October
October 1.
The Eighth regiment of New Jersey Volunteers, commanded by Col.------Johnston, left Trenton for Washington.--The Fifteenth regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Christ, left Harrisburg for the seat of war. Previous to the regiment's leaving, the regimental colors were presented by Governor Curtin, with an effective and patriotic address. Colonel Christ responded in an appropriate manner, and the affair passed off very enthusiastically.
Melancthon S. Wade of Ohio, Lovell S. Rosseau of Kentucky, and Alvin Schoepf were appointed Brigadier-Generals in the Army of the United States.--General McClellan made a balloon reconnaissance, in the afternoon, from Munson's Hill, in Virginia.
Three Lieutenants attached to the United States ship Constellation, which recently arrived at the Portsmouth navy-yard, were sent to Fort Lafayette, they having refused to take the oath of allegiance. Their names are Benjamin P. Loyal, W. P. Butts, and Henry K. Stevens — the first two natives of Virginia.
[39] The United States gunboat Itaska was launched at Philadelphia, Pa.--Colonel Taylor, in command of the rebels at Springfield, Mo., issued a proclamation ordering all Union men who have borne arms in the Home Guard, to leave the country, or go into the Southern army for the same length of time as they had served against it. The proclamation also prohibits the carrying any more slaves South, as such a course is calculated to lessen the confidence of the people in the ability of the rebels to maintain themselves in Missouri.--(Doc. 62 1/2.)
This afternoon, a mile and a half beyond Edsall's Hill, in Virginia, a slight skirmish occurred, in which a private of the New Jersey Third was killed and three were wounded. Surgeon Cox and eleven men had been out scouting, and encountered a rebel advance picket of one hundred men. Cox instantly cried, “Battalion, halt!” The rebels, thinking they were met by a superior force, broke and ran. Our small force, in returning, were suddenly confronted by another rebel guard, about eighty strong, and fired on with the result as above stated. The fire was returned with good effect, and each party then fell back.--N. Y. Tribune, Oct. 3.
The gunboat Conestoga went down the Mississippi River within three miles of Columbus, Ky. She chased the rebel gunboat Jeff. Davis, obliging her to take shelter under cover of the rebel batteries on shore. It was ascertained that the Jeff. Davis had an armament of four six-pounders. The Conestoga found the rebel signal fires burning several miles above Columbus.
At Warrenton, Virginia, died Col. Barlow Mason, late aid to Gen. Johnston, wounded at the battle of Manassas. He was brother to the Hon. James M. Mason, Captain Murray Mason, and others.
Application having been made to the Government by R. B. Forbes, to have “letters of marque” issued to the propeller Pembroke, about to sail for China, Secretary Welles, in a letter of this date, writes that Congress has not authorized the issue of such papers against the Confederate States, and that if it had done so it would have been an admission of what the Confederates assume — namely, that they are an independent nationality. But the Secretary also thinks that, under the second clause of the Act of August 5, 1861, “letters permissive, under proper restrictions and guards against abuse, might be granted.” --(Doc. 63.)
The Rev. Mr. Robinson, a Missionary teacher in the Cherokee nation, arrived at St. Louis, Mo., and reported that the Chief of that Nation finally succumbed to the secession pressure, and on August 21st called the Council together at Telequah and sent in a message recommending the severance of their connection with the United States and an alliance with the Southern Confederacy. The Council approved of the recommendation, and appointed Commissioners to make a treaty of alliance with the Southern Government. The Confederate Commissioner had assumed the payment of the annuities hitherto received by the Cherokees from the National Government. The Creeks had raised one thousand men for service in the Confederate army, and the Cherokees formed a Home Guard of twelve hundred strong.--(Doc. 63 1/2.)
Col. St. George Cooke, of the Utah forces, arrived at St. Louis to-day. His regulars, six hundred strong, will reach Fort Leavenworth in three or four days.--St. Louis Republican, Oct. 2.
At Hatteras Inlet the steamer Fanny, with stores for the United States Volunteers on the north coast, was captured by a party of Confederates in their armed steam-tugs. The Fanny was armed with two rifled brass guns, and had on board thirty-five men of the Ninth New York Volunteer regiment. Her crew were mostly civilians, and upon the appearance of the enemy, abandoned the vessel, and escaped in a small boat. The soldiers were taken prisoners by the rebels.--(Doc. 64.)
October 2.
A long letter, which recounts in detail the retreats of Wise and Floyd in Western Virginia, subsequent to the battle of Carnifex Ferry, appeared in the Richmond Dispatch. The authorship of the letter is attributed to Colonel Henningsen, the filibuster. Richmond papers consider it too partial to General Wise, and too severe upon General Floyd.--(Doc. 65.)
A secessionist camp at Charleston, Mo., was broken up, and forty rebels captured.--By a copy of the Mesilla Times, a secession paper published at Mesilla, Arizona Territory, dated August 10, it appears that a complete secession government has been organized at that place, [40] from governor down to justice of the peace — the governor being the notorious John R. Baylor, well known for his violent pro-slavery feelings. The Times calls for troops, in order to enable the traitors to hold the territory, and apprehends an attack by way of Southern California, and by the regular troops still quartered in the New Mexican department, now on the borders of Arizona. Three regiments of these troops are in New Mexico, and it is supposed they could be largely increased from the floating population of the neighboring territory of Colorado. The Times demands the extermination of the whole Indian race. It boasts that, by the abandonment of Fort Stanton by the United States troops, on the 8th of August, property equal to three hundred thousand dollars has fallen into the hands of the traitors, including the fort, and adds that not a single Federal soldier is now left on the soil of Arizona.
In consequence of the secession of the
