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LINCOLN’S PROCLAMATION. For all practical purposes, this document is about as operative and sensible, as would be a proclamation from Brigham Young, declaring polygamy to be the law of the social system of the North American Continent. Freedom to the slaves of the Confederates of the South, is no more within the gift of Lincoln or his Con gress, than were the kingdoms of the earth in the gift of Satan, when he essayed to tempt Christ on the Mount. The announcement that the proposition to offer to the Border States pecuniary isducements to adopt the emancipation policy, will again be brought before the Yankee Congress, will have as little influence as on a former occasion. Its only effect on the Border States will be to strengthen the Southern cause, to make seces sionists of Unionists and neutrals, and to widen still more the gulf which separates the slave holding from the Yankee States. It is as hopeless a task for the Yankee Government to undertake, by proclamation, to abolish the climate of the South—to stagnate its rivers, and to bow its mountain ranges to a level with the plains below, as to revolutionize and de stroy its social institutions. Slavery, in the South, is as essential a part of the social sys tem of the South, as the atmosphere is of its physical existence. All such proclamations, therefore, are but idle, if not idiotic, displays of anti-slavery hatred and venom. They tend to intensify Southern hatred of their malignant persecutors, and to nerve our people to more heroic efforts to rescue our land from their pol luting footsteps, and to turn the tide of invasion upon the soil of the enemy. THE BATTLE OF SHARPSBURG. From the Army Correspondent of the Chas. Courier. Sharpsburg, Md., Thursday, Sept. 18, 1862 Yesterday was fought, at this place, the severest battle that has yet marked the annals of the war. For the first time in our history, two armies have been brought together whose thousands might be numbered by hundreds, and for fifteen long, eventful hours these have undergone a trial by tire such as mortal man never witnessed on this continent before. If the battles of Shiloh, Don* elson, Richmond and Manassas are entitled to be considered among the greatest in modern war fare, that of Sharpsburg, whether in reference to length, obstinacy or numbers, outranks them all, and stands first upon the list. In respect to mere numbers, few records of battles show more troops concentrated upon a single field than were gath ered here. If we look on the Federal side, we may enumerate the forces of McClellan, Burns side, Siegel, Sumner, Banks and Reno, all com* manders of corps d’ armee, One hundred thous* and of their troops were trained soldiers, nur tured and disciplined in camp and field since the beginning of the war. Add to these the torces trom Western Virginia, under Gen. Cox, likewise veterans, and the ninety thousand fresh levies, who, according to Northern accounts, joined the Yankee army after the late battle of Manassas, and we have an approximate estimate of nearly two hundred thousand men. It was a force gathered for but one purpose, to crush us out before we left the soil of Maryland, and, as fast as steam could carry them, they flocked to the standard of their Generals from every camp and city in the North. Turning to the Confederate side, we have Long street. Jackson, D. H. Hill, R. H. Anderson and McLaws; but the divisions which they respective" ly command have become mere remnants of their former strength. Whatever may have been the force with which we entered Maryland—and no one who saw the character of the fighting at Manassas will deny that it was ample for any emergency—a has dwindled down,more than a third. Our —e tie iouna in nearly every house on the borders of the Potomac. Regiments have oeen reduced to the size of companies, and dozens of brigades might be named before whom a similar Yankee command would loom up in Brobignadian proportions. It is a rough estimate, but I doubt it we carried in to the battle of yesterday more than seventy thousand men. Seventy against two hundred thousand! Such was the disproportion in the numbers of the two contending armies. On falling back from Boonsboro’, we made our final stand at Sharpsburg, a small town situated in a bend of the Potomac, and in an air line not more than one mile and a half from the river.— Ascending a hill just on the outer edge of the town, and looking towards the Blue Ridge, the eye ranges over the greater portion of the event" fnl fie'd. To the right and left is a succession of hills which were occupied by the Confederates. In trout is the beautiful valley of the Antietam, divided longitudinally by the river which emp* ties into the Potomac on your right, and behind, forming a background to the picture, only two miles distant, are the steep umbrageous sides of the Blue Ridge, i The lowlands are thickly cov ered with crops of gram and corn, but most of the positions occupied by our artillery on the emi nences described are open rolling fields where we could both distinctly see, and be distinctly seen. The line of battle of the enemy on their left (opposite our right) was on the other side of the Antietam, and on their centre and,right it ex tended to this side. Altogether it was about two miles :ri length. I should here observe that the river is fordable by infantry at any uoint, not being more than forty feet in width, but impassable by artillery except on the bridges. One of these—a stone structure— was oa the continuation of the Boonsboro' turn* pike, which runs through the town, (the same by which we ascended to our batteries near the cen tre,) and the other a few hundred yards to the right. The first was in possession ot the enemy before the light began, and was covered by their artillerv. Tne second will be a subject ot future reference, in connection with the struggle which took place around it later in the day. The left of the Federals was commanded by Burnside, the centre by Sumner, and the right by McClellan, Who also exercised general supervision over the entire field. __Our line of battle was of course nearly opposite to that of the enemy, and stretched along the crests of the hills until lost to view among the distant woods and hollows; the right being coms manded by Longstreet, the left by Jackson, and the centre by D. H. Hill. It is impossible at this time for me to describe the position ot the respec tive brigades. The turnpike to which 1 have res ferred is about half a mile to the right of ttie po\ sition occupied by our centre. The preliminary symptoms of the "battle began to be felt as early as two o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, when the enemy opened a vigorous tire from their admira* bly posted batteries, seeking evidently to draw us out, and thereby learn our weak and strong points, ascertain the locality of our batteries, and secure a good range. For three hours or more this ar tillery duel was carried am, but without any other result than the killing and wounding of a few men in the rear, and frightening the citizens of the town nearly out ot their wits, by the explosion of the shells which fell hotly in their midst. While this cannonade was in progress, the Fed eral infantry made a demonstration on our left, with a view to turn that wing, and secure a more .favorable position from which to commence the battle on the ensuing day. Their advance was promptly met by Hood’s division, and a sharp skirmish ensued just before dark, in which we drove them back to their original line. The enemy, however, were pertinacious all night, in their enJ deavors to effect a looting for their infantry and artillery, and there was more or less of fighting until dawn. Had they succeeded in this under" taking, we should have been flanked, enfiladed and possibly driven into the elbow formed by the union of the Antietam and Potomac. THE FIGHT ON THE LEFT. With the first streak of daylight the heavy pounding of the enemy’s guns on their right an nounced the battle begun, and tor an hour the sullen booming was uninterrupted by aught save their own echoes. McClellan had initiated the attack. Jackson and Lawion, (commanding Ew ell’s division)— always in time—had come rapidly forward during the night, and were in position on our extreme left. W bat a strange strength and confidence we all felt inihe presence of that man, St< n wall Jackson. Between six and seven o’clock the Federals advanced a large body of skirmish ers, and shortly after the main body of the enemy was hurled against the division ot Gen. Lawton. The tire now became fearful and incessant. What were at fit st distinct notes, clear and consecutive, mergid into a tumultous chorus that mad* the earth tremble. The discharge.of musketry sound* edupon the ear like the rolling of a thousand dis tant drums, and ever and anon the peculiar yells of our boys told us of some advantage gained. We who were upon the centre could see little or nothing of this portion of the battle, but from the dense pall of smoke that hung above the scene, we knew too well that bloody,work was going on. The Federals there outnumbered us three to one. Their best troops were concentrated upon the single effort to turn our left, aud for two hours and a half the tide of battle ebbed and flowed alternately for and against us. Still our boys fought desperately, perhaps as they never fought before. Whole brigades were swept away, be* fore the iron storm, the ground was covered with the wounded and dead. Ewell’s old division, overpowered by superior numbers, gave back. Hood, with his Texans, the Eighteenth Georgia and the Hampton Legion, rushed into the gap, and retrieved the loss. Ewell’s men, rallying on this support, returned to the tight, and adding their weight to that of the fresh enthusiastic troops, the enemy in turn were driven back. Res inforced, they made another desperate effort on the extreme left, and here again was a repetition of the scenes I have described. For a time they flanked us, and our men retired slowly, fighting over every inch of ground. It was a trying hour. The Federa's saw their advantage and pressed it with vigor. Eight batteries were in full play upon us, aud the din of heavy guns, whistling and bursting of shells, and the roar of musketry was almost deafening. At this juncture, Lee ordered to the support of Jackson the division of Gen. McLaws, which bad been held in reserve, and blessing never came more opportunely. Our men had fought until not only they, but? their ammunition was well nigh exhausted, and discomfiture stared them in the face. But, thus encouraged, every man rallied, and the fight was redoubled in its intensity. Splendidly handled, the reinforcement swept on like a wave, its blows falling thick and fast upon the audacious columns that had so stubbornly forced their way to the position on which we originally commenced the battle. Half an hour later and the enemy were retreating. At one point we pursued for nearly a mile, and last night a portion of our troops on the left slept on the Yankee ground. The success, though not decis* ive as compared with our usual resuits, was com plete as it was possible to make it, in view of the peculiar circumstances of the battle and the topo graphy of the country. Certain it is, that after the cessation of the fight, at half past ten, the Yankees did not renew it again at this point dur ing the day. They had been defeated, and all they could do thereafter was to prevent us from repeating in turn the experiment which they bad attempted on our line. It was, beyond all doubt, the most hotly contested field on which a battle has taken place during the war. Our success, however, is marred by the loss of several of our best officers, and a more than usual proportion of men. Among our killed are Gen. Starke, of Louisiana, who commanded Jackson’s old division, Col. Strong of the 6th Louisiana, and Col. Marcellus Douglass of the 13th Georgia. Gen Lawton was badly wounded by a ball in the leg. In the Hampton Legion, which went into the battle with less than eightv men, Maj. Dingle, Captain Tompkins, Lieut. Exum, commanding the Clarendon. Rifles, were killed, and Capt. Smith supposed to be mortally wounded, being shot through the body. Adjutant O’Connor was slight ly wounded in the wrist. Col. Gary is safe. I shall send you a complete list of the casualties as soon as they can be ascertained by the Surgeons. Maj. Dingle died with the flag of the Legion in his Land, it having wnen it was seized by him. Holding it aloft with one hand and pointing with his sword to the ene my with the other, his last words were “Legion ! follow your flag!” Ina moment more befell pierced with a bullet and died almost instantly. A more chivalncsoldier, accomplished gentleman, or beloved comrade has not laid his life upon the sacrificial altar of his country. The other officers above named likewise fell while nobly discharging their duty. But few now remained out of the origi nal Legion organization—hardly enough to pro* tect its tattered banner, and every battle thins its already decimated ranks. Whose'turn comes next? THE FIGHT UPON THE CENTRE. Soon after the cessation of the fight on the left, the enemy made a strong demonstration upon our centre, in front of the division of General D. H. Hill. Here, for a while, the contest was carried on mainly by artillery, with which both the enemy and ourselves were abundantly supplied. The only difference between the two, if any at all, was in the superiority of tbeir metal and positions, and on our part the lack of sufficient ammunition. Battery after battery was sent to the rear, ex hausted, and our ordnance wagons, until late in the day, were on the opposite side of the Potomac, blocked up by the long commissary trains, which had been ordered forward from Martinsburg and Shepherdstown to receive the necessities of the army. As indicated in the former part of this letter, our artillery was posted on the summits of the line of hills which ran from right to left, in front of thetown. That of the enemy, with one excep tion, was on the rising ground at the base of the Blue Ridge, and upon the various eminences this side. A single Federal battery was baldly thrown over the Stone Bridge on the Turnpike, nine huns dred or a thousand yards in our front, and held its position until disabled, with a hardihood worthy of a better cause. I cannot now name alt the po sitions of the different batteries—only those which I saw. These were the Second Company of the Washington Artillery, Capt, Richardson, who was stationed half a mile on the right of the turnpike, and near the Antietam, for the purpose of preventing the formation of a Yankee" line on the bank of the river; the German Artillery, of Charleston, which was immediately upon the right of the turnpike with its guns screened id a corn field, and the Third and Fourth Companies of the Washington Artillery, under Captains Squires and Miller, the former being near the German Artillery, and the latter in the centre. Boyce’s battery was also near the centre. Al together we may have had playing at this time one hundred guns. The enemy having at least an equal number, you may imagine what a horrid concert filled the air, and how unremitting was the hail of heavy balls and shells, now tearing their way through the trees, now bursting and throwing their murderous fragments on every side, and again burying themselves amid a cloud of dust in the earth, always where they were least expected. This exchange of iron compliments had been kept up from early morning, but at eleven o’clock the fire began to concentrate and increase in severity. Columns of the enemy could be dis* tinctly seen across the Antietam on the open ground beyoffd, moving as if in preparation to advance. Others were so far in the distance that you could recognize them as troops only by the sunlight that gleamed upon their arms, while con siderable numbers were within cannon shot defi* antly flaunting their flags in our faces. At twelve o’clock the scene from the apex of the turnpike was truly magnificent, and the eye embraced a picture such as falls to the lot of few men to look upon in this age. From twenty different stand points great vol umes of smoke were every instant leaping from the muzzles of angry guns. The air was filled wi»h the white fantastic shapes that floated away from bursted shells. Men were leaping to and fro, loading, firing and handling the artillery and now and then a hearty yell would reach the ear, amid the tumult, that spoke of death or disaster from some well aimed ball. Before us were the ' enemy. A regiment or two had crossed theriv * I er, and, running in squads from the woods along its banks, were trying to form a line Suddenly a shell falls among them, and anoth er and another, until the thousands scatter like a swarm of fltes, and disappear in the woods’ A second time the effort is made; and there is a second failure. Then there is a< diversion’ The batteries of the Federals open afresh; tbeir infantry try another point, and finally they sne eaed in effecting a lodgement on this side. Our troops, under D. H. Hill meet them, and a fierce battle ensues in the centre. — Backwards, forwards, surging and swaying like a ship in a storm, the various columns are seen in motion. It is a hot place for us, but is hotter still for the enemy. They are directly under our guns, and we mow them down like grass. The raw levies, sustained by the veterans behind, come up to the work well, and tight for a short time with an excitement incident to their novel experiences of a battle; but soon a portion of their line gives way in confusion. Their reserves come up, and endeavor to retrieve the fortunes of the day. Our centre, however, stands firm as ada mant, and they fell back. Pursuit on our part is useless; for if we drove the enemy at all on the other side of the river, it woula be against the sides of the mountain, where one man, fighting for his life and liberty, disciplined or undisci plined, would be equal to a dozen. Meanwhile deadly work has been going on among our artillery. Whatever they may have made others suffer, nearly all the companies have suffered severely themeelves. The great balls and shells of the enemy have been thrown with won* derful accuracy, and dead and wounded men, horses, and disabled caissons are visible in every battery. The instructions from General Lee, are that there shall be no more artillery duels. In* stead, therefore, of endeavoring to silence the enemy’s guns, Colonel Walton directs his artil lery to receive the fire ot their antagonists quietly, and deliver their own against the Federal infantry. The wisdom of the order is apparent at every shot, for with the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, they might have .defeated us at the outset, but for the powerful and well directed adjuncts we pos sessed in our heavy guus, Time andagaia did the Federals perseveringly press closeup to our ranks, so near indeed that tbeir supporting batteries were obliged to cease firing, lest they should kill their own men, but just as often were they driven back by the coms bined elements of destruction which we brought to bear upon them. It was an hour when every man was wanted. The sharpshooters of the ene my were picking off'our principal officers contin ually, and especially those who made lhemseves conspicuous in the batteries. In this manner the company of Capt. Miller, of the Washington Ar tillery, was nearly disabled, only two out of his four guns being fully manned. As it occupied a position directly under the eye of General Long* street, and he saw the valuable part it was pen forming jn defending the centre, that officer him self dismounted from his horse, and assisted by his Adjutant General, Major Sorrel, Major Fairfax, and General Drayton, worked one of the guns un til the crisis was passed. To see a General officer wielding the destinies of a great fight, with its cares and responsibilities upon his shoulders, performing the duty of a common soldier, in the thickest ot the conflict, is a picture worthy of the * pencil of an artist. The result of this battle though at one time doubtful, was finally decisive. The enemy were driven across the river with a slaughter that was terrible. A Federal officer who was wounded, and afterwards taken prisoner, observed to one ot our officers, that he could count almost ihe whole of his regiment on the ground around him. I did not go over the field, but a gentleman who did, and who has been an actor in all our battles, ins* formed me that he never, even upon the bloody field of Manassas, saw so many dead men before, the ground was black with them, and according to his estimate, the Federals had lost eight to our one. Happily, though our casualties are very considerable, most ot them are in wounds. There now ensued a silence of two hours, broks en only by the occasional discharges of artillery. It was a sort of breathing time, when the panting cambatants, exhausted by the battle, stood silent ly eyeing each other, and making ready—the one to strike and the other to ward off another stag" gering blow. Availing myself of this interval, I rode back to THE REAR. In doing so I was obliged to pass through the town nt Sharpsburg, ana found it had suffered a maryrdom incued. Many of the houseshad been struck by shells, and one or two set on Are and destroyed ; a few were mere wrecks of their for mer existence, being torn to pieces by the ex ploding missiles, while fragments of the conflict were scattered about the streets. Most of the simple-hearted citizens, not supposing a battle so near at hand could do them much injury, had remained at home, but when the balls began to fly into and over the place they were glad enough >to take refuge in their cellars, and secure their safety as best they might. One old lady told me that she had laid on her back ever since daylight, against the stone wall of her basement, and she was trembling while she spoke. I heard, how aver, of no loss of life or injury among the citis eens. Several of our hospitals were in the town, znd filled to overflowing with the wounded. Riding a mile further back, evidences of the bloody natme of the combat began to appear on every band. The farm houses, barns, and sheds along the road, had been appropriated by the sur geons of the various divisions and brigades, and hundreds of poor fellows, maimed and suffering, were lying on the ground, waiting to take their turn under the knife, saw, and probe. Some were in the last throes of death, and some so mangled and disguised in the clotted blood upon their per* sons, that their nearest friends would fail to re* cognize the n ; but the majority were more pain fully than seriously wounded, and only required a bandage and a little water to enable them to con tinue their journey across the Potomac. I have described these scenes so frequently, that they must be familiar to the readers of the Courier, but the truth cannot half be told. There is a fresh, startling experience connected with every battle. One of the most affecting incidents that I wit nessed, yesterday, was while standing over a dy ing Georgian—a young man not more than twen ty six years of age, named John S. Hudson, from Elbert County. His left leg had been torn off above the knee, and, though be knew his case was hopeless, a brother had brought him from the field, that his last hours might be spent in peace away from the noise and broils of battle. The brother was tenderly kneeling over him smoothing his brown curly hair, perhaps, as he used to do when they were children together, and the blue eyes of the dying man were fastened upon his, as it he would speak volumes of adieus to the dear ones at home. It was not without difficulty that he finally spoke, and these were his last words; “Brother—tell—mother that I die—rejoicing, and —die—a —soldier’s—death.” Then, laying one hand in that of his brother and the other across his breast, he waited the summons of the Holy Spirit. They came slowly, but oh! how surely did the death shadows leave their mark upon that pallid face, until at lasi the eye fixed, the chest heaved its parting sigh, and the soul of the young hero returned to the God who gave it.— Heaven grant that that mother may find her con solation in the Christian message of her noble boy. On tho roads and across the fields, borne in gory litters, or leaning upon the arms of comrades, the wounded were returning by hundreds. It was one steady procession from morning till night. Unfortunately few knew the localities of the re spective hospitals, and I saw many a man faint and even lay down to die by the wayside. I have seen men, too, stagger into hospitals where they did not belong, and implore, with tears in their eyes, to be relieved from their misery—a request which few surgeons, with their own wounded de manding every moment of tbeir time, would stop .to grant. This is a department of the army which requires improvement- There is no reason why every officer in a command, and those in rear of the army, should not know how to find the various hospitals during a battle, for which preparations have been made, and be able to direct the wounded accordingly. Another "prominent feature in the scenes of the rear was the presence of an immense body of stragglers. Their number was legion. Some had been following the army for weeks and never would join it, though they had the opportunity. Some were the constitutional cowards who always desert their comrades in the hour of peril, and a few were broken down and really unable to pros ceed. It was not long, however, before Gen. Lee applied a most po’ent remedy. He directed the cavalry to scour the country and drive before them every able«bcdied soldier they met. In less than three hours enough had been collected and i sent toHhe front to form several regiments, and very appropriately they were put into line of bat tle under the euphonious name of “The Roasting Ear Rangers.’’ Thousands of wagons daring the day had crossed the Potomac from Sheperdstown, bring* ing with them the welcome boon to the hungry soldiers—provisions. For two days many of the men had not tasted a morsel of food, and de tachments were now busy around the wagons cooking rations for the respective commands,— Several of the ordnance trains had also arrived, and the caissons of various batteries were around them, being filled with fresh messengers of death. Ambulances rumbled slowly by on their way to Sheperdstown with the wounded who had been operated upon, and now aud then as they jolted over the rough road, you might hear the painful exclamations from the invisible inmates—“ Hold on, for God’s sake hold on—when you come to a rock, stop ! Don’t drivo so hard”—and still they were moving as gently, as careful men could make them go. THE FIGHT ON THE RIGHT. It was now about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, but notwithstanding the strange lull in the storm, no one believed it would not be renewed before night. Intelligence had come from the rear that General A. P. Hill was advancing from Harper’s Ferry with the forces which Jackson had left be* hind, and every eye was turned anxiously in that direction. In a little while we saw some of his troops moving cautiously undercover of the woods and hills to the front, and in an hour more he was in position on the right. Here about four o’clock the enemy made another bold Demonstration. Fifteen thousand of their troops, in one mass, had charged our lines, and after vainly resisting them we were slowly giving back before superior numbers. Our total force here was less than six thousand men, and had it not been for the admirably plant ed artillery under command of Major Garnett, nothing until the arrival of reinforcements could have prevented an irretrievable defeat. I know less of this portion of the field than any other, but from those who. were engaged heard glowing accounts of the excellent behavior of Jenkins' Brigade and the 2d and 10th Georgia, the latter under the command of Col. Cumming. The last two regiments have been especial subjects of comment, because of the splendid manner in which they successively met and defeated seven regiments of the enemy, who advanced across a bridge and were endeavoring to secure a position on this side of the river. They fought until they were nearly cut to pieces, aud then retreated only because they fired their last round. It was at this juncture that the immense Yankee force crossed the river, and made the dash against our line, which well nigh proved a success. The time ly arrival of Gen. A. P. Hill, however, with fresh troops, entirely changed the fortunes of the day, and after an obstinate contest, which lasted from five o clock until dark, the enemy was driven into and across the river with great loss. During this fight the Federals had succeeded in flanking and capturing a battery belonging, as I learn, to the brigade of Gen. Toombs. Instantly dismounting from his horse and placing i imself at the head of his command, the General, in his effective way, briefly told them that that battery must be retaken if it cost the life of every man in his brigade, and then ordered them to follow him. Follow him they did into what seemed the very jaws of destruction, and after a short but fierce struggle they bad the satisfaction of cap« turing the prize and restoring it to the original possessors. Throughout the day there occurred many in stances of personal valor and heroic sacrifice, on the part of both officers and men; but at this early hour it is impossible to gather, from crude statements, those truthful narratives which ought to adorn the page of history. The results of the battle may be briefly summed up. Judged by all the rules of warfare, it was a victory to our arms. If we failed to rout the ene my, it was only because the nature of the ground prevented him from running. Wherever we whipped him, we either drove him against his own masses on the right, left, and centre, or into the mountains; and against the latter position it would have been impossible to operate success* fully. Nowhere did be gain any permament advan tage, over the Confederates. Varying as may have been the successes of the day, they left us intact, unbroken, and equal masters of the field with our antagonist. Last night we were inclined to believe that it was a drawn battle, and the ims pression generally obtained among the men that, because they had not, in their usual style, got the enemy to running, the had gained no advantage ; tut to-day the real facts are coming to light, and we feel that we have, indeed, achieved another victory. Twenty thousand additional men could not, under the circumstances, have made it more complete. We took a few prisoners, not more than six or seven hundred in all. The Federals fought well and were handled in a masterly manner, but their losses have been immense—probably not less than twenty thousand killed and wounded. They had the advantage not only of numbers, but of a position from which they oould assume an offensive or defensive attitude at will, besides which their signal stations on the Blue Ridge commanded a view of our eve ry movement. We could not make a manoeuvre in front or rear that was not instantly reveal ed to their keen lookouts, and as soon as the intelligence could be communicated to their batteries below, shot and shell were launched againsfr the moving columns. It was this in formation con veyed by the little flags upon the mountain top that no doubt enabled the enemy to concentrate his forces against our weakest points and counteract the effect of whatever similar movements may have been attempted by us. Our loss is variously estimated at from five to nine thousand. Shepherdstown, ) Friday Morning, September 19, 1862. ) For some reason which I will not undertake to explain, the army last night fell back from its position before Sharpsburg, and recrossed the Potomac near that place. Between two and three hundred of our most severeiy wound ed were left behind, but with this exception we brought away everything. The enemy fol lowed closely at our heels, and while I write, are shelling us from the other side of the river. The movement is purely strategic, and totally different from the ‘change of base’ that recent ly took place upon the Chickahominy. The plans of General Lee are yet mysterious, but we all feel supreme confidence in whatever he does, and an assurance of a glorious termina tion-to this eventful campaign. Personne. FROM THEBIBB GRAYS, 27TH REGIMENT. A letter dated at Shepherdstown, the 18th inst., from Lieutenant J. J. Allen, in command of the Bibb Greys, says: On Sunday Colquitt’s brigade was ordered to the Blue Ridge, where it held ihe enemy in check until Gen. Longstreet’s and the remainder of Gen. D. H. Hill’s divisions came up. The casualties on that day were slight. On Wednesday, the 17th inst., we were in one of the most terrific battles fought during the war. Col. Levi B. Smith, of the 27th Georgia, was killed. Lieut. Col. Zachery mortally wounded, Capt. Beeks, of Pike county, was killed, Capt. Bussey, of Talbot, was captured. Os my gallant li’tle command, the Bibb Greys, John T. Perdue was killed, John B. Walton, shot through the thigh, B. F. Avant slightly wounded on the knee, John G. Skipper shot through the arm—the arm broken, Win. W. Woodard shot through the arm and the arm broken, J. R. Sey* mour slightly wounded in the arm, Samuel Mat* thews slightly in the shoulder and arm by the explosion of his own gun, Wm. Hall severely in neck and arm, W. R. Sonneborne missing, Henry Henegar missing, Jesse Walton and John Page .not in the fight, Lieut, J. W. Forrester safe. From what I can learn we have only one commissioned officer in the regiment not hurt, and that is Capt. Renfroe of Fayette county. t/pgr" List of casualties of officers in the Georgia Regiments in the late battles in Maryland; Ist Georgia Regulars, Colonel W. J. Magill, arm 2d Georgia Regiment, Colonel Holmes killed ; Major Harris wounded. 3d Georgia Regiment, Captain (acting Colonel) Nisbet killed. 4th Georgia Regiment, Major Smith killed. Sth Georgia Regiment, Colonel Newton killed; Major Tracy wounded. 10th Georgia Regiment, Colonel Alfred Com» ming wounded. 12th Georgia Regiment, Captain Rodgers (com* manding) killed. 13th Georgia Regiment, Col. Marcellus Douglas killed. 15th Georgia Regiment, Col. Milligan killed. 20th Georgia Regiment, Major Harris wounded. H2d Georgia Regiment, Colonel Jones wounded. 28d Georgia Regiment, Colonel Barclay killed. 26th Georgia Regiment, Colonel Atkinson wounded. 27th Georgia Regiment, Colonel L. B. Smith 81st Georgia Regiment, Colonel Crowder badly wounded; Captain Forrester, next in command, killed. . , , ™, .. 48th Georgia Regiment, Major Randolph White* head wouudea. 53d Georgia Regiment, Colonel'" homas Sloan mortally wounded. . . . These officers were in command of their re* spective regiments. > Casualties in Captain J. C. Winsmith’s Com’ pany, (H,) Colonel Duncan’s Ist South Carolina Volunteers, in the battle at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17th : .... Wounded.—Captain J. C. Winsmith, slightly in left foot; Privates A. M. Harrison, slightly, in left arm; J. M. Nicholls, slightly, in left arm; E. West, shgtly, in right side; W. T. Posey, severely, in left loot—leg doing well. FEDERAL ESTIMATE OF THE RESULT IN MARYLAND—THE RESULT ADMITTED UN DECIDED. From the Grenada (Miss.) Appeal, Sept. 26th. Senatobia, September 25.—The Memphis Bul letin of the 23d, just received, contains the fol lowing editorial comments on the Federal reports sent from Maryland; We have two days later advices from the North, and it will be seen that the result is by no means so gratifying as the public had been induced to expect. Lee and Jackson not only have not been anni hilated, but they have found their way, after days . of hard fighting, back into Virginia, and McClel lan does not know whether to abandon the posi* tion or cross the river. He, however, not very confidently, claims a victory. The last seen of the enemy, they were flying in the direction of Winchester, where they are said to be strongly fortified. McClellan’s opinion was that the final result would depend on who got reinforcements first. Longstreet had neither been killed nor cap* tured. The loss of the Confederates is believed to be fully equal to that of the Union army. MATTERS IN WEST TENNESSEE. The Bulletin of the 23d contains the follow-: ing : ... A great battle m the vicinity of Corinth is im« minent. Price, with a large force, was near Core inth last Thursday and Friday morning. Grant’s whole army was in motion to give battle. There is evidently a great battle impending in the neighborhood es Corinth, and our people regard it with more than usual interest, as it may involve, to some extent, the fate of West Tens nessee. There was a sharp engagement at t ort Pillow K last Wednesday, between the 52d Indiana infantry and Faulkner’s and Haywood’s cavalry. It was a bloody one, and the advantage seems to have been with the Union forces, as they took a num ber of prisoners with their accoutrements. IMPORTANT ORDER. Adjt. and Insp. Gen. Office, ( Richmond, Sept. 21,’62. ) . Special Order, No. 220. VII. Leaves of absence and furloughs for sixty days, from October S 6, 1862, will be granted to all members of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, in the Confederate States Army. By order of the Secretary of War. John Withers, Assistant Adjutant General. [We have before us the original of the above ofder, through the polite attention of Judge Ir win, of Marietta. We hope all the members of Legislature in the army will see it in time to re turn home.—Eds. Con.J Atlanta (Ga.) Southern Confederacy, Sept. 30. Special Correspondence of the Constitutionalist. LIST OF CASUALTIES IN CO. E, ELEVENTH REGIMENT GEORGIA VOLUNTEERS, ON THE 30TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1862, AT MA“ NASSAS JUNCTION, VA-, CAPTAIN S- C DOBBS, COMMANDING. Ist Sergt. D. W. Garrette, severely wounded in jaw. Sergt. M. B. Gadelis. in both legs, severely. Corporal A. J. Hite, severely, in both legs and one arm. Private James Brier, slightly, in the head. Private J. O. Bennett, slightly, in the leg. Private P. A. Stroud, mortally wounded. Private 8. M. Dunn, mortally wounded. Private W. D. Bali, mortally'wounded. Private Jesse Peirham, severely wounded. Private Jo(sl H. Legg, severely, in arm. Private A. M. Morris, severely, in arm. Private H. B. Thomas, severely, in arm. Private J. W. Hensley, severely, in arm. Private Thomas Jones, slightly. Private Wm. Collis, severely. Private John Crowder, slightly. Private Joseph Blalock, slightly, in the head. Private Noah Marlow, slightly. Private Alfred Thomson, slightly. Private James Reynolds, slightly. Private Isaac L. Trammell, slightly, on the head, with piece of spent shell, making a hole in his hat. 8. C. Dobbs, Captain. Manassas, Bartow county, Ga. Mr. Editor: By request I hand you an abstract from the Tax Digest of the amount of property, &c’, returned to me for the year 1862 : Number of polls 1,857 Professions 30 Free persons of color 12 Number of acres Ist quality land 9,344 Number of acres 2d quality land 125,221 Number ot acres 3d quality land 136,234 Number of acres pine land 5,020 Total number of acres 275,819 Aggregate value of 1and.53,104,188 Aggregate value of town property.... 237,870 Number of slaves 5,121 Value of slaves 2,766,425 Amount of money and solvent debt?... 1,509,830 Merchandize 30,457 Capital invested in stocks, Ac 297,577 Value of household and kitchen furni- ture 34,500 All other property 602,845 Aggregate value 1 of whole property.. .$8,583,710 Number of acres planted in cotton \. 461 Number of acres planted m corn 31,362 All other grain 27.260' Amount of State tax to be collected.. 16,155 40 Amount for regular county purposes.. 8,728 91 Amount for the benefit of soldiers' families 20,400 Total amount of taxes 45,279 81 G. W. Brown, Receiver and Collector. Manassas (Oa.) Standard, Sept. 27. Gen. Beauregard’s Residence.—We learn that Gen. Beauregard and Staff have secured the fine residence of Otis Mills, Esq., on Meeting street, nearly opposite Water street, and will take up their residence there in the course of a few days. Charleston Mercury, Oct. 1.