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About Weekly chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 183?-1864 | View Entire Issue (May 11, 1864)
rtItTUKV ur (IIICiPtUBOr FKvMOVfil, *OttTH CAROMS A. A correspondent of the Kaleigh, N. C., Con federate sends that paj«.r the cap ture of Plymouth, which is very .interesting.— The land forces inarched from Tarboro' on Fri day. April loth, having been quietly and rap idly collected at that place during the night of the 14th. He says : On Sunday, the 17th. at 4 P. M.. we were within two miles of Plymouth, having marched through swamps and across swollen creeks a distance of seventy-five miles without the knowledge of the enemy. His picket on the Washington road was taken—our infantry thrown into line and the batteries into position. Kemper's brigade, with a battery of ten poun der Napoleons and three twenty pounder Par rots, was detached to attack Warren Neck, a strong position on the river a mile above the town, which the enemy thought,and we feartd, would effectually stop the passage ot the Albe marie, and so deprive us of her valuable aid, and by leaving the gunboats in the river near the town, seriously increased the difficulty of DEFENCES OK I'LVMOLTII. Plymouth is situated on the south bank of the Roanaxe. which here flows in an easterly direction. The town is approached by four roads, the Washington on the west, the Colum hi* on the east, ami between these two the Bath and Lee's Mill roads, The defences of the town consisted ol the following works : On the west of the Washington road, about 800 yards from the town, a strong earthwork, Fort Wessell, surrounded by a deep moat and mounting three guns, one 32-pounder and two C-pouuders. On the east of the Columbia road, a work with a moat in front and stockades in the rear, mount ing two 32-pounders and two 12-pounders. On ttie we»t of the same road, a well constructed work with-a moat in front, but open in the rear, mounting three guns. In the rear of this and within thetown was another work, partly earth, neatly turfed, and partly stockade, facing to the southeast and open towards the river, mounting two guns, the stockades being pier ced for musketry. The Lee’s Mill, Bath and Washington roads were covered by a line ot heavy entrenchments, mounting nine guns, and terminating at the latter road in a strong fort, surrounded by a very wide and deep moat, and mounting six heavy guns. This was Fort Williams, as strong to resist bombardment or assault as the skill of engineering could make it. On the river face of the town was a camp, entrenched to resist any attack from flic water, aud a little lower down an earthwork for the same purpose. The force in the town and at Warren Neck consist ed of tlip llitli Connecticut, 85th New Fork, 101st and 103d Pennsylvania, two companies of Massachusetts heavy artillery, one battery ot light a. tillery, and two squadron of cavalry, the whole commanded by Brig. Gen. Wessel.of the old United States auny. FEINT ON WARREN NECK. On the night of the 17th, an attack was made upon Warren Neck under the direction of Col. Leering ; aud the gunboat of the enemy com ing to the assistance of the garrison, was sunk, and a force of imantry sent from the town was repulsed; hut the enemy successfully resisted all attempts to take this stronghold. On Mon day our artillery opened vigorously upon the town ; and during the day btth pounded away at each other incessantly ; but beyond a little skirmishing with the enemy, and inanreuver ing for position, our infantry did nothing. To ward evening, however, it became evident that something was on foot; and Ransom's brigade, with the Brh N- C., was drawn up in the woods facing the works on the Washing ington, Lee’s Mill and Bath Roads. A heavy line of skirmishers was thrown out under the command of Capt. John C. Pegram, A. A. G.; and advancing rapidly with the peculiar gai! pf the sharpshooters and the yell with which o\jr boys so to the charge, (frove the enemy back to his works, and uppioacbed within two hundred and fifty yards of the fort earnestly demanding to he Jed into the p'ace. Meanwhile Pegram’s battery dashed forward at a run, supported by the infantry, and un limbering delivered a furious fire upon the de voted place. Three times we advanced, each time nearer, until within good charging dis tance ; but the artillery had it all to thern- The movement was merely a demon- Station to call off the enemy’s attentiou from Hoke’s attack upon fort Wessell, which, after a short but t harp resjtance, fell before the su perior poweis ol' Hoke's brigade; and that flight's work was done. Leaving ft line of pickets on tlic field, the main body of the troops withdrew to prepare, by u few hoar's rest, for the attack, which we all felt would he made on the morrow, and as we lay down by our liras, every ouu wonder ed ftt the Albermarle’s delay, end prayed for her speedy arrival. At thieein the morning we were all awaken eil by the thunder of her Blakely guns as she defiantly saluted Warren Neck, en passant, and sailed sa'ely by over the obstructions which the enemy had placed in the river. She went to work at once among the enemy’s gun boats, sinking ono ami driving the vest to Hat toms, and then turning her attention to the fortifications she kept up a steady lire during the morning, silencing the euemy s guns and driving him Into his bomb-proofs. But still the “stars and stripes” Jloateu over iiis works and as he refused when summoned to strike his colors, it became necessary for us to do it ourselves, and the evening and night of the l!)th were devoted to prep ning for the assault on the morning ol the 2<>th. Kemper’s brigade had lought gallantly at Warren Neck—Hoke’s men lmdtaltin Fort Wessell with three guns nud sixty prisoners. It was now Ransom’s turn. The Columbia road, which enters the town at its eastern extremity, running parallel with the River and near it, crosses Conabay creek about a mile from town. To this point Ran som's brigade, the Stb North Carolina and 1 e giam's battery marched late in the evening of the 19th behind a screen of woods, which hid the movement fr< m the enemy, and leached the creek about sunset. The bridge was de stroyed. and the creek too deep to be forded, a strong picket of tho enemy on tho opposite bank behind ent enchraents, and about three quarters of a miio off two 32-pounders and five 12-pounders bearing on the spot. The pontoons must be laid tor the infantry and artillery to cross, and that quickly, or the movement would Me a failure. The nmon was shiuing brightly, turning night almost into day, and not a breath of air was storing, so that every movement we made could be distinctly seen or heard by the enemy. Lieut. Marshall Lee, "Ith twenty men of comp, ny E, 24th, was advanced to the water’s edge, supported by the rest of the company, and co A. of the 35th, the whole under the command of Capt. Barna Lane. Die pontoon train, under Lieut. Pool, 10th N. C. TANARUS., dash ed down at a gallop, slid one boat int > the creek and quickly and rapidly the two compa uies crossed and were immediately engaged with the enemy. The 24th followed at once, the men coming into line as fast as they got over, and tho enemy tell back otoooljr pursued by Capt. Lane’s command, deployed as skir iui.-hers. The pontoons were now laid, and by 8 o'clock the infantry was over and formed in line of battle, the left resting on the road and the right on the river, in the following order : First on the light the 35th, second the 25th, the 1 tho Bth, fourth the 3Gth, tilth the 24th, with 'wo companies on the south of the road Iu this position we lay during the night, shel tering outdrives as well as we could from the enemy’s two >, prks on the road, whicli kept up a constant fire nmi! nearly day-break. Just before day a strong I'm? of skirmishers was thrown out before the brigade under command of Capt. Durham, Q. M., 2i»lh N. C. T. but acting temporarily on Gen. Ransom's start’. THE ASSAULT. At just 3J iu tlm morning of the 20th our line began to move forward, slowly at first, dressing on the centre, and halting occasion ally for that purpose. From the start the fire from the enemy's bat teries was rapid and severe, striking’ down many a brave fellow; but. closing up the gaps, the long line moved silently on, the left still resting on the road.till Fegram's battery, dash ing forward at a run, unlimbered in front and (owned fire on the enemy’s works. Then tor the tlic't time that morning our l>oys gave a loud yell 01 .defiance, ami quickening their pace to a double quick, pressed with a determina tion not to be resisted right upon the enemy's two wotks. wh ch were taken with scarcely a moment’s delay, the one on the south of the road tv the left of the 21th. lev! by 001. Clarke, and the oil the light by the right of the 24th. assisted by the 25th. The enemy iled in terror to'the houses. Fort William, and any other place which offered them protection from the fierce fire of pursuing ranks. We were now in the towu. and the head of every street running east and west was held by one or more of our regiments: but tkejr post tion in line was somewhat changed, .lie -4th •was still on the Columbia rofd, now street, w tth the ofith and 25th to the right, and the and Sth to the left. Halting a moment Tn freathe the men and dress the lines, we ed slowly and carefully forward, clearing f ;, ra ev e rv street, yard, and house, the «f t c, ”- r .. of which and from behind the jromtnew.m, inceisaat fire . fiat noth f«Boes tbey pourea -and in an hour lag could check out picgiv tip) eu&Mt won &U Into Pu»« or the entrenched oatap. The fort was ou our left and the camp In front. Leaving the 35th, the “th, and a portion of the 24th to contend with the fort, the rest pushed on for the camp, which the 24th, being on the direct road, soon reached, and opened fire, exposed still to a severe musketry fire from the fort on the flank and the camp in front. In a few minutes the 56th came up on the right by another street and by their arrival decided the contest, for immediately on the ap pearance of this additional force the enemy threw down his arms and ra’sed the white flag. Capt Lockhart, of the 56th, ran in to receive the surrender, and instantly both regiments, poured into the camp, and throwing down their own foul guns and empty cartridge boxes, took the elean. well filled ones which were lying about, and pressed on throughthe tents to the western side of the camp, where they could see the United States flag floating over Fort William, evidence that the lighting wa- not yet done. Here we were shortly joined by the 43d North Carolina, of Hoke's brigade, who came in fiom the west, having been delayed by a morass, which they had great difficulty iu crossing. THE TOWN IN OUR HANDS. The town was ouis. Every house and street in it was swept of the enemy, who, shut up in his stronghold, still refused to surrender.— This was a case for the artillerist, and the gung of the captured forts were soon turned upon their stronger brother, fighting, as the re sult shows, better for us than they had against us. Capt. Cooke, too, of the Albemarle, drop lied some of his 90 pound shell among them. — Still they resisted stoutly, showing a disposition to (fie rather thun yield. At last, however, some of our boys, cropping forward through the entrenchments, got an enfilading fire upon them, which soon brought them to terms, and hundreds of them rushe 1 out of the fort without arms and nurrend red ust at thi3 time a shell burst directly on the magazine, and when the smoke cleared away the hated flag was flutterihg rapidly down to the ground. Without waiting for orders the brigade swarmed into the fort, company 13, of the 24th, leading, and the color of everything was quickly changed from blue to grey. THB'CAPTARE OF FOHT PILLOW . A correspondent of the Atlanta Appeal gives the annexed interesting account of the capture of Fort Pillow : The capture of Fort Pillow is one of the most brilliant achievements ot the war. It has been regarded as a Gibraltar. Our own people spent much money and labor in fortifying it. Since occupied by the Yankees they have added much to its strength. Nature has made it al most impregnable. But General Forrest, strong as it was known to be, conceived the idea of storming aud taking it. For this purpose he left Jackson on the 12th of April with 1,200 picked men, composed principally of Gen. Chalmers’ division. Ho went across the country rapidly. He reached Fort Pillow the next morning, having traveled seventy two miles in twenty four hours. lie found the enemy’s pickets posted upon the out er works and rushed upon them, capturing five out of seven. He then reached the second for tifications erected by the Confederates while Fort Pillow was held by them. Here the enemy made a stubborn resistance for a few minutes, but our troops rushed upon them and drove them rapidly into the main fortification, from which they poured into our ranks a terri ble fire of ball and shell and grape and canister. In order to protect his men, Gen. Forrest or dered them to make a rapid advace, about half way to the fort, were they would be protected by the brow of the hill. From this place he sent a flag of truce to the enemy, demanding an immediate aud unconditional surrender. The enemy asked for an hour’s consideration. The object of the delay was evidently to bring in reinforcements, and Gen. Forrest refused the request, demanding an immediate reply, in about severs minutes the enemy announced their determination not to surrender, and were exceedingly defiant and -insolent in their de meanor. They ridiculed the idea of taking the fort, and intimated that (he last man would die before surrendering. Gen. Forrest told them that in order to prevent the effusion of blood he had demanded the surrender, but now the con sequences were upon their own heads. He immediately commenced arranging his men for the assault. The fort has only two sides, the other two being protected by the Mississip pi river and Coldwater. Between the liver and the fort there is a space of about eight feet left for the purpose of passing out down the river. Coldwater is a narrow stream, and not, there fore, difficult to swim across. In order to pre vent any escape across Coldwater, or through the passage between the fort and the river, Gen. Forrest stationed a part of his command to guard these points. Evirything being ready, he gave the sign to sound the charge. The bugle was music to the eager Confederates. The first bugle caused a shout to burst from every ihroat, and the impetuous bravos went to the fort screaming like so many demons. The enemy poured a murderous fire into our ranks, and several fell. The walls of the fort are about eight feet thick*and were of no advantage to the en; my after reached it, as they could not fire without getting upon top of the works, an experiment they did not attempt. When our troops reach ed the fort, they found, what General Forrest knew before, a ditch about seven feet deep; each man tumbled pell-mell into this yawning chasm, and by assisting each other they were soon lound scaling the inner walls. In an in stant a crop of armed men sprung from the waPs of the fort. They jumped down the inner walls screaming and yelling like unearthly mon sters. Then the work of slaughter and death com menced. The moment our men were seen up on the wall, the foe, which a few minutes ago was so defiant anil insolent, turned to cowards. Still they would not surrender. Those that were hid or protected still kept firing upon arid killing our brave hoys ; but our froops still rushed upon them, all the time fighting and killing The sight was terrific—the slaughter sickening. Wearied with the slow process of shooting with guns, our tioops commenced with their repeaters, and every fire brought down a foe, and so close was the fight, that ibe dead would frequently fall upon the soldier that killed. Still the enemy would not or knew not how to surrender. The Federal fiag. that hated emblem of tyranny, was still proudly waving over the scene. Seeing that nothing could be g lined by fur ther fight the enemy rushed to the Coldwater lor *.h° purpose of swimming across ; but the troops stationed here by Gen. Foriest opened upon them, and hundreds were killed in the water endeavoring to escape. Others rushed to the passage between the fort and the river for the purpose of passing down the liver to wards Memphis- But the troops stationed here by Gen. Forrest to guard this very contigency, opened fire upon them, and the enemy then rushed upon a coal barge and endeavored to push it off; but a concentrated fire from out whole column, soon put an end to this exneri meut. Several hundred were shot in this boat and in Coldwater, while endeavoring to es cape- Tho number in the water was gr#at. But not a man escaped in this way. ') he head above the water was a beautiful mark for the trusty rifle of our unerring markmen. The Mississippi liver was crimsoned witli the red blood of the flying foe. Our soldiers grew sick and weary in the work of slaughter, and were glad when the work was done. General Forrest begged them to surrender, hut lie was told with an air of insulting defi ance that he could not take the place, and that thev asked for no quarter. Not the first sign of surrender was ever given. Gen. Forrest ex pected a surrender after entering the fort, and anxiously looked for it, as he witnessed the carnage ; but no token was given. In order to divert the. attention of the enemy General Forrest ordered a simultaneous feint upon Memphis. Columbus and Paducah. This swage tic movement was eminently successful, accomplished the very object he desired. But the feint upon Paducah was more ol a victory. General Buford in obedience to orders from General Forrest attacked Paducah. He sent in a flag of truce, demanding a surrender of the town or an immediate removal of the women and children. The enemy would not make the surrender, hut sent out the women, chil dren aud non-combatants. General Buford then rushed upon the town killing and captur ing several of the enemy. They poured upon him a terrible fire from the forts and gunboats, but he did not lose a man. He captured sev eral hundred horses, wagons, harness, etc., and after loading the wagons with such articles as he needed, he entered and conscribed all the non-combatants liable to military duty. Sev eral of the enemy's pickets were killed at Co lumbus, aud the enemy expected a general as sault. The same thing was expected at Mem phis. But the real design as betoie stated was to divert their attentions from Fort Pillow. Our loss at Fort Pillow will reach near one hundred in kilted aud wounded. I regret to anuoume that Col. \Y. B Reed, of Tennessee, was mortally wounded. "While gallantly lead ing his regiment and planting his standard in front of the enemy, he received three wounds, one of which it is thought will prove mortal. He is a gallant officer, and has won upon all hearts during his short connection with his command. He is known for his piety and in tegrity. and is beloved by a'l. He won imper ishabis renown in the late fight, #»v suifeSkOf on file UTt% dt K**TOR. (•AKI-U.MBr.TAHV CROCESPiNQS--fHS REMOVAL at THE BRITISH I'OKtfCLS IN’THE SOUTH. In the House of .Lords, Arpil 5, Lord Clan ricarde in moving for correspondence relating to the removal of British Consuls from the Confederate States of America, described and defended the proceedings for which these offi cers bad been dismissed by the foreign Ssec retary. lue Consuls were accredited to the Federal Government arm the charge against ihem. in one case, was forwarding, un lei an official certificate, letters to the Northern States containing bills of exchange for the pa\- niea' of debts due in England : in another, that the Consul had been instrumental m snip ping specie on board aa English vessel-of-war, for transmiss on to England, to pay tne 1 (lends on the public debt. He contended that these acts were not illegal, as the state of war did not cancel private or Dublin obligations. Earl Russell said—lt is rather difficult to make out the exact object which my noble triend has in view : but 1 will detain your Lordships a short time by a fe w remarks on the various circumstances to which he has ab laded. In the first place, he said it was not right to sav that the Confederate G iverntncnt had sent away our consuls, no; that many British subjects had been compelled to serve iu the Confederate armies. I cafit only’ speaa of the tacts reported tome, aud ass thought quite notorious. There had been complaints over and over again from difierent parts of ih» Confederate States that British subjects.were obliged to serve in their militia and armies We have had to consult the law officers, who have said that it was not lair to make British subjects, not being ■‘meiican citizens, serve in the armies of either heliiger ;nt, without givin. them time to leave the country if they thought fit. I have acted on tuat opinion, and it seems t. me not only law, but lair an i equitable. My noble friend may r think they ought to be compelled ; 1 believe they ought not to be. Then my noble friend enters into lhe question of the withdrawal of Mr Bunch's exequatur, which was taken away, 1 think, very unfairly by the United States Government, on the ground that he had communicated with the eur-mv Then he enters into the case ot Mr. Magee, who sent specie in a British flliip ot war, and" he blames Lord Lyons for what he did in that matter. I believe Lord Lyons has taken the utmost pains, in his most responsible posi tion, to behave fairly aud impartially between both parties. Permission war obtained from the American Government that British ships of war should be allowed from time to time to go 10 blockaded ports; out Lord Lyons thought it an ahum of the privilege that specie should be sent to a Confederate port in a British ship of war, inasmuch as such specie might afford means of carrying on war against a Stale friend ly to Great Britain. He accordingly slated that opinion, and if lie had not done so die American Government might have withdrawn the pii vilege. and I think there is nothing in tjje law of na tions that would have deprived them of the power to do so. I thought I,nat Lord Lyons was right; and I sent out an order that the consul who had sent the specie should not be continued in his functions. But my. noble friend gave a rather detailed account of the conduct oi Mr. Cridland. Now, while that gen tleman was acting as Consul at Richmond, I believe he enjoyed the confidence and respect of every one for the manner in which he per formed bis duties, ile was desired to go to Mobile not as Consol, but to act as Consul—to defend and protect British property and in terests. It was Certainly a very unjustifiable act on the part of our Consuls, or of any one acting for a British Consul, to tell British sub jects that they were not, to resist their enlist ment in the Confederate army, but to desert desert their colors iu the moment of action. 1 think that very improper advice on ihe part of a Consul ; and I do not think there was any instruction given to our Consular agents which could justify any of them in giving that advice. Ido not find either iu the opin ion of the law officers of the Crown, or In any directions that I gave myself, anything that would justify that course ; and if the Secre tary of the Oonlederate States had written to this country to complain of that conduct, I should have thought it right to reprimand and even to dismiss the Consul who had acted in so improper a manner. Instead of that the Pres ident of tho so-called Confederate Govern ment sent away our Consuls, though these are the persons to whom British suljects would naturally have recourse, in order to obtain re dress for grievances. The uulv remedy they would have when the Consuls were removed was that suggested by Mr. Ber.jamin—namely, that soldiers iu the field might apply to the tribunals of the toun- Irv. A man might easily write to his Consul to claim redress, hut that a man mai citing about should go to a court of law—that was a thing that couid not be done. 1 therefore thought that was a very harsh and unfriendly proceeding on the part of the Confederate Gov ernment. At the same time, it ought 1o be remembered, likewise, that the Confederate Government had god»l reason to complain of our Consul ; aud our Consul saying that he had been so instructed, the Confederate Govern ment might at first have believed, him. There fore, I did not -enter into any complairt or angry remonstrance ; hut. I asked Mr. Mason whether, if Consular agents, or persons under any other name, were sent to the Conluderate Stales, intercourse might not be carried on and negotiations opened, hy which we might 1 e abie to obtain redress where redress ought >o be given, or have reasons stated for its re fusal. noble friend does not complain of that. There has r.o doubt been a-delny in carrying that arrangement into effect It was thought necessary to seed a letter to Richmond to know whether such persons would be teceived ; an the letter the Federal Government would not allow >obe sent. But I think it is quite lieht of the British Government to endeavor to open communications with the so-called Confede rate States, without recognizing them, yet, as being States of considerable extent, in which civil war is carried on, and in which there is a considerable number of Briti.-h subjects, I say there can be nothing wrong iu endeavoring to enter into communication with those States. My noble friend has addressed your Lordships on various other subjects. 1 desired Mr. Cran ford, when be arrived at Richmond, to cat! the attention of the Government to the intercep ted correspondence, a correspondence which I believed at the tim to be genuine, and which showed that a party in the country had oeen employed by the Confederate Government to pr> cure means of ca vying on war against a State in amity with us. My nob! friend is aware that Her Majesty declared at the beginning of this war her de termination to preserve a strict neutrality, and prohibit her subjects from taking part ou one side or the other. lam sorry to say the in junction of Her Majesty has not been obeyed. I have thought it right on every occasion, when it appeared to me that there was ground of cotupl tint against the United States, to re monstrate with the Federal Government.— With regard to the doct men's to which mv no ble friend alluded, it has been the subject of a great ckai of inquiry. It was said to hav t been pnbli-hed in a New York paper as genuine; but Mr. Seward states that, having made further inquiry, he finds it to have been altogether a forgery. It was supposed to have been issued by the Secretary cf the Confederate Navy, hut it was, in fact, nn invention of some gentle man in New York. Certainly. 1 should not think of making any complaint on that subject to the so-called Confederate Government. There was a question with regard to which my noble friend made inquiries before the hol idays—l mean the case ol the Saxon. That is before the courts, a ,and the ship and cargo have been released. It is alleged that a British sub ject was murdered ; and the American Gov ernment have ordered that a court-martial shall try the officer accused of the murd.r. With regard to the motion of my noble fiitnd, I suppose he will not depart from the usual form, and object to the introduction of the words or extracts after the word “copies ' and also he will r.ot object to the insertion of t£e words “so called” before government of the Confederate States, otherwise it might seem as if the house recognized the Confederate States, although her Majesty has not done so. The Marquis of C'tarnicarde said he had no objection to the amendments proposed by his noble friend. The motion as amended was then agreed to. Drtin»u Vegetables —Nearly all oursummer vegetables, as well as fruits, can be pteserved by drying, or iu some other way, so as to be a very palatable addition to the winter supply of our tables, and most grateful to our friends in the army. A subscriber suites that his family are using Snap Beans which were preserved by cufting up takiug out the strings, and thus pre pared as if for the table; then scalded in salt and water, and dried on a scaffold like fruits. Others preserve them iu salt, like pickles, the bea* making its own brine. In either case the beans are soaked in water before cooking.— Cultivator.— The General Synod of the Evangelical Lu theran Church. Confederate States, will hold its tecond annual Convention at Organ Church. Rockville. Powan county North Carolina, on Thursday. May 12th, 1564. before the third Sunday in iloy. Tu the Senate and thane of tUprtHniatfot* of the Confederate Slates of America ■ Aou are assembled under circumstances of deep interest to your country ; and it is fortunate that, coining as you do newly elected by the people, and familiar with the condition of the various localities, you will he the better able to devise measures adapted to meet the wants of the public service, without imposing unnecessa ry burthens on the citizen. The brief period which has elapsed since the last adjournment of Congress has not afforded sufficient opportunity to test the efficacy of the most important laws then enacted, nor have the events occurring in the interval been such as materiallv to change the state of the country. The unjust war commenced against us, ir. violation of the rights of the States, and in usur pation of power not delegated to the Govern ment of the United States, is still characterized by tiie barliarism with which it has heretofore been conducted by the enemy. Aged men, helpless women and children, appeal in vain to the humanity- which should bo inspired by their condition, for immunity from arrest, incarcera tion or banishment from their homes. Plunder and devastation ot the property of non-combat ants, destruction of private dwellings, and even of edifices devoted to the worship of flod, expe ditions organized for the sole purpose of sacking cities, consigning them to the flames, unarmed inhabitants, and inflicting horrible out rages on women and children, are some of the constantly recurring atrocities of the invader.— It cannot reasonably be pretended that such acts conduce to any end which their authors dare avo»v before the civilized world, and sooner or later Christendom must mete out to them the condemnation which such brutality deserves. The suffering thus ruthlessly inflicted upon the people of the invaded districts, served but .to illustrate their patriotism, lslrtire unanimity and zi'al for their country’s cause have been pre eminently conspicuous among those whose sac rifices have been greatest. Mo the army which has borne the trials and dangers of the war, which has been subjected to privations and dis appointments, (tests of manly fortitude far more severe than tile brief fatigues and perils of actual combat) has' been the centre of cheerfulness anu hope. From the camp comes the voice of the soldier patriots, invoking each who is at home, in the sphere he- best may fill, to devote his whole energies to t.he support of a cause, in the success of which their confidence has never fal tered. They, the v.eterans of many a hard fought field, tender to tlTeir country, without limit of time, a service i>f priceless value to us, one which posterity will hold in grateful remem brance. In considering the state of the country, the reflection is naturally suggested, that this is the third Congress of the Confederate States of America. The Provisional Government was formed, its Congress held lour sessions, lived its appointed term, and passed away. The perma nent Government was then organized, its differ ent Departments established, a Congress elected which also held four seseions, served its full con stitutional term and expired. You, the second Congress under the permanent Government, are now assembled at the time and place ap pointed by law for commencing your session, All these events have passed into history, not withstanding the threat of our prompjt subjuga tion, made three years ago, by r a people that presume to assert a title to govern States whose separate and independent sovereignty was re cognized by treaty with France and Great Britain in the last century, asid remained un questioned for nearly throe generations. Yet these very governments, in disregard of duty and treaty obligations which bind them to recognise as independent Virginia and other Confederate States, persist in countenancing by moral influence, if not in aiding bp unfair and partial action the claim sot up by the Executive of a foreign Government to exercise despotic sway over the States thus recognised, and treat the invader of them by their farmer lir.’iited and special agent, as though it were the attempt iff a sovereign to suppress a rebellion against lawful authority. Ungenerous advantage has been tak en of our present condition, and our rights ihave been violated, our vessels of war detained ill ports to which they had been invited by procla mations oi neutrality, and in one instance our flag also insulted where the sacred right ol'asy lum was supposed to be secure ; vrhile one off these Governments lias contented itself with simply deprecating by deferential representations the conduct of ourjenemy’in the constantly re curring instances of his contemptuous disregard of neutral rights and flagrant violations of pub lic law. It may be that foreign Governments, like our enemies, have mistaken our desire for peace, unreservedly expressed, for evidence of exhaustion, and have thence inferred the proba bility of success in the ell'ort to subjugate or ex terminate the millions of human beings who, in these States prefer any fate to submission to their savage assailants. I see no prospect of an early change in the course heretofore pursued by these Govern ments ; hut when this delusion shall have beAn dispelled, and when our independence, by line valor and fortitude of our people, shall have been won against all the hostile influences combined against us, and can no longer be ignored by open foes or professed neutrals, this war will have left with its proud memories a record of many wrongs, which it may not misbecome us to forgive—some of whicl. we may not properly forbear from demanding redress. In the mean time it is enough for us to know that every avenue of negotiation is closed against us; that our enemy is making renewed and strenuous efforts for our destruction, and that the sole re sources for us, as a people secure in the justice of our cause, and holding our liberties to be more precious than all other earthly possessions, is to combine and apply every available element of power for their defence and preservation. “On the subject of the exchange of prisoners I greatly regret to be unable to give you satis factory information. The Government ot the United Sta es, while peraisting in failure to ex ecute the terms of the our tel, make occasion*! deliveries of prisoners, and then ac tion T ’ithour apparent cause, i confess mv inability to comprehend their policy or pur pose. The prisoners held by ns, in spile of tin mane care, are perishing from the inevitable effects of imprisonment and the home sickness produced by the hopeleusnes- of release from confinement. The spectacle of their suffering augments our longing desire to relieve from similar trials our *t>wn brave men, who have spent so many weary menti s in a cruel and useless imprisonment, endured with heroic con stancy. The delivery, afier a suspension oi seme weeks, has just been resumed by the ent ntv; but as they give no assurance of intent to carry out the cartel, an interruption of the ex change may recur at any moment. “The reports of the Depailments, herewith submitted, are referred to for full information in relation to the matters appetaining to each. There are two of them ou which I deem it necessary to make special remark. ••The report of the Secretary of tho Trea sury states facts justifying the conclusion that the law passed at the last session lor the pur pose oi withdrawing from circulation the large excess of Treasury notes heretofore, issued, has had the desired effect; and that by the Ist July the amount in circulation will have been reduced to a sum not exceeding two hundred and thirty million of dollars. It is believed to be ot primary importance that no further issue ot notes should take place, and that the use of the credit of the Government should be re stricted to the two other modes provided by Congress, viz; the sale of bonds and the issue ot certificates bearing interest, for the twice of supp.ies purchased within our limits. Tho law as it now stands, authorizes the issue by the t reasnry of new notes to the extent ot two thirds ot the amount received under its pro visions.- 1 The estimate of the amount funded under the law, is shown to be three hundred millions of dollars, and if two-thirds ot this sum be re issued, we shall have an addition of two lmn dred millions of dollars to our circulation, be lieved to be already ample for the buisness of the country. The addition of this large sum to the volume of the currency would be at tended by disastrous effects, and would produce ine speedy recurrence of the evils from which tne funding law has rescued the country. If our at ms are crowned with the success which we have so much reason to hope, we may well expect that this war cannot be prolonged be yond the current year, and nothing so much retard the beneficent influence of peacp on all tne interests of our country, as the ex tstence of a great mass of currency not redeetn ub.c in coin. IV ith our vast resources the cir culation t! restricted to its present volume, would be easily manageable, and by gradual ab sorption m payment of public dues would give place to the precious metals, the only basis of a currency adapted to commerce with foreign eonntnes. In our present circumstances I know ot no mode of providing for the public wants which entail sacrifices so great as a fresh issue of Treasury notes, and I trust that you will concur m the propriety cf absolutely for- i bidding any increase of those now in circula- i tion. •‘Officers have heen appointed and despatch- ; ed to the Trans-MDsissippi States, and the nec- ; essarv measures taken for the execution of the 1 laws, enacted to obviate delays In administer- j ing the Treasury and other Executive Depart- 1 ttoae { tot stitaa tos liU 6:»p«mS to fcKwtaw. tbtf ?c*aiU. , ’’ln jlutloii to the most Important of all mU sat the present time, the efficiency of our a lies iu the field, it is gratifying to’ as i are p ou that the discipline and instruction of the tr >ops have kept pace with the improve-, menu, material and equipment. We have rea, to congratulate ourselves on the re sults f the legislation on this subject aud on the increased administrative ene r gy in the dis ferent bureaux of the War Department, aud mn} t unreasonably indulge anticipations of commensurate success in the ensuing cam paicn “T-® organization of reserves is in progress, at,d i' is hoped they will be valuable in afford ing . _ul protection without requiring details and detachments from active f^ne. *'- mug the recommendatiofls contained in the report of the Secretary of War, your atten tion n -peeially invited to those in which legis lwi'a is suggested on the following subjects, viz : .)0 tenure of office of the general officers ) •• provisional .army; and a proper discrim in i- ;n in the compensation of the different gn. e3 : “ihe provision required in aid of invalid of fice.' who have resigned in consequence of w..units or sickness contracted while in service: " 1 lie amendment of the law which deprives officers in the field of the privilege of purcha sing rations and thus adds to their embarrass ment, instead of conferring the benefit intend ed . “The organization of the general staff of the army in relation to which a special message will shortly be addressed to you, containiug the reasons which compelled me so withhold my approval of the bill passed by your prede ocssivg at too late a period of the session to a'low time for returning it for their reconsid eration : “The necessity for an Increase in the allow ance now made for the transportation of offi cer traveling under orders : ‘•Thomode of providing officers for the exe cution of the conscript law : ‘■’The means of securing greater dispatch and more regular aministration of justice in exara ing aud disposing of the rocords of cases re ported from the courts martial and military oourts in the army. ‘•The recent events of the war are highly creditable to our troops, exhibiting energy and vigilance combined with the habitual gallantry wbich they have taught us to expect on all ac castons. We have been cheered by important anu valublo successes in Florida, Northern Mississippi, Western Tennessee and Kentucky, Vve.' -rn Louisiana and Eastern North Caro lina, reflecting the highest honour on the skill and conduct of our commanders, and on the incomparable soldiers whom it is their privilege to lead. Tne naval attack on Mobile was so successful ly repulsed at the outer works that the at tempt was abandoned, and the nine months' siege of Charleston has been practically sus pended, leaving that noble city and its for tresses imperishable monuments to the skill and fortitude of its defenders. The armies in Northern Georgia and in Northern Virginia still ofipose, with unshaken tiont, a formida ble barrier to the progress of the invader ; and our generals, armies and people, are animated by cheeriul confidence. •‘Let us, then, while resolute in devotiDg all our energies’ to securing the realization of the bright auspices which encourage us, not forget that our humble and most grateful thanks are due to Him, without whose gttidance’and pro jecting care all human efforts are of no avail, and to whose interposition are due the mani f ’,,1 successes with which we have been cheer ed. “Jefferson Davis. “Rkhmond, May 2, 1864.’’ NEWS SUMMARY. If a gold dollar is worth sls in Confederate Treasury notes, surely a copper or nickel cent is w,.rth live cents. There must be any quan tity of them stowed away. Let them now be brought from their hiding places and put into circulation, at the rate of five cents for one. Bring out the cents. Miss Eliza Pope, of Midway, died a few days since from injuries received by being thrown ir< a buggy. The “Shamrock” was launched at Columbus, Ga..y>n Saturday. She is designed for river service, and is 150 feet long, 28 feet beam, and ss, set deep. The, boat was built by a stock cotv lany. The city authorities of Montgomery, Ala , 1 have donated $15,000 towards supplying poor * ;-ijs. In view of the high price* of bread, t and the destitute condition of many of the families of our brave men in the army, Judge VcKendree made application, in the proper nuuner for leave to turn over to tho Inferior Gortrt of Muecogee county, for distribution to the needy families of soldiers, at Government price- 2,500 bushels of the tithing corn. The ..ppluiatioff has been granted and in a short time -lie corn or meal, will be ready for dis tiibuti ou. The Government ager.t informs the Mobile Advertiser that up to the present time Govern ment hu3 lost by the, acts of the enemy, by miß'ary burnings, accidents of various sorts, and unavoidable wear and tear, about one fourth of its purchase in Mississippi. This will ye regarded as unimportant when it is consider ed that almost the only losseß which hate so Tar oeeu met with are in Mississippi, growing o at of the advance and proximity of the ene ir. v The cotton in that State coßts on an to age aboutfifty dollars per bale, and could uo\ v be readily parted with for two hundred and fifty dollars, payab e in the new issue, whUif goes to show that the cotton remaining or h Mfa will not only indemnify all the losses, ' il !. aw a margin of profit, if disposed of to day, iit about twenty-five millions of dollars. Colonel James Cltesnut, Jr., has been ap pointed! brigadier-general of reserves, in South Caroline, It is a. soutve of annoyance to the soldiets in th ■ nrtny to receive corn meal coarse and near ly -one-half bean. The facilities is camp for . dfiing meal atm not sufficient. The govern ment might remedy the evil by having seives attached to the mills, thus separating the bran there. Tho bran could be used to feed hogs t ad cattle. A wealthy farmer who lives not many miles -twity from Ooi'mnbus was continually missing -ns shoe i, until about thirty were gone. In passing through, a field he was attracted by his ' <<ogs'scratching Into the ground. Curiosity led vim to have the tparth to some depth opened. wt:;>n i e discovered the bodies of his sheep de void of tbeir wool—some rogue, either white man or negro, had’ sheared the wool off them, buried the bodies— -not thinking that the meat was worth more th an the wool. Nathan White wh o had a small distillery, in some sly nook, away up in the mountairts, in the extreme part of Floyd county, somewhere below Coosaville. was irraigned a few days since before the Inferior Court charged with unlawfully distilling spirituous liquors, The Gauge was sustained, aud The court ordered that the still was forfeited under the law, that the meta'ic parts be turned over to the State, she wooden parts burned, and that Mr. IV Idle be held in custody until he short Id give a bond of $5,000 for his appearance at the Superior Court to the charge. A letter from Beaufort says a fine English steamer has been captured, off the Xybee river, Ga. Major G. M. Cunningham, of Atlanta has been assigned to the duty, by Q. M, General, of contracting, on the part of the Government, with she factories in the-’ oites of South Caro lina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Missis sippi. Not less, than 4 000 soldiers in Gen. Lee’s command have professed conversion within two inout Oh. Nearly $100,0i70 has been subscribed in Montgomery, Ala., to provide education for the children of soldiers killed in the wr. Wilmington, N. C. was visited by a hail si-ai m Sunday afternoon. Confedei ate money in M emphis is worth twen ty-five cents on the dollar iin greenbacks. FROM t HAH.LEBTO.Y. On Sunday the enemy again opened heavily rm the fort with morters, which was kept up 1 till '.Ark. During the day the Yankees were observed hauling fresh supplies of ammunition v 0 the morter batteries. Fort Moultrie and our batteries on James’ Island opened fire for a slhort time on the parties, compelling them to go under cover. Saven shots were fired at the city Thursday, ad eighteen at Fort Sumter. The enemy vvtte busy during the day hauling sand to their middle battery, supposed for the purpose of repairing damages done by the late high tides ’•'ir.ty-one mortar shells were fired at Fort Sue‘or Tuesday,of which twenty-four struck, alia thirty-one Tuesday night, of which eleven struck. One negro was severely wounded. The enemy fired three volleys from eight ri '.rtarK, sinmltanemusly. on Sumter Wednes day evening. Daring the day twenty shells were thrown at the fort and eight at the city. There has been no change in fleet. Two Yankee deserters belonging to the 41st New York Regiment came into our lines Tues day from Kiawah Island. They arrived in the ci*y Tuesday evening and represent that they had been forced in the army as conscripts. Several more also started at the same time, but it i* believed have been caught, fUOH Tim Pfco.VT, BtoFpsUcmr* su a separate coauaaud are ' ? ow being orgaulasd in ail the amv brigades \ to act a* SKiimtshers iu action, tr 'be thrown ' forward instead of details from the regiments Each corps of sharpshooter is to comprise a battalhon of five companies. One lias just been organized in Gen. Mahone's brigade : Gen. Wheeler has selected Oxford” Ala., for a reserve depot, and has concentrated tliere a considerable cavalry force. Good judgment was displayed in its selection, it being near the present terminus of the Alabama and Tennes see Rivers railroad, within twelve hour’s reach of Gadsden, ou the Coosa river ; withiu twen ty-four hour’s reach of Rome and the left wing of Gen. Johnston's army, and within forty eight heur’s run of Selma, Ala, Seme three hundred Yankees on a raiding party, p ssed through Lafayette on Sunday. Raiding parties o. Yankees frequently come into Walker county and commit brutal outra ges. The Rome Courier states that W. B Jones who now lives on Col. Fouche’s piace in lex as T alley, had quite an affray lately with a man who stayed at his house the night before. Jones suspected that he was not “all right” and about daylight went into his room with his pistol in his hand and approached the bed where the man was lying. As he came up to him the man sprung up and snatched irorn his hand the pistol, drew another from under the cover and commenced shooting at him. Jones ri treated out of the room, but not until the man bad shot twice, neither of which however hit him. Jones then got his gun and stationed hims*‘if outside the house, and the man slipped out the i ack door and made his escape leaving a horse, saddle &c., valued at $3 000 If the man is 'all right” he will soon report some where, hut the probability is that he is either a spy or a desert, r. The Dalton correspondent of the Columbus Enquirer says he is informed that it is the in tention of Gen. Johusteu to order a rigid in quiry as to skulkers at home, whether or not they paid some superintendent of Government shop a fee to obtain them exemption papers It is well known that there are a number of young men iu Augusta, Macon and Columbus, who bought their posiliou that exempts them from service. A correspondent of the Marietta Rebel says that while the soldiers of Maney's Brigade were engaged in religions exercise near Dal ton ou the nieht of April 30. a tree which had been burning unperceived, came crashing down in the midst of the congregation Six were killed dead ou the spot, and some two or three mortally wounded; and ten or twelve more or less hurt. The rumor that a large Federal force was iu Chattooga County ou Sunday, is without foundation. There were no Yankees, in cKher Walker or Chattooga at latest accounts. Most of the slaves in and around Rome have been moved to safe localities A correspondent of the Columbus Sun says the Federals are making every show of an ad vance. Gen. Cleburne has issued an order against the abominable practice which exists iu tlm aimyof making sport of passers-by, and it is hoped others will follow him in this laudable reform. It is the result of thoughtlessness in most cases, and no harm is meant, but no man likes to be made a “butt,’’ and such conduct is not only insulting, but shows badly for the discipline of commanders and the breeding o the men. Any stranger may ride for miles through the cauip of Gen. Lee, and be treated with the utmost courtesy and politeness by every soldier he meets. Any breach of this decorum would be severely punished if brought to the notice of the officers. Let it be so eve rywhere, and our army ol' heroes be also an army of gentlemen. .. A correspondent of the Atlanta Confederacy writes from Dalton thus : There has long been a just cause of com plaint on the part of the officers ol this army, in regard to the manner they have been treat ed by the War Department. I understand that not one tenth of them have either received commissions or eveti a cert ficate of appoint ment. . I learn that the Department has, at last con cluded to remedy this evil, and aiso that of retaining the hundreds of supeifluous officers who ate loafing around sporting their bars and stars, and drawing their pay. And Maj. Hays, A. A G-, has arrived here, and is now engaged iu preparing a roster of tho army, sating what duty they are on, date of commission aud the standing of each officer, which will result in a general weeding out of the incompetent, superfluous or unassigned, as well as that of keeping a list of the officers who have donif their duty and are entitled to the credit of the samo, where future generations can find them recognize.! ns officers. FROM NORTH C AROLINA. It is reported that our troops are in posses sion of Washington, N. C. Alex. Ridings, of Forsyth co, N. C., commmit ted suicide last week by hanging himself, to keep from going to the war. lie certainly adopted a very effective way cf accomplishing his pur pose. Twenty-three sacks of meal deposited at Centre Depot, Charlotte, N. C ,to be sent to a distillery iu Iredell county to be convened into whiskey, were seized by some females A'n that neighborhood, a few days ago, and distributed to those in want of bread. This meal it is said, was to he turned into whiskey in violation of law and without legat'd to the present urgent demand for bread; hence the decisive action of the women in this matter. The Plymouth prisoners are to be sent to An ’ ~a>t, Ga. The capture of Plymouth, lelievcsa large section of country from which a great amount of supplies can be gathered. Valuable fish eries are also now within our lines. At last accounts there was not a Yankee craft in Albe marle Sound. The army stores captured at Plymouth, N.C., have been forwarded to Gen L-e’s army A desperate negro, named Jim, who has been committing innumerable depredations near Wilmington. N. C., was captured last week, afier a desperate resistance. He bit one es his captor’s fingers off, between the first a> and second joint. He had in ltiscamp a fine double barrelled gun, with powder and shot, a blade from a sword-cane fitted wiih a scabbard, two hatchets, an axe, a set of shoe-maker’s tools, leather, dried hides, bacon, a spade an i ot .er implements, and in fact a general assortment of al! soits of thing* Ji n was bound and carried to Wilmington jail. It is reported that there is quite a number of runaways in the swamps near Wilmington, headed by a deserter named Jeremiah Collins Dr. Leach has been elected to Congress from the Seventh North Carolina Distinct lie is ~ conservative In the Third District in North Carolina, the amount o' tax in kind is as follows. Sweet po tatoes, 25,33(i bushels; Irish potatoes, 122 bush els; corn, .07,410 bushels; wheat, 1.970 bush els ; oats. 2,094 bushels ; iye, 1,130 bushels; rice, 23,647 pounds; hay 27,316 pounds; (od der, 2,387,552 pounds; cotton, 35,573 pounds; wool, 4,207 pounds; tobacco, 237 pounds; peas, 900 bushels; ground peas, 319 bushels- As sessor’s estimate for bacon not in. Os this ar ticle, our agents report 293,665 pounds, and 9, 606 pou”ds salt pork, making an Aggregate of 303,271 pounds collected in the month of March alone. A lot of new counterfeits have arrived at Wilmington from Nassau. They are a one hundred dollar interesting-hearing note ; a one hundred dollar and a twenty dollar non interest bearing note. The interest-bearing note is dated Dec. 1, 1862. It is stamped on the back vith a circular stamp “Issued at Mont gomery, Alabama, 10 Jan. ’63 T. Sandford De positary.’’ The non-interesting bearing noUs are of the old Iloyer & Ludwig stamp, dated September 2d, 1861. Persons had better be careful in taking any bills of the old issue of the above characters or denominations. They are well calculated to deceive. Chief Justice Ruffin, of N. C. is seriously ill. Charlotte, N. C., was visited with a slight sprinkling of hail Sunday afternoon. The fail was of short duration, and the hail very small. No damage done. FROM FLORID\. Affairs in the direction of Jacksonville re main in statu r/uo. There is no indication upon the part of the enemy to warrant a probability of an attempted advance into the interior. General Anderson is vigilant and is prepared to meet the enemy, and repel him, it matters not by what route he may attempt an “on” to Tallahassee. The prospects of a large crop in Florida are very cheering. t-everal deserters and tories have been cap tured near New Boston and hung. The number of the enemy’s forces in Jack sonville. they represent to be about 3,600, a large majority are negroes. The troops are under the immediate command of Col. Burney of the Sixth U. S. polored troops, a Eative of New York, and son of the notorious abolition ist by that name. Gens. Gilmore, Seymour and Hatch werejill on board the steamer “Maple Leaf” at the time she exploded a torpedo in the St John’s, and barely escaped with their lives. Since the explosion of the above steamer and the Hunter, they are not much Inclined to ascend the St. John's. J’here are a large number of cases of small pox and other diseases in Jacksonville, and their troops are likewise upon very short ra tions. FiWHV !&*»*>*, Not to* than four soUient ia Gen eral Leo’s oommaiid have professed conversion wit jiu twelve months. There are now thirty seven chapels, in which almost every day, the chaplains and missionaries are preaching to large and soloemu congregations. The following leports have lately been {Tub. ltshed in pamphlet form by order of Congress: Gen. R. s. Ripley,s of Operations from Au gust 21 to September 10, 1863, with Sup. re !, >or i o' 0 ?' I,ee B °f Operations at Rappahan nrx-k Budge: Kit . by Smith's of Op- Jone*'of B>i"p Wer I ‘ olllsiauß . and Gen. Sam ncssee " g ,? nent at RogersviHe, Ten the Battle nf’n 6 \? ort of Gen. Echols of the Battle of Droop Mountains. The Sub Re ports appended to that of Gen Lm in re gard to the disastrous affair at Rappahannock Bridge explain very readily th e c l a P Use of disaster. Gen. Early say, the works were so constructed as to form no obstacles in them selves to aa attacking enemy. a> donly furnish ed a temporary protection to our troops An attacking force could walkover tne rifletrenches without difficulty and even the works in whgm the guns were posted, could be teadily passed over when once reached Here we see what loss an army incurs from negligence and a defective cotps of engineers—in fact, no en srineer corps tit all. or next to none. No won der 25,000 Yankees over {>owired 1600 Con federates in such works. The country about ten or twelve miles North west of Woodstock, iu Shoitandoah aud Frede rick counties, is infest n d with robbers and de serters from both 11m Federal and Confederate States armies. J hese robbers and deserters are the terror ol the region in which thoy circulate. 'lhe chain of Yankee pickets along the Bal timore and Ohio Railroad have been with drawn. It is now thought that no troops have been sent to Giaut’s army from Chattanooga. The tobacco damaged by the late freshet at Richmond brought from forty to sixty dollars per hundred at auction. It is stated, by one who has investigated the subject, that failure invariably follows every pet administration appointment. The cases of Bragg, Holmes, Ileth, Hindman and many others are ci ed in proof. It is now said that the folly of removing the female clerks from Richmond to Columbia can be laid to Gen. Bragg’s door. The Rict.moud Examiner says an order trans ferring the bulk of the idle and surplus pobula lion of Richmond south of the James, sleeps iu the War Department, awaitiug Gen. Bragg's signature. Iu Febuary and March the ladies knifing so ciety of Lynchburg, Va.,distribited 1,005 pair of socks to the army. Among the horses impressed by the Gov ernment iu virgittia was the celebrated race mare “Fanny,'’ belonging to Major Thos. W. Doswell, of Richmond. The nag was at the farm of Maj. Doswell s farther, a few miles from Richmond, and would have been forthwith taken oil but lor the representation of the value of the animal, and the entering into heavy bonds by Mr. Doswell, that another animal .should be furnished in her place. The owner of “Fanny" had refused $20,000 for her be,ore the war. Rev Dr. S. K. Cox., formerly President of Lynchburg College, has discovered a method tor the manufacture of Keros ne Oil. A patent has been issued for it. Conscription in Virginia is enforced with great rigor. Iu the county of Amherst only two men were discharged outright, as physical ly unfit tor sei vice. Many were assigned to “iigljt duty” who arc wholly uufit for any duty whatever. These meu draw rations and pay, thus adding to the but then of tho public debt, without any corresponding benefit to the coun try in a military wav. In a long article, the official organ advocates a war debt tax of twenty-five per cent, on the assessid va ye in 1861, or proportioned thereto, of all the real and personal estate—except per ishable property—in the Confederacy. The tax to be in the nature of a lien, adhering to property bought or sold, until discharged.— Does this “skeain” emanate from Mr. Mem minger? A few days since the mill of Mr. David Parks, about five miles south of Abingdon, Va.,was consumed. It was fired in several places, therefore the work of sn incendiary. Major Goodwyn lias been appointed Superin tendent of the Virginia and Tennessee Rail road, vice Thomas Dodamead, resigned. Iron is being laid upon the Piedmont Rail raid with a good deal of dispatch, and great exertions are being made to complete the work It is said that an average of a mile and a half of iron rail is laid daily. At t .is rate tho gap will soon be closed, and the trains be running through from Danville to Greensboro. A beautiful banner is being made in Char lotteville, Va., designed as a present to Gen. John 11. Morgan. One side of this rich gifi represented the seal of the Confederate States bearing the motto, Deo Viatlice. The obverse repr "sented a masonic charter, with the cross and Constantine, beautifully lettered In gold words, In hoc s ! gne vinces. The silk was of a superior quality, decked with tasty ornaments of gold. A considerable force of Fodcrals hove ap peared at Barnhamsvilie, thirty miles from Richmond. It is thought that a force of Federals at Ran dolph in Beverly county, will soon make an advance movement. It is reported that four thousand Federals are marching through the Kanawha valley, upon Lewisburg. Woen last heard from they were at Sewall's mountain. Gen. Imboden is orgmizing reserved forcer in all the counties in the valley of Virginia within our lines. Gen. Elzey h s established bis head quarters at Staunton. Va., for the organization of th< Maryland line. The Richmond Examiner state,- that those Marylanders who refuse to join this command will be sent'out of the Confederacy as alien enemies. Ttie hospitals at Richmond have all been cleared out, and the sick sent elsewhere. This looks as if something was to be done soon. Between five and six hundred horses have been impressed in Richmond. The Abingdon Virginian says that three Yan kee regiments—one white and two black—at tucked General Jackson at Capter’s station, twenty n ne miles below Bristol, on Monday lest. General Jackson, with a force of not more than three or four hundred men, repulsed them in gallant style, killing eight, wounding fifteen, and capturing four. Our loss was two killed and three captured. A note from an of ficer who was in the fight says that the enemy had not more than tlnee hundred men engaged at any one time. T tey commenced the attack on th*- morning of the 25th, were hansomely re pulsed, remaind in sight till the next morniDg, since which they have not been seen, It is said that they are at Jonesboro’, about fifteen httn bundred strong, consisting of cavalry and ar tillery. The enemy's loss was about thirty in killed and won tded, including a major and captain of the Tenth Michigan. Our loss was three woun ed, one dangerously and two slightly, and five captured. All Confederate officers and men delivered at City Point, Virginia at any time previous to the 20tfi of April, 1804, are declared to be duly exchanged The Richmond Sentinel says there is a fair prospect ot a good fruit ceop in that section. Gen. Law’s brigade lias been transferred to Major. Gen. Field's division. A photgrapbtc copy of the Dahlgren paperß has been sent to Gen. Lee by command of President Davis, with instructions to forward it to Gen. Meade with a letter from himself in quiring whether the orders and plans found on Up!. Dahlgren were authorized by himself or his Government. No answer has yet been mrde to this communication.. FROM EAST TENNESSEE. The people of East Tennessee are undergoing more cruel treatment than at any period of the war. Ihe Yankees are enrolling negro men, as well as women, for >he different branches of the service. Their owners are held responsible for their delivery when called fir. Most of the Federal garrisons in Middle Te nnessee have been sent to the main army. Andy Johnson is trying to raise home-gtiard companies all over the State to do his little dirty work for him. Accounts heretofore published, in regard to the destruction of private property in Tennes see, and the abuse of citizen* at e fully con firmed. In some places houses have been burn ed and citizens murdered in cold blood, with out offense, except that their sympathies were with the South. Most of the citizens have been left no alternative but to take the oath of ailegiance to the Government they so nfuch hate, or see their houses and worldly effects consumed by tne devouring flames and fheir families ieduced to starvation. Moie can be procured for one dollar in Con federate money in Tennessee, than can be pro cured for three dollars of the same currency in the Confederacy. FROM MEXICO. Manatilan and Tobasco have been abandoned by the French on account of their unhealthi ness • I he fortunes of the Juarez party are looking spa little. Northern papers say that the Confederate guerillas on the banks of the Mississippi are in creasing in numbers, FiiiOM KURiDHINiMSTI, The Mobile Registers obtains Boat Mr, Wsgi nsr, who has arrived inroute for Richmond wilh dispatches for the Govermeut,' the Annexed interesting information : Three Yankee columns were to advance from distant points ou Shreveport: Morgan Smith from Vicksburg up Red River. Steele from Ar kansas. and Banks and Franklin from N*ew Orleans and Berwick’s Bay. Smith's was the first to reach the scene. He went up Red River with 12.000 men. flanked Fort Deßussey, capturing tho garrison, and oc cupied Alexandria. At this town lie was joined, about the Ist of April, by Banks and Franklin with about 20,- 000 more. The combined fordo then marched upon Nat chitoches, a fleet of forty gunboats and trans ports moving simultaneously up the Red Riv er. They also occupied this town without op p sitiun ; and with little delay kept on to wards Shreveport, our forces slowly falling I'Ac It before them. Ihe plan oi Gen. c mith was to draw *hem as tar into the interior as possible, aud the field of battle, as selected by him. was about 20 miles trom Shrevepon. But when the centre under Taylor had reach ed some spungs of water four or five miles Irom ihe town of Mansthld, (about sixty miles southeast ot Shreveport,) the Louisianians swore they hadonough ot retreating, and should tight there. Ibis declaration suited “a- impet uous temper of Dick I’avlor, who Jf-tmed his line of battle, and met the advancing cnemv driving them back The straggle was terrible! but the lauites, though outnumbering Taylor ? A » wtre routed *n<l Mi back to Pleasant liiii, also tbc> were driven back oh the next day. the .Util of April. At l h a-ant Hill. Mourtou’sdivision charged over nu-immense ploughed field upon the Yan kee artillery which was supported by three limes their number It was here the heroic Mourton and neatly every field officer of his division were killed or wounded But when our men reached the guus of the enemy, the Yan kees threw down their guns, declaring il was useless to fight i-uch demons. From that moment it. was a flight on one side and a pursuit on tho other—a race lor the gun boats, which lay about 27 miles oil'. '1 he Yankees reached the cover of theic gun boats at Grand Ecore, and at last accounts had boarded up their steamers to protect them from our at tillery and sharpshooters on the ri\ - er batik. Iu attempting to cross the river to the nor.h bank, where the roa i to Alexandria and to Natchez also, is better than on the Alexandria side, our troops renewed the attack upon them. This was Sunday, the 17th. The only parlicu-ura we have are that the Yankees fought with great but unavailing des peration ; that the losses were very heavy on both sides, and the result more terrible, if pos sible, and more decisive than in the, previous battles Our cavalry and artillery are above and be low on both sides of the river. As fast as their gunboats got hard aground, our field pieces are p aced so as to annoy them without being endangered by a return fire. The Yan kees burn their transports and blow up their guuboasts as soon as they see them immovably aground. The river is falling fast, and the country in Northern Louis ana and ’Texas is so parched, that :io matter how heavy the, rains, the moisture would ail be absotbed before reaching Shreveport, far less the Fails, Banks was within a hair’s breadth of being captured cm the 9tli. Un the 7th a Confederate Major, who sub sequently made bis escape, was taken and brought belore Banks. When did you leave Shrevcpoi’i ?’’ queried the ex Commissary of Stonewall. “Yesterday motniug, sir.” “Was Gen. iSteelo in possession ot the place?’’ “No. sir.” “Beware how yon trifle with me, sir; \ want the iruth—was not Geu Steele in possess ion of Shreveport when you left,?’’ “Well, General, when I left Shreveport, if Gen. Steele was a hundred miles from t iere, Gen. Kirby Smith didn't know a word about it.” The Major sai Ihe never saw a man wilt so in his life. Two Couriers from Bank's to Steele were caught one at Marshall, Texas, the other at Shreveport, with orders to fall back as rapidly as possible ; that lie (Batiks) had advanced on Shreveport, expecting to meet six ex eight thousand men, aud had met ninety thousand. Before the writer left Shreveport (18th April) the order sending ruinforc' meuts to Price had been countermanded - it being understood that a courier had arrived from Gen. Price stating he could manage the force of Steele with the troops he had already. Result i/f the battles of the 6lh and 9th : 85 pieces artillery, 1,200 mules, 300 wagons, ma ny of them loaded ; and, a loss to the euemy of 8,000 men by our report, and 15,000 by their own. Brig. Gen. C. J. Polignac during February last, marched with three regiments, forty-five miles, crossing three rivers in flat boats, in thirty-six hours; then drove the Yankees in \ idaliu, La., to the protection of their gun boats, and held them at bay, while lie remov ed all that was valuable iu the tow n and on the neighboring plantations, and leisurely re tired. e rrying off all the hoists, mules and beeves that he could fiud to his camps at Har risonburg, La. The attack on Vidal ia was made in view of thousands of spectators who thronged the bluffs and houses of Natchez, which place was directly opposite. Our forces remained in I idiiiaa whole day, the gunboats harmlessly firing at them all the while. The Confederates numbered 700, the Federals over G.-n. Price is reported to have attacked Lit tle Rock and capt-i red it. He then fell back and at at'»ed Steele's forces, and routed them with terrible loss. The troops under Quantrell are said to have committed sad havoc on the leased plantations —harm god oil the overseers that he caught and all the negroes dressed in Federal uniform lie had also captured some 800 negroes who were at work on the plantations. Gen Price bad issued orders against this conduct, but very little attention was paid to them. The spring in Texas is very backward. Tba prospect of a good crop is anything hut fiat teritig. No apprehension of a good yield however i* felt 001. Jack Hays, tho old Texas hero, is now fit Guy a wee, Mexico, in mining * Grand Ecore, the point of so Dutch interest at preset t is the landing of Natchitoches which town is a few miles from Ki.d River. FROM MISSISSIPPI. Lieut. J. C. Smith, of Capt. Evans’ scouts Gen. Ross command, states that if the owners of slaves in the counties of Washington Issa quena and Bolivar, will apply to his coh mand they will be ssisted in finding and removing their Servants. The poor contrabands in these counties have suffered untold miseries since they have been suhjec'ed to the oi the ‘ best government the world ever saw, 1 ' and are extremely anxious to return to their old masters, and in mercy lo the poor delu ded creatures, whose ranks have been terribly thinned by pestilence aud death, it is to he hoped their owners will make some effort lor their relief. Jones county, Miss., has been cleaned of de serters. Some ten have heen shot, and a largo number captured. _ Ihe citizens o£ Meridian, Miss., are rebuild ing the burnt portion of the place. The Brandon Republican gives the particu lars of a great commotion got np by the Yan kees among themselves, at Big Black Bridge, a few days since. It appears that Gen. Den nis tiie commander of ihe post, had put his soldiers on short rations, and was sellin" pro visions to the citizens on this ride the river, at which tho soidiera took offense, and dwvrmin.- ed to tai and leather their commander, ©no party surrounded the headquarteis of General Dennis, for the purpose of taking him o U t and applying the tar and feathers, whilst another party went to the commissary store, broke open the doors, and helped themselves to such Hi tides as they wanted, and threw a largo quantity ot provisions into the river. General Dennis escaped the coat of tar and feathers by y ielding to their demands, and promising them that they should not be punished for tbeir ol tenss, and that the rebels sl ouldnot be furn ished with any more provisions. The Meridian Clarion says the withdrawal of the Yankee forces from Big Biack shows the enemy’s weakness at Vicksburg. There aie not troops enough to hold the point alluded to, and the city from our cavalry. So General Dennjs has gone behind Ihe Ratifications around the city. According to late advices from Vicksburg the the mortality ther e is unnaturally great for this season. The following officers are elected in Arkan sas under the Yankee regime : Isaac Murphy, Governor ; C. C. Bliss, Lieutenant Governor ; R. J. White, Secretary of State ; J. P. Berry, Auditor ; E. D. sayres, Treasurer ; C. T. Jor don, Attorney General ; T. D. W. C. A. Harper, E. fiaxte., Judges of the Supreme Court ; D. M. Jacks, Helena Distr ct, and J. M. Johnson, Johnson county, members of Con gress. The Washington Chronicle says Lincoln will-' - ' investigate the Fort Pillow affair carefryßy the statements are found to be correct he will demand the participants, if they areWused he will take measures of Revenge, • ‘ 1
