Weekly constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1877, July 30, 1862, Image 1

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&l)c iUcchln (Constitutionalist. BY JAMES GARDNER. SicAmond Sxamner, July 33d. BATTLE VP THE SEVEN FINES—GENERAL JOHNSTON S OFFICIAL REPORT- Richmond, June 24th, 1862. Genera! S. Cooper, Adjutant and InNpector Gen- Sib l ; Before the 80th May I had ascerta ioed from trusty acorns that Keyes’ corps wan en« camped o» this side of the Chickabominy, near the Williamsburg road. On that day Major Gen. era! D. H. Hill reported a strong body immedi ately in his front. On receding this report 1 de termined to attack them neat roornrtg—hoping to be able to defeat Keyes’ corps completely in ,ts mere advanced position before it could be re inforced. Written orders were dispatched to Major Generals Hill, Huger and G. W. Smith. Geoerai Longatreet, being near my headquarters, teceived rerbal instructions. The receipt of the orders was acknowledged. Gen. Hill, supported by the division of Gen. Longatreet (who had toe direction of operations on therightjwas toadrance by the Williamsburg road to attack the enemy in front; General Huger, with his division, was to move down the Cnarfes City road, in order to attack in hank the troops who might be engaged with Hill and Longatreet, unless he found in his front force enough to occupy his division. Gen. Smi.b was to march to the junction of the New Brdge road aod the Nine Mile road, to be in readiness either to fall on Keyes’ right Sank, or to cover Lpngstreet’a left. They were to more a- daybreak. Heavy and protracted rains durs log tbe afternoon and night, oy swelling the stream of the Cfciekahominj, increased the probability of oar having to deal with no other troops than those of Keyes’. The same cause prevented the prompt and punctual movement if tho troops. Those of Smith, Hill and Long- Etreet were in position early enough, however, to commence operations by eight o’clock A. M. Major General Longstreet, unwilling to make a partial attack instead of the combined move ment which had been p anned, waited from hour to hour for General Hager’s division. At lengtb 2 o’clock p, m., he determined to attack without those troops. He accordytgly com meoced his advance at that hour, opening tbe 'engagement with artillery and skirmishers. By S o'clock it became close and heavy. In the meantime I had placed myself on the left of the force employed in tbe attack, with the division of General" Smith, that 1 might be - on a part of the field where I conld observe and be ready to meet any counter movements which the enemy’s General might make against oar , centre or left. Owing to some peeuliar condition of the atmosphere, the sound of the musketry -did not reach us. I consequently deferred giv ing the signal for General Smith's advance till about four u’clock, at which time Major Jasper Whiting, of General Smith’s staff, whom I had sent to learn rthe state of affairs with General Longatreet's column, returned, reporting that it ■ was pressing on with vigor. Smith’s troops ■were at once mc-ved forward. Toe principal attack was miis by Major Gens era! Loogstreet, with his own and 1), a. Hill’s division— the latter mostly in ad rauoe. Hill’s brave troops, admirably com manded and most gallantly led, forced tbeir way through the abatti» wbicb formed the enemy’e external defences and stormed their entrench ments by 4 determined and irresistible rush.— Such w*s tho manner in which the enemy’s first Ilf,e was carried. The operation was repeated wilhibasam- gallantry aod success :ig our troops pursued their victorious career through the enemy’s successive camps and entrench ments. At rich new position they encountered _fre»h tmnj l - belonging u 1 1, and no o'u-aem-.nl proagut on true? -ue rea.K Thus ttye'y had to rep ■! repeated efforts,to retake works which they had carried. But their advance wa3 never suc ressfully resisted. Their ooward oovement was only stayed by the coming of night. By nightfall they had torced their way to the “rdeven Pines," having driven the enemy back more than two miles, . through their own camps, and from a series of t entrenchments, and repelled every attempt to |r recapture them with gieat slaughter. The skill, vigor and decision with which these operations w-re conducted by Genera! Longatreet are worthy of tbe highest praise He was worthily seconded by Major General Hill, of whose conduct and courage he spoke in tbe highest terms. Maj ir.General Smith’s division moved forward • at four o’clock—Whiting’s three brigades lead log. Their progress was impeded by the enemy’s skirmishers, which, with their SBfginrts, were driven bank to the railroad. At this point, Whiting’s own and Pettigrew’s brigade engaged a superior force of the enemy. Hood’s, by my order, moved on to cooperate with Longatreet, General Smith was desired to hasten np with all the troops withio reach. He brought up Hamp ton’s and Hatton’s brigades in a few minutes. The strength of the enemy’s position, however, enabled him to hold it until dark. About sunset, be og struck from my horse, severely wounded by a frsirment of a shell, I was carried (rota the held, and Major-General 0. W Smith succeeded to the command. He was prevented from resuming his attack on the enemy’s position next morning by tbe discovery of strong enirenchmeDts not setn on the previous evening. His division bivou jj- acked, on the night of the thirty-first, within j musket shot of the entrenchments which they were attacking when darkness stayed the coo* 1 | fiic:. The skill, energy and resolution with * i jjrhich Major-General Smith directed the attack A iwuuld have secured s-ccess If it could have jp |seen made an hour earlier. V Tbe troops of Longatreet and Hill passed the - night ot tbefoirty-hrst on toe ground which they had woo. The enemy were strongly re! □- forced from ihe north side of the Chickabominy , -on the evening and night of the thirty-first. Tbe b| troops engaged by General Smith were undoubi* rj? ediy from the other side of the river. ~ Oa the aiarmng ot the first of June the enemy attacked tbe brigade of General Pickett, which | was supported by that of General Frysr. The M*a/Jk was vigorously repelled bv these two brigades, the brunt of (he action falling ou Gen. Pickett. This was the last demonstration made by thj eoemy. Out troops employed the residue of the day in -aecuriag and bearing off tbe captured artillery, •email arms, aad other property; and in tbe evenly quietly reamed to their own camps. ten Pieces of artilterv, si* thousand min.! - To-"?' 00 ' « arri,oc flag,and four regi- Tnd c amp * Urge ’ Ulnti, J of 'ir.u- report 3 the i ToS Major General G. *. Wkreporta' B ’° Co * I”** 288- fit That of the enemy is stated in their own nt’wa! |Lv pnpers to have exceeded ten tbdWnd—an e.t, iuate wbich is, no doubt, short of \i, e troth ** Wt Had Major Geoerai Huger’s divfri*, beec ja K. P * nd ceady for action when those of Cjf, Doogstreet, aod Hill moved, I an, !. ®ed that K eves’ corps wo-ild have been IfA instead ot being merely defeated.* Had if & jato aetioo even at four o’clock, the victory wouvi Kj .® ee ® more complete. L Major Genera la Smith and Lrtngstreet speak L AudaUffXi™. the °°^ oct of eir *** iTiet ■ the bttfiAtioo of the govern ■ , ™ ot repecially to the manner in which "Brigs* I aU s , r^T‘ ls , KH. Anderson, m °® c !* Jnnkins and Kemper and tUnap- V tor. exercising commands above their grade*, and Brigadier General Rhodes, are mentioned. This, and the captured colors, will be delivered by Major A- H. Hole, of my staff. I have been prevented by feebleness from making this report sooner, and am still too weak to make any but a very imperfect one. Several hundred prisoners were taken,-but 1 have received no report of tbe number. Your obed’t servant, (Signed : J. E. Jobssok, General. *See Loogstreet’s report. Prom the London Times, July 4. THE FOURTH OF JOLT—AN ENGLISH ORA TION COMfOSED BY THE LONDON TIMES "The Fourth of July’’ baa aaound.quile d.ffer ent.to Englishmen and Americans. To us it is like auy other day; to them it is a festival sol emnly set aside for gratifying to something more than satiety a national vanity the most inordi nate and the moot exacting that the world has ever Seen. On that day, lu every town and town sb4 ol the On lied States, chosen orators address applauding audiences on two tobjeats—the one the praise of their own country, the other the de preciation of ours. "Fourth of July” in American parlance, like "Uarattan" in Atbenieu, ,nas be come an adjective, used to denote whatever is overwrought, extravagant and bombastic. These annuaf rhetorical Saturnalia have had a must material and pernicious influence on American character. They have even gone some way to waros vitiating and barbarizing the language iu which they are expressed. Tncr tendency has uniiormly been to elevate the opinion which the peopia entertain of their own merits, to leach them to depreciate every one else, and to famili arize them with tbe language aud intoxicate them with tbe glory of successful wsr, aud suc cessful they are told war must be when waged by a nation of prowess so invincible. Metaphors abound. Astronomy contributes her stars to spangle the national banner. BLd her solar sys tern to typify tbe smooth and admirable working ot the gfeat Confederacy. History gives back the mightv memories of Sparta and Athens, ot Rome ana ol Carthage. Eternity describes tbe duration and infinity tbe extent of the future dominion of America. Tbe points of the compass, tbe torrid and the frigid zenes, tbe ecliptic and the equator a-e celled in to convey tbe idea of magnitude. The “effete despotisms’’ of the Old World, their creeds, their iaxes, thetr aristocracies, their eburcuei, their kings, tbeir feudal laws and Gld World observances are overwhelmed under a storm ot ridicule and contempt. But England is peculiarly tbe mark lor invec'ive and vitupera tion. The battles of tbe war of Independence are all fought over again. The thrice told tales ol that stern period are repeated once more. George the tyrant, tbe cruel executioners Howe and Clin ton, Arnold ihe traitor and Andre tbe spy, ibe surrender of Saratoga, tbe capitulation of Ycrk towu, are called once more into life. The cruelty and tyranny of the British government, its Ger man mercenaries, tbeir ravages, their devasia tion, ite employment of savages against the rebel iious colonists, its proscriptions, its confiscations, its threatened executions lor treason, are display ed in the most vivid colors. The whole thing is a tradition wbioh has come down uninterrupted from Ihe days of the Revolutionary war, and which, while to American* it seems the most natural thing m the world, jars very strangely on tbe ears of those whose reseotmeßts have had ample time to cool in the course of eighty year*, w ell, oow let us suppose that on this present some spirit of fairuess and candor could be in dueed, in defiance of the prtjudibe that would naturally attach itself'to such a character, to undertake a Fourth of July otation; and lfet as consider how he would express himself. We will drop eagles, thunderbolts, waterspouts and hurricanes, tne North and the >Soulh,tbe East and the West, time, space, eternity and infinity, and the other condiments us a regular Fourth ot July oration, aud proceed at ouce to the sub stance of what such a person might be supposed to have to say "Fellow citizens,” he might naturally observe, “tfaiß is no lime sos extrava gant aad exaggerated panegyric.” Let us keep uur eloquence lor better times, and endeavor if we can, to learc. something from our present position. We have had our own way in this matter of the war, aad are not, as far'as I can see, very much the better for it. The Euglish told us all along that we had better aaTe our blood and our money, and make a friendly parking with ihe South, since it was clear there, was no chance of our dwelling together under the same government anymore. Os course, we felt the greatest con tempt and hatred for whatever England 3aid, aod knew that it must be done with a wish to ruin us. But for all I can see, England was not very tar wrong. We have been going to conquer the South invhirty days. We nave not done it yet, and for my part, I don’t see that wo are much nearer doing it than we were when we first be ■gan. Here we have been for eight? years Irt- I umphmg over poor old England because, she, at j the distance ot 8,000 miles, was not able to con ' quer her coL'nies with France to help them; and * here we are after a year and a half ot war, Dot yet able to'take Richmond, ISO miles South ot Wash | lugion, and very much afraid the other day for ! the aatety of Washtngion itself. Then we have been always at Euglaud for hiring Hessiane and other Germans to conquer as. But wDat does the South say, and say truly ? It says that ail the Germans that fought lor King George were mere iambs and chickens compared to the gentry wbo fignt under the blessed leadership of Den ser, and Nigel and Hetntzleman. They do fight, that is certain, but then there is notbiug that they will not steal. Since we find ourselves obliged to employ such means to coerce the South, we need not be sur prised that poor old Kmg Ge rge, who lived in days before people understood anything about the rights of man, should have takeD the same course. Then, aa for military violence, why, wfcatwereali the armies the English brought into the field compared with these that are under the orders of our generals’' 1 don’t believe Howe or Canton bad ever at any time fifty thou sand men under hiß orders. Lord Cornwallis, when be gunenderefi at Yorktown, had only a poor seven thousand men, while McClellan and Davis, Halieck and Beauregard, are carrying on the work of destruction with half a miliiotf of men on each side. We have been in the habit of asking what right bad the English to call us rebels, and to shed one drop of blood id seeking to retain us against our will? They ought to know that all men are free and equal, ana have a right to consult their own wishes in the choice of a government and in search of happiness.— That’s very true, but are not tbe Booth free and equal too t Have oof they aa much right as we to consult their own feelings in the choice of a government and the search after happiness?. The wisest people in England, during tbe war of independence, considered that success was even more to be dreaded than failure; for while failure would diminish the empire, suc cess would de-troy the liberties of the nation. Does not the same danger bang over us? If we lose the South, we lose a large population aad a ?aet territory: but popelation increases fast in °*w couatnes sad as for tsrntory, we sfaalt stil bav» m0 re than we know what to do with. If, bowe>« r , we eonquer the South, we must govern them by t be mr rd; and how shall we ooutrive to set up a military power add a strong execu tive, able to keep tbe Boothia slavery, sad yet unable to enerosck upon tbe liberties of the AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUYL 30, 1862. North? "’be man has got on the horse to kill thestug but when he has killed him,art we quite sure that he will get off again? It was very wrong of the English to make war on a nation speaking their own language and of their did kindred aud lineage, but the relationship was iemote; and though England and America both belonged to the same crown, they conlo not be said to be the same country. But we are doing our best to exterminate out fellow countrymen, with the same language, the same traditions, the same laws, the same history. How many of us have sons fighting on both sides,or daughters married, one t.. a South* eruer and the other to a Northerner. Every vol ley of artillery sweeps away tbe very .life and tool of the country. We are sbeddiDg ourowo blood aud mangling our own fitsh. We have beec in the habit of despising Sbgland for her heavy debt and the vast taxation people have to bear; but ’hat debt was msiul* incurred in a cause for which she has no reason to blush —in fighting lor her own liberties apd those of Eu rope against two great conquered, Louis XIV, and the Emperor Napoleon. That debt took a hundred and forty years to accumulate, while we have incurred tt leant a quarter pf it innyear and a half. But iu wbat cause ? Not 10-Kuin tain liberty, m t to prestrve’ the-balance of power, but to put dtwh these veiy principles of freedom to which we owe our existence as a separate State, sod to cause our children to pass through the tire to the Mola t of overgrown pride and distempered ambition. Look bow England has treated us. She 1* starving her operatives, crippling her trade, reducing her rev enue, rather than bieak a blockade which would melt away before her breath, and vanish at her touch, while wa have been never weary of load ing her with insults. We took' from .her the right of search which she only anted for the protection of the negroes, for the *»ke of whom many of us profess that we are carrying on the presen* civil war. We kept* back the maps whrch showed that she was in the right in the dispute about tbe Caoadian frontier; we bullied her out of her rights on the Columbia river ; we dismissed her Ambassador for enlisting our peo ple, though we are willing to takeheia whenever we can find them.” But here we must suppose tbe patienoe of the audience to be entirely exhausted, and the orator compelled to make a precipitate reireat, even if he be fortumite enough to escape equestrian ex ercise on a rail in what Sydney Smith calls “the plumacian robe,” in whfch the sovereign people of America are wont to drees those whom they do not delight to honor. This prematerei impati ence of the audience is the mure to. fle regretted, as our orator has by no means exhausted bis subject. He has yet to speak of thq policy of de fraying the whole expenses of tbe war by debt; of the enormous issues of paper money, levying a heavy tax on all creditors for the sake of a small immediate advantage to tbeßtatp ; of the proposal to arm the blacks and let' loose oo a kindred and Christian population afl the hor rors of a servile aud savage insurrection, of Geo. Butler’s proclamation at New Orleans, and his treatment of a sex which 'America’ overwhelms with the most exaggerated homagA But we are glad that our orator did not pioctea eo far, for th» treatment of each topics m Ihebmanoer we have indicated would Burely have bfeught down upon him the very heaviest peuaity-.n the Code of Judge Lynch, the last and moot*severed of Athencan functionaries. Arom |Ae London Tines, JkMV'* v •WBB-JWWiaAA-s. THAW -Tl’-K The war in America having, aeefcrding to Lord Brougham, continued longer than any civil war on record, the noble lord feels at length called upon, as a fellow Christian and a fellow kinsman, to express an opinion upon it. At the eleventh hour this whilome champion of freedom comes forward to deplore in a genera) way this whole contest and invoke public opinion to put a stop to it. Under present circumstances, perhaps a more fulile or irrelevant appeal could hardly be raade, nor is there anything whatever m the po sition or antecedent* of tbe speaker in this mat ter to redeem bis obtruded opinions and advice from the charge of impertinent trifiixg. Having carefully held his peace until matters are at the worst, and speech all but uselesl, the noble lord now, in loose and excited terms, like an hysterical matron on bearing a row at the end of the Btreet, calls on somebody to interfere and put a stop to it. His lordship attempts to jus xify this untimely appeal on the greund of bis strong Christian duty and warming iffectioc to wards the Americans. It is a pity tiat his lord ship's zeal should have been roused so late, and that his strong friendship should hare expressed itself in so peculiar and questionable a form The conflict has long since passes the stage when the mfluenee of foreign opinion could be of any avail whatever. Yet this is he moment Lord Brougham selects for interposing with imbecileadviceand irrelevant perecmlallnsioDS. From his place in Parliament he tells the Ameri cans they must put a stop to this terible con flict, because they are fast losing hisgood opin ion and be was their friend sixty years ago.— He was once called the partisan of Jifferson and the "Attorney General of Madison,” and he, in common with others wbo had also known something of American affairs at dstant dates, “was cruelty shocked and disappointed by the present cuuise.” He adds that be would much prefer perpqtual slavery to a civil ucnflict ex tending over twelve moths. Un this ground, therefore, again, the war mu a t bp brought to a speedy conclusion. Whether this bt no or not, must depend on other causes than ary Lord Brougham contemplates. Meanwhile he has sufficiently prored that whatever he knew about tbe America] s fifty years ago, ke knows nothing about them now; and lha! however much he may hare been their frienq, he has effectually survived the feeling. Ds.niss the Allegation.— X-. Jamss Rbodeq, Father of T. C. Rhodes, who was confined in Bibb jail lor counterfeiting shinplasurs on the Slate Road, addresses us a note from Themas ton, denying that he assisted his son to escape, or attempted to steal the watch, lie States that he visited his son on Friday morniog *nd even ing, and again on Saturday morning, but left at ajtj a. m., for Tnomaston, where he arrived that day. This, he asserts, he can prove ay the en gineer, conductor, and others. He hat remained there ever since, he says, and could aot possi bly have been in two places at once. He refers to numerous neighbors and friends <t>t his un blemished reputation. As to tbe watch, he sim ply asked for it, believing it to be his tight, Ac. In justice to Mr. Rhodes, we give his dutclam-r, stating at tbe same tisae, that our article was based upon the testimony of pnsonefe in the cells above, who saw him on tbe fenoq as they snpposrd. In relstion to tbe watch, tie Jailor asserts that tbe watch claimed by Mr. J. Rhodes as the property of his son, was the piriperty of another prisoner, and that hs evidently tried to get it under false pretences, or otherwile steal it genteely. This is all wo know about tie “horse swap.’’— Macon (Go.) Ttl6Qro.fi. July 21. Captcks or tb« BnAvnnoAU Bntoee Bkngnaa.— Gent ml Stuart’s Cavalry are again at wark, hav ing just succeeded in overtaking a portion of tbe Yankee force engaged in burning tbe bridge at Baverdam. One, Uentenact and six privates were captured, and one killed. The prisoners admit having been engaged in the recent raid. From the Knoxville (Term.) Hf.giater. July 23. j INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE OF HTOFRELS- , BORO’— CAPT. HANEY As Col. Forrest’s command were marching j through Cannon county on their way to Mur freesboro’, the citizens' crowded the thorough fares cheering our gallent men with every dem onstration oi joy. The ladies everywhere were particularly enthusiastic. Someof the citizens of Cannon had been arrested and were contined m prison at Murfreesboro’. The ladies besought our men with tears in lhe*r eyes to rescue their husbands and fathers front the hands of the ty rant. One little girl ran np to that old patriot and soldier, Capl. Haney of tbe Ist Georgia Cavalry, and wringing her handsimplored him to bring her father back to her agrin. The old man turned to her with hia whole soul beaming in his face, aod exclaimed, while the manly tear started to hta eye, "1 will, my daughter! I will 1” The result proved ihe truth of his words.” The Captain was the first to enter tbe Court House where the priseners were confined —aud that chtla s heart has been made glad by the safe return of the lather to the household root. As our little army went dashing tnto Murfrees boro’, awaking the echoes by the rattling of Their horses hoofs “o’er the stony streets," the whole population were aroused from their slum bers, and lushed to their windows, balconies and verandahs with every demonstration of de light. Ladies could be seen kneeling in pos* lures of thankfulness to Heaven tor the day of their deliverance. As tbe morning advanced, and as the fight thickened, the same fair ones were in tne streets in spite of the whistling of balls and rain of lead, administering to tbe wants ol our soldiers, filling their canteen* with water, and tbeir haversacks with an abun dance of provisions. Unheeding tbe shots from the enemy’s gun-, they thought only ol the com fort of tbeir gallant champions. One lady re ceived a ball through her dress, whilst another bad her parasol shot from her.band, the ball.pass ing within two inches of her jeweled fingers.— Such heroism bas never been known in tbe an nals of war, and will illuminate to tbe remotest generation of tbe history ot our glorious land. «**» « . « A company of Fsderals were in possession of the Court House, and were shooting our soldiers in al! directions from tbe windows above. Col. Morrtion, (Ist Georgia) dismounted three of his companies and ordered them to charge the build ing,.which they did in most gallant style, rusting through the public square to tbe very doors ol the edifice, under a most galling fire of musketry. Ci nqcious that the lose ot life to our men would be terrible by attempting topass up (be stairway, the building was immediately set on fire, when the Yankees above bawled out lustily for quar ters. The tire was extinguished, the whole com pany surrendered, and our imprisoned fellow citizens were happily released. Old Capl. Haney was the first man to" enter the Court House and to receive in his arms the liberated captives. Late in the day Col- Morrison was surprised to see the old hero rushiDg towards him lrantic with joy, and exclaiming, "Colonel, I'll bed—d if I haven’t taken Gen. Crittenden and all his staff!” “You don’t say so, Captain,”answered the. Colonel. “If I havn’t there’s nob —ill’’ex- claimed the old man, and passed on to new needs of heroism and of glory. Cspt. Haney iB near sixty years of age, ariff commands a company Ftom Pit yd and Folk oounties in Georgia His men love him as a , ,ia»v Jkv.nr.ie WHS Art ViTfr-r - regiment, and wherever he goes with biß gen ial and benignant face, and his paternal fond ness for the “boys” be is greeted with enthusi asm,and blessed with (be heart offerings ofthose to whom he is so dear. And he is but a type of a nation of such war riors. M’CLELLAN S ARMY—DOCTORS WILL DIF FER. Tbe New York Fost’s Washington correspon dent writes as follows - It is thought hare (Wuthingtonj that there is nothing to prevent a speedy advance of the aimy of tbe Potomac; upon Richmond if ns leader is so disposed. The fact that the Confederates have fallen back u r on Richmond is thought to indicate a new plan of operations. The array correspondent of tbe same paper thinks differently, and says; I see that tbe papers are trying to make a good case out o? our reire&t, aud call :i “strategy.”— We know better hear. The only tedeetniog feature about it is the Invincible valor with which our troope fought against great odds, whipping the enemy in everp engagement. Cover it up as you may, it was a disastrous necessity, which wasvery near resulting in the annihilation oi our army. Who is responsible ? The same writer continues: I tellyou this array is exhausted and cannot i recover front the physical effects of that retreat j in one month I It is disheartened and lacks con fidence in somebody ; altboug., it does not know * whom. An advance now, wi hout beavv reins forcemeats, would be inevitable defeat. THE TOTAL LOSS IN THE BATTLES DBFOBS RICHMOND. The New York Times says that the following statement, which comes from au official source, may be relied upoD as a perfectly correct enu meration of the Yarkee losses during tbe six days’battles before Richmond : Corps. Killed Wound. Missg. Tolal. Frauklin .245 1,313 2,17 9 2,737 Sumner .170 l,C6s 84S 2/JSB Keyes .' 62 507 201 777 Hemlzeltuac. .189 1,051 883 2,073 Porter 873 3,70 u 2,779 7,3?2 Cavalry 19 60 97 lit Engineers.. .. 2 2i 28 Total, 1,565 7. 01 5,938 15,224 How Long, Oh Catelinb.—The steamer British Q.teen, Captain Harrison, arrived at 5 o’clock on Thursday morning, 26tii, with the British and American snails, the former to tbe 7tb instant, the latter to tbe 21st. She left for Havana at a 1 quarter to 3 the same afternoon. The merchandise brought from England to New i York by the steamer China for Nassau, was de» I taioed by the authorities of New York, in conße- i quence of a most outrageous aud unheard of de I mand being made of Mr. Cuuard to sign a heavy 1 bond that none of the goods should be sold to ■ the Confederate States! Our merchants are f highly indignant at this hindrance ta commerce, e wbich V’.ll result in heavy pecuniary loaaes to * them, as most of the packages, we are informed, ? contains summer clothing, in great demand at 1 present. About 600 packages were on freight from Eng land to tin* place, and the amount of the bond required by the American authorities from Mr. 8 Canard was about $75,009. We hear, too,that almost all the passengers 1 who went from this city to New York in the 5 British Queen last trip, (except T. Darling, Ksq ,) 1 were ordered to diveei themselves of their ap- 1 parel, that they might undergo a most Kumilta- ’ ting search. 1 How lone is this state of affairs-to continue ? 1 Xattau (Guardian, Jane 28. m < The Yankee gunboats, we learn, were abelliqg Hogg's Neck about noon on Thursday last. \ Ckarletton Mercury , July 26. t VOL. 14,—N0 31 i REPORTED REBELLION ON ROANOKE 16- ' LAND-HEAVY CANNoNADING-MILIIABY EXECUTION IN NfflELlH CAROLINA. By the train from Weldon yesterday afternoon, we understand that it is currently reported in Eastern Nortti Carolina, tbat a rebellion occurred recently among ihe contrabands on Roanolte Is land. It is slated th* tbe negroes, becoming dissatisfied with.the harsh treatment of their newly tound masters, took advantage of an ops pnrtuntly presented while the Federate were at dinner, with slacked arms, to seize the muskets, witb which they opened tire upon the Yankees, j and killed several. Great consternation was ' produced among the so'dierson the Island by ; ; this unexpected attack, bnt they soon rallied, ■ j and recovering their guns, commenced an indis- I criminate slaughter, w bich was only ended with ' , the almost total extermination ot the negroe-. ' We give th'-s rumor as it reaches us, without 1 j vouching for its authenticity. 1 Gentlemen trom Goldsboro, who reached here [ last evening, report that heavy and continuoias | j cannonading was heard in the vicinity of New born Monday afternoon. The bring commenced 1 t at 3, and was continued until 7 p. m. A gentleman direct from Kinston, N. C., in ' forms us tbat two negro men were executed at ' that place on Friday “last, by order of Col. So l , Williams, the military commandant of the post. ' One of them was named Fred, belonging to the * estate of the Rev. W. P. Biddle, of Craven co.; tbe other, named Jack, was owned by Mi. Elisha ‘ Coward, of Green county, N. C. These negroes ' were cha%ed with- absconding from their own-, 1 ers. and commonicating with the enemy at Newbern-; also, witb enticing other slaves from ' their owners. These negroes had been in jail at K'nston lor four montbe. and no doubt exist ’ Ing as to their guilt. Col. Williams determined to make an example of them. They were accors dingly taken trom the jail on Friday last, and executed in the presence of an immense crowd. Oar pickets have been greatly annoyed by the repeated attempts of slaves to escape to the ene my, and we hope that the execution of Fred and Jack will have the effect to repress the desire on the part of others who may have contemplated a departure. Jack is said to have been very active in his ef forts to reurnit for Burnside’s army, and It is stated by negroes with whom be bad communi cated, that be held a commission of Lieutenant*; Colonel in the Federal army. Fred was a bright mulatto, and a mtn of more than ordinary in* telligence. lie denied any guilt in the premises, but Jack justified bis coarse upon tbe old John Brown plea. Both seemed very penitent in view ot the awful fate impending over them. We can but commend the energy and determi nation of Col. Williams, in this whole affair, and hope that it may not be without its good ef fects in future. Pfttrsburg (Fa.) Srpreft, July 23. FROM MEMPHIS Some days ago, we published General JtS: Thompson's admirable note to General Grant, Federal commander of Memphis, relative to the removal of Confederate iamities from that city. Baiow is tbe Weak reply of Alvio P. Hovev, Brigadier General Commanding, in tbe absence o‘ Gen. Grant, we : Memphis, July 16,1662. Ran,. Gas Jew? T.. .. iavs.C. c. A , c-knat.ba ' I hare j.-jWSjefMl . • Jfjh '“*ta»fljt relation U 3 “Rffeetar TfrAer No v T4, hftetofbre issued by Major Genetal Grant. I herewith send you special or der No. 15, wnich considerably modifies the order to which you allude. l r o will permit me to say r tbat your sympathies are entirely out of place, as truth and history mnst record the tact that the Southern people, residing in localities where both of our armies have been camped, prefer tbe continuity of the Northern Invadets to the pro , lection of the Soutl err. chivalry. You are too well versdn in the science o'- to be ignorant of Ihe rtc: mat tbes? Waers are far more mild than could he l- ? bf-en expected af te- the treatment that helpless Union families i received at tot bands of rebels in thiscitv. Add to this fact that a large part of all the informs i tion received by you can be traced directly through the families excluded by these orders, and oour application for sympathy in their be half Is somewhat amusing. The great error tbat Fedpril officers have com mitted during this war has been their own kind ness to a vindictive and insulting foe. Your threats and intimations of personal danger to Gen. Grant are id bad taste, and should be care fully revised before publication. Whether he can “guard his own lines,” the historv of the battles of Shiloh and Donelson will fully shew- Should any families embraced within the orders I above alluded to be obstinate, and refuse to comply with order ]E, they shall be escorted to tbe distance of ten miles from this city, at snch points as they may request. Y’ours, respectfully, Alvin P. Hovev, Brigadier General Commanding. The Confiscation Bill a Law.— The following message has been received in the Federal Cots gres: Fellow (jitizms of Ihe Senate and Honse of Rep resentatives : Considering the bill for “an act to suppress in surrection, to punish treason and rebellion, to seize and confiscate tbe property of rebels, and for other purposes,” and the joint resolution ex planatory of said act, as being substantially one, f nave approved and signed both. Before 1 was informed of the resolution I had prepared the drajt of a message, slating objec tions to the bill becoming a law, a copy of which draft is herewith sumbiued. Abeaha* Lincoln. July 17, 1862. This is the “explanatory” resolution alluded to: Jiesvlced, By the Seoate and House of Repres sentatives, etc., Thattne provisions of the third clause of tbe filth section of an act to suppress insurrection, to punish treason, and rebellion, to seize and confiscate tbe property of rebels, and for other purposes, shall be construed as not to apply to any act or acta done prior to the passage thereto, nor to.include any member of a State Legislature or Judge of any State Court who has not, in accepting or entering npon his office, tak en an oath to support the Constitution of the so called Confederate States of America; nor shall any punishment or proceedings under the said act be so oonstrued as to work a forfeiture of the real estate of tbs offender beyond bis natural life. Fbomthe Nobtb.— We have reliable private advices from the North. The Yankee Govern* ment is massing alt its available troops at or near Warrenton, and not at Winchester as stated, byway of a blind, by the Northern papers. Tbe ninety and one hundred dollar bounties, with a pledge to support the families of absent volunteers, offered in Washington and Balt - more, have failed to stimulate enlistments. No recruits are comiDg forward. Tbe probability o( a resort to a draft has caused intense indignatfon and excitement in Baltimore, and it is thought tbat if General Jackson were in striking distance he could .at once obtain twenty thousand men from that city alone.— Richmond : Fa.) gxjmintr, July 24.