Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About Weekly chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 183?-1864 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1862)
and cfcauk Hi THE BIT'S LE OFMtf'oH. • (*en. Offlciai -Keport. □ bADO’ABTEE* AKHr OF THE MISSISSIPPI,' 1 Corinth, Miss., April J 1862. ( i Uensral : —On the 2d ultimo, having ascertaro , !r, from the moveSle :’s of the eu <■ .iv on »h I’eanessas river, an 1 rora reliable -j.ces of information, that his ai ns would be to <ii. 3my communications in \\ C : i Tennessee, iv ib the >.!“"-rn and Southern Sta‘e : , hy opera ifons the Tocnrssre river, between Crump’s ■in? and Eastport as a base, I determined to .. i oie designs by con-entrating ait ray ava.iibie ces at and arcuuu Connth, -• _ -nwi.ii-, haring cal.eti on the Governors of ’n. States of Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama <l. Louisans to furntstt additional iroop.s, some ot them, chi fir reg'nr.'-nn from Louriiaaa, soon i .•ached tin , viciti’y, and, --ith two divisions of t'encral Polk’s command from Columbus, and a • oe oorps oi troops from Mobile end Pensacola, na ler Major General Gragg, constituted the array ■ i'ie il rp:. At the same time, Genera! -nston bring .it Murfreesboro’ on the march ' ("t m a junction o' m. forces with mine, was • .nod on to aei and at least a brigade hy Kail Road, >ti,at ve inigot ' ' - -.nd crash the enemy vhould he attempt an advance from under his urbns**. The rtll. on General Johnston was prv.ii.ptly c... ai with. His entire force was -Iso hastened in this direction ; and by the Ist of i: fi, eii' .Hod ! rc<i- were concentrated along < Mobile end Ohio Rail Road from Hetbel to , :iiitb. and on the Memphis and Charleston Kad Road from Corinth to luka. ft Wiia then and Lermme.i to assume the offensive strike a -widen blow at the enemy in position moler General Grant, on the West bant ot the i “linesHte, fit Pittsburg ana in the direction of Ha vijLiiuh, before he *a., re.nforced by the army un der Gen. Buei!, then known to be advancing for 'h«t purpose hr rapid marches from Nashville via Columbia. About the same time fieri Johnston Wjs advised that such an operation conformed to the txptf utious of the President. Hy a rap. i and vyo: n attack on Gen. Grant it w,i« expected h- would be beaten back iuto his transports an! r river, or captured in time to < i.abld u# to profit 1., thi: v.ctort and remove to tbc- r -r all It, t* ,u uiu rut ions that would tub into onr l.anrt.i m such an event before the ar rival oft, i Buell's army on the scene, it was never -..nt o.plated, boA'uver, to rotain the posi th-ii thus nine ! and abandon Corinth, the strata geiic point of the campaign. IV tot id geiierid officers, needful for the proper organization of divisions and brigades of an aimy '- oigin !>,•., stiildeiilj together, and other diffi culties ,o the way of an effective organization, de li red the movement until the night of the 2d inst., when it «i.i livud from a reliable quarter, that the piuci uni the eoeniy’s armies was near at h vnd ; it was then at a hue hour, determined that tii-'v attack should he attempted at once, incom plete and imperfect us were our preparations for sin !i a gray, a,d momentous adventure. Accord mgly, that night, ut one o’clock, A. M , the preli nnnaiy orderi to the commanders of corps were issued for the movement. On lbs following morning tbs detailed orders of movement, a e py of which is herewith marked “A, 1 w. i o il, and the movement, after some delay, comno noed, the troops being in admirable spirits. U was expected we should be able to ieach tl i: i nemy’s Jim i in time to attack them early on the nth instant. The men, however, for the most )lart, were unused to marching, the r au iw, urn I truyerniog a densely wooded (siiiutiy, became almost impassable after a severe rain storm on the night of the 4th, which drench ed tin troops ill bivouac; hence our forces did not reach the intersections of the roads from Pitta burg and Hamburg, in the immediate vicinity of the enemy, until late Saturday afternoon. it w.m then djcided that the attack should be made on the next morning, at the earliest hour prui.ticubie, m uccoidaucu with the orders of movement. That is, iu three lines of battle; the foot and . 1 e Gendin,, ftom Owl Creek, on the b it, to Pick Creek on the right—a distance o: about three miles, supported by the bd mid the res.irvi I’iie first line, under Major General liar dee, iv is cilia'itulcd nt hi:, corps, augmented ou ■' * * hy Gladden’s Brigade of Major General P.iiigg'' l corps, deployed in line ol battle, with tli. ir respective artillery, ’following immediately ly Jo main i ad to Pittsburg, and the cavalry in r.-' , of th«' viiugs. The second line, composed of tho other troops of Bragg’s corps, followed the first ut a distauei of live hundred yards, m the HBine older as the first. The Army corps under Gee; nil Polk followed tlue second hue, at the dis tance of about eight hundred yards, in lines of brigades, deployed with their batteries in rear or earn brigade, moving by Hie Pittsburg road, the < It vi mg an; ported i>y cavalry ; the reserve under i n.'.ud'er Idem ru! Breckinridge, followed closely i no third line, in the same order, its right wmg supported bv cavalry. B i hese two corps constituted the reserve, and were to .* upport the trout lines of battle, by being o; ployed whim required, on the right and" left oi the Pittsburg road, or otherwise act according to tho exigencies of the battle. At A. M., on the oth mstaut, a recounoiteriug parly ol tho i oiy, luiiug become engaged with our udvuiic.il pickets, the couimauder of the forces gave i . d -1 ,to the movement and attack as deb imined upon, except that Trubue’sßrigude of Breckn rid,r: . Division wub detached and advanc .d lo support ilie Ift ot Bragg’s corps and line of mil fii, when menaced by the enemy, and the other f a i brigades ium dir.. led to advance by the road to Hamburg, to support Bragg’s right; and at the same time, Manor's Regiment of l’oik’s Corps, was advanced b> the same road to reinforce tiie 1 1 ginieul oi cn ulrv and battery of four pieces, already thrown forward to watch aud guard Gueiy, Tanner’s and Borluud’s Fords, ot’Lick Creek. Thirty minute.-; . dor „ o'clock, A. M., our lines and columns were in motion, all animated evident i>* by a pivuti:-:r., spirit. The front line was on— i ,1 ..t one , but advanced steadily, followed in 'lue i l'di i' wilh equal resolution aud steadiness, by the other hues, which were brought successive ly into action with rare skill, j ulgment aud gal lautry by the several corps commanders, as the enemy made n stand; witii his masses, rallied for ill, : iruggle for his encampments, lake an Alpine avalanche, our ti nons moved forward, despite the i.etoi mined res stance ol the enemy, until alter 6 o e.oek, I 1, w hen v.e were iu possession of all hi i-ncuiupuienlH between Owl aud L*ck Creeks but one. Nearly all of his field artillery, übout th;i*ty friii) lings, colors and stands, over 3,000 pi i ni, including a division commander, (Gen i r.d I rentiss,) and several brigade commanders, thousands oi small arms, an immense supply ot sin .-.istence, loruge and inuuitions of war, and u large amount ot means oi transportation—all the substantial trints of a complete victory, such, iu ilee i, as rarely have followed the most successful ..'lei, tor never was au army so well provided as that of our enemy. i iip remnant of his array hail been driven in ut ter disordei to the immediate vicinity of Pitts burg, under the shelter of the heavy guns of his wi-n elini gunboat and we remuiued unvlistuibed ' asters ot his well-selected and admirably pro 'oh I cantonments, alter orer twelve hours of id stiuatu conflict with his forces, who bad been hem n Ironi them and the contiguous covert; but oni' bv a sustained onset of all ihe men we Could bung into action. Our loss was heavy, -ts will appear from the uc c»m ponying reiurt, n .ikcd“B.’' Our Command- I r II Chuff, Otinial V. ts. Johnston, fell moitutlv wounded, ami died on the field at 2: 30, P. M af l,r h.ivtßg aL< nit the highest quatities of’the ' niar.der, ami , lsonal intrepidity that in *l " “ '"il i round lino, ..u,l gave resistless ioipul *"■ t ' his e liiuniii at critical moments. i ■ chief command then devolved upon me, * 1 .'-ugh ui the time 1 was greatly prostrated, aud ri.il.a ,ug Ironi Oie prolonged sickness with which I lm.i bee ; dli, a -.mi early February. The responsibility was one which, in toy physical con dition, I would have gladly avoided, though cast up,lu mo when our forces "were successfully push ing the enemy back upon the Tennessee river, ad 1' ouglt . upperted on the immediate held by each a c rps of commanders as tlenorals Polk, tirngg, and Hardee, and Brigadier General Breck inridge, commanding the reserve, It w-is alter ' ,’clock, P M , as before said, when the enemy’s last position whs carried, and his for-.es finally t; ike and sought refuge behind a c. lomaudii'.., tmineoce, covering the Pittsburg lauding not more than half a mile distant, ana under the guns of tbe gunboats, which opened on our (-r.ee. eolu ns a firce and annoying fire with sot aud shell of the heaviest description. Dark ness was close at hand. Officers and men were exhausted by a combat of over twelve hours without food, and jaded by the march ot the pre ceding day through mud and water, it was there fore, impossible to collect the rich aud opportune spo :? ot war, scattered broadcast ou tbe held left in our pnsst si n, and impracticable to make any effective dispositions for their removal to the roar. t accordingly established my headquarters at Hu Church ot Shiloh, in the enemy's encampment, w M:jor Genci and Bragg, and directed our troops t s>. pon their arms, in socli positionsio advance ;,„d ;ear ns corps commanders should determine, .... . -,g u ... »> t eceivei by a special dispatch, u ,-t delays had been encountered by General Buell in his march from Columbia, and that his mam force couid not reach the field es battle in t; .to save Generai Grant’s shattered fugitive -drees from capture u; destruction on the follow ing day. During Uk' nig t the rata fell in torrents, ad ding to the discomfort and harassed condition of tiie men, the enemy, moreover, had broken their rest by h disc, urge, at measured intervals, of hea vy shells thrown turn the guuboats, therefore, ou the lollowtug morning the troops under my corn maud were not ;u condition to cope with an equal force of Iri sh troops, armed and equipped like our adversary, in the immediate possession of his depots and sheltered by such an auxiliary ss the enemy’s gunboats. About 6 o’clock on the morning of fthe 7th of April, however, a hot fire of musketry aud arttile rv opened from the enemy’s cuarter on our ad vanced line, assured me of the junction of his forces, and soon the battle raged wi'h a lury which satisfied me I was attacked by a largely superior force. But from the outset our troops, notwithstanding their fatigue and losses from the battle of the day before, exhibited the most cheer ing, veteran-like steadiness. On the right and centre the enemy was repulsed in every attempt he made: with his heavy reinforcements he drove • t ,rward line after line of his fresh troops, which ere met with a resolution and courage of whi ch —*« *!• . . ■■l j ——■ v . .- a u„» MMtft »i*y VTW’jli'f s"a tjatc ear ires?* were broagnt ;s -an etsrga, /-* variably to win the position at isaae, invar.ac.y te drive back their fee. Bui hoar by hoar tans opposed to a foe constantly reii. forced, oar ranks were perceptibly thinned nnf.er the unceasing, withering hre of the enemy, and by 12 meridian, IS hours of hard fighting, had sensibly exhausted a large number ; my last reserves had necessarily been disposed of, and the enemy was evidently ; receiving fresh reinforcements after each repulse ; accordingly about 1 P. M., I determined to with draw from so unequal a conflict, securing such of the results of the victory of the day before as was then practicable. Officers of my staff were immediately despatch ed with the necessary orders to make the best | dispositions for a deliberate, orderlv withdrawal from the held, and to collect and post a reserve to meet the enemy, should he attempt to push * after us. In this connection 1 wfn mention par ticularly my Adjutant General, Coionei Jordan, j «lo was ot much ass.stance to me on this occa- , sion, ns he Lad already been on the battle field on . that and the preceding aay. About two o’clock P, Ai., the line in advance, which nad repulsed the enemy in tntir last fierce j assault oo our left and centre, received the ordei to retire; this was done with uncommon steadi ness, and the enemy made no attempt to follow. . Ihe line of troops established to cover tbs movement, had been disposed on a favorable ridge commanding the grennd of Shiloh Church; from this position our artillery played upon the woods beyond for a while, but upon no visible enemy and without reply. Soon satisfied that no serious pur suit would be attempted, the last line was with drawn and never did troops, leave a battle field m better order; even the stragglers fed into the ranks and inarched off with those who had stood more steadily to their colors. A second strong position was taken up about a mile in rear, where the approach ot the enemy was waited for nearly an hour, but no effort to follow was made, anil only a small detachment of horsemen could be seen at a distance trom the last position, warily obsei ving our movements, Arranging, through my staff officers, for the completion of the movements thu.i begun, Briga dier General Breckinridge was left with his com mand :.s a rear guard to hold the ground he had occupied the night preceding the first battle, just in front of the intersection of the Pittsburg and Hamburg roads, about four mites from the former place, while ttie rest of the army passed to the rear in excellent order. On the following day, General Breckinridge fell back about three miles to Vicksburg, which posi tion we continued to hold with our cavalry thrown considerably forward in immediate proximity to the battle field. Cnfortunatuly towards night of the Till inst,, it began to rain heavily; this continued throughout the night; the roads became almost impassable, in many places, and much hardship and suffering now ensued before ali the regiments reached their encampments. But despite the heavy casualties of the two eventful days of the 6th aud 7th of April, this army is more confident of ultimate suc cess, than before its encounter with the enemy. 10. Major Generals Polk, Bragg and Hardee, commanding corps, and to Brigadier Genera! Breckinridge, commanding the reserve, the couu try is greatly indebted for (he zeal, intelligence and energy with which all orders were executed—for the foresight and military ability they displayed in the absence of instructions in the many exigen cies of the battle, on a field so densely wooded aud broken, aud for their fearless deportment as they repeatedly led their commands personally to the onset upon their powerful adversary. It was under these circumstances that General Bragg had two horse.s shot uuder him, that Major Gene ral Hardee was slightly wounded, his coat rent hy balls aud Ins horse disabled, aud that Major- General Breckinridge was twice sti uck by spent balls. . For the services of their gallant subordinate commanders, aad of other officers as well as for the details of the battle field, I must refer to the reports of Corps, Division and Brigade command ers, which shall be forwarded as soon as received. To give more in detail the operations of tin; two ha'ties resulting from the movement on Pittsburg, than now attempted must have delayed thio re port for weeks, and interfered materially with the important duties of my position, but I may be permitted to say, that not only did tbe obstinate conflict of 12 hours on Sunday leave the Confed erate Army masters of the battle-field, and our ■adversary beaten, but we left that field on the next day only after eight hours’ incessant battle with a superior army of fresh troops, whom we had repulsed in every attack on our lines—so re pulsed and crippled, indeed, as to leave it unable to take the field, for the campaign for which it was collected and equipped at such enormous ex pense, and with such profusion of ali the appli ances oi war. These successful results were not achieved, however, as before said, without a se vere loss, a loss not to be measured by the num ber ol the slain or wounded, but by the high so cial and personal worth of so large a number of those who were killed or disabled, including tbe commander ot the forces, whose high qualities will be greatly missed in the momentous cam paign impending. I deeply regret to record also the death of the lion. George M. Johnson, Provisional Governor ol Kentucky, who went into action with the Ken tucky troops aud continually inspired them by his words and example, having Uis florae shot under him on Sunday, he entered the ranks of a Ken tucky regiment on Monday, and fell mortally vvounded towards the close of the day. Not his State alone, but the whole Confederacy, has sus tained a greqt loss in the death of thi.s_bra.ve, r. right, and able man. Another gallant aud able soldier and Captain was lost to the service of the country, when Bri gadier General Gladden, commanding Ist Bri gade, Withers’ Division, 2d Army Corps, died from a severe wound received on the 6th instant, atter having been conspicuous to bis whole coins aud the army for courage and capacity. Major General Cheatham, commanding Ist Divi sion, Ist Corps, was slightly wounded, and bad three horses shot under him. Brigadier General Clark, commanding 2d Divi sion of the Ist Corps, received a severe wound, also on the Ist day, which will deprive the army of his valuable services for some time. Brigadier General Hindman, engaged in the on set of the battle, was conspicuous tor cool cour age efficiently employed in leading ais men ever into tbe thickest of the fray, until his horse was shot under hiui, and he was unfortunately so se verely injured by the fall that the army was de prived, ou the following day, of his chivalrous example. Brigadier Generals B. K. Johnston and Bowen, most meritorious officers, were also severely wounded in the first combat, but it is hoped will soon be üble to return to duty with their brigades. To mention the many field’ officers who died or were wounded, while gallantly leadiug ibeir com mands into action, and the many brilliant instan ces of individual courage displayed by oifi era ami men in the twen'y hours of battle, is impossible at this time; but their names will be duly made known to their countrymen. Tbe immediate Staff ot tbe lamented Command. er-in-Chief, who accompanied him to the field, rendered efficient service, and either by his side or in carrying his orders, shared his exposure to the casualties of a well contested battle field. I beg to commend their names to tbe notice of the War Department namely ; of Captains H. P. Brew sterand N. Wicklitfe, of the Adjutant and Inspec tor General’s Department. Captain Theodore O’Hara, Acting Inspector General. Lieutenants Geo. Baylor and Thomas M. Jack, Aids-de-Camp. Voluuteer Aids-de Camp, Colonel Wm. Pres ton, Major D. M. Hayden, E, W. Munford, and Calhoun Benham. Major Albert J. Smith and Captain Wickham, Quartermaster's Department. To these gentlemen was assigned the last sad ' duty of accompanying the remains of their la mented chief from the field, except Captains Brewster aud Wicklitfe, who remained, and ren dered valuable service as staff officers, on the 7lh April. Governor laham G. Uarris, of Teunesseo, went upon tiie field with General Johnston, was by his side wheu he was shot, aided him from his horse aud received him io his arms when he died; sub sequently the Governor joined my sass anci re mained with me throughout the uext day, except wheu carrying orders or eugaged iu encouraging the troops of bis owu Stale, to whom he gave a conspicuous example of coolness, zeal aud intre pidity. 1 am also under many obligations to my owu genetal, persoual aud volunteer stall', many of wnom have beeh so long associated with me. l append a list of those present ou the field, on both days, and whose duties carried them constantly under lire, uamely Colonel Thomas Jordan, Capt.dn Clifton il. Smith, and Lieutenant John M, they, Adjutant General’s Department. Major George O. liernt Aet ng Inspector Gen eral ; Colonel B. B. Lee, Chief of Subsistence whose horse was wounded; Lieutenant Colonel S. W. Ferguson, aud Lieutenant A. R. Chisolm, Aids-de-Camp. Voluuteer Aids-de-Camp, Col. Jacob Thomp son, Major Numa Augustin. Major U. E. Peyton. Captain Albert Ferry. Captain 15. B. Waddell. Captain W. W. Porter, of Major-General Crit tenden s Stall, also reported for dutv, ami shared the duties ol my volunteer staff ou Monday. Brigadier General Tradeau, of Louisiana’Volun. tears, also, for a part of the first dav's conflict, was with me ass volunteer aid. Captain E. H. Cummings, Signal Officer, also was actively employed as a staff officer on both days. Nor must i fail to mention that Private W. E. Goolsby. 11th Regimeut Virginia Volunteers, Or derly to my headquarters since last June, repeat edly" employed to carry my verbal orders to the field, discharged the duty with great zeal aud in telligence. Other members of my staff were necessarily ab sent from the immediate field of battle, entrusted with responsible duties at these headquarters, uamely : Captain F. H. Jordan, Assistant Adju tant General, iu charge of General Headquarters. Major Eugene E. McLean, Chief Quartermas ter, Captam E. Desionde, Quartermaster’s Depart ment. Lieut. Col. Ferguson, A. D. C-, early on Monday was assigned to direct and command the move ments ot s brigade of the 2d Corps. ° Umer ’ Cbief En S'meer, after hat in* performed the important and various duties-of rdf. place with distinction to himself and mate!tsl Benefit to his country, was wounded late on Mon day. 1 trust, howevr. I shail not long be deprived of his essential services. . F Capt. Lockett. Engineer Corps, Chief Assistant to Colonel Gilmer, after having been employed m the duties of his corps on Sunday, was placed by me on Monday in command of a’battaiion without oSsUsrjT TrSpSraflfcf" gtaeerz, aad Lieot* auei si*s read,»?- *a material a»& aver dangerous is ihe Hie of their duty. Major General (now General; Sraxton Bragg n addition to Ms duties of Chief of Staff, ns ha? bees before stated, commanded h:s corps—much the largest in the field—on both days with signal capacity and soldiership. .Surgeon Foard, Medical Director, Surgeons R L. Brodie and S. Choppin, Medical inspectors, and Surgeon LV VV. \ andeil. Medical Director ot the Western Department, with General Johnston, were present in the discharge of their arduous and high duties, which they performed with honor lo their profession. Capt. Tom Saunders, Messrs. Scales and Met call, and Air Tally, of New Orleans, were of ma terial aid on both days, ready to give news of the enemy’s positions and movements, regardless of exposure. While thus partially making mention o; some oi these who rendered brilliant, gaiiant or merit orious service in tire field, I have aimed merely to nonce those whose position would most probably exclude the record of thtir services trom the re ports of corps or subordinate commanders. From this agree able autv I turn to one in the highest degree unpleasant—one due, however, to toe brave men under me, as a contrast to the be havior ot most of the army wuo fought so hero ically. I allude to the'e.ci that some officers, non commisxioced officers aud men, abandoned their colors earlv on the first day to pillage the capiur 1 e d encampments: ethers retired shamefully from me fleid on both days while the thunder of can con and ihe roar and rattle of musketry told them ' that their brothers were being slaughtered by the ! fresh legions of the enemy. I.have ordered the I names oi the most .conspicuous on this roil ot I laggards aud cowards to be published m orders it remains to state that our loss in the two days | in killed outright was 1728, wounded 801*2, mis | 950 —making an agregate ot casualities ci ; 10, '-.99. This sad list tells in simple iangunge of the | stout tight made by our countrymen in front o: 1 the rude log chapel of i-hiloti, especially when u j is konwn that on Monday, from exhaustation ana 1 other causes not twenty thesaudmen on our side, i could be brought into action. Os the losses of the enemy I have no exact i Knowledge. 'Their newspapers report Has very neavy. Unquestionably ii was greater, even lo i propottion, than our own, on both days, tor u was ; apparent to all that their dead left on the held i outnumbered out two ui one. Their casualities therefore cannot have fqllen mtny short of 20,1'b0 in Killed, wounded, prisoners’ and missing. Through mformatiaoii derived from many sour cps, including the newspapers of the enemy, we engaged on risnday the Divisions of Generals i’nntiss, Sherman, Unribut, McUlernaud and Smith, of 9,000 men each, or at least 45,t>< u men. Tiiis f,.rce was reinforced on Sunday night by the Divisions of Generals Nelson, McCook, Gniten dt-ti and Thouias, of Major General Buell’s army, some 25,000 strong, including ail arms. Also Gen eral t. Wallace’s Division of General Grant’s army, making at least 33,000 tresh troops, which, added to the remnant ot General Gram’s torees, on Monday rooming amounting to over 20,000, made au aggregate loice of some 5-3,C00 mn, at least, arrayed against us on that day. In connection with the resuits ot tbs battle, 1 should state that the moat ot our meu who had interior arms exchanged them im- the improved arms of the enemy. Also, that most of the prop erty, public and personal m the camp from which the enemy were driven ou Sunday, was rendered useless or greatly damaged except some of the tents. With this are transmitted certain papers, to wit : Order of movements marked “A.” A list id' the killed aud wounded marked “B.” A list pf captured flags marked ‘"C,” aud a map of the field of battle marked “D.” AU of which is respectfully submitted through my volunteer Aid de Camp, Colonel Jacob Thomp son, ot Mississippi, who has in charge the flags, standards and colors captured from the enemy. I have the honor to be General, Your obedient servant, G. T. Beauregard, General Commanding, To General 8. Cooper, Adjutant aud Inspector General C. S. A., Richmond, Virginia. Tire Destruction of line fflerrimao. No event of the war has created more intense excitement, nor a greater outburst of popular in dignation, than has the destruction of this formi dable iron-ciad war vessel. Bucb were our emo tions upon first hearing the startling tidings. We find, however, that there are mauj who justify the net, and as we have conversed with promine t officers who were on board, we give their reasons lor the deed, and let our readers make their own deductions. These giotlemeu aay that, since the evacuation of Norfolk, the course which has bceti pursued, though a painful one, was an imperative necessity. Iu proof of ibis assertion, we have mauy reasons, but we have only space to enumer ate a few. It is stated that there are but two rivers iu ihe Confederate States which can accomodate a vessel drawing as much water as did the Merrimac. When she last left the Navy Yarn!, her dralt was 22 feet. Upon going down" Thursday, and driving off" the bombarding fleet from Sewell’s Point, she lay to under the guns of Crauev Island, that she might protect the evacuation of both tho Island aud the Poiut. Early Friday morning, the iron clad vessels Monitor and Galena, moved up in the direction of Newport’s News, and lay off at a dis tance of two miles in shoal water. The guns of the Merrimae were very powerful, but of short range, aud it was out of the question to think of engaging the Federal vessels unless they would come into deep water. All day Friday these vessels maintained their position, aud Saturday morning, the Roads was filled with naval vessels of various descriptions. The guns at Crauey Island and Sewell’s Point had been dismounted, and the Merrimac was compelled to keep close by to protect the retreat of onr troops from those points. Satur day afternoon the troops all got off’ from Craney Island, those at Sewell's Point having left iu the morning. A-council wa now held among the officers, and it was determined to try amt get into James Riv er, but upon consultation with tbe pilots, the com mander was assured that the vessel could net lie run in James River, unless her draft was reduced to 18 feet. This tact was announced to the crew, who received the information with loud cheers, aud went to work with great industry, throwing out coal, ballast, &c., to lighten the vessel. By midnight, she was lightened to the required draft, but here new difficulties interposed. She had come up so high as to expose her hull, thus reu during her as vulnerable as any wooden vessel, and the pilots came to the conclusion, that even with ouly 18-f'eet, at the present low stage of the watet in James River, caused by the strong wes terly winds, they could not carry her any dis tance beyond Newport News. To think of giving battle in her now exposed condition was out of the question, and to remain in her then position rendered her capture only a matter ot time. It was then determined to des troy her, and steps were immediately taken to consummate the deed. Her roof, already covered with tallow and other fatty maltar, was saturated with oil, aud her decks also received a copious supply of the same material. Her crew, number ing 350, were tlieu safely disembarked in small boats, and ten men detailed to apply the torch. This was accomplished by laying small trains of powder from each port to various parts of the ship, which upon being’ignited, speedily envel ope 1 the noble vessel in a sheet of flame The Waters were brilliantly illuminated for miles, but not a boat’s crew from any of the Federal vessels dared approach the burning mass to extinguish the lire and secure the prize. She continued to burn until 4 o’clock when the fire reached her magazine and caused an explosion which shook the earth at Suffolk, 32 miles distant, aud sent her enormous guns and mue hundred tons of iron plating flying in the air to a height of three or four hundred feet. The plates, heated to a cherry red, we are told, presented an aivlnl but magnificent sight A mo ment or two more, the flying fragments fell into the water, and all that remained of the most form idable war vessel ever constructed, was her char red and burning hull. We can well imagine the fie.udish delight with winch our enemies cnuukled over this annihilation of what had been to Gem a "rod of terror,” since the 6th of March last, and bow soundly Gen. Wool must have the first time since the terrible havoc of that memor able day. Her destruction has caused many a heart to throb with paintui anxiety for their fate, but if she could not have been made useful for the pur pose desired, then it was far better that she should have been burnt a thousand times than to have fallen into the hands of the enemy. Let ns now go zealously to work, and fill our rivers wr.h such obstiuctious that the V ankee .gunboats cannot possibly reach the cities lying on their banks. [Petersburg Express. Fibs is Albant.—A correspondent of :he Ma con Telegraph, writing from Albany. May 12th, says: Yesterday, about S o’clock, p. m., the barn, Stage house, aud stables, ot the Albany aud South ern lines, were set on fire, and in about half an hour entirely consumed, destroying a large lot of fodder where the fire originated. No further damage of interest. The flames rose through a heavy volume of smoke to an unusual height, and as the wind was blowing south-westward, for a while seriously threatened the central block of the business part of the city. The fire occurred opposite the warehouse of A. J. Cook, and fears were entertained for that building. The new brick store, formerly ocenpied by the late Mr. Farmer, was at one time discovered to be on tire, but was soon extinguished. Had it not been for the timely exertions and proper management of our citizens, the main business part of our city -night have been, in a few hours, a pile of ashes. The loss to the owners, outside of the buildings, is comparatively small. Thus tar, it has not been ascertained what the incendiary made by the operation, except that he made hie escape. „Tee Yankee Psisonees Hebe.— By permission of the Commandant, Col. Gibbs, we" psid a visit to the Confederate prison in this place iast Fri day. Several hundred of the prisoners were out in "the yard, enjoying themselves variously. Since the weather has become a little warm", it has been found necessary to extend their privileges. They have been allowed, in limited numbers, to spend a day at a time in the yard, within certain lines. The experiment thus far, has proved every way favorable, especially on the health of the men, which exhibits a decided improvement. Salisbury {N. C.) Watchman. jy || pi —— >- o tret;, ordered on tii afa inst., to march W Cumberland .void about sixieea ir...:-* - ■ '■c s.m,edu, i2 o clock, r.- :. -lurched tin *.. • - .. a.ght, our company (Baker Volunteers) oe mt, as usual, the advance guard. At about 10 j clack at Eight ws were fired upon by the enemy's pickets. This was their extended" outpost. It was raining, and dark as Egypt. We could only see the flash of their guns and hear the balls whis tle over our heads. We drove them in, and marched on until we were again fired upon by a large body of pickets. Vv ; tere Liited, and remained untii day break, thr»wmg ont pickets one or two hundred yards from our reserve. At day-break we matched cn about two miles, wuen we came in Sight of the enemy’s main pirket—a large bodv. Our compa ny wos at once deployed as skirmishers, and ir .he attempt to flank the enemy’s pickets and take them prisoners, they took to their heels, leaving’ every thing in their camp; fine knapsacks with clothing, elegant canteens, Indta-raober haver* sa. as. capes, &c. A*- took possession of every filing, and find good use for them. TV e got possession of some letters which should have been forwarded that day, but Gr their sur prise Some of them are valuable to us as they gave the exact strength of their force, their ex pected reinforcements &a., one of them was writ ten by an officer and aliuded to their last attack ou the Gap. Ha said they did not expect to taka the Gap, as they attacked wiip nut five regiments aid the artillery, but should take it the next time or all perish iu the attempt. He said they would make the attack in a few days with twelve pieces (! ■ artillery and ten regiments of infantry. The object ot their last attack was to engage the attention ot our forces while their Generm (Morgan) surveyed oar fortifications, &c. We ted perfectly secure uad wilt not beiiev'e they can tokens with any such force. We are in a post tion that we are compelled to fight, we have no letreat. t was mistakeu iu the torce that we took with us in our last march aud did not know the fact tili we had gone about ten rniies—neither did i know the object of the march unless it was to at tack the enemy. It only shows that small fish do not always know the movements of an army—and it is wtii they do not. Our loree was the 3d Georgia Batt tlion and the 11th Tennessee Regiment, and the object of the march was a feint to divert the attention of the force ai the ford, while Gen, Kirby Siliith marched wtth a force iu their rear to a place culled Boston and attacked a force which is there threatening Jackaboro in our roar, lie accomplished our ob ject which was to keep them from reinforcing ti.e Jacksboro army. S\ ... did not do them much injury, but certainly frightened them, as we marched within a mile ts their camp, 10,000 or 12,000 troops,and they darel not coma out. We took two pickets prisoners, and got a great deal of information from them, i: reliable. One of Camp’s Battalliou (East Tennes seean) deserted the uigbt before we left, and gave the enemy information that we should attack thorn inn day or two. Had they believed him, they could have cut us off, and perhaps taken a large portion of our force, We did not know that he had deserted wlien we left. Desertions are constantly going ou on both sides, Our camps and fortifications are in Ken tucky, and it is very easy for the pickets to leave their posts and join the enomy. The same with the. enemy’s pickets. We have two good regi ments from West Tennessee—they are true as steel. We hare also a battalion from East Ten 'uessee. They ere of no account, and are con stantly deserting. I am informed his morning that the General has ordered the East Tennessee Battalion back to Knoxville. 1 hope he has The force opposed to us at the Ford was composed of troops from Ken tucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and East Tennessee. Yours truly, * * * From ilia Lower Valley. We noticed yesterday the arrival of two citizens of Jefferson county, who had succeeded in flank ing the Yankee pickets and made their way safely to the Confederate lines. The accounts they give of Federal outrages in that locality are such as to arouse the slumbering vengeance of every patriot, and to quicken into life and vitality the Dormant energies oi tlios ■ who would obtain lieedoni with out sacrifices. We sincerely hope that Richmond may be spared the fate of the rich Valley of Vir ginia, and to avert it we invoke the aid and hear ty eo-operatiou of nor citizens in every measure advanced for the resistance of the cruel and wick ed aggressors who seek our subjugation and des truction. In Jefferson aud adjoining counties a thorough system of pillage has been inaugurated, and not enough is left the peojile for their comfortable sustenance. Negroes, whether willing or unwil ling, are forced away from the protection of their owners, and made to do duty by their Northern task-masters. Incidents of more than heathen atrocity are related but we will not disgust our readers with a narration of the most diabolical of these. A short time before bur informants effected their escape, a party of marauders went out to the fine residence of Col Braxton Davenport, one mile west of Charlestown, and deliberately at tempted to take his I fe in his own yard, and it was only through the intervention of his own lie gross that he was saved from death. Not a day passes that similar, aud in some instances more horrible outrages are not committed. From one farm-house to another, tbe plundering is kept up, and only two houses are left to each farm, no mat ter what its size rosy be. The meat-houses are broken open, aud their contents taken to feed the hireling oppressor. Four hundred pounds of ba con is all that, is left to each family, and whether large or smalt, they must regard it as their means of subsistence until the day of their deliverance. Amid all this oppression, we are happy to re cord that the people remaiu true to their South ern allegiance,and hopeful of the day dawn of their deliverance. Indeed, some who have heretofore been looked upo ’with suspicion, are open and undisguised in their denunciation ot the acts of the Federal soldiery sanctioned by their officers. It is said that several of this class of citizens swear that they will ueve,r under any circum stances consent to are union with the Northern Puritans The oath has been offered to a large number, but with few exceptions, it has been indignantly rejected.— Richmond Dispatch, 14 th. The Federal Gunboats in James River —The Petersburg Express of the 14th, has the following Edmund Ruffin, of Prince George, has just sent us the foiluwiag uotice ot the movements of the Federal flotilla on James River : “'Mat 1-3, 8 a, m. —Five steamers are now (8 a. in.) slowly pa-sing up the river by Berkley wharf. Four are large, and one sits very low in the water, supposed to be ihe Monitor. The atmosphere is hazy, so that we cannot distinguish their flag's, though they are flying. The small boats of the steamers, five in num ber, are no w aounding the channel over Harrison’s Bar," Harrison’s Bar is si x miles below City Point and at high tide, vessels drawing sixteen feet can pass over. It having been ascertained that the fleet could easily get over, the vessels came directly up head in ■ for City Point, Our pickets at the Point perceiving the inten tions aud uearnessot the gunboats, fired the de pots and warehouses of the Point, and left on an engine for this city. Several hundred hogsheads of tobacco, aud naaay other valuables were con sumed. An engine was sent down about 3 P. M., R.r the purpose ofrecounoiteriag, and it v/. - discov ered that the Hessians had lauded, but in what torce could not be ascertained. also had out thiir pickets in the direction o? -burg,a distance of two miles. the i t. rpsT. The latest from City Point is. the. win g a few officers and portions of itjeir ci -. wlo ca vorted about for awhile and appeum: to I on the best terms with a contraband or two « no con descended to speak to them, the , niv re embark ed, and steamed up the river, with tint prows of their Vessels pointing Bichmondwards. We do not believe that these Yankee thieves comtemplate anything more this trip than a gen eral recormoisance, but should they see enough to justify a favorable report, the inland cities of Pe tersburg and Richmond may prepare themselves for another visit at- an eariy day. Being fore warned, let us be forearmed, Tee Defences of Jakes River—The Peters burg Express says ; So far as river “defences 3 ' are concerned, we have the assurjmee of a gentleman who recently traversed the dames from the head of tide water to the vicinity of Newport’s News, for stating, that there is net so much as a pop-gun on either bank. In the early months of the war, we had i strong fortifications at Fort Powfiatan, mount— j ing several heavy guns, aud garrisoned by many hundred brave hearts and stout arms. These | works have ail long since been removed. The ! guns were dismounted by order of Gen. Lee, and j the men removed to points where there was not ] the remotest possibility of a fight The fate of j Fort Powhatan has be n that of Jamestown, Mul- | berry Island, Day’s Point, Hardin’s Bluff, ana ; other fortified positions. The Yankee gunboats ( now have free and unrestricted control ol the wa ters of the James, Appomattox and Cbickahomi- ! ny ri»ers. lney have ** da3h” to go where they list, as has been seen on the Tennessee and Missis- ! sippt rivers. On the former river they penetrated i as tar as r lorence, and on the latter they rushed past tons Jackson and St. Phillip under a most galling and terrific fire. That they’ will attempt j to go up the James no one doubts, and so high j up too as to get a sight of the Capital, unless ob- ; structions prevent. P rw‘: 'A. Later irotsa dri»asx*. Through the politene«Sof Mr. W. A. -*?r,»;d, j we are in possession of S-w Ori.v.na papers of j Thursday, Sin ins: one dh. later than our latest ! 'advices. Mr, A. iei: New Orleans Thursday iy ; schooner, but repot ts th it communication hus | since been cut-ofi'. A party of fViWraU Ironi tfi« city went up to t ie Jackson iaod to I’ava liau shac, on Wednesday night,and Uestroj - I our .-.o.iu of the bridge at that point, so as to cut off com munication in that direction. They captured on the way some of our people, who were at a sta- i tioti near bv, and it is said, took them lo the city. The inva’ders are already experiencing the ef fects of the summer climate ol the Crescent Oity, and, it is stated that about sixty have already died there They have established a hospital in Odd Feiiows’ Hail. Their conduct towards the citizens continued to be marked with great cir i cams]*-action and courtesy, evidently with the I hope of encouraging the development of tiiaf la tent Union feeling which they vainly imagined to ■ exist in our City The papers continue to be put to great straits lor interesting matter tor their columns, and t* or three arc going into the “ light literature - ’ Misiness, and publishing s'-orHs, rcmauces, etc , original and selected. Tae Picayune acknowledges the roceipt of a Philadelphia paper, and “regrets that ltscont- ts we of such a nature as to. ni.rke it almost a per tectly sealed book to U3, for any practical pur poses, under the recent pioclamution ot General BtUler ” The same paper cnr.ciir.ces that tho steamer St. , Maurice will leave the toot of Jackson street about 5 o’clock, this evening, under the charge of A i). Grieff, Esq., for Red River, in accordance with the arrangements made between the city and military authorities, as set torth in the resolutions of the former ar,d the orders of the latter. The Picayune has received a copy of the Ad vertiser and Register of the 4th instant, from which it makes brief selections, the greater part of the paper being-considered “contraband" iu that quaiter. This’ did not prevent, however, the assemblage ot a large ctowd on Canal street to hear the paper read, and we are informed that when the Stirling addressjof Beauregard to the “ Army of the Mississippi and Elkhorn” was read oat, cheer on cheer rent the air, despite General Butler and his Provost Marshals and his Massa chusetts regiments. No interruption, however, was attempted, and the Orleanois enjoyed the news in their own way, ihe following record of Wednesday’s proceed ings in the “Federal Provost Court,” wiii per haps be read with interest: Rather J. Carpenter, Rcdolphus AlleD,of Cos, A, Slst Regiment. Massachusetts Volunteers, and John E. Palmer of Cos. C, of the same regiment, were charged with stealing ale at the St. Charles Hotel ou iast Sunday, and were made to forleit two months pay and do police duty two months ; Chester Devins, of tiie first named company and regiment, was made to forfeit three months pay and perform three months police duty ; William Martin, Florence Barnard and Peter Ford, sailors, charged w.th drunkenness, were remanded to their ships for punishment by their officers; Titos. A. Fitzpatrick, Cos. A, 13th Regiment Maine vol unteers, drunk, forfeited two months pay ; Aiex. Stewart, sailor, drunk, fined $5 o suffer one week’s imprisonment m thb Parish Pri on ; Geo. D. Murbut, Reed’s Cavalry, drunk, two months police duty ; Miles Flynn, Cos. B, 30th Regiment Massa fiusetts do. do. : It. Phillips, 6th Massa chusetts Battery, drunk, two months pay forfeit ed ; -Michael McKern, same offence and same penalty ; Ed. VV. Outlaw charged with shouting, creating disturbance and insulting the troops pass ing ihe St. Charles Hotel, on Friday last, was sentenced to three mouths hard labor at Fort Jackson. The following oases were disposed of yesterday: Thomas F. Meagher and Michaa ICorcoran, 6th Massachusetts Battory, convicted of stealing hard ware, were each condemned to three months for feiture of pay and three mouths police duty—one in handcuffs. Rnbi rt Phiiips, of the same battery, for repeat ing his offence of drunkenness and disturbance, was sentenced to do police duty in handcuffs one month. Tfie Crescent has changed its “Talk on’ Change” to Talk on the Flags.” We clip from it this para graph :' t We observed yesterday at anchor oft Gravier streets, the steamship Tennessee, lately captured in this port. If we are correctly advised, she was leaded several weeks since with cotton, and, un fortunately fox those interested, did not succeed in getting to sea. We are informed that she was under sailing orders for New York. It iaust be nearly one year since New York was greeted with a direct arrival from the Crescent City. Affair* nt Pocahontas, Arkansas. A. friend has placed the Memphis Appeal in possession of a little Lincoln sheet, called the Dims ion Register, printed at Pocahontas, Arkan sas, where the headquaiters of Gen. Steeie have been established. It is dated the Ist inst., and contains the following items : The Ladies. —Pocahontas furnishes something we have not seen since leaving St. Louis—hand some young ladies. If those who decamped are as good looking as our samples, the country must be u paradise for young meu. Their behavior is la iy-like indeed; aud after seeing the snuff-dipp ing, tobacco chewing specimens along our march, they are truly refreshing. Our Camp.— Pocahontas, the county seat of Randolph county, is u toWn that bears evidence of haxing once been ® thriving commercial point. It is located on Big Black river, is high and dry above inundatiou, and would undoubtedly have been a hard poiut to take had it been properly fortified. The stores, excepting two drug houses, and all the warehouses, are deserled; giving the town a kind of a cholera season appearance. The country here around is superior to that of Missouri between St. Louis and the State line. Cotton and Corn appears to b • the ouly staple products. The fish in Black ri - r appear to have “ evacu ated” the stream ; in fact “ evacuation” is the fashion—the snakes and musquitoes only re maining to witness the advent ot the Federal ar my. ’ . Price Current —Tobacco, $1 50 a pound, and common at that; whiskey, $2.59 a quart ; butter milk, 20c, a quart ; common Merritriac prints, 40c. ayard; saleratua, $1 a pound; fish-hoooks, 10c. apiece—we know of a “good shot” who gave 50c. 1 for one, Headquarters Ist Brigade. ) Pocahontas Ark, April 22, 1862. j Company “I,” 28th Illinois volunteers, is detail ed as provost guard, and Capt. C. Churchill as provost marshal of this brigade and town. C'apt. Churchill will enforce the following reg ulations : Ist. AH arms and ammunition in possession of citizens of the town !jb delivered tip to Quarter master Jones. 2d. The sale of all liquors is posititvely prohib ited, except when recommended by a physician, and then on the order of the provost marshal. 3d. Billnge and theft will be severely punished. 4lh. Citizens will require a pass to ieave town, signed by the provost marshal. All suspected persons will be detained and stmt to brigrde head quarters. sth. No soldier will be allowed to enter town unless with ft pass signed by his colonel or other commanding officer. By order of W. P. Carlan, Col Com. W. G Whitehcsst, A A. A G. Sick and Wounded at Fort Pulaski.--We have obtained from paivate Henry Harvey Kin der, South Carolina Volunteers, who was brought upifrom Fort Pulaski with ihe flag of truce some days ago, the following list of the wounded and sick Confederate soldiers belonging to the late garrison, and still remaining a,t the fort : Corporal D. P, Landershine, Oglethorpe Light Infantry, left in charge of the hick. WOUNDED. Private Isaac Ames, Oglethorpe Light Infantry, wounded in the ieg by recoil of gun—had one foot amputated Private Shaw, Oglethorpe Light Infantry, left arm shot off and wounded ia the right arm and side. Private Wm. Stokes, Washington Volunteers slightly wounded in the side, SICK. . Sergeant James Creed, Wise Guards. Private William Bailey, Montgomery Guards. Sergeant M. B. Gilmote, Wise Guards, Private H M. Moulton, Wise Gurads, Private Jack Sturtevaut, Wise Guards. Private Sullivan. Private C. Donelly, Mongomery Guards. Private A. Ponce, Jr., Oglethorpe Light Infan niste L. Berry, Oglethorpe Light Infantry. vale Kicckh . Wine Guards. rmate Ricks, Wise Guards. i ,rule Mi-ha 1 Curran, Montgomery guards, f irate J. H. Jordan, Oglethorpe Light Infan try Pi irate Patrick Fegic, Montgomery Guards. Private CbSs. Berry, Montgomery Guards. One man, name not recollected, died of his i wounds. A Capture. —Yesterday morning a party of Federate, consisting of two Sergeants and fire privates, of the 7th Connecticut Regiment, were co ring up the river in a row boat, with a flag of truee attached. They were hailed and brought to by our pickets on the Proctor plentation, about five miles below the city, and turned over to the commandant of the river batteries. There being no commissioned officer aboard, the flag of truce was clearly illegal, and the party war arrested and sent to the city as prisoners of war. They had a document of some sort with them, of whose character we are uninformed, but the mam object of their trip was, us stated by themselves, to return a Confederate prisoner named Henry H. Hinder of the 15th South Caro lina Regiment, who was wouDdedaud captured at the Port Royal fight. The prisoneis are yet at .Oglethorpe Barracks, and we learn the Federal commander has applied for their release, on the ground that they were on a lawful errand, but despatched irregularly by an officer ignorant ot tbe usages of war. Tbe question is still under consideration with oar authorities.— SaT. Republican, loth. Dispatches from General Beacregaed.—Offi cial dispatches were received yesterday at the War Department from General Beauregard stating that two of the enemy ’s gunboats on the Mississip pi, heretofore reported to have been injured by us, had been towed ashore to prevent them from sinking, and that the entire mortar fleet had with drawn from the range of the fire of Fort Pillow. Richmond Examiner, 14th. Cfromor a* Skatottl. ■A 17 Ot’ & TA, G A.. _ TCESIiAV MOHNiAG, M V\* 20, l»o*2. OUR TERMS.—Siw.. , : - . per annum; three copies $5 ; six copies -jJO; ten copies sls. Invariably in advance.' No name will be enter ed on our subscription books unless the money accompanies the ordei The notes of all specie paying banks taken at pai VV a employ no ti a veiling agent \V fi Jt L v*/ - V:I stop the CHhONiOI E A Ssnti . t.i. at the end of the. \ ear, or the time for which ii is paid, oi which tac.ii saheeiilv r »dl receive notice in th*. , per, so ii.ai if you wish to con linue it. it we aid be ■< c-li -*o r; n '*.,* your subscrip tion ut [efts’, two weeks before ti.*: time expires WE CANNOT change the address of a sab scrib'ii unle.-s he gives us it tag as well as his present address. Stating f or.-' thou •in i men. enlisted by authori ty from the Secr-t .**y of War, w ? organized in Grid.:.., on ' ! 'u<‘<<’ay If. -t, by ti ** > ction of officers. L. T. DoYAC was t*;..o* *d Cob':*--’, Taos Sloan Liei'ienaat-Oolonel, James P. Sirs Major. Death of Frank C me. The Peninsula corres pondent of theSavksnah H-.r-ablicaii, says that Frank Cone, Orderly Sergeant in the Eighth Geor gia, whose death lias already bt a mentioned, was killed just before the regiment! ft the trench es at the evacuation of Yorktown. He hid jnet raised his head above the the works to get a shot at a Yankee, when a minute ball, ?p..d with un erring aeeuiacy from au enemy’s long range guu, pierced Ins brain, killing him instantly. We learn by a correspond.':.of the Mobile R.<oister, writing from C.-.rintb, that some skir mishing took place on ti. ■ night of the 10th inst., between Gen. J. K. Jackson's Georgia Brigade, and Gen. Lew. Wallace s D v sion, on tiie Purdy road, in which several ol the latter ware killed. Jackson’s force suffered no 1 is* nr injury, as tar as we can learn. Tia! A? wo anticipated, the <lc..*.*.}£« done by the dis ease mistaken for rust, iu wheat, has not proved us serious as was supposed Onr correspondents during the past week, who have kindly kept us posted as to the condition of tiie crop, almost without exception, assure us that a very percepti ble improvement has taken place, and though the wheat lias undoubtedly been injured, a batter crop will be made than has been for some time expected. We are assured that a fall half crop will be reaped, and considering that the breadth of land planted ie twice as great as usual, it is to be hoped that there will be no scarcity. Oilier crops, except oats, which are ru ted, are reported as being promising. Got ton lias sunk in to such utter insignificance that our letters seldom mention it. The Pioneer Paper Mills, near Athens, have been rebuilt, and aie now in operation.* There are many newspaper proprietors who wilt receive this as welcome nesvn. The Memphis Appeal of Uoj loth says, that the Provost Marshal of that place is instructed to ar rest ail p.r.-ons who ictus? to take Government cuiiency in payment of debt?, cither old or new. — It is about a month since be Ftdcrals demand ed the surrender of Tempo, Fla., under pa'n of bombardment. The C ail'edci te Major told them to blaze away, but they had not opened fire up to last dates. The Raima Reporter says that the wheat crop in Talladega, Calhoun afld Clierokt .* counties will be abundant, and the mill proprietors say that fiotsr will soon be down to tour dollars per sack. The danger from rust, which menaced that sec tion, as well as others in Alabama and in Geor gia, appears to be passing away—if it ever did exist save on the tongues of speculators. Edward Stanly is now on bis way from Califor nia, and will be in Washington iu a few days. He conies at the request of Lincoln for the pur pose of taking the office of Military Governor es North Carolina, his native State. Messrs. Bibb <fe Offut have established a Roll ing Mill at Montgomery, Ala., for the manufacture of small sized round and flat lion, including tele graphic wir«s, cotton ties, Ac. Ths Fifth Georgia Regiment.—Washington Artillery. —P W. A., the army correspondent of the Savannah Republican,, under date of Corinth, May 10th, says: The Fifth Georgia Reg'.n ut was reorganized on the Bth inst. under tho late act of Congress. Wm. T. Black, late Adjutant ot the regiment, was elected Colonel; C. B. Day, of the Ci nch Rifles, Lieut. Colonel, and C. P. Daniel, of the Griffin Light Guards, Major. Jas. 11. Rogers, of the Up son Guards, has been appointed Adjutant of the regiment by the newly elected Colonel. The Washington Artillery Lorn Georgia also elected new officers on the Bt‘u, to-vvit: Speleir, Captain ; Pritchard, Ist LietUetuht; Wallace, 2d; Doaher, 3d, and Roberts, 4th. Sale of Imported Military Goods, &o. —An auction sale of imported goods, brought over by the steamer Nashville, took place at W. B. Grif fin’s Auction Rooms yesterday. The articles were generally desired and the bidding was quite spirited. Below we give the prices at which the leading articles sold: Vulcanized overcoats sl4 to $28.50 each; do leggings, $6 to $7.50 each ; do capes and haver sacks, $17.50 each. Bone strap buttons, $4.90 to $5.85 per gross; bor.o brace do, $3 to $3.50 do. Needles, $4 to $4.10 per SI. Undershirts, cotton, $9 to $lO GO per dozen; do gauze, $13.50 to sl9 per doz ; do Novi gauze, sl6 perdoz ; do China gauze, sls per doz.; gauze pants, sls pur dozen. Men’s half hose, $4.76 to $7.10 per dozen; ladies’ do do $9 75 per doz. Black s pool cotton, $2 90 per dez ; white do do $2.75 per doz ; black thread $7 25 to $9.05 per lb.; whitey brown thread, $1,75 to $5 per lb. Grey uniforms, $32 60 each. Black cloth, $6.15 to $7 pery.i; blue artillery cloth $7 per yd. Blue caps and covers $2.25 each ; oil skin caps, $1.75 each. Grey flannel, $2.90 pr yd ; yellow do $2 75 per yd ; scarlet do s7*lo per yd. White blankets, 5 lbs, sl9 ji. r pair ; grey do do $12.50 per pair. English regulation shoes, $6 per pair. Rifle swords, $lO each; officers service swords, $.90 each ; sword bells and knots $9 50 each. C.S. buttons, sl7 per gross; C, S. artil lery buttons, S2O per gross. McClellan sa>-6 he shall push us to the waii. Weil, if it comes to that, there will be no cutting us off by getting ui out rear, nod wa can’t “fall hack,” as Las heretofore be.-u -, ur policy. It wiil be haul, bloody fighting to the bitter end. Moan “Dash ” —The Virginia Legislature have passed a string ol resolutions, one of which insists t at “ more enterprise and dash be thrown into the conduct of the war henceforth.” The same day these resolutions were pas .> : the chairman of the House Military Committee triad his best to get them together to transact important business relating to the war, but on v succeeded in drum ming up five out of twenty. The Richmond Whig recommends that the Sergeant-at arms be author ized to make a “ dash” alter the truant commit teemen, and says if a Yankee gunboat- was to make its appearance in the river, there would be a good deal more “dash” from tbe Leg;.-1 ■’-.u s into the interior. Hail Ktoem. —We learn that a severe hail storm passed through tbe upper part of Wilkes county on Wednesday, doing great damage to tbe crops. Provisional Governor of Kentucky. —Hon. R. Hawes has been e ected Provisional Governor of Kentucky, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. Geo. W, Johnson, who feii gallant ly fighting at Shiloh. The Richmond Whig says of him : “ Major Haws has been engaged in the Confe derate States’ service for the ia3t six months as Brigade Commissary to Gen. Marshall’s division of the army near Abingdon. The Legislative council of Kentucky could have selected no citi zen of their State more eminently qualified for the high and responsible duties of Provisional Governor than Major Hares. His high social po sition, his pure and unsullied public life, his unsel fish devotion to our causa, and eminent attain ments as a lawyer and politician, render his elec tion at this time peculiarly fortunate. He ba3 four sons now in the Confederate army. ’ A report has reached here, which is very gen erally believed, that Col. Wm. H. Jackson, with his cavalry forse, has captured 170 of the Federal cavalry, who were prowling about in Weakley county, 60 miles North of thi3 place. West Tennessee Whig, 9th. j it Lppaara that ihe S’eJ«jai guh-nohu ns* j Lien j perm ued to paas unobstructed nearly up to Rich mond. We hear of no batteries they encountered which were hot eesily shelled out, and no other obstructions. Indeed it may be presumed that there are no obstructions above City Point in the narrowest part of the river ; for the flag of truce boat which announced their coming must have been very closely followed by the Federal vessels, and where one could pass the other C3uld, and no time would have been fA to place obstruc tions if it were not air. ue. A panic seems to have seized the cits. * Richmond, in spite •of assertions to the cor or vra read of unau thorized persons taking . ntroi of operations and fooiishiy sinking v, ..j loaded with stone in sixty feet water, whuetho keel of the largest vessel in the world would never touch them. If Richmond is lost the people may justly as cribe the misfortunes to the apathy and imbecility of the Government. For one year the cry “On to Richmond’ has echoing from the North—for one year more than one hundred thousand mm have been threatening the city from different points, every body knew, what the government does not seem to huve known, tbat above all other objects it was the desire of the Lincoln* government to break up that “hot bed of rebellion,” yet, if it be true that the enemies fleet have advanced up James river, Richmond must fall almost without a struggle. While an army full of courage and zeal has been closing the front- door, the back door has been left open to the enemy, and all the blond and treasure expended in defence of the Capital has been Bpent, in vain. When we learned that the Merrimac was de stroyed, we felt confident that there yet remained sutlicient defences to bar the water approaches to Richmond, It appears we were mistaken. Not a fortification, not a war vessel, not an obstruction, had been prepared against the enemy's approach to t'us Capital of the Confederacy. Another Fort Piliow, on that narrow stream, would Lave stoD ped.the invader more effectually than one has stopped the Mississippi. There has been ample tiroo to build it, but nothing has been done. It is time tbat we should give up the idea that the dc ings of ti.e Government should net bo crititised — that “the king can do no wrong”—itis’tbe maxim of slaVeS. Richmond is not yet lost and we ere confident may yet be saved. A vietory over McClellan would drive back his gunboats as well as his army and redeem the Capital, if the fruits of the victo torv are not lost by the interference of the Gov ernment. But is useless to deny that the city is in the greatest dauger aud we should not ba sur prised at any moment lo learn of the migration ol the President and his Cabinet. The minds of tho people should ba prepared for the worst, and the policy of hiding calamities till they fall all at once with ten-fold crushing force upon us, should cease. The Richmond Examiner says that the Hem mac had on board thirty-nix thousand pounds of powder ut the time she was blown tip. For the Chronicle <t Sentinel. 'Hie Conscription Law. Mr. Editor .-—lt I read your position upon the power of the Confederate Government over the Militia of the States aright—you have fallen into an error. I understand you to say that the right of calling the militia into service rests solely on the Governor of the State,—that to give such right to another is a usurpation, &c. Art. 1, Sec. 3, Par’s. 15 and 16 of the Constitu tion of the Confederate States, read a3 follows : Congress shall have power, (15) To provide for culling forth the militia, to execute the laws ofthe Confederate States, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions. (16) To provide for organizing, arming ana dis ciplining the militia, end for governing such part of them S3 may be employed in the service ofthe Confederate Slates, reserving to the States, re spectively, the appointment es the officers and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.” These words are entirely free from ambiguity. The Militia Musters, traiuings, <fcc., are State ex ercises. The Governor of the State may call out the militia in case of actual invasion. The Con stitution expressly prohibits the support of an army by the State, under other circumstances. W. Wo d.tfer with our esteemed correspondent with extreme diffidence, but he muet allow us to say tbat we aro not yet convinced that we have fallen into an error. We do not understand that the clause empow er ng Congress t >provide for calling forth the mi litia, gives the Confederate Government direct and absolute power over the militia, to call them forth without the intervention of the Governor of the State, who is commander in-chief, (an empty title, if we are wrong,) aud the practice hereto fore has been in accordance with our views. If we are mistaken, then is the first clause quoted by onr correspondent, not “ free from ambiguity.” it direct power was iuteuded to he couferied, the clause should have read, “Congress shall have power to call forth the miiitia,” &c., instead of “ Congress shall have the power to provide for calling forth the militia,” &c. The übssdute power to call forth has been exercised in the Conscription Act, not the power to provide tor catting forth, by providing the mode in which Governors of States shall be called on to turnish their quota of troops. All this looks a little like “ hair splittin/,” but no member ot the antiquated State Rights party —no strict constructionist, if there is auy such now extant, can cavil at it. State Rights, even tho right of secession itself, would be of little worth, if the power to defend and enforce the right against any government were taken away from a State by depriving it of its military force The Confederate Constitution la identical as to these clauses with that of the Uuited States, and in the Convention which adopted the latter an ex cited debate arose on tbe very points in question. The original draft of the Constitution read—Con gress shall have power “to call forth the aid oj the militia, &c.” This could not be adopted. One eminent member said “ the whole authority over the militia ought not to be taken away from the States, whose consequence would pine away to nothing after such a sacrifice of power.” The clause was amended to read as it s ands at pres ent, plainly indicating tbp.t it was the intention of the Coiiventio i to restrict tbe powers of Congress over the militia of the States. The second clause quoted by our correspondent, has but little bearing upon this question. Its in tention is, not, to vest tbe whole control of the mili tia in the General Government, but to provide uniformity in discipline and arms, and this was the explanation given so the clause in the debates on the Federal Constitution—“ by ‘organizing was meant proportioning tbe officers and men— by armin'], spe.cifying the kind, size and calibre of arms, by disciplining, prescribing tbe manual exercise, evolutions, &o. .Such was tbe. extent of the powers confer red by this clause upon the Fe leral Govern ment, and the Confederate Government has no 3 ore. Ror the Chronicle db Sentinel . Our community was startled a few days ago, on receiving the painful intelligence of the death of our townsman, Dr. Francis H. Cone, youngest son of the iate Judge Cone. He was killed in a skir- , inish with the enemy on the 3d inst., near Ports-; mouth, Va. This sad news will impart a pang to tbe hearts of numerous friends and acquaintances throughout the State. “ None knew him but to iove him.” Lie was a member of theStephen»Ligbt Guards, from Greene county, commanded by Capt. G. O. Dawson, and was attached to the Bth Georgia Regiment. In the battle of Manassas Plains, he bore a gal lant and conspicuous part, receiving (and what 1 better) meriting the admiration and esteem of his j comrades by his coolness and intrepidity on that memorable occasion. i The writer of this brief sketch knew him well | an d intimately. He does not now propose to write his eulogy, but simply to announce his death. Dr. Cone was brave, generous and hon orable. He now filla a soldier’s grave near Lebanon Church, on the Peninsula. A Friend. Greeneaboro’, 14th May, 1862. Pensacola.— A private dispatch, dated Bright’s Place, May 13, published by the Montgomery Advertiser, reports that on Monday last the Fed eralists marched about 1500 men, with artillery and cavalry, from the Navy Yard to Pensacola, hoisted the stars and staipes in the public square, and garrisaned the city. It was thought that they would attempt to cut off the communication between Mobile and Montgomery—having a large force at the Navy Yard and on the Perdido. *(v» Ii , Vl-S tl>l-Jl‘.uliw*ii -l* Nuf*. ... ... programme of coneentiii,ou aciop., ;u , eminent, as we thick, wisely the Peninsula i endcred r as the city would soon ha v - the enemy and was in: siege. Though we re : * Merrimae has been destroyed, thus \ ■ ■ I opinion that she was moi c invincible!:. 1 | tion than reality, for she :*. i jin the harbor'o be blow; u r . modfrehot the seas as has h.-in „u':.post-.1 v t a fleet of Confederate war- ves-.-..-; j i ,■ cient to close James River and * t..;, , : Rici n: and if other eff. ctuil l *-f-nces have been prepared ior - , . , : the Confederate g*i. ,*ct r...i I.ocr vr. ..iris? in its duties. All plantsrs kno.,* . cue ( oy.p : -o > ■..-. -i Sometimes a farm . , , . ........ on account es uafi. . . gt , among his hands . s .ii.;» <n*. .* cause hi fi .*!« htmseif unable to such cases, when ho finds *,;v in ti grass” with no prospect <•: get. .„j cut, c , «*:s ,c cultivate a par: us his crop -fu it c.i.: and do votes his whole attention to the remainder ; be. the farmer who is not quite so aeu'e keeps to grubbing away ut the crop m ci ; • ly p': ' : and gets no reward for hi ! i'. Our managers at Richmond over c roj i r 1 thi m selves at the commencement. They ban a crot extend 1 ng' over too many thorn , *s of : -v.tar. miles. They had gangs of h ds 1 .>■ nd , *: hundreds es miles apart i* o patches. Consequently the crop »;■ :l > grassy in spots, cspec al’y nmn-i * r.ec. ebon “turned out” a good part of Wvstei .• V ginia, which was in reality ground »ot v.oi il tending, and Missouri and K* tuck' with a bit of Tennessee be one il b * ceive they had over-cropped t. a- i At last, however, they aro ovrnre . ri*. *ir rn-o and are turning rut wl : *1 : TANARUS, i not too late for them t.i mak i. , i .a .. the land they have and tei mined to v, . k , . Norfolk was one of these untendabie spots an. though we cannot bat I -ret i' .- . turning it out, we p.: .. re i . i ■> existed. It was rapidly “getting i . i;,.* ; r . almost post redemption, and ii v. *i v !■ •• waste labor upon it. Wisely the:., I■ ■ “turned out” though perhaps ii > ; . i defended had leas attention bc-ott soon, r directed to less important p inti. Every farmer knows what is best io be done when he has overcropp 'd t.i;.* <■ must approve tho new puli, y i orp in concentrating im fore *. .11! . and we may even hope v * clean what we have now ur.*!. I taken, * i ; * n ,y go back and redeem what we ti ougi , (communicated ) Murray Countt, Ox., May loth, 1 :1862. Editor Chronicle <1- Sentinel: Having seen Gov. Broi person who will discover s«l* rin. Georgia, or at least, water Iron, wl-i-.h eu’.. c nl-cl made, I write to inform you, unit through r u,H the public, that there me strong Ihdb , , of in my neighborhood. There are live sail bck-H within three miles of my house. On one us theml the stock have licked ! it : k ■ deep. At all of them the stock lick .: at I The reason that Iv. rite these furls t:> i 0.,, In, I poor man, and not- able to make Fat ueccsiai I test for salt; and being old, ■> the place of a soldiei in the army. Ii i, C.kH communication • ■ of some service to my r .uni ’. n 1 lire six miles east of Tilton, Hie ■ Jenofl to me, on the West, n ,t 'U any gentleman ■ the recessary test, will n. ( I the places spoken of, ts , i, t: : , L ..t H Yours, <kc., I Arthur Gilbert. H Tribute ol Reaps . I A meeting of Iho Israelii-.-;) residing in ihe ciivfl of Augusta and Hamburg on Thars-i ■>-, t- ■ Inst., was held at the rosidem I I. Mayer presidio . . ■ Ihe chairman explained the object o; the moet-B ing, viz: for thejrarposc of g r ■ ~ t , I the feelings of the meeting regardir ’ c-a. I ed death of Lieut. J. J. Jacobin. 9 On motion, a oommitu ootlb r - - 9 by the chair for the purpose of druftin • suitable 9 resolutions—H. Morrison, a. Lev . J.. L r 9 committee. Tbe committee report-.d tiu Soil-. .» - I ing ; I Whereas, our esteemed iri p. , j ,|. I cobus, of tbo Washington Aitiileiy, whi'e lnblyß defending our oountry’s rights ; I the field of Shiloh— 1 “ Time is man’s—eternity God’s” H Resolved, That Lieut. J. J. Jacobus died a ido-B rioue death in a just nml m l>! I caused the Congregation Children of Lu nd h i brow Benevolent .Society, ami re .idei,- ~.f ' . I ta and Hambnrg, the most sincere grief and B tow. lu him was personified the lit,. /?• ■ rdd-.r I tiie talented and ren i n J, n 9 and kind frieml—posseiaing aha id ale .i, , ( |y I to give to all who requi red h | give all who Injured him. Ho con 9 voted husband, affee ,1 son. Take him all and all, we never a his I like again. jfl Our lamented fr, , and . I the C. C. 1 , and pre I two years, and continued a m m ei unti . I death. n God, in His infinite mercy rest his soul nnfl ex I tend his protecting power ou r his and iot 'd wid-B ow and orphan chi I tender his i H condolence. H “ The Lord giveth, . I blessed be the name o: Ihe I. id. ■ Resolved, Tin.;, .he c mu: -u, , H tee from the Cougrega;l ; t .! ,i H ihe purpose of ende-ivoiiog to j . . H mains ol our departed I Vi- uI, dic- < , -H the recovery ol tbe bit-iy, ti.o com >■ to the burial place, and convey th. H gusta ; aud that a mol.no. nt b to; . expense of the f.'bngregMi;,n C! d«;i. .-H I. Mayer, 11. il ver s ■. C • H The committee subo.iH.o j J.-.V resolutions H Wuereas, the destroyer of U;e iiamr.n Death, has taken from our niidar, in ihe bed manhood, David Kaufii-r, - : of human event'*! Au- 1- . , . gone to morrow. But am* days . - r i - was in health a.. I haj. t .- : I family and fri:-nd«, and i.v caused all around L.ta to h rho •> but a sad event deprivcn him oi n • ;o^H soul r.-st with the blessed. Iteeoired That ids co rehgioi.i:.is f.i Hamburg give expression to ssr He left many friends, hut nqk oe , was a kind-hearted, lbi-rii, ond cuo’ man. We lender his latatly oar 1 ence. Resolved, That the abav • j.vd - • papers, and frww&rJe.l to l .. ;io -. -i ceased. Tribute of II .p. < H WAsHiNorON Lodge, No. 7, ! U. 0,1- i May 15,1562. j At a regular meeting .--ft si evening, it being announced that Ihe:: ■ i J. jfl Murphy, a member of the 2d Goorn -i. . i.-dI was killed at the battle -,f South ii : , . \ irgiaiil the Lodge unanimously adopted t. • , ngrel notations: fl Resolved, That it is sv.ih j < m- I death of J. J. Murphy, a Wol m v . p rot ; ... , ■ Fellow and noble citizen. H Resolved, That whiie we look w’,.H I bis vacant seat, and miss bis mml ii •H midst—both reminding us ot i • H still it is with supreme pride, to ... w.' V he fell fighting tbe rntiilcsi u.yau. ,A S tor the dearest rights of : H Resolved, That we devote a hl.-.ns j. ,; f; - minutes to his memory, aniemto. . ..,.^9 banner of our Lodge in mourning ) q,,,.. H Resolved, That in testimony ot dui mj a copy of these lesoiutiona be sent i.y'.,, > 9| and also be published ir. the city p i.., .■ H J. T. Lin, \' ’ H H. Meister, ► Committee^! John McCan, J M Vicksburg.—This place will be ecru Uy , r ; ed by the Yankee gunboat* with „ i . v , We learn that store* are hein,' :. m ■ , , , the Cotton liable to capture that could o’ui be r moved bas been burnt. We sincerely hope that Vick-bur; . for th h otJ or of Mississippi, will exhibit spunk enon fend the place, whatevermay beth -c., ■Vy , .» We hope that those defending it v.i \ >..,t i. . 1 to run at the first approach of d.i the little city of Vicksburg will c , shame to mantle the cheek* of th..- • . .. surrendered Nfew Orleans. Let H: ; to his heart’s content, out let here ben graceful capitulation '. Commit t;, e _. names and tight over its u*hi * expires. This is the true policy. jT cheapest in the end.—Jackson M i . < ■ instant. ' ' • Valuable Animals. —Two live i t . a so beef at our market yester lay for fggo - if the purchaser will more than t back, even at the present high price u beef.*' ■Savannah Republican, \Jih. j
