Southern federal union. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1861-1862, September 16, 1862, Image 2
From tie Richmond Enquirer, Extra. 6th.
Aalhrttlir null Olliiiiil fi-on*. <!•« ^at ®*
*,V»r.
Letterfrom Gen. Lre to the President—
Correspondence between Gens. Lee and
f>op ( —Another Battle at Germantown.—
General Kearny Killed.
The following letter, addressed by Gen
eral Lee to the President, has been re
ceived:
Headu’rs, Army Northwestern Va. )
(Jhantilby, 3d Sept. 1862. Ji
His Excellency, Jefferson Davis,
President Confederate States of America:
Mr, President—My letter on the 30th
nit., will have informed your Excellency
of the progress of this army, to that date.
Gen. Longstreet’s Division having arrived
the day previous, was formed in order of
battle on the right of Gen. Jackson, who
had been engaged with the enemy since
morning, resisting an attack commenced
the 28th. The enemy, on the latter day
was vigorously repulsed, leaving his nu
merous dead' and wounded on the field.
His attack on the morning of the 29tb
was ficelle, but became warmer in the af
ternoon, when he was again repulsed by
both wings of the army. His loss on this
day. as stated in his published report here
with enclosed, amounted to 8,000 in killed
and wounded.
The enemy being reinforced, renewed
the attack on the afternoon of the 30th,
when a general advance of both wings of
the army was ordered, and after a fierce
combat, which raged till after nine o’clock,
be was completely defeated, and driven
beyond Bull Run. The darkness of the
night, his destruction of the Stone Bridge
after crossing, and the uncertainty of the
fords, stopped the pursuit.
The next morning the enemy was dis
covered in their strong position at Centre-
villc, and the army was put in motiou to
wards the Little River Turnpike, to turn
his right. Upon revelling Ox Hill on the
1st of September, he was again discover
ed in our front on the heights of German
town, and about 5 P. M„ made a spirited
attack upon the front and right of our
columns, with a view of apparently cover
ing the withdrawal of his trains on the
Ccntreville road, and masking his retreat.
Our position was maintained with but
slight loss on both bides- Major General
Kearny was left by the enemy dead on
the field. Daring the night the enemy
fell back to Fairfax C. H.,. and abandoned
Lis position at Centreville. Yesterday
about noon he evacuated Fairfax C. H
taking the roads as reported to me to Al
exandria and Washington.
1 have, as yet, been unable to get offi
cial reports of our loss or captures in these
various engagements. Many gallant offi
cers have been killed or wounded. Of the
General officers, Ewell, Trimble, Taliafer
ro, Fields, Jenkins and Mabone have
been reported wounded* Cols. Means,
Marshall, Baylor, Neff, and Gadberry,
killed. About 7,000 prisoners have al-
readv been paroled, about the same num
ber of small arms collected from the field,
and thirty pieces of cannon captured, be
sides a number of wagons, ambulances,
Ac. A large number of arms still remain
on the ground. For want of transporta
tion, valuable stores bad to bo destroyed
as captured, while the enemy, at their va
rious depots are reported to have burned
many millions of property iu their retreat
understood that no delay will take place
on thoir removal.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) R. E. Lee,
General.
The following letter received at a still
later date, shows what a vast number of
the enemy’s wounded still lay upon the
field of battle—four days after the en
gagement—notwithstanding the efforts
made by Popes officers to remove them un
der the permission granted by Lee. The
answer of Gen. Lee to this application of
Dr. Coolidge has not been communicated:
Centreville, Va., Sept. 3, 1862.
Gen. Robert Lee, Commanding Confed
erate Army:
General—Medical Director Guild, of
the Confederate Army, and Medical Di
rector McFarlin, of the U. S. Army, have
just arrived here from the battle field,
near Manassas* The accounts they give
are far more serious than my previous in
formation had led me to believe. Our
wounded soldiers, to the number of near
three thousand, many still lying on the
field, are suffering for food. 1 have no
commissary stores, and my supplies of med
ical comforts are wholly inadequate.—
With every kindly attention and effort on
the part of those under your command,
the loss of life must be very great, unless
food and means of transporting the wound
ed within our own lines are promptly sup
plied.
1 know of no source of adequate sup
ply nearer than Washington.
If, General, you can, consistently with
duty, permit supplies of food and transport
wagons for wounded to pass through your
lines to and return from the battle field, you
will save very many lives and much suff
ering. If you cannot do this, I beg that
you will, for humanity sake, point out
some other way in which the needful re
lief may be obtained.
I am within your lines, and, of course
cannot provide the necessary relief with
out your permission.
I have the honor to he,
Very respectfully,
Your obedieut servant,
Richard H. Coolige,
Medical Inspector U. S. Army.
The Coiiftcriplion Bill.
The following is a copy of the bill as it
Nothing could surpass the gallantry and
endurance of the troops, who have cheer
fully home every danger and hardship,
both on the battle-field and march.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your mo6t ob’t. serv’t.
R. E. Lee, Gen’l.
[Chantilly is North of Centreville, and
North-west of Fairfax Court House, about
six or eight miles from each. The “letter
of of the HOth,” referred to in the above
was not received- The “Little River
Turnpike leads from Middleburg to Al
exandria, and intersects the Centreville
Turnpike about a mile this side of Fairfax
Court House. Germantown is on the Lit
tle River Turnpike, about bait a mile west
of its intersection with tlie Centreville
Turnpike.]
The following is the “published report”
of the enemy, referred to in General Lee’s
letter:
Headcii arters Field of Battle, I
Groveton, near Gainesville, >
Aug. 30, 5, A. M. )
jl/a/. Gen. HaUec'k, General-in-Chief:
We fought a terrific battle here yester
day, with the combined forces of the ene
my, which lasted with continuous fury
from daylight until after dark, by which
time the enemy was driven from the field,
which we now occupy. Our troops are
too much exhausted yet to push matters,
but I shall do so in the course of the morn
ing, as soon as Fitz John Bolter’s corps
comes up from Manassas.
The enemy is still in front but badly
used up.
We have lost not less tbau eight thou
sand men, killed and wounded, and, from
the appearance of the field, the enemy lost
at least two to one. He stood strictly on
the defensive, and eveiv assault was made
by ourselves.
Our troops behaved splendidly- Til®
battle was fought on the identical battle
field of Bull Run, which greatly increas
ed tlie enthusiasm of our men.
'1 be news just reaches me from the front
that tlie enemy is retreating towards the
mountain. I go forward at once to see.
We have made great captures, but I am
not able yet to form an idea of their
extent. * * * *
John Pope,
Major General Commanding.
The following correspondence will illus
trate tlie thoroughness of the enemy’s de
feat in the battle of the 30th. It bears
date, as will be seen, of the next day:
Centreville, August 31, 1862.
Sir: Many of the wounded of this Ar
my have been left on the field, for whom I
debire to send ambulances. Will you
please inform me whether you consent to a
truce while they are cared for? I am, sir.
your obedient servant. John Pope.
Headu’rs Army of Northern Va., I
August 31, 1862. )
Major Gen, Pope, U. »$’. A., Commanding,
Sfc.:
Sir:—Consideration for your wounded
induces me to consent to your sending am
bulances to convey them within your lines.
I cannot consent to a truce nor a suspen
sion of military operations of this army.
If you desire to send for your wounded,
should your ambulances report to Dr.
Guild, Medical director of this Army, be
will give directions lor their transporta
tion.
The wounded will be paroled, and it is
was passed:
An Act to amend an act entitled ‘‘An
act to piovido furtfcoi- in, tlip, public de
fence,” approved 16th April, 1S62.
Section 1. The Congress of the Con
federate States of Amlrira do enact, That
the President be, and lie is hereby author
ized to call out and place in the military
service of the Confederate States for three
years, unless the war shall have been
sooner ended, all white men who are resi
dents of the Confederate States, between
the ages of thirty-five and forty-five years
at such time the call or calls may be made,
and who are not at such time or times, le
gally exempted from military service; such
call or calls to be made under the provis
ions and according to the terms of the act
to which this is an amendment: Provided,
that nothing herein contained shall be un
derstood a3 repealing or modifying any part
of the act to which this is amendatory,
except as herein expressly stated: And
provided further. That those called out
under the act and the act. to which this is
an amendment, shall he first and immedi
ately ordered to fill to their maximum
mimber tLo erunpaniftK. battallions, squad-
rons, and regiments in service for the re
spective States, at the time the “Act fur
ther to provide for the public defence,”
approved 16th April, 1S62, was passed,
and the surplus, if any, shall be assigned to
organizations formed from each State since
the passage of that act, or placed in new
organizations or disposed of as now pro
vided by law: Provided, That the Presi
dent is authorized to suspend the execu
tion of this act or the acts to which this
is an amendment, or any special provision
of said acts, in any locality where he be
lieves such suspensiou will promote the
public interest.
From the Southern Recorder.
The Orchard of I,. ]>. Buchner, Esq.
This truly delightful and well ordered
establishment is situated in the village of
Scottsboro’, distant about four miles south
of the city of Miiledgeville. Nature has
been prodigal in contributing her mean s to
facilitate and advance the labors of tlie
husbandman. It is a singular fact that
the locality itselfis more exempt from the
common effects of untoward seasons than
any other spot in the immediate neighbor
hood, and far iflore propitious than other
sections for miles around. It is adapted
to the cultivation of ev*ery variety of fruit,
and has received from the efforts of the en
terprising owner every attention and ex
pense to make it successful not only in the
way of experiment but of large remunera
tion.
The prominent item is the Apple—em
bracing quite a mimber of the most choice
kinds, obtained from the North and other
apple regions of our country. At this
time Mr. Buckner has 12,000 healthy
trees, all of which are bearing more or less
fruit, according to their ages and the fa
vorable seasons. It must not he supposed
that this unprecedentedly large number
was the work of a month or a year; or
that they sprung from seeds unaided and
unimproved by the grafting-knife ! Time
and much care were necessary to the de
velopment of such a magnificent project,
although, incredible as it may seem, only
a few
half dozen—were required to perfect
now exists as if by magic. \fc think we
hazard nothing in saying that for exten
siveness, for variety and for beauty of ar
rangement, there is no establishment at
the North, certainly none in our Confeder
acy, that surpasses it. Twelve thousand
trees within the same enclosure (about one
hundred acres) is a bight not often wit
nessed even in the most favored regions;
and when regularly arranged, equidistant,
and kept in such admirable style, presents
a scene at once attractive and commenda
ble. Its scope and design make it novel
in its character and startling in the pro
ducts of remuneration. It was for this ob
ject, however, that Mr. Buckner made the
effort, and lie is well assured and well sat-
requires cash to get the one and laborers
to work the other; most of us have neith
er of these, at least in sufficient force to
make the profits commensurate to de
mauds. But there are other fields we can
labor in and glean to a profitable advan
tage Mr. Buckner has opened up to our
view one of many that being adopted and
followed will secure competency, ant] make
even the capitalists and cotton growers ot
our country consumers of the products.
’A VISITOR.
The Advance into -Warylnihl.
There seems to he but little doubt that
our troops have crosswl the Potoinac and
are now investing Washington.
Tlie Richmond Aiquir^jf Monday re
ports : »
Yesterday beiiq
but oue piece which the cavalry j la army is not comparable to this,
took. | That, as we knew by private letters
At G o’clock the army entered the j received a week before it occurred,
town, amid the deep rumbling of Hying 1 " A ^ )m
artillery ; the frantick shouts of victo
rious thousands and the waving of
handkerchiefs. Tlie great excitement
and confusion did not prevent the kind
riety of rumors w
gained most crede.
That Generals J
crossed the Pot^
and were at the
morning last,
in this rumor, a;
another colnm
shows that th
the Yankee
doubtless has
ready to make his exit
he usual va-
r’he*e which
following :
ngstreet had
Edward’s Ferry,
House on Friday
may be some truth \
hearted ladies from coining to the edge
of the street with buckets of water to
'relieve the almost famished soldiers,
ami welcome them as friendly visitors.
The artillery rushed to the far side of
the town and a few shots were fired
at the retreating foe, and then the
cavalry turned loose. Cols. Scott,
Starnes and Morrison, had made a
circuitous march while the last battle
was being fought, and got in the rear
“of the enemy. About ten o’clock the
news came that the whole army was
captured and demoralized.
Their number was estimated by
( cconnt published in j Gen. Smith at 10,000. They lost about
a Yankee journal ! 4,000 to 5,000 killed, wounded and
panic prevailed in J prisoners, all their artillery, ammuni-
and old Abraham
Scotch cap at hand,
LATER.
Later intelligence gives us the gratify -
... . - . u,g assurance that General Jackson has
years probably no more ban a en °, red M land< b the routc above
sen-were required to perfect what I indicated> a / d isnow t0 ut»to the most
I tion, wogons commissary, &c. The
j rout was complete, and their loss five
| to one of ours. Gen. Bull Nelson was
! wounded and reported captured. Gen.
j Mi inson, second in command, was
| captured. One General killed. After
I the fight was over Gen. Smith rode
important and inviting point between Bal- j along the lines, and never, novel, ha\e
timore and Washington. It is useless now
to speculate upon probabilities. The w ar
has assumed a new phase, and our citi
zens must expect hereafter to Lear news
that will startle amidst both good and bad
report. The tables have been turned, and
the Confederate army is now an army of
invasion.
The Examiner of-tlie same date says:
A gentleman arrived in Staunton yes
terday direct from Maryland. He reports
that he saw General Jackson cross the
l’otomac last Wednesday at Leesburg,
lie himself forded the river at that place
and found the water not more than two
1 heard such shouting and rejoicing,
Gen. Smith raised his hat and said,
“Hurrah my brave boys you have
done tin* best day’s work ever done in
the Southern Confederacy.”
.May'this only he the commencement
of a series of brillant victories to
Gen. Smith. May his laurels be as
bright and as lasting as his marching
has been hard and toiling.
R. M. S.
. c , . .. , , .. . feet deep. I ho I otomac was said by the
istied that there is no cotton plantation m ., / ,
.. . r j residents along the bank to be lower than
all the cotton growing estates, rating over , , , p ,
. ° c , 6 , it had been tor years. ,A portion ot tlie
ten times- the numberof acres and proba-: J , i t-
, , ,, , i ii 1 ankee forces made a show of opposing
bly twentu times the number ot laborers, ., , T i *
..*'. ... *-i, , , I General Jacksons passage, but were
that will yield an equal amount of money i . , , , , J °
. , . . J . 1 , , nii. ! quickly dispersed by our cannon,
(plantation costs and charges all deduct-; 1 x J . 1 , J , ,
w • • , / 7 j /• c, .. Lougstreet was on the south bank
Braiin’i C'ongrntulnlory Order.
Chattanooga, Sept. L0.—A congratula
tory order from Gen. Bragg to his army,
on the recent successes of the Confederate
arms, has just been received. It is dated
at Sparta, 5th instant, and reads as fol
low's:
'Comrades ! Our campaign opens au
spiciously. The enemy is in full retreat,
with consternation and demoralization de
vastating his ranks. To secure the fruits
of their condition, we must press on vigor
ously and unceasingly.
Alabamians! Your State is redeemed.
Tennesseeans! Your Capital and State
are almost restored. Without firing a
gun, you return conquerors.
Kentuckians! The first great blow has
been struck for your freedom.
Soldiers from other States share the
happiness of our more fortunate brothers,
and will press on with them for the re
demption of their homes and women.
(Signed) Braxton Bragg.
Gen. Kershaws Brigade in Maryland.—
The Charleston Courier says: Gen. Ker
shaw’s Brigade was not engaged in the
battle of Manassas Plains. In a letter to
his father in this city, dated Manchester
Hospital, Sept. 6th. Private A. B. Miller,
of tlio Palmetto Cuard, Qd liogimont, S.
C. V., says:
“I leave for my Regiment on Monday.
The old 2d is in Maryland. God bless it.
It was not in the late battle. This I be
lieve to be reliable. A soldier who ar
rived from there says he left them in Ma
ryland under the command of General D.
H. Hill.
Frederic The Great.—“Frederic
the Great being informed of tlie death
of one of bis chaplains, a man of con
siderable learning and piety, determin
ed to select a successor with the same
qualifications, and took the following
method of ascertaining the merit of
one of the numerous candidates for
the appointment : He told the appli
cant that he would furnish him with a
text the following Sunday, when he
was to preach at the Royal Chapel.
The morning came, uud the chapel
was crowded to excess. The king ar
rived at the end of the prayers : and on
the candidate ascending the pulpit, he
was presented with a sealed paper by
one of his majesty’s aids-de-camp. The
preacher opened it, and found nothing
written. He did not, however, lose his
presence of mind, but turning the pa
per on both sides, he said : ‘My breth
ren, here is nothing, and there is noth
ing : out of nothing God created all
things:’ and proceeded to deliver a
most eloquent discourse on the won
ders of creation.”
ed) as this simple apple orchard of Scotts
boro.’
Let us sco what figure* -n-ill elucidate.
At a low estimate, and a very low one it.
is, each tree, when of. proper age, will
average two bushels of apples per year.
Most persons will say this quantity is far
too small. Our experience and informa
tion lead us to the same conclusion , but
no matter—the more the better for the
producer. At a like low estimate we wilt
say that SI per bushel as a clear net profit,
will be readily obtained in every market,
even at the orchard itself. Now, with
these low estimates, (and we leave every
one to judge for himself if they approxi
mate to a proper average,) what an enor
mous profit is presented ! Upon one hun
dred acres planted in apple tiees, attend
ed by not more than six workers at a cost
of about $800 a year, we foot tip an indis
putable gain of twenty four thousand dol
lars jier annum ! It may be said, the crop
will fail sometimes from frost or other
blight. This applies equally to every de
partment of husbandry. The trees, howev
er, will remain. There will be no yearly
planting or replanting ; there will be no
clearing of fresh lands ; no indispensable
outlay of cash one year with another, to
keep the plantation up ; no overseer’s wa
ges will have to be paid, together with a
host of other items of expense which all
cotton growers know of, and which dimin
ish their profits in proportion to the magni
tude of their forces. We will venture to
remark further, that the cost of the or
chard as it now stands does not exceed 2
thousand dollars all told, and tuis includes
a high paling of upright piue boards near
ly, if not quite, two miles in extent ! We
moreover confidently believe that from
the commencement up to the present time,
the annual receipts have far outweighed
the annual expenses ; in other words the
establishment has established itself. We
perceive then, viewing it as an experimen
tal project, that it has more than defrayed
current expenses, and taken as an invest
ment rf capital, it bids fair to exceed in
actual reimbursement, any hank stock,
railroad stock, or cotton plantation (equal
in amounts laid out,) that exists any
where.
But we present another feature which
augments the profits of the orchard. While,
as we have said, the apple constitutes the
prominent and main item, the same ground
is made to produce, yearly, corn, peas, po
tatoes, and all the vegetables incident to
a farm. These constitute his provision
crop—as they do the provision crop of
every plantation—and with them Mr.
Buckner raises his hogs that more than
supply his bacon, and at the same time
subsists his horses, mules and cattle. It is
plain, therefore, that his actual expenses
are absolutely nothing. The same soil that
supports the apple trees in used for his
planting lands ; indeed he has none be
side. Independently , he has a most choice
Peach orchard—itself a source of no small
income ; and his vineyard of well selected
varieties, from which lie has manufactured
excellent winec, and the fruit of which he
also sends to market. In fine, lie raises
everything, excepting cotton, that is grown
by planter, farmer or gardener.
Another source of profit derived from
his orchard is found in the ready sale of
y*ourig grafts taken from all of his choice
apple trees, which he disposes of at 820
per hundred.
Now, for the beneficial application of
the facts thus presented. We cannot dis
suade ourselves that they are not pertinent
and of vital import. In these times, above
all others, the policy of diversifying our
means of individual as well as national
prosperity, challenges the attention of all.
Cotton has been King, and will no doubt
be enthroned again; hut we cannot say
how long the reign will continue without
interruption, such as is now being experi
enced. We have in the past eighteen
months seen enough to force conviction
upon our minds that we should, in due
time, prepare to avert a recurrence of like
disasters that now beset us. and which are
mainlv, if not solely, attributable to a want
of diversified employments. Admitting
that the 'second reign' may be as prosper
ous'and long as the first was, all have not
the means of ‘obtaining office’ and deriving
emolument under a like rule* Diversity
of pursuits is the only station that a vast
majority of our people can profitably main
tain. We need a diversity' in our agricul
tural department; we need more varied
and systematical husbandry, as we need
more varied and well arranged workshops
to supply wants that now sorely press us.
It is indeed time to look about. It is time
for many of us to set our hopes upon other
securities than stocks or cotton fields. It
Lougstreet was on the south bank of the
river preparing to cross, and tlie party
bringing the information learned that A.
P. Hill was to follow on Thursday. Gen.
Lee’s headquarters were at Leesburg* It
was believed at Leesburg that our cavalry
has visited Frederick, Maryland, and the
Relay House, nine miles from Baltimore,
Frederick is .only twenty miles from Lees
burg by the best McAdamized road in tiiis
country'. It was also rumored there and
[From the New York World ]
LATEST FROM THE NORTH.
OER GREAT DISASTER IN VIRGINIA.
The rebels could have afforded to
pposing p a y beiJ millions of dollars for the re-
f ‘ ! suits accomplished by their cavalry
raid on General Pope’s headquarters
j at Catlett’s Friday night. They took
possession of our camp, pillaged and
| plundered to their hearts’ content, and
I besides the lives, money, horses and
personal effects lost, General Pope
1 lost the muster rolls of his army, all
I his private papers, copies of dispatches
land reports, memoranda of the camp-
aign and the past and present condition
generally believed that the lower counties i ol the army, copies ot all the telegrams
p ,, 11, , , , , 1 * .1. 1. .. 1 4.
of Maryland had revolted en masse and
were butchering the Federal officers and
Provost Marshals.
The Lynchburg Republican gives the
following account :
We also have information that on Thurs
day morning two divisions of our army,
one under Jackson and the other under
Longstreet, left Drainesville at eight o’
clock and took up the line of march for the
Potomac, one crossing the river at Ed
ward’s Ferry to Pooleville in Maryland,
and the other at White’s Ferry, a short
distance lower down. Nothing had been
heard since this important movement had
been made ,* though our informant,
ticer of the army', directly from Manassas,
which he has sent to Washington
since bis taking bis present command,
all the dispatches received from the
President, General Halleck, General
McClellan, General Burnside and the
War Department, copies of all the
orders issued to his Generals of corps
and division, all his maps and topo-
! graphical charts, and, in short, every
I record and piece of information which
I any one could desire to have who
I wished to know, with perfect accuracy
! and detail, the past history and future
'■ plans of the campaign, the numbers
and disposition of our troops, and the
says the general opinion is that the Yan- purposes of the YV ar Department and
ee Capital is, ere this, completely invest- the Generals. If these had all been
ed from the Maryland side, its railroad ; destroyed by fire the loss would have
communication cut off, and but one mode
of escape opened to the besieged, and that
down the Potomac. We place great re
liance in the intelligence above publishe
knowing that it is somethin
mere rumor.
been most serious, and would have
greatly retarded the prosecution of
the war. Captured and possessed by
mu., ; ^.| ie enemy, their loss is incalculable.—
moie um ^ jj^j e driblets of information
From the Knoxville Register, September 6th.
From Richmond, Kentucky.
Richmond Kentucky, >
Sunday, Aug. JOth, 1SC2. \
God blessed us with a great victory
yesterday, and this morning finds us
which careless correspondents have
suffered to leak out in their letters
was so valuable to the enemy as to
make it wise for General Pope to
exclude them from his lines, and keep
the millions to whom the lives and
deeds of our soldiers are precious in
utter ignorance and almost insup-
enjoying the blessings of the Yankee portable suspense, how valuable to
the enemy must have been the posses
sion of all the information which Gen.
Pope and bis staff’ have acquired and
possess. President Lincoln himself
could now tell Jefferson Davis and his
generals nothing concerning our army
in Virginia which they do not already
know. The loss, we repeat, is incal
culable. Unless our force is so strong
that such perfect knowledge of our
purposes'by the enemy is no detriment
to their successful execution, the whole
plan of the campaign must be changed.
It will hardly do to say that we are
thus strong when the loss met with
oceured during a retreat.
This loss is so stunning and so com
plete that the report of it would hardly
be credited did it come in any doubt
ful shape. But our own special cor
respondent, who with all other mem
bers of the press was about being ex
cluded from General Pope’s lines, was
present and a witness of the raid. He
and one other correspondent were the
only members of the press then and
there present. His letter, which cre
ated such a profound regret throughout
the city, is amply confirmed, not by
telegrams, from Gen. Pope’s new
headquarters—for it is notorious that
nothing can be trusted which comes
to tlie public from that source, and
that however eloquent he may be over
fictitious victories, he is silent over
real disasters—but it is confirmed by
his own verbal statements and of others
who reached the city yesterday from
the field of battle.
The cause of this shameful disaster
is single and plain. Gen. Pope’s
headquarters were not and never lrad
been guarded. To surprise was as
easy as to find them. The rebels knew
the fact. It was his headquarters for
which they proclaimed themselves in
camp. Skirmishing the evening pre
vious indicated the proximity of the
two armies. We camped with Gen.
Smith 15 miles from Richmond, and
early next morning we proceeded to
meet the enemy, who were seven
miles from Richmond. The road was
crowded for miles with infantry and
artillery, so that Gen. Smith had to
pass through the fields in order to
gain the front. As he passed along
the lines, I never heard such cheering
for Gen. Smith. I think troops never
were more eager for battle, nor more
sure of success. About 8 o’clock the
the boom,’ boom of artillery was
evidence that the hall was now open
ed. Soon the contest became hot and
general. Volley alter volley of mus
ketry was poured in upon them, and
for about two hours the battle raged
with great fury. The fight lasted
about four hours, when they gave way,
falling back two miles. Gen. Clay-
burn was wounded early in the en
gagement and Col Fitzgerrel, of the
15th Tennessee, was killed. After
refreshing a short time outlie contents
of Yankee haversacks, they were
again, attacked and routed a second
time falling hack to town. Notwith
standing our men had ben marching
for weeks, and enduring all the pri
vations nearly that men could endure,
they fought like they had been resting
for a month.
Three miles from town now, Capt.
Owens’ Co. Cav., with skirmishers [on t
either side of tlie road, marched down
the pike toward town, taking prison
ers all along as we went. When we
came within sight of town we found
the enemy drawn up in line of buttle
on this side in front of tlie graveyard.
The Brigade which had been sent out
of the Crab Orchard road by Gen Smith
was now' forming on the hill to the
right. We took some prisoners in
front of their lines a d they looking at
us. We returned hack and the infant
ry and artillery moved up and a third
attack was made about 5 p. m. The
artillery played awhile and then the
fight was entirely with small arms.—
For about half an hour the fight was
the hottest I ever heard. They
could not stand the unerring fire from
our undaunted men any longer, and
they gave wav, a third time, in utter
confusion, leaving all their artillery
was expected and prepared for. Our
military stoies were withdrawn, the
rebels left to an almost bootless plun
der, and preparations were begun for
the strategic movements which re
sulted in leaving no unexpected poiut
open to the enemy’s attack. It Gen
eral McClellan’s headquarters had
then been the object of their raid, and
all his papers had been seized, it would
have been a terrible loss, but by no
means equal to this, for his army was
now effecting a junction with General
Pope’s as General Burnsides’s had al
ready done, and the voluminous mes
sages which must have passed between
ttiein were also borne oft’by the enemy,
and reveal the number’s, conditions and
situation of Gen. McClellan’s army
as completely as the muster rolls and
copies of the dispatches to Washington
reveal the numbers and situation of
General Pope’s.
It is for the president to decide what
punishment is due for this culpable
and most disastrous negligence. If
it be true that the President has said
that “Gen. Pope was celebrated for
three things—great smartness, indolen
ce, and a want of strict veracity,” the
loss of.public confidence in that Gener
al’s telegrams will not bias hisjudgment
unduly. He will be Unaffected also
by—perhaps lie is unware of—his
extreme unpopularity with nearly all
his subordinate Generals, officers and
men. He will give just weight to the
bad Generalship which left the gallant
Gen eral Banks to be defeated at Cedar
Mountan, for it is incredible that he
can have been deceived by tlie tele
grams with which it was attempted to
amuse and appease the public, or that
General Tope’s act in returning to his
brigade commanders the lists of killed,
wounded and missing sent in by them,
as incorrect and exaggerated, can have
blinded the President’s eyes any more
than it did theirs to the measure of our
disaster and the plentiful lack of Gen
eralship which caused it. The Presi
dent knows also how the discipline
of Gen. Pope’s army has deteriorated
since he took the field. He knows the
causes of this deterioration, and the
country will confidently hope that
these too will have just weight in Ids
decision upon the future command of
the army of Virginia.
The gove'Hjneut, we repeat, is im
posing upon the country the utmost
sacrifice in an intolerable suspense
and anxiety so that the enemy may
get no information which could be of
value to them from correspondents,
whose only office is to convey to the
people what they have an undoubted
right to know of the brothers and
sons whom they have sent to fight
the battles of the nation. Yet here
is a general guilty of the grossest care
lessness in the holding of that informa
tion, and directly as the result of that
carelessness the enemy is made ac
quainted with all that they could pos
sibly desire to know to enable them to
countervail our plans, defeat our arm
ies, and capture our capital.
It is outrageous and intolerable, and
the President may be assured that the
indignation which he must feel in his
own high place of knowledge and
power, at such incompetency and
shameful carelessness, is more than
shared by the people whose destinies
hang upon the fidelity and success
with which he choses the instruments
to wield the vast power committed to
his hands.
ment of the State is next directed to
sell to the wife of of each soldier now
in military service, if she claims it,
aud to each widow having ason orsons
in the service, one half bushel of salt for
one dollar. This salt, like that gratuit
ously bestowed on the widows of sol
diers, can only be procured upon a
certified list of their names by the Jus
tices of the Inferior Courts, directed to
Col. Whitaker, who will order its de
livery in like manner, through the Jus
tices of the Inferior Court, the latter
havingyirst transmitted, and he, Col.
Whitaker, having first received the
money ora check, or a cetificate of de
posit, for the same.
Third.—These distributions having
been made, should then the widow of a
deceased soldier, or the wife of a soldier
in the service, desire more than a half
bushel of salt for her own use, she will
be permitted to purchase it at the
price paid by others, in preference to
all other persons, if there is not a sup
ply for all. This she can do through
the State agent appointed by Col,
Whitaker, or the County agent, if any
shall he appointed by the citizens of the
county, to sell the salt.
Fourth.—The Agents will proceed
to sell the Salt to all other heads of
families at the rate of $4,50 per bushel,
but no head of a family will he permit
ted to receive more than one bushel
till all are supplied with enough for
present use. State Agents have been
appointed at the following places:
Cartersville, Atlanta, Athens, Augusta,
Griffin, Macon. Albany, Columbus,
Savannah, and Thomasville.
But Agents may also be appointed
by tlie people of any county, in public
meeting assembled, who will obligate
themselves to sell the Salt for the ac
commodation of the people, at the price
above mentioned, adding only the
freight which he has to pay from
where it is delivered to them, provided
said Agents pay the cash for the Salt
before it is delivered to them.
The State is now receiving Salt from
the Virginia Salt Works, and it is desi
rable that its distribution be forthwith
commenced. This willl require prompt
action on the part of tlie Inferior
Courts of the several counties of the
State. Should they be laggard, or neg
lect to follow the directions which
have been transmitted to them by Col.
Whitaker, there will he such a delay
in supplying the widows of deceased
soldiers, and iu selling to the wives of
soldiers in Hie service, as to procrasti
nate its sale afterwards to heads of
families by tlie Agents appointed for
that purpose. Hence we would urge
upon tjie Inferior Courts a prompt and
energetic compliance with the request
of Governor Brown, in order that the
beneficent measure which he has in
augurated and is desious of carrying
out successfully, and early, may not be
impeded by neglect or mistake?—in
short, that the Salt may he distributed
as soon as possible after it is receiv
ed.
search. They found them, ransacked
them as they pleased, and went away
in safety. 'J here is no doubt upon
this point. A correspondent of the
“Tribune” says:
“Probably the whole might have
been saved aud the attack repulsed if
there had been pickets or even seutries
about the camp. But there has not
been a. guard mounting at headquarters
since Gen. Pope took the field, a piece
of carelessness for w'bieh he has paid a
heavy penalty.
The raid on the flank of our Peninsu-
From the Atlanta Intelligencer.
Salt Distribution by the State Authorities;
We have heretofore published
Governor Brown’s directions to the
Commissary General of the State re
lative to the distribution and sale of
the Salt, for which arrangements have
been made by His Excellency, and
which is now being shipped into the
State,from the Salt Work's in Virginia.
Those directions were forthwith trans
mitted by Col. Weitaker, the Com
missary General of the State, with ad
ditional ones from him to the Justices
of the inferior Courts of the several
Counties,in order that there should com
mence as early as possible, a distribu
tion of the same, in strict accordance
with the Governor’s instructions. It
appearing, however as we have been
advised, that some misapprehension
exists, (and that some delay prevails,)
in regard to tlie manner of this distribu
tion, we have deemed it advisable to
procure from Col. Whitaker such in
formation, as that, when we lay it be
fore the Justices of the Inferior Courts
oftheseveral Counties of the State, as
well as before the several agents ap
pointed for the delivery aud sale of the
Salt, the work, of distribution will go on
smoothly and without embarrassment
to the parties engaged either in its re
ception or sale and delivery.
In the first place, under the Gover
nor’s directions, one half bushel of Salt
is to he delivered gratuitous/)/ to the
widow of each soldier who has been
killed in battle, or has died in the mil
itary service of tlie State, or the Con
federate—and this will be the first dis
tribution made.
Now as to the manner of this fistribu-
tion, the Govenor directs, and Col.
Whitaker will require, that the Jus
tices of the Inferior Courts shall furnish
the latter with a certified list of the
names of all such widows of deceased
soldiers in their several counties, which,
having received, there will be shipped
to said Justices, at such points as they
may designate, the requisite quantity
for each soldier’s widow, to-wit, one
half bushel of salt, to be distributed
among them by said Justices. Follow
ing these plain directions, the widows
of the deceased soldiers, will thus re
ceive the salt gratuitously bestowed
upon them. In no other way will the
salt be delivered to the widows of de
ceased soldiers.
Second.—The Commissary Depart-
What is Life ? The present life is
sleeping and waking ; it is ‘good night’
on going to bed, and ‘good morning’
on getting up; it is to wonder what
the day wiil bring forth ; it is sunshine
and gloominess ; it is rain on the win
dow as one sits by the fire ; it is to
u*aik in the garden, and seethe flowers
open, and hear the birds sing; it is to
have* the postman bring letters ; it is to
have news from East, West, North
and South ; it is to read old books, and
new books ; it is to see pictures and
hear music; it is to have Sundays ; it
is to pray with a family morning and
evening ; it is to sit in the twilight
and meditate ; it is to be well and some
times to be ill; it is to have business
to do and to do it; it is to have break-
last and dinner and tea ; it is to belong
to a town and have neighbors ; and to
be one in a cirele of acquaintances; it is
to have friends and to love them : it is
to have sight of dear old friends ; and
with some men it is to be kissed daily
by the same loving lips for fifty year;
and it is to know themselves thought of
many times a day, in many places by
children, and grandchildren, aud many
friends.
A weather prophet, writing to an
agricultural paper sa} r s : “When you
wish to know what the weather is to be,
go out and select the smallest cloud
yon see; keep your eye upon it, and
if it decreases and disappears it shows
a state of the air which wiil be sure
to be followed by fine weather ; but,
if it increases iu size take your great
coat with you if you are going from
home, falling weather will not he far
off. Tlie reason is this, when the air
is becoming charged with electricity,
you will see every cloud attracting all
lesser ones towards it until it gathers
into a shower ; and, on the contrary,
when the fluid is passing off’ or diffus
ing itself, then a large cloud will be
seen breaking to pieces and dissolv
ing-”
S'a o in ilie nZiftsiKMippi—Yellow fovri’ mnonc
the Yankee Troops.
Mobile. Sept. 10.—A special despatch
to the Advertiser & Register, dated Jack-
son 9th, says:
The gunboat Essex has gone below
Baton Rouge.
Reliable information has been received
here from parties who escaped from New
Orleans, that the yellow fever prevails
among the Yankee troops in the city.
Uorriaburg aud Philadelphia iu Tribula
tion.
Richmond, Sept. 11.—Late Northern
papers received here indicate that serious
apprehensions of an invasion by the Con
federates are felt at Harrisburg and Phila
delphia. At the former place all business
was suspended, and the citizens are form
ing into companies and drilling. The
Mayor of Philadelphia has issued a proc
lamation recommending the citizens to
form military organizations to repel inva
sion.
Brigadier General Toombs has
been released from the arrest under
which he was placed by Gen Long-
street.