come of it but one can but try.—Striving is the appointed way.—We made 4 calico shirts for Lewis and fixed him up as well as we could. We have constant rains now. Lewis said with regard to the Camp life that men did there what they would be ashamed to do at home.

The first armed clashes of the war, the fall of Fort Sumpter (sic), the subsequent route of inexperienced men and officers at Bull Run, built up the confidence of the Southern armies. One effect of such reverses was to create suspicions in the minds of many men genuinely loyal to the Union. After the equally inexplicable debacle at Wilson’s Creek in southern Missouri, we had to give up hope of securing any help from that quarter. Our location on roads leading from Missouri into Arkansas placed us between two fires, unmistakably endangering our existence. At that, however, we had nothing as yet to fear from our neighbors; the bete noir of our lives were gangs made up of thievish scoundrels who carried on warfare in gangster fashion. For their protection they operated under a flag; and under it they carried on their nefarious business of robbery and plunder. The objectivity and impartiality with which they operated were remarkable; their tolerance so comprehensive that under one set of circumstances they operated as good Secessionists, under another as equally good Union men. We were soon made aware of our plight; and to the best of our people the horrendous lessons of civil war were being learned. The terrorizing bands were outfitted in military uniforms; they committed deed of violence as if devils incarnate, and in every respect they were similar to the roving bands that plagued peaceful people during the Thirty Years’ War.

“Memoirs, Letters, and Diary Entries of German Settlers in Northwest Arkansas, 1853-1863”.  Selected and Translated By Clarence Evans, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Arkansas Historical Quarterly Vol. VI Fall, 1947 No. 3

Sunday, 1st–We had our first preaching in camp today, both morning and evening, by the chaplain of the Eleventh Iowa Infantry. Quite a number of folks came out from town to attend the meeting. At 5 o’clock we had dress parade with the Eighth Iowa.

September 1st.–I cannot but feel depressed at what seems to be great imbecility in the management of our military affairs. By whose fault, I know not. Here we are with one hundred and fifty thousand troops, and we can stand on our National Capitol and see the rebels fortifying on Munson’s Hill. I wonder if Gen. McClellan does not need a rest to hold his glass steady whilst he looks at them.

We have just received news of Dupont’s having got a foothold in North Carolina. This places us in rear of the enemy, and brightens our prospects wonderfully, if our army there will only press their advantage.

September 1st.–Took a ride early this morning over the Long Bridge. As I was passing out of the earthwork called a fort on the hill, a dirty German soldier called out from the parapet, “Pull-Run Russell! you shall never write Pulls’ Runs again,” and at the same time cocked his piece, and levelled it at me. I immediately rode round into the fort, the fellow still presenting his firelock, and asked him what he meant, at the same time calling for the sergeant of the guard, who came at once, and, at my request, arrested the man, who recovered arms, and said, “It was a choake –I vant to freeken Pull-Run Russell.” However, as his rifle was capped and loaded, and on full cock, with his finger on the trigger, I did not quite see the fun of it, and I accordingly had the man marched to the tent of the officer, who promised to investigate the case, and make a formal report of it to the brigadier, on my return to lay the circumstances before him. On reflection I resolved that it was best to let the matter drop; the joke might spread, and it was quite unpleasant enough as it was to bear the insolent looks and scowling faces of the guards at the posts, to whom I was obliged to exhibit my pass whenever I went out to ride.

On my return I heard of the complete success of the Hatteras expedition, which shelled out and destroyed some sand batteries guarding the entrance to the great inland sea and navigation called Pamlico Sound, in North Carolina, furnishing access to coasters for many miles into the Confederate States, and most useful to them in forwarding supplies and keeping up communications throughout. The force was commanded by General Butler, who has come to Washington with the news, and has [continue reading…]