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HIIKRIIU 8 LCmR.
Ihe letter of the Yankee Genera! Shmnan
to bU Adjutant General, instructing him hh to
the treatment of people of Northern Ala
jsigma, published lo our columns a few day -
Btgo, Is a document of peculiar significance an.l
importance. It is an official and explicit de
coration ot the intention ol the Nortiiern de
ilUiu, lu the event of our subjugation.--
Tlere con no longer tie any doubt aa to what
those intentions are. We commend this letter
to the careful perusal and consideration of ev
ery Southern man. Let them ponder well its
contents, and especially let those, who nmy
think fur a moment of submission, contem
plate the fate which it foreshadows for tin m.
The following paragraphs vividly tel forth
(he enemy's programme :
I would a dviae the commanding officer-at
Huntsville and such other towns ns are oreu
pied by our troo|l toasserahle the inhabitim'-
and explain to them these plain, self evident
propositions, and tell them that it is for thorn
now to say whether they and tiielr children
the United Slates basin Noith Alabama any
and all rights wlii<-h they choose to enforce in
war to take their lives, their homes, tie -ir
lands, their everything, U:cutiHe. they cannot
deny, that war does exist (here, and war is sim
ply power unrestrained by constitution or i iiir.-
loiot. If they want etcmal warfare, well and
pood; we will accept the issue and dispos e/s
them, and put our iiiend* in possession. I
know thousands anil millions ol good people
who, at simple notice, would come to Nm Hi .ri
abanin and accept the elegant homes ami plan
ta lions there.
If the people of Huntsville tUink different,
let them persist in war three years longer, ami
then they will not be consulted. * Three years,
ago, by a little reflection and patience, they
could have had a hundred years of peace, and
prosperity, bui they preferred war. Very well.
fe*Ht year diey aouid hayo saved their da.
but now it in too laid*-all the powers ol earth
cannot restore to t bent their slaves anymore
than their dead grandfathers. Next year their
laud will l*i taken, tor in war we can take
them and rghtfully, too, and another year and
they may bog to vain for their lives A people
who will persevere in war beyond a certain
limit ought to know the eouseqt cnees. Many,
many people, with less pertinacity than the
South, have been wiped out of uati mal < • t
once.
These sinister but unmistakable avowals
leave not tlm shadow of a doubt, that the
wholesale confiscation of the lands and propel
ty of the South, and the extermination ol hei
people, are the objects of the Abolitionists in
Ibis war of invasion, bobbery is their motive,
ijobbery their aim, robbery their sole incentive
to its prosecution. They have east an envious
and covetous eye upon the liuilhd fields and
palatial mansions of the South, the latuiol > >1
ton and the cane, and are waging this war tor
the sole purpose ot appropriating them to
themselves.
This ha* teen the real motive of the tibol
tlon ciusude from tho first. Not philunthropy
for the negro, hut hatred for his master ; not
devotion to the Union, but an unhallowed t hirst
for pluuder—have been the unrighteous mo
tives which have prompted I, in coin and hi» myr
midons to prosecute this iniquitous war. These
incarnate Heads scruple at tio means, however
diabolical, lo accomplish their hellish ends.—
The torch of the incendiary and the bullet cf
the assassin are thtji’ favorito insti uineuts -*
Their track of desolation is lit up by toe lurid
flames of burning Southern homes, and every
where marked by devastation aud ruin. 1 lead
to all the kindly instincts of humanity, and to
all sense of justice aud light, they are deaf to
the cries of the Innocent and defenceless, to the
pleadings of helpless women and children,
whom, with remorseless cruelty, they scruple
not to drive from their homes with insult and
outiage. Attila, “tho scourge of God," and
tiis vandal followers, never matched the atroc
ities of these Yankee invaders.
And this arch Bend Sherman, who disgraces
the name of a soldier by drawing his sword
against tho Innocent and helpless, bus tho
mendacity to talk about rights, to assert that
“the Government of the Uuited State* has iu
North Alabama any and all rights which they
choose to enforce in war—to take their lives,
their homes, their lands, their everything.''
With unblushing effrontery and ignorance, he
essays a disquisition on the law of nations, in
vindication of his atrocities, when by the plain
and universally admitted principles of that
law, they are positively prohibited. 'J he code
of international law, adopted by the civii./.ed
world, recogn':«d by every nation claituiug lo
be Christian, aud which, for more than a cen
tury past, ha* been scrupulously observed bj
she European nations in their numerous and
bloody wars, exempts tbs persous and property
of non-combatants, front violence and pillage,
and throws the shield of and toffy and Christian
chivalry ovoy the helplesstiets of infancy and
womanhood. No l Sherman, ignoring the hu
mane precepts ot tho modem codo and tile
moral sense of Christendom, goes back to ages
of barbarism and lawless violence to find sanc
tion for atrocities which would disgrace even a
savage. The wrong* inflicted upon Ireland
centuries ago, in au age of violence and blood,
the massacre of her people and confiscation of
her homes, are held up as the examples which
are to guide Abolition malignity in wreaking
It* vengeance upon the people of the South.
Forewarned, tho people of the South are lore
aimed, and these boastful threats will but
Inspire a more obstinate, heroic and successful
resistance.
Tat Mmican Question ix Vankkkpoji j
The open defiance of France, on the Mexican
question. by the Yankee House of Represent*-
tWes, was a very good piece of buncombe, by
which the aforesaid Representatives not only
galled their constituent., but to same extent the
people of both England and Franee. I' nder tiie
influence of this, it is saM, the Confederate
loan rallied in London and thoro was a re-action
<m the Paris Bourse. The Yankee Represen
tative* made a "grand flourish/’ probably bav-'
"ag an understanding beforehand with the Sen
ate that nothing serious shall come of it,—
1 he resolution still sleeps in that body, we are
told, for reason* of State policy.
Beef sold in Columbia, 3. C,. a few day* since,
M t* 66 per pound, and chickens at So a head
tn »."> bills- Pees, which In > been as high as
fit, brought only £ * a bushel.
BAT TL E 0 F
The Wilderness.
A correspondent of the Uicbmood Dispatch
giv.-s the annexed account ot the Battle of the
Wil-leme.-s, fought May 4 :
The moment Gen. !-ee ascertained that Grant
h el really cut loose from bi.« base at Culpeper,
Hill's and dwell’* corps wt-ro withdrawn from
their positions 0a the Rapidan and ordered to
tdvance upon tin? enemy's line of march, the
toir :r taking the platik road and the latter the
turnpike, both leading from Grange Court
House to Fredericksburg. Longstreet, who
was encamped in the vicinity of Gordonsville,
it sly to move upon any |s>iat, was ordered to
march low'll the Cntharpiu road. The main
Ixaiy of Giani s army crossed at Germanna
l ord, and took the road leading from theme
in the direetinii ot Bowling Green and Rich -
niond, and known in the neighborhood as
Brock s road, by win. h name J shall speak of
it hereafter, 'i he to -t object at whit h lie aim-
ed, doubtless, was to leach the poiut
where that mad intersects the Orange and
f'lederiekaburg plank road and turnpike.—
These highways run nearly parallel to each
other, the diutum e between them v.uving from
one utile to three mites and mote. Them is an
unfinished railroad wliicb also runs nearly par
allel to the other two roads ami extends from
Grange (J. ij. to Fredericksburg. The turn
j pike lies on the north side or next to the river,
j the railroad on the south side, and the plank
| road between the two. These reads do not
I cross Brook ? road along which Grant wastnov
| ing, at right angles, hut diagonally, the dis-
I lance between the points where they cut Brock’s
j road being ass dlows : between the railway
i bed and die platik road about five hundred
j yaiiis, and between the plank road and turn
i p.ke neatly lour miles The enemyF line ot
| I.an le extended along Brocks road ftoin the
unfinished railroad across the plonk road to
the turnpike, and was consequently about four
mdes or length. ('ottnecllorsville is four miles
below, on the plank n»ad, and Fredericksburg
itecit tl I teen itiilei. The surrounding country
is very appropriately called the Wilderness, •
the people being ignorant, the soil destitute of
fertility, the supply of water scant, the ground
iuoken and coveted with a dense and almcst
impertittrabh.' growth of stunted bushes, pines,
and olucl: ,*cku. It i>: n blasted region, ad
joining the district ns (he "poisoned
Holds <>f Orange,” and producing but tittle lor
tie--:-.: --t. nee of either turn or -beast. So
tl'i- . tii.-wood- in K-omo places that It is
itnpo --hie to distinguish n man, even in the
aii.once of verdure, at a dial a rice of fifty pac-s.
I he i■•■udor i in readily imagine that it would
be difficult to select utoro untavorable ground
Idr a battle between two great armies. H only
remains to be added that the battle was fought
-r the western boundary of Spotsylvania
county, the line of battle being nearly at right
a iglee to a straight line drawn from Freder
icksburg through Cbaneellorsville to Orange
Court House.
if the r a.ii r will keep these points clearly
iu his mind and wjll place a good map In-tine
him, he will find hut little difficulty in forming
a satisfactory conception of the batllo.
A-. leu already been stated, Ewell moved
down the turnpike, which is on the left and
nearest to the liver, mid Hill down the plank
road. Stuart passed still further to the South
-out marched down the Catbarpio road, so as to
t hrow tii cavalry iu front of the it.-ad of Grant's
army and tehtril its mat ch, tiis troopers did their
dull well, c .peciaity Rosser's brigade, of Hamp
ton s division, and forced the Federal eav.diy,
which was marching up tho road by which he
was advancing, hack into brock's road, with
considerable loss in tueu and horses. Indeed
Grant had thrown his cavalry up the t urnpike,
plank load and l aiharpia road, in‘he vain
hope iU.it lie ini..lit ho aide to interpose a
screen between himself-and the Confederates,
aud tliic bnth protect atul ernecai bis move
ments. tint Lee was not slow in penetrating
his designs, and immediately sprung upon his
fluid: like a ti ;or upon the side of an ov Ewell
..od Hill pushed rapidly down the turnpike
' p •’> m i. n i-n iiuit.'i'.-ii and drove in the
cavalry and ird'uidiy supports which had been
thrown turward to block up these Idgiuvnys,
and oonipelh t lbo whole army lo butt and du
ll-id i’- • :t. .--matt in the meantime had rern-h
--i t it* o.'k’a road, in front of ilia enemy, and
thus ojipuh: and another obstacle to liis Itirfher ad
vance'. It is not known that Grant specially
directed to give battle here, but lie saw the
danger of his position and immediately formed
into line ot battle and advanced nearly two
miles to meet the threatened attack. This, it
will be seen hereafter, was alV.that saved him
from a most disastrousdelea‘, since it gave him
tic.u to send his trains lo the rear amt throw up
strong enlronoßmonte, parallel with and in fioul
of the road by w Idea he had been inarching,
and behind which he might rally bis troops in
the event they were beaten hack. This was
Thursday, tie; dill, one year aud one day after
the great battle ol Cbaneellorsville.
It, was about four in the afternoon when the
two .k inn s encountered each other. Grant at
tacked heavily and repeatedly along the whole
line, and especially on our right, which ho
showed a disposition to turn, and thus place
himself between Lee's army and llichmond ;
but iu every instance he was repulsed with heavy
lobs. Ho was persistent , however, in his efforts
to break our lines and continued his assaults
until night, liis last advance against Hill's
front was made just before dark, and was hand
somely repulsed by Wilcox s aud llelh's divis
ions. His final attack upou Ewell was made
after night against that part of the lino held by
Edward Johnson's division, lit-re, too, he was
beaten back, leaving many dead and wounded
on the ground. During these operations Ewell
i apt ui-od 2.000 prisoners, nearly allot whom
w, re taken by Gordon's Georgia brigade aud
Hays’s Louisiana, both ol whom behaved with
distinguished gallantly.
•I.ongstreet had not yet reached the ground.
Leaving GordoiisviUe at 1 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon, he marched fifteen miles that night.
The next day lie marched down the Catbarpin
road, so called from a run which it crosses,
seventeen miles, his orders being to strike
Ih ,-ck’s road at a point outh of tiie until ished
railroad, lie halted during the afternoon with
in eight miles of tile battle-field ; hut owing to
the i>octiiiui condition ol tho atmosphere, and
the density of the forest, ho could not hear the
,-uns of bMM and Ewell, and was riot aware the
battle 1 1 ITT commenced until the teieipt of a
dispatch from Gen. L<-o ai midnight, ordering
him to come over to tire plank road to t-.e as
s [stance of Kill. His corps was put iu motion
immediately, and reached the field Friday morn
ing- soon after sunrise. 11 ill s troops were aware
■ of the approach of Longstreet's corps, ami that
it would take thc'.r place iu the lino. They had
had a huntfight the previous evening and’ rest
ed but little that night, and when the head ot
McLaws s divsion, now commaded by that mo
del soldier. Brig Gen. Kershaw, came iu sight,
they relaxed somewhat their vigilance and
were preparing to withdraw, when they were
attacked in front with great fury by a very
heavy force.
Under these untoward circuit! stances Wilcox's
mid JicthV. divisions, which had done so well
the evening before, were thrown into confusion
and gave way, just as Kershaw doublequtekod
it to the fio.nl in column. The latter succeeded
m throwing three regiment* of his old brigade,
commanded by Col. llinnegan. into the line
while Wilcox's and Heth s men were tailing
back over his troops, and with this small, but
heroic Lund, ho confronted the heavy masses
, cl the enemy now flushed with the hope of an
! ensy victory and pressing rapidly forward.
! These regiments suffered severely, but they
maintained ih.ir ground until the remainder of
the division could la* got into some sort of line
under the terrible flu- to which it was exposed,
tieii. Lee witnessed the unfortunate and unex
pected confusion mid withdrawal of the divi
iou.- ot \\ ileox and lfeth. in both ot which he
had reposed so much coutidence. and which
had hpbavetl so handsomely on the form r oc
casions, and Wars rushed into his eyes. He at
! once placed himself at the head of Gregg’s Tex
an brigade. Fields' division, formerly Hood s
i and prepared to lead it in person. The heroes
i ~t the Lv.ne star who had made the circuit ot
1 the Confederacy under Rougstreet. remoustrated
against such an unnecessary exposure of his
life—a lift* so important and preeicois to the
Confederacy and to all frieuds of liberty
throughout the world. He replied that he must
win this battle at every hazard—that he must
whip the fight. The Texans, who had not yet
moved from their tracks, answered that they
could whiti the tight without his leading them,
and would do it. Xu the meantime appeals
wet* made by several officers to Longstrcet oa
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUNE 1. 1864.
the only poison who could probably dissuade
Gen. Lee trom *o rash a proceeding. He went
immediately to Gen. Lee and begged him to
restrain L.m>e!f, and not to think of exposing
bint.sell and the cause which he had so much at
heart to -ueb terrible chances. The Texans.
t“ • dually gave him- to understand, ia the
most respectful and affectionate manner, that
they would obey arty order be might give, pro
vided he remained behind, but that the • would
not budge an inch if lie lead them. (s t a. Lee
w *s at length prevailed upon to desist from the
hazardous undertaking, and right gloriously
(lid tire heroic Texans redeem their pledge.
Kershaw has, by the Unanimous voice of the
army, won his spurs and Major General’s com
mission. He has ever proved himself equal to
the occasion however critical, but yesterday Ire
displayed a degree of skill, energy, and intre
pidity that elicited the admiration of all who
wiiat*c3i'd Or have heard of his performance.
tVlieit he and Fields, another officer who be-
haved with great judgment and gallantry, at
length got into positionjunder these difficult,
eirctitn .tarn* s with their old leader Longstreet
to guit.V and direct them, it would have done
you good to have seen how they and their otfi
et-rs and men pressed forward with shouts that
rant the skies, and finally repulsed the iui
tnehiio uumbets that crowded down upon them
with terrible slaughter. They saved the day,
which lor nearly two hours trembled in doubt,
and were at length enabled to assume the of
fen.ive. It was evidently ij rant’s object to
turn.our right wing, an*l if he had succeeded
it is impossible to say what might have hecu
the result.
On the left we were equally successful. An
attempt was made to pierce that part of Ewell's
line which was Lei 1 by Pegram’s brigade, but
it was signally defeated. You will regret to
hear that Gen. Begratn was severely wounded,
and that Brig. Generals Jones, ot Va., and
.Stafford, rd La., were killed Lhe evening before.
With tiiis exception, the left wing was not re
quired to take any further part ia the heavy
lighting of tbo (Fry, the enemy’s almost exclu
sive attention being given to our right. •
About It o’clock Longstreet was ordered to
move upon the enemy ’s left Hank, and if possi
ble dislodge him from the railroad cut and the
plank road, and drive him back upon Brock’s
load, the brigades selected for this move
ment were C. 1’ Anderson's an ] Jenkins s 4 of
Field's division; Mahone’s and Davis’, of ft F.
Andsrar-n’s di\ i don, and L ofiord's and perhaps
two ot-beia of Kershaw* division. Anderson’s di
vision, but lately arrived, having been left at
Orange Court House to guard against any de
monstration upon our rear.
The flunk movement was completely suecesa
tul; tli,- enemy was taken by surprise and driven
back from the railroad cut across the plank
road with heavy low, a portion of his troops
retreating rapidly down the plank road to
Brock's roatl. Ifahoue’s Virginia brigade, of
Anderson’s division, ran over the 4th "United
kb lies infantry, a regiment which boasted that
it bad never been broken before. 'The plank
road being clear, Longstreet advanced down it
at the lutfd ol -Jenkitis’s brigade, and had hard
ly gone a half of a mile when he was tired upon
by Mahone's brigade, which was drawn up in
dense woods parallel to the road, and not more
than seveuty-tive ogees from it. idahope was
waiting there lo catch such of the enemy as
might have teen cut olt up the road, ami when
Jenkins's brigade ip-rived opposite to him his
men, being nimble to distinguish one man from
a other through the woods, very naturally con
cluded it was a body of the enemy retiring,
atul opened lire upon their friends, killing eight
or leu and wounding several others. Capt.
Dob)’, ol Kershaw’s staff, was killed instantly ;
the intrepid Gen. Jenkins, of South Carolina,,
received a mortal wound in the head, from
wiiie.li he died in a fcw-houis afterwards, and
Gen. Longsti'uet was shot in the neck. The
ball struck him iu front on the right of the
larynx, passing under the skin, carrying away
a part of the spine of the scapula, aud coming
out behind tlm right shoulder. The wound is
severe, hut is not considered mortal, the only
danger apprehended being from secondary
hemorrhage. Should he survive ten dr twelve
days, aud the curated artery not become in
vo-ived, it is the opinion of Dr. Cullen, his med
ical director, that he will be able to return to
t lie tie id in a tew weeks, tie. his lost the tem
porary use of h:s right arm, what surgeons call
the conical plexus of nerves being injured. He
v- .m carried to the rear this morning, and was
doing remarkably well when lie left. Gen.
Lee called to nee him just before ho was moved,
and when he hade him farewell and came out
of the tent where his great Lieutenant lay, his
cu nw< re idled with tears. It is a remarkable
coincidence that Jackson received his death
wound just twelve months ago only four miles
In,m the spot where Ids companion in arms fell,
and just after he had completed a successful
flank movement, aud under almost precisely
tho saute circumstances. Heaven Grant that
I .ee may not loose his left arm now, as ho lost
ins right arm then.
Gen. Long-street had jusfbeen congratulated
by Gen. Lee, Gen. Kershaw, and i theis, upon
the complete success of his attack upou the
flank of the enemy,, and he was sweeping down
the plank road to pluck the rich fiuits of his
victory, then almost within his grasp, wheu he
was struck down by his own friends. The de
lay of an hour which ensued gave the the ene :
my lime to escape back behind his entrench
ments on the Brocks road. The command of
tho corps then devolved upon Major Gen.
Fields and to-day it was turned over io Major
Gen. Anderson, of Hill’s corps, who lmd been
reporting to Longsteet after his arrival, and
who formerly belonged to the corps.
The enemy had thus been repulsed along our
whole line, and left many dead and wonuded
it) our hands. In many places his dead ap
peared io lie five or six times as numerous as
out own. Our loss was not so imavy as at
first reported, and will not exceed 5,000, of
whom not more than 500 were killed. Most
of the wounds wCre comparatively slight, ow
ing to the protection afforded by the trees aud
brushes. The enemy’s loss cannot be much.
less than L>,o(Jo, inclusive of prisoners. 'The
unfavorablo character of the ground aud the
chapparal prevented both sides from using ar
tillery. only a few gnus being put into position.
Among all the killed, no truer or brave r knight
oyer tell in defence of the liberties of his conn
try than the gallant and accomplished
('til. Nance, of South Carolina; aud no harder
lighter or more perfect geifflem.-nt ever received
•a wound-on the field of battle than Ueu. Ben
uiiig, of Georgia. The one has gone to the
rest oft bo true soldier; let us pray that the
other may long be spared to the country lie has
served with so much modesty and courage.
Major Gen. Wadsworth, of the Federal army,
received a mortal wound in she head. Brig. Gt-u.
Mays, of the same army, was killed.
Our lines were withdrawn a few hundred
yards on the night of May ti. andjrom the en
emy’s immediate front, for the purpose of im
proveing their position. Not understanding
exactly what the movement meant, Grant
advanced with heavy force this morning at
half-past 10 o’olock. hut lie soou discoverd
where the Confederate troops were. He was
driven back with ease, aud now at sunset is
cowering behind his entreu .btuents in the Wil
derness. His troops have not done as well *as
they did under McClellan, Burnside, or even
Hooker. The Confederate*, on the contrary,
never fought bet tor Gen. Lee had caused it to
i>e circulated among them some days ago that
they must not think of defeat as possible; it
was a tiling not to Leuven dreamed of. Nobly
have his invincible legion* responded to the
call ot their great chiefs. Oh, that we may
ever have such a leader and such an army!
.At half past fouro't'oek Gen. Lee determined
to fcol of the enemy and ascertiin ids position
on Brock's road, iin the right, where 1 had
iny position, the brigades of Kershaw, Hum
phreys, and WoffoTd, of Kershaw's division:
AndersonjJeu kins, Gregg and Law of field's
division, and Mahone of Anderson’s division,
moved forward iu the form of the letter V, with
the sharp point toward* the enemy. G. T.
Anderson, known iu the corps as "tiger Ander
son,” formed the apex of the line, and suc-
ceeded iu reaching the enemy's entrenchments,
two ot his men tailing within the works. On
the left Swell was equally successful.
The result of the attack or reconnoissaace
was the discovery that Grant had been driven
back a mile and a half, that he had thrown up
a strong lin- of entrenchments in front of
| Brock’s road, and that his left wing rested up
j on a deep cut iu the railroad, along which he
had pouted a foi re that effectually protected it.
His position is thetfiore a strong one, being
j tendered the more so by the deuse woods
j through which his line ruu3. Lee's position is
j equally satisfactory.
Last night Gordon, of Early's division, threw
a- brigade around an exposed point in tbe
enemy’s lines, and took Brig. Gens. Seymour,
of Ocean Pond memory, and Slialec, and about
'>oo men ptisoners. Seymour admits that Grant
has been whipped, and that, the Federal army
w-ill continue to be whipped until -heir ports
are closed and the troops reduced to ‘-parch
corn and beans like the rebels.’ ’ He says
Grant drinks too much liquor, anil that the
war on the parr of the North is been conducted
as if it was a matter of frolic and contract.
TII IT AT TL E
OF
SPOTTSYL VANIA COURT HOUSE.
A correspondent of the Columbia Carolinian
gives the annexed account of the Battle of
Spottsylvania Court House :
On Thursday, May 12, was fought in front
of this modest little village—henceforth to be
known through all coming time —one of the
fiercest and most obstinate battles of modern
times. It commenced at day light, and raged
and roared with tremendous fury until two
o’clock in the afternoon, when the enemy re
tired from the bloody conflict. Grant inade
the attack again,as he did at the Wilderness,
and gained a considerable advantage by the
suddenness and vigor of the assault early in
the day, but with this exception, be was re
pitlsed with a loss mourning to
thousands of Northern and European hearth
stones, mid dismay and contusion to the ty
rants ami demagoguet whose hosts lie leads.
The Confederates failed at one point only
partly from mistake, but on all other parts of
the field they were victorious, and as firm and
resolute as ever. The enemy was b-atcu, but
not routed or driven from the field.
it is not my purpose to go much into.the details
of the battle—first, because the letter, it cap
tured would give important information to the
enemy, and tecondly, bee tuse it is almost im
possible to prepare any account of a battle
that will give satisfaction to subordinate offi
cers, and if one makes the attempt and fails, as
he certainly will, he is almost sure to have his
motives impugned and became involved ia a
controversy in the newspapers.
The battle was tought ou the North s’-de of
Spotsylvania Court House, on the undulating
ground, diversified by fields, pine thickets, aril
patches ol woods. Our line is crescent shaped,
or perhaps it would be more correct to s»y tsu
it is nearly in the fgrm of a horse shoe, and
extends around theCotirt House ot village on the
North nad North western side, so as to cover
all the approacher. irom those quarters. Slight
outienchments had Been thrown up along out
entire front, extending from neat the Shady
Grove —or (.’atharpen road continued—on the
West, around to and beyond the Fredericks-,
burg road on the North east.sid.i of the village.
At one point on the-right is mi eminence a
tvt bund rad yards in advance, ol the general
irection of our line, and in order to prevent
the enemy ft out getting possession of it ior his
artillery, a sharp angle was projected so as to
include the hill within our entrenchments
lhe result shows that this was tin unfortunate
piece of engineering. Past the foot of the hill
on the North side sweeps a ravine which pres
ents a convex line to the hill, the two approach
ing each other like circles that touch but do
not cut each other. The enemy availed him
self of this ravine in his assault upon the angle
which was the weakest ]x>int in our lines, being j
considerably in advance of the general line
and beyouil the reach of support from the for
ces operating on tiie right and left.
Information was received night before lasi
that Grant was retiring fn the direction of
Fredericksburg and Geimatia Ford; a report to
this effect was noised abroad tlmmghout the
army, though subsequent events show that it
was without the least foundation. Through a
mistake, which 1 cannot trace to its source,'-but
which grew out of this mischievous import, the
artillery which had been posted on the- hill
in the angle alluded to above, was withdrawn
during the night. This left Maj. Gen. John
son, of Ewell’s corps, whose dtvTsou, he.co
fore considered one of the best in the army,
occupied this pail of the line, without any ar
tillery support. He communicated this fact to
bis corps commander hi midnight, with tiie ad
ditional intelligence that the enemy was mass
ing a heavy force in his immediate front f r
the purpose, as he believed, of assalutiiig him
'Thursday. These guns or others were sent
back, and were just moving into the angle at
4 o'clock Thursday morning, when tiie force
which Johnston reported to he massing in’ his
front made a vigotous assault upon his position
and carried it.
The assaulting force had been assembled in the
ravine at the foot of the lull, was very strong,
and advanced, one report says, in column of
regiments. It had rained tlio evening before,
and considerable fog prevailed, under cover of
which the attack was made. One or two -guns
were got into position and fired, but the
horses attached to the other pieces were shot
down before they could be unliuibered, aud
most o! the cannoneers captured.
Jones’ Virginia brigade, whose commander
was -killed in tho Wilderness, the Stonewall
and other brigade? belonging to the division
becoming involved, flbou followed, and the
last that was seen of Gen. Johnston he was
standing almost alone with a musket in his
hand, contesting the ground single handed with
the multitudinous toe. The brigades compos
ing this division are the Stonewall, J. M. Walk
er and Jones’ brigades, both of this State,
Stewart's brigade of Virginians and North
‘Carolinians, and Stafford’s brigade of Louiri
aniatis. Jones and Stafford tell at the Wilder
ness; Walker was wounded Thursday; Stew
art, and Johnston, tho commander of the divi
sion; were taken prisoners, aud the Colonel
commanding Jones' brigade is reported killed,
with many other officers. Tiie guns left on the
field, but which neither party has been able
to move on account of the tire of the other—
same eighteen or twenty—are said to belong to
Cutshaw's and L’age’s battalions. 1000 or
1,200 prisoners were lost at the same time.
This oecnred at a very early hour in the
tuoruing. if Jones’ Brigade had not given way,
it is possible, though not probable. - tliat’John
sou would have been able lo maintain his
ground. He is one of the best oinccis in the
army, and the sublime spectacle he presented
when battling alone with the i iiony, though
deserted by his command, should ex ■ te our
admiration rather than prow ! e yiT icwm—
But it should not Iks imagined Hint the enemy
gained the hill without opposition, sadden and
vigorous as his assault was. He was received
with-volley after volley, and the ground was
covered with his slain; but he had massed such
a heavy force upon a single exposed point,
some distance in advance of the general iiue
and incapable of being instantaneously sup
ported, that it was found impossible to repulse
him. It is but just to add, t.>o, that the
enemy's charge was as spirited as it was success
ful, and reflects no littie credit upon his troops.
He’ was aware of the weakness of the point
from its comparative isolation, having effected
a temporary lodgment in the angle two days
before, and it would have been a wonder if £p
had not been successful, with the preparation
he had made.
The Confederates suffered severely as they re
treated across the intervening space to our se
cond line' or rather to the line which extends
the angle, ami which may be considered the
base of the triangle covering the hill. Even
this line is somewhat in advance of the direc
tion of the general line. But tbe broken di
taion did not stop here, they continued their re
treat sits to the rear. Fortunately the gafluut
[ Gordon, commanding Early's Division, was in
| reserve, and swept to theTeseue iu a manner
1 tirat excited tko admiration of every beholder,
including Gen. Lee. The enemy swarmed over
the hill and rushed against the lines to the
right and left,, but Rhodes and Gordon and
Wilcox were there to meet them.
The battle was soon fully joined, and for j
nine hours it roared and hissed and dashed j
over the bloody angle and along the bristling ]
entrenchments like an angry sea beating anil
dialing against a rock-bound coast. The artil
lery fire was the most sustained and continu
ous 1 have ever heaid for so long a time, aver
aging thirty shots to the minute, or 1,800 to
the hour for six hours.- The rattle of musketry
was uot less furious and incessant. At 10
o'clock, when the din and uproar were at the
highest, an angry storm cloud swept over the
field, and thus to the thunders of battle was
added “the dread artillery of the skies.' ’lt was
now manifest that Grant's real assault, as Gen.
Lee bad believed, would be launched against
our right wii.g, and to that point the opposing
forces gravitated from all parts of the field, just
as when a cloud surcharge! with electricity
forms iu the heavens, all ’.he lesser clouds and
I racks drift to it, and are swallowed up in the
.swedlng. angry mass.
ui at) t strove hard to hold us to other parts
o! the tieid, and prevent this concentration of
lerce. ami for that purpose he engaged Ander
son on our lett, and Early, who had been sent
to the extreme right. He made three separate
assaults against the fqrmer, but was remt'si and
each time with frightful loss by Fields. Division,
formerly Hood’s. Early at the he >d of Hill’s
Corps, hurled him back, as a mad bud would
an incautious mastili caught upon ids horns, as i
often as ho advanced upon Lin.
But it was again t Ewell, who held the right !
of t ie original line, that Grant expended his
greatest eflorts and made his most desperate as
saults Having gained a foothold in the angle !
or centre of Ewell’s position, die brought up I
line aft-T line and hucled it wmt tremendous:
violence, at one-time against Rhodes, at an-!
other against Gordon, and then against both. !
Wilcox was brought up and placed on Gordon's j
left, an 1 afford and Humphreys, of Kershaw's
Division, and Jenkins'Brigade, of Fields’,'An
derson’s t’orps, _ were sent to the assistance of
Rhodes. Additional batteiies were sent in the
same direction, ileth went to (he right, and
all ot Anderson,9 old division but Wright fol
lowed him. And thus the whirling, remorse -
less maelstrom drew everything into its angry
vortex. The enemy exhibited a courage ami
tv ol nr worthy*of ti lieUer cause; Grant
seeme 1 to have breathed into his trabps some
what of hisowu spirit and indomitable energy.
Ffiit if the Federal* fought well, the Confeder
ates (ought better. From early dawn until fat
n the atternoou, with steady hands and uu
blatiched cheeks, they faced the leaden hail
that was rained upon them without intermission.'
At some points, the two armies fought on op
posite sides of the entrenchments, the distance
between them not being more than the length
of their muskets. Again and again would
Grant marshall his men for tin.-onset, and right
vxliautly did they respond; but as often as they
returned to the assault so often were they tv
pulsed, as it they had rushed against a wail of
irtm. At no point of the line, and at no time
during the'long and terrible ami exhausting
conflict, did the heroic children of the South
faiter or waver for one moment. E tch man
knew that he was lidding the battle for Hie
possession of Richmond the battle, indeed, for
the independence ot the Confederate States—l
and the thought of yielding to the foe never
once entered his mind.
During one of the assaults, Gordon inflicted
very heavy loss upon the enemy by moving
around and striking the assaulting column in
flank. The enemy was thrown into great
Confusion, and retiled rapidly to the rear, ie;*v
ing many dead and wounded on the ground.
The most important movement against the
enemy’s flank, however, was executed by Ma
hon's and Lane’s brigades on the extreme right,
under the direction of Gen Early. The expe
dition was intended to operate, not against the
it ink of the us-saußing column, but against the
flank of tho Federal army, and thus afford re-,
lief to our centre and left wing, both of which
were hard pressed. The two brigades were
placed under command of Mahonc, who passed
aroutid to the Fredericksburg Road, aud was
about lo engage tiie enemy when lie met the lat
ter coming' out, probably to taka us in flank. An
engagement ensued immediately, and resulted
in the defeat of t lie-enemy, who retired back to
tiie main army, where considerable commo
tion was produced by tiie fresh danger with
which it was threatened.
A division operating against our left, sup
posed to belong to Burnside’s corps, was with
drawn and double-quicked across the field to
check Maiiorie. Just before it reached the
scene of action, it came within full view of
Togue’s and Pcgram’s guns, and not more than
1,200 yards distant. Twelve pieces were
brought t-> bear upon it in less time than it re
quiies to describe this brilliant episode in tiie
battle. The enemy steed their ground for a
moment, then staggered back, and l«ally
moke in the wildest disorder. What with Ma
hone's lire infront ami the artillery’ ploughing
’’great gaps iu t heir ranks, their loss was severe.
This movement afforded instantaneous relief
to our left, and from this time tho assaults of
the enemy grew more and more feeble along
the whole line, ami finally they ceased alto
gether, at 2 ja. m.
Our men were anxious to follow up the ene
my when bn was repulsed, but Gen. Lee's plan
was to act on tiie defensive, and not to strike
until the right time came. The Federal army
far exceeded his in numbers, they had entrench
ed themselves as his had done, and common
sense, as well as military science, would teach
tlm propriety of patiently waiting rather than
rashly making the attack. The result has
shown the wisdom of the policy adopted. -
Grant has already well nigh exhausted himself
whilst Lee’s army remains almost intact ready
to assume the offensive or to continue to act
on the lcl'enrive, as occasion may require.
Our loss in the rank and file, is remarkably'
small, tiie men being well protected by the en
trenchments. 'The casualties,'however, have
been unusually heavy among field officers, who
were unprotected, and had to move frequently
from one point to another, under the terrible
infantry and artillery lire of the enemy, which
swept every part of the fluid in rear ot our en
trenchments. The ground is torn and plough
ed up by the direct aud Stoss fire of the Fed
eral guns a3 if it had been prepared by the far
mer tor the reception of spring seed. Three as
sistant surgeons were killed in tho discharge of
their duty on the field; aud Captain Owen, of
Texas, wiio carried the news to Gctl. Lee at
Cbaneellorsville that Sedgwick was moving on'
his rear from Frederickaburg. was severely
wounded early in the morning whilst on his
way to the Richmond Howitzers to Isold pray
ers'. Including the battle of the Wilderness,
we have lost the following general officers ;
Killed : Brigadier Generals Stafford, of Louis
ana; Jones, of Virginia: Jenkins and Pen in, of
South Carolina; an 1 Daniel, of North Carolina.
Wounded; Lieut. General Longstreet, of Ala
bama, and Brig. Gens. Hays, of Louisiana;
Penning, of Georgia; McGowan, of South Car
olina; Ramsour and Johnson, of Noith Caroli
na: and James M. Walker—Stonewall Brigade
—I H Walker and Pegram, of Virginia. Cap
tured : Major Ueu. Edward Johnson, of Geor
gia, ami Brigadier Gen. George 1L Stewart, of
Maryland.
Ueu. late made more titan one narrow escape,
j his clothing being covered with mud thrown
upon him by bursting shells. He will persist
iu staying near the point of greatest danger.
The whole couutry, with one voice, should
pi uteri, against such rash exposure of a life iu
which we are all jo deeply interested, and up
on tiie preservation of which so much depends.
Gen. Taylor,’ his Adjutant General, had his
hotse shut. Gen. Ramseur's wound is slight.
Many valuable field officers were killed aud
wounded.
The two armies, led by the most renowned
chieftains ou the Western Continent, if not in
the world have now been wrestling with each
other for the mastery for eight days. Thank
God that ours have been so marvelously -r -
cessful, and has suffered comparatively little
loss, except in officers; whilst the larger, being
the wrong doer, has been punished beyond all
precedent in this war. His dead and many of his
wounded still remain on the ground, being too
near our entrenchments to be moved, and they
tell their own melancholy tale, if half that
prisoners report of their losses in battle, and
from desertion, straggling and demoralization
be true, then tbe enemy’s casualties are indeed
frightful. The loss in prisoners here lias been
about equal, say 1,500 on each side. This gives
us the advantage by 3,u00, including ihose
taken at the battle of the Wilderness. Os the
prisoners captured here two or three hundred
were taken by Mifhoue, and four colors and one
guidon, wuen he moved on the flank of the
enemy.
Thursday night, we rectified our lines near
the angle, which has given so much trouble,
retiring it somewhat, and locating it where it j
should have been nm originally. The enemy j
still retains possession ot the angle, hut has not :
been able to remove the guns left by Cutshaw j
and I‘age. nor have we, sharpshooters ou either
side preventing it. We brought away from
the Wilderness IZ,oOO captured rifles and mus
kets.
Both armies rested from the strife on Friday.
The dead has to be buried, the wounded has
to be cared for, shattered regiments and brig
ades have to be re-organized, and fresh plans
to be devised. This requires time, and the
men require rest. There can he no doubt that
Grant’s troops were well supplier! with liquor
| before they entered (he battle; many ot. the
| prisoners, including more than one colonel,
j were in a state of intoxication when taken,
j There was a good deal of ,shelling and picket
j firing Saturday May 11, aud at one time a re
' ucival of the strife seemed imminent. We hear
VOL. LXXVIII, —NEW SERIES VOL. XXVJII. NO. 22
that the movement upon Richmond from Cii v
Point and the Peninsula lets failed to accom
plish its purpose: that being tnte. what can
Grant gain by pressing further iu this direction'
It is said he started with 92,000 muskets : if
he can muster 50,000 of these now. he is more
fortun ite than prisoners, both officers and men,
represent him to be.
TIIE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET.
A correspondent of the Richmond Sentinel
gives the annexed account of tbo late great
victory of Gen. Breckinridge at New Market,
Ya.:
All things considered, 1 do not hesitate to
pronounce Gen. Breckinridge’s brilliant vic
tory at New Market, one ol the most remark
able achievements of the war. Now that it is
over, ii may nut be uninteresting to give a state
ment as briefly as possible of the movements
preceding this affair, and the means by which
btauntuir has been saved, ami Sigei driven in
confusion down the Valley. «>n the 6th of May,
Gen. Breckinridge was at Dublin Depot, the
headquarter* ot the department of West Yir
giuia. A force was threatening his front, while
it was known that, ffigel was preparing to move
upon btaunlon. The importance of ibis point
to the securii yof Gen. f-ee’s line was auparont,
and* Oon-.uft-red as paiaiaoiur. It bad to In
defended. Gkii. Lee daily expecting an attack
could not weaken his numbers, and no force
was nearer ehvuvliere f hail that of Gen. Breck
inridge. lie was, therefore, ordered to march
to Staunton aud resist the advance of Si gel,
t lien known t-flie at V iuchester, accumulating
troops tor movement..
Accordingly, on the evening of the sth. Gen.
Breckinridge started from Dublin. Thence to
this point is one hundred aud torty miles by
Hie route selected, through Giles, Monroe and
Alleghany counties. Thu command marched
to J icksou River Depot, whence but a por
tion being able to get transportation by rail,
lhe larger part marched to thin point -Gen.
Breckinridge, coming the greater part of thj
wav ou hors-back, accompanied by part of Ills
-staff only. The leuiaiuder, being it,ft mi duty
nith the poilion in iiuF command left iu Iris
department, arrived her* on the night of (he
-Sdi, iu advance of his command, ite found
Sigol alieady giving indication* of lin vcment.
To meet him it was nece.-sary to be prompt
Aud there v.a- no delay. The reserves of n-v
eval counties were called out, and the corps eff
cadets summoned. All had "arrived on Tnurs
day, 121 h. On Friday, 1.’i1! 1 ., the column mov
ed down the Valley, ou tiie Harrisonburg
road. Brig. Gen. Imbode.n was opposing, with
his cavalry force, SigeJ’s advance, but was fuli
iug back slowly, anil hail retired above Wood-
Bhigk. The Command marched to Mount Craw
ford, eighteen miles, and camped. The weather
was very inclement. It had been raining for
several days, anil tho troops were drenched on
the hi arch and in camp at night.
On Saturday, 14th, they marched through
the rain seventeen miles aud camped at Lacey’s
Spring, where they cooked two days’ rations.
While there, Gen. Imboden,.whose headquar
ters were at New Market, came to meet Gen.
Breckinridge for consultation, reporting the
enemy pressing him mid his force retiring. It
had been proposed to march at daybreak, but
at ten o’clock P. M. Gen. imbodea announced
that tiie enemy occupied New Market, nine
miles distant, in torce. Gen. Breckinridge at
once determined to make an early attack.—
Accordingly,- the command-was ordered to
move at 1 o’clock A. M. The night was dark
and rainy. The troops had had a fatiguing
march with wet clothes over a hard turnpike
road, rendered peculiarly trying to the foot of
the soldiers from the softening of tire leather
by the excessive rain. The troops, however,
who had showed the most cheerful spirit from
tire start, were promptly in motion, and day
light found them near New Market in rear of
lnibodcn,s picket line.
A line of battle was formed just two miles
and a half from New Market; but the enemy
showing no dispositioou to advance, his pick
ets, on the contrary, retiring before ours, the
troops were moved up in full view of tho town.
The iine was then formed with the right rest
ing on the pike and the left extending over the
range of hills running parallel with tiie road.
Gen. Imboden with the cavalry was put upon
the right flank, it being more open to attack
than the left. General Breckinridge, feeling
that everything depended upon celerity of
movement, openend with his artillery and be
gan to move his line at nine and a half o'tloek.
The enemy responded,jand lor an hour or two the
iii rug was very heavy. Then began the move
ment which resulted in success. The troops
were moved 'forward as rapidly as thenairue o
the ground would admit, there being ploughed
fields deep iu mud, the artillery keepintg its
relative position, firit g and limbering up as the
line advanced..
v'p to this time, our line having reached the
town of New Market, whew;, amidst the
screaming of shells, their deliverers were greet
ed with welcome by the undaunted ladies, the
enemy had only developed a heavy lino of
skirmishers, which had fallen back with slight
resistance, when pressed. Now, however,
could be seen, about a mile below New Mar
ket, dark lines of infantry, with heavy bodies
of cavalry on the flank. Gen. Breckinridge,
after thorough personal reconnoitsauce close
to the enemy s skirmishers, massed the greater
part of his artillery on the extreme right of liis
infantry, atul ordered an advance. Our line
moved in fine order, notwithstanding tiie diffi
cult ground at times. The field was perfectly
open, without woods or fences. The enemy
were strongly posted, on an elevated position,
to reach which we had to advance up a gradual
ascent, swept by his batteries. D was not long
before the opposing forces were engaged along
the whole line, amid heavy artillery firing, iLtf
eemy using cauister freely as we neared him. It
was a trying time ior our troops, and enough to
make any recoil. A slight quaver was made
iu the first line, as the canister told : but being
well sustained by the second line, and the artil
lery on the right, under the immediate direc
tion of Gen. Breckinridge, being converted,
with an oblique fire upon their guns, together
with tiie steadiness of our brave troops, was too
much for them. The enemy’s lino wavered,
a shout went up from ours ; we pressed on, and
the light was won.
At the critical moment, wln-n our lines was
momentarily chocked, tiie enemy's eavahy star
ted to charge over ground fearfully favorable
to success ; but a few shell, mad.; them halt and
retire, some fifteen or twenty only reaching our
lines. Half of these had their saddles otnp ied
before they reached us, aud the rest passed to
the rear as prisoners. It was now raining in
torrents ; but, fatigued as the tioops were, they
even pressed.on, until tlm enemy apparently
halted for a stand at Rood s bill, a very strong
position, three miles beyond. V halt was made
I to replenish the artillery chests and cartridge
; boxes, when tiie line being adjusted, moved i'or
: w.ud, the interval being occupied with a livriv
i cannonade. On reaching the top of Rood':, bill,
the rear of the enemy's iine was seen in tho
distance, hurriedly letivating. Our ari.ilit.ry
opened upon them, nut shortly after the first
man crossed tiie bridge over ttie north fink of
i the Shenandoah, and immediately it Was tired,
i Night was now jetting in. Jhe stream was
I swollen past fording Or swimming, and we were
forced, to quit pursuit. Our troop camped
where they halted, and Bouaht .cn the wci earth
the rest aud repose culled lor by almost thirty
six hours' continuous labor. Not, however,
until they knew from rlio testimony ot citizens
that their boastful enemy had been disgraceful
ly routed, and had tied in disorder and confu
sion never eqeuaUed since the-First Manassas.
In reviewing the action, we will briefly mid
tills summary : Gen. Breckinrigde, wlih a
liody of mixed tr .ops, whose numbers it is nor
necessary to state, except that he had enough
for the work before him, engaged frigei. who
commanded iu person, with 8,000 infantry and
1,500 cavalry. i
In order to do so he had come T 0 miles in
less than nine days, and hud made fatiguing
marches, chiefly over bad mountain voaos,
through drenching rains: an,', in the last thrity
six hours had marched his troops thirty-two
miles, ten of which he was fighting, without
any save an hour or two's rest. When the mag
nitude of the stake is considered,, the great dan
ger which threatened otr,union, and tbe alroost
forlorn hope ot averting it, in conjunction with
the rapid movements” and great unflagging
energy of tie commanding General, the re-u r
ernnot be over estimated in impovtaee. By a
campaign of four days in the Yalky, Gen. Breck
inridge bus driven the enemy iu rapid flight
hack to the point whence he starter!, cleared
Lee's l-ft flank of all danger, given confidence
to our troops and people, and destroyed the pres
tige of Sigel, whom the Yankees hare trumpet
ed as the ablest of their Generals.
As the minor results of the battle vre have
about life hundred prisoners and six pieces of
artillery.
Hi* loss of the enemy in killed, wounded
a:rd captured, is estimated at fifteen hundred.
U.VTI'ktS |\ 1.0 l IStAAA.
In the Texas papers we find a detailed ac
count «>! the Battles of Mansfield and Pleas
ant llill, La. Here they are :
BATTLE OF MANSFIELD.
i :ic battle of Mansfield was fought two and
a halt miles from the little city of the same
name, the battle had been preceded by some
heavy skirmishing, but the general fight com-’
meneed on the -Sth of Apiil, at 10 A. M. Gene
ral Taylor in command. Maj. Gen. Green
commanded Urn left wing, Brig. Gen. Monton
the right. Gen. Walker’s division on the right
oi .Mouton, and two cavalry regiments oil the
extreme light of Walker. 'Gen'. Green com
meneed the attack with a portion of his dis
mounted cavalry, 'the eiquny pressing the
h-tt wing heavily. Gen. Green then ordered
Mouton’s division to advance aud the lighting
mis terrible along tiro lines of both com
batants.
Hn; battle raged fiercely for five hours, when
the enemy broke and lied, having been forced
back two miles, where commenced a general
wilt.
Gen. Churchill's divison did not arrive in
lime (-> participate in this.action, but were in
the battle of the following day. Gen. Mou
tou fell early in the-action, while receiving the
surrender of a large body of the enemy. He
ielHmt a lew feel from the muzzles of the guns.
1 ll> is G’Pwft'd to have acted gallantly, and his
noble division lost heavily iu both officers and
Mien, and covered themselves with glory, Col.
- : - Herbert was here wounded, and Col.
Buchel mortally -since died, it was here, too,
that, the lamented Chancy !j Sheppard, of Gen.
Green’s stair, fell, and the gallant Maj. J. ,D.
Bay res wounded.
. I ff*’ ’ 1 nits of I lie victory consisted iu captur
ing 2 nih) prisoners, ffflu wagons loaded with
si urea, 1190. mules, 26 ambulances, with im
mense medical and other stores. In this bat
tle the enemy iimght three army corps, \D :
•landcd by Gen. Sherman,-and which had so
often boas led that it had never known defeat.
I ae lees <d the enemy in the two engagements
will not be less than (1,000 killed',' wounded
and prisoners.
the field ol Mansfield was a plantation,
skirted with woods and composed of small hills
mm a alleys, itcoutains some throe or lour
.".tiMoii-d acres ol laud, but much of the hard
est fighting took place m the timber where the
i nemy wore, lhe fences had been levelled by
the enemy upon hearing of Gen. Taylor’s ad
vance, expecting to take us by surprise and
slaughter our troops.on the open plain. The
annals of history do not record a harder con
tested field. Thousands of dead horses are
strewn over she field, and the stench is horri
ble- Ike majority of the troops who fell were
buried iu the city cemetery, while those of the
enemy are buried upon the field. They were
buried in trenches side by side as decently as
possible.
The enemy commenced their retreat from
Mansfield as soon as routed, in the direction of
Pleasant Hill, some eighteen miles from the
battle field of Mansfield.
When our cavalry’ pursued after their rout,
hundreds were cut down, and all along the
road to Pleasant llill, twenty miles, is strewn
with, (he carcases of (load horses, and occa
sionally anew made grave is seen by the road
side.
BATTLE AT PLEASANT HILT,.
The battle-field of Pleasant Hill extends for
the distance of a mile from the town. The
enemy had made a stand ou the top of a high
hill, one mile front the town. Planting their
batteries, they awaited the approach of our
pursuing forces. As soon as their-scouls give
warning that our cavalry were iu range, they
opened a brisk fire in every direction. Our
batteries having got into position, the old
\ a'verde opened and soon silenced their main
battery, kilting neatly all their norabu. white
Deßray at the head of liis regiment charged
up the hill, followed byßucheli.
The line of battle was formed about I P. M.,
of the 9th of April, and was more bloody than
on tiie preceding day. Gen. Green’s Division
under his command, was posted on the ex
treme left; Mouton’s division, under command
of Brig. Gen. l’olignac, on Green’s right ; Gen.
Walker, on Polignae's right; Gen. Churchill's
division of Arkansians and Missourians, hav
ing arrived, on tiie extreme right ; the Val
ve; de battery opening the battle and losing the
majority of their horses, but few men injured ;
Gen. Churchill, with his division of infantry,
then moved forward, and the battle commenced
furiously along the whole line. Tiie enemy
pressing Chut chi 11 in overwhelming numbers,
lie was compelled to fall back. Gens. Walker
and Poiignao then moved forward and broke
the entire line ol the enemy, and threw them
into a general rout, and night put a scop to the
carnage. They fell back to Roubiere Bayou,
some twenty miles, Green’s cavalry in hot pur
suit, who followed them to tire liver. Gen.
Walker was slightly wounded. So was Gen.
Scurry. Gen. Polignac was not wounded, as
first reported.
Gen. Waul was in command of a brigade, and
every man, both officers and privates, acted
like heroes. Col. Debray—since promoted to
Brigadier General—is reported to have behav
ed very gallantly. He had liis horse killed
under him. Our loss was very heavy. Gen.
Scurry took ] 200 men in the fight, and lost 400
killed and wounded. Cur loss in the two hat
ties is estimated lo be 1400 killed and wound
ed, and about 150 primers.
Wo captured in tiie two battles .’!2 pieces of
artillery, and small arms beyond computation,
and about -‘0(H) prisoners, many officers among
them.
TN’CICXSTS ko. OK THE BATTLES.
Gen. Taylor fought llicse battles contrary to
tho opinion of others, and he has eclipsed lb.;
lame of liis father.old “Rou .h and Ready.”
The I reefs of Eanslield a ; o daily thronged
wt'ii ladies a*raying food mi l comfort to the
sufferers. They watch over them with all tiie
a' ection of mothers and sisters. Surrounded
by all the horrors of war, the daughters of
Louisi; n:t ymv ministering angels in the
cause of suffering humanity, •;•! 1, like the good
"atna.itnn, they never tire in watching at the
couch cf suffering. God bless them. Tha ma
i-arily of the ; ounded of ti;:; enemy are in our
hands . they tire attended by their own. sur
geons, and ou- auth, lities give them every
facility to ass .t them, ana they receive as
kind trcuti cut as those of our uwu army.
'live "oaff after leaving Mansfield to Grand
E ire M strewn with dead horses which fell by
the pnr-id: of cavalry. Many of the stately
re- uienccr along the route arc blackened ruins,
the fences eyed by fire, and a scene ot
desolation and devastation is seen on every
sine.
The division f Gen. Churchill marched
forty-live mi! s iu fifteen hours, to be in tinie
forthe ight at I’leaeswt Dill. Nobly did they
stand side by ide with their comrades through
End bio-, ly struggle, and their .raves on the
battlefield tell plainly how they suffered.
L:>“ n: it.: Estimate or the I’ukitanb Read
Beecher's . tinate of the Puritans, from his
r.ermoa published April 2let. It is pointed,
and contains much that is true : ‘-Let us go
loci now to the other view, the view which
we aoopt. VI o are what were the Pharisees?
It W 8: they that brought this conde nation
npi" tbe:..selves. They were in some respects
t the ni . 'J hey were the
ews par excellence. They were tbe men that
were She most offender, at the idolatry and the
laxne-'s in the religion.; tendencies of the n»e.
TF-v were the men that undirtook to reform,
ifoy were the > regressive*, the radicals.—
They r:ei the Prritana of (be Jews. They
H.ooui i y •:-1 flation of excessive righteousness.
,-ct, vi'.- al. therr natural feeling, and sec
tarian feeling, anc\ reformation feeling, iht-v
v. uev eu of an injense arrogance of disposition,
c an intense spiritual pride, and of an intense
pit it al selfishncsT. The element of self was
m sir: ii ; iu them that it governed and guided
j every thing else. They were hard in their
1 natuK -s. and hey were completely warped and
; bi-rad ar-to have perverted their moral cocsti
! tut ion, so that it was no longer an interpreter
1 to t a rfi of right and wrong. Their suscepti
! bilitien had ceased, apparently, to be natural
and whol .-s.iine. , They were dead- They were
i men that, while they bad a certain conscience
j for purity, for peace, for true piety, - '
CO IKiiUKH ATE STATES HOAG HESS.
SENATE —WAY 12.
The Finance Committee reported, without
amendment. House bill to continue.till the 1.-t-
January next the increase of pay to the Govern
ment clerks, which was passed without amend
ment.
The resolution relative to fixing the day of
adjournment was taken up, and on morion
laid on the table.
e>n motion, the Senate resolved into secret
session, aud shortly after adjourned.
HOUSE.
Senate bill so provide means of trail-'it
across the Mississippi River for member* of
Congress residing west of said river, in going
and returning from the Confederate Congress,
was referred. *
The Committee on Ways and Means, report
ed a bill to make an appropriation for a return
of certain money paid into the Treasury by tha
Navy Department. Laid on the table.
The Committee on the Judiciary, reporte I
back several bills and resolutions, among then*
the bill for (be repeal of the act passed at la-c
session, for the suspension of the writ of ha
beas corpus, with the recommendation that it
do not pass, and the bill be laid on tho table.
The yeas and nays on a motion to lay oil tha
table were called, aud resulted iu the affirma
tive. *
lulls introduced : A bill to amend an act
entitled an act to allowcommissionedofficersoP
the army rations and the privilege of [ urchas
ng clothing trom the Quartermaster's Depart
ment ; a hill to provide for the appointment of
commissioners in the several States of tho
Confederacy, to inquire into and report upon
the claims of citizeus against the Government
ot the Confederate States for property taken
and used, injured or destroyed by the army or
any .part ot it, and to provide for the punish
ment ol perjury and fur preventing fraudulent
claims—referred ; a bill to amend the act to
‘•reduce tito currency and authorize anew
issue of notes aud bonds, approved February
17,1864. so as to repeal so much of the act
as authorizes the issue of two dollars iu new
currency for every throe dollars in old currency
which has been or may be funded : a bill to
transfer from the Quartermaster to the Com
missary Department the duty ot providing for
the sustenance of prisoners ol war; to amend,
au act ot the Provisional Congress relating ttx
llu: pre payment ot postage in certain cases ;
to amend au act to reduce the currency and to>
authorize anew issue ot notes ami bonds,
approved .Feb. 17, liSli-L to repeal the 10th and.
1 1th sections of chap, (iff of the act passed at
the fourth session of the Ist Congress ol the
Confederate States, known as the iitniug law;
lo regulate the pay of men detailed from tho
army, or after enrollment, on special or exli jy
duty; for the appointment of quartermasters
and commissaries for armies in the field, and
tor corps and divisions, and as purchasing and
transportation agents, aud to increase the num
ber of chaplains for the army; to authorize the
President to confer temporary rank and com
mand upon officers of the provisional army
who may be assigned for spociqj service.
A resolution was introducewlkstructing tho
Committee on Ways and Means to inquire into
the expediency of requiring the officers and
agents of (he Treasury to issue four per cent,
bonds, in sums corresponding with the amount
of tax due from the depositor, ou liis request-,
iug and uiakiug affidavit as to the amount of
his tax.
Also, a second resolution as to the propriety
ol providing by law that the four per cent,
bonds shall never be transferable or assigna
ble.
Also, the resolution of the Legislature of
Mississippi, iu relation to tho recent act of
Congress, suspending the writ of habeas corpus.
Lad ou tho table aud ordered to he printed.
The following resolution was also laid ou tha
table :
Resolved, That she Judiciary Committee ha
instructed to report a bill repealing the act of
tho last Congress suspending the writ of habeas
corpus.
A resolution was introducod*in regard to tha
propriety of establishing a daily mail from
Camden to Lancaster Court House, iu Boutin
Carolin i.
The. following- resolutions werenresented:
Le’olved, That the Spec al Committee on Ini
pressments bo Instructed to inquire into tiie ex
pediency of reporting a bill amending the im
pressment law so as to require the Impressment
Commissioners to meet in convention quarterly
and that said Commissions shall fix the frim«
cost of all articleifincluded iu their schedule,
and in no case shall a greater than fifty pet
centum be allowed upon tho prime cost thsn
fixed.
Resolved, That in accordance with the pre
amble and resolutions recently adopted by tha
Legislature of the State of Mississippi, and just
presented in tho House, it be declared as tha
sense of this body iliat tho act of the Confeder
ate Slates providing for the suspension ol the
privilege ol the writ ol habeas corpus in cer
tain cases, is, fox the reasons stated in said pre
amble aud resolutions, dangerous to thcjliberty
of the citizens, unconstitutional in some of its
features, tends to make the civil power subor
dinate to the military, establishes a precedent
of a doubtful and dangerous character, and
should bo repealed.
Further consideration of the subject Was
postponed tell Thursday, next.
SENATE—MAY 13.
A resolution was offered requesting the Presi
dent to inform the Senate what had been
taken towards the •construction, of a railroad
from Blue Mountain, to Rome, Ga.
Agreed 10.
Also, a resolution instructing the Military
( ‘ommittee to inquire what legislation is neces
sary to secure the return to their commands of
deserters from the infantry who have enlisted
in the cavalry; and of fixing by law the tima
for which soldiers Khali be permitted to servo
in the cavalry, and of providing that on tho
expiration of such perfosl they shall be assigned
to service in infantry, and their places sup
plied by those who have served a similar period
in the infantry. •
Resolution of Mississippi Legislature asking tho
pass age of a law relieving the citizens ofcertaiu
portions of that Statu, whose property had
been destroyed by raids of tho public enemy
from the payment of the tax in kind. Ordered
to lie on the table and lie printed.
Also, resolution of the same, asking the pas
sage of a law reducing the ad valorem tax of
live per cent, upon prof a ty and credits to two
and a half per Cent. and to extend the time of
the payment of said taxes to the Ist Novem
ber, Drill, instead of the Ist June, 1801. ().•_
dered to lie on the table and be printed.
Referred : A bill to establish a Bureau of
Foreign Supplies ; that officers of Hie General
Stall of the C. S. Army shall not be assiguablo
to duty except in their own departments.
Bills introduced :To amcr,. i a, H ] aw so as to
authorise the appointment of ensigns for bat ■
talions 6i infantry • to secure the prompt
printing of tiie laws of the Confederate States
—passed.
The Finance Committee reported a bill to
amend the “act to reduce tho curiency atid au
thorize anew issue of uetaqjjKul bonds.’’ Put
on the calendar.
A resolution was passed that the
tend the funeral of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart at tivo
P. M. HOUSE.
The Speaker read an invitation' to the House
to attend the funeral of Major Gen. J. E. B.
Stuart, which was, on motion, accented and.
the House resolved lo attend in a body.
Ihe following were appropriately referred :
A memorial from them 1 reinsurer of the funds.
tor tne Jackson statue, praying exemption
from taxation grid export duty of certain cot
ton and ’stock subscribed to the above fund ;
fl’dl requiring payment for horses impressed by
Major General Wheeler, by order of the Gene
ral Commanding the Army of Tennessee, ami
to require an account ot tbe proceeds ot such
horses when turned over to'thq troops; resolu
tion that the Committee on Military Affairs m
qu re what legislation may be necessary to pro
tect Confederate prisoners at Point Loo ou
and elsewhere, from the inhuman an* brutal
treatment to which they are exposed.
Resolved, That the Persident be masted
to ■inform tbe House, if not incompatiblewith
the nublic interests, whether the reasons give,
hi hK special message *>«nd,ng he pn v
of habeas corpus still exists to such ex
t en g t th it the public safety requires a contmu
*• x* >*
went into secret sesKOOi -