The Daily Dispatch: November 22, 1861., [Electronic resource]

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Affairs at the South.

important Court-Martial Decisions — Matters in East Tennessee--from Gen. Floyd's Camp, &c.

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We give below a summary of news gathered from the latest Southern exchanges received at this office:

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Sentences under Court Martial.--important Decision of Major-General Lovell.

The New Orleans Bee, of the 14th instant, says the proceedings of the grand Court-Martial, which was convened in that city on the 25th of October, have just been made public. Col. Randell L. Gloson, 13th regiment Louisiana Volunteers C. S. A., President of the court-martial, delivered the following sentences:

‘ Private Bernard Deegan, Company B, C. S. Recruits, guilty of positive and willful disobedience of orders, and of a violation of the 21st Article of War, to be kept in solitary confinement alternate weeks for two months--the time of relief during the two months to labor with ball and chain from guard mounting to retreat, and at hard labor during the remaining ten months of the year, forfeiting half his pay for six months.

Private Wm. Forshee, Company B, C. S., guilty of the same charges, to solitary confinement for alternate weeks for two months, and to hard labor in some of the forts on half pay for one year, inclusive.

Private John Dunn, Capt. Norton's company of the Thirteenth Regiment of Louisiana Volunteers, guilty of desertion, to be shot to death by musketry, by a detachment composed of an equal number of men from Capt. Higgins's Light Battery of Regulars, and of the Thirteenth Louisiana Regiment of Volunteers, C. S. A., at such time and place as the commanding General may appoint.

’ In Major-General Lobell's general orders, which disapprove of the latter sentence merely because it was proved by the defence the prisoner had enlisted in the Confederate States recruits previous to his alleged enlistment in the Thirteenth Louisiana Volunteers, we find the following interesting remarks:

‘ "The Major-General commanding desires to impress upon private Dunn the fact that he has only escaped the penalty of eath from an irregularity in the charge preferred against him. It appears from the evidence that he was doubly guilty of the crime of desertion; first, in deserting from the Confederate States recruits, and, secondly in enlisting in another regiment without a regular discharge, which, by the 22d Article of War, is declared to be desertion. For these offences, he richly deserved the penalty of death, and the Commanding General takes this occasion to notify the officers and enlisted men of his command that hereafter the crime of desertion in time of war--one of the high at offenders known to the military law — will be visited with the penalty of death, whenever, upon conviction in regular form, that sentence shall be awarded by General Court-Martial.

"All officers will be required immediately to return to their proper commands all enlisted soldiers whom they may recognize as belonging to another regiment, troupe or company. In failing to do so, they render themselves liable to be cashiered, under the 22d article of war. The Commanding General trusts that hereafter a different and better spirit will prevail in regard to the adherence of a soldier to his colors, and that it will not be necessary to inflict the awful penalty of death in order to convince his command of the serious nature of the crime of desertion.

"All men now absent from their commands without leave, are hereby notified to return within ten days to their respective companies. After that time all deserters will be proceeded against to the utmost extremity of the law. All charges for desertion against absentees will be with drawn, provided they return to duty with their proper commands within the time above specified. "The different Commanders in the Department will take particular pains to have the foregoing order read, and made public to the officers and soldiers in their respective commands."

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The Outbreak in East Tennessee.--a Lincolnites Camp broken up.

From the Knoxville Register, of the 19th, we take the following:

From 300 to 500 Lincolnites of Carter county, who were encamped in Doe River Cove, about six miles from Elizabethton, dispersed on the approach of the Confederate troops.

The citizens of Hawkins, Sullivan, and Washington counties, to the number of about 500, turned out, on the news of the bridge-burning, and concentrated at Carter's Depot, (Watauga Bridge,) and organized themselves into a regiment Hon. Jos. B. Heiskell, member elect of Confederate States Congress, from the 1st Congressional district, was elected Colonel, Wm. L Rice, of Bristol, Lieut. Colonel, J. G. Bynum, of Rogersville, Major.

This regiment of volunteers, together with Col. Stovall's battalion, numbering 500, including a battery of flying artillery of four guns, advanced to Doe River Cove, where they found the Lincolnite camp deserted, and nothing left but 16 hogs and 25 bushels of corn which the C. S. Army appropriated. From 25 to 30 prisoners were arrested in the knobs, each armed with gun; pistol, and bowie-knife, and taken to the Watauga bridge. They will probably be brought to Knoxville during the week, to be tried before the Confederate Court. The rebellion in Carter and Johnson counties may be said to be crushed out.

The following are the names of some of the prisoners captured: Ham. Smith, formerly Representative from Carter and Johnson;--Heiton, merchant at Elizabethton; two Donglasses, and two Hyders.

Wm. Taylor, a Southern-Rights man, was wounded, while returning from the expedition, by a Lincolnite bushranger.

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From Gen. Floyd's command — Hard fighting and safe Retreat.

In Wednesday's Dispatch appeared a telegraphic dispatch from Lynchburg, stating that the Republican would publish a letter from Gen. Floyd's camp, denying that he had been cut off or suffered any disaster. The following is a copy of the letter referred to. It will be seen that Gen. Floyd has been all the time gallantly fighting the enemy at every turn, and only retiring before overwhelming force. He has not lost his sick or his guns as reported, but has brought all safely off to Raleigh Court-House:

Raleigh Court-House, Nov. 17, 1861.

We have been fighting the Yankees (who outnumbered us almost triple) for the past week. It was ascertained, while we were at Cotton Hill, that the enemy had been reinforced by five large steamers full of men, ammunition, &c.

Gen. Lee's command had retired to Meadow Bluff, thus leaving the Yankees' front unthreatened.

We received information that the Yankees had crossed in large force and were advancing upon us. We threw up temporary fortifications and awaited their attack, but they would not advance upon us; so we went out of our works to make an armed reconnaissance of their position, &c., and proceeded until we came to their outposts, and opened fire upon them. They brought up regiment after regiment, and the engagement promised to be a general, one. They got on one side of the creek (a small stream) and we on the other. They behind the trees and we in the bushes. Our regiment received orders to advance down a road leading to the creek to cross it, ascend the hill on the opposite side, in full view of the enemy, which was done without the loss of a man. The firing then became general for a while, but our men had so well secured themselves behind the brush and a few trees that we sustained but little damage — only two men killed and one or two wounded. We then fell back, hoping to draw them to our works, but night set in and the Yankees thought it bad policy to attack us then and there.

We had no sooner gotten to our camp than intelligence reached us that the enemy were approaching on another route with the design to entrap us. Our General, with his usual sagacity, determined on a plan to disappoint them, and started a little after dark to fall back, so that ‘"Mr. Yankee"’ would have to ‘"gnash his teeth"’ at being again outgeneraled. He fell back, moving ice sick, from Fayette to Raleigh Court-House Beyond the reach of them. When about nine miles this side of Fayette Court-House, we were informed that the Yankees were in hot pursuit, and upon us. Our brigade, composed of the skeletons of the 45th, 50th, and 51st Virginia regiments, were ordered out to meet them.--We formed in line of battle and awaited their advance; and very soon they made their appearance, when a brisk skirmish took place, and they got their artillery in position and opened fire on us. We sustained no great injury — only, I fear some of our men who were skirmishing were taken prisoners, as they are missing. We were immediately ordered to retire, which we did, being a strategical movement to draw the enemy into defile, where we would have had them safe, although they had about 5,000 against our brigade, (the rest of Floyd's forces were in supporting distance, however;) and we are now here, about four miles this side of Raleigh Court-House, nearer to the railroad, and now on the ground.

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Particulars of the bursting of a cannon at Columbus — Terrific Explosion.

Mention has already been made of the bursting of a Dahlgren gun a few days since at Columbus, Ky., soon after the battle near that place. The following description from the Columbus correspondent of the New Orleans Picayune, we extract for our columns, it being the most interesting account we have yet seen:

‘ A most shocking and unfortunate accident happened just now, which has cast a depressing gloom over the whole army at this point. The 128-pounder rifle gun, mounted on a pivot inside of a circle elevation, exploded with a terrible crash, which could be heard for many miles. A great loss of life was sustained, and many persons mangled and wounded in the most tragic manner. Among the killed is Capt. Keiter, one of the best artillerists in the army, and whose death is a misfortune at this trying juncture. Lieut. Snowden is also among the killed. I counted five dead bodies on the spot, horribly man glad, while several were badly, and others but slightly, wounded. Limbs, pieces of skull, oozing brains, were scattered all about, and presented a never-to-be-forgotten sight. Gen. Polk was close by the gun, but was not hurt, which is certainly providential. The General was terribly shocked, and had his clothes torn in shreds, and his face burned somewhat, but without injuring him externally or internally. The rumor was at the moment that he and Gen. McCown were among the killed, and great was the excitement among the soldiers. Several of the gunners must have been buried inside of the elevation, under the fragments and ruins of the once beautiful and valuable gun. There is no doubt but that some must have been thrown in the river, as the gun was mounted almost at the edge of the bluff, where, from its highest elevation, it commanded the opposite Missouri shore for several miles. The gun was the pride of the army, and the terror of the gun boats, and its value was tested in the late battle, when it played at the gun-boats, and dispersed the advancing column of the enemy.

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The condition of the Beaufort negroes.

The following official dispatch which has been received at headquarters in Charleston, S. C., will tend to allay all injudicious apprehensions with respect to the loyalty of the negroes in and around Beaufort:

Headquarters,

--In reply to your enquiries, I have the honor to inform you that in my opinion there has been some misapprehension in regard to the condition and state of feeling of the negroes in the vicinity of Beaufort, and upon Port Royal Island. I visited Beaufort and rode through the Island in company with a small escort yesterday morning. We saw no indications of any general disaffection among the negroes. Some disorders it is true appear to have transpired during the absence of the whites, but all of the negroes whom we met, and we conversed with many of them, appear to be disposed to remain and look after the property of their masters, and to be only desirous that the latter should not suffer by their absence from their plantations. We found many of the blacks continuing their regular work and the few who were ranging about away from their homes, appeared to have done so only from the fact that they were not under their usual control and seemed to be heartily tired of their temporary relaxation.

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A our recaptured.

The Charleston Mercury, of the 18th, publishes the following extract of a letter form one of the officers who participated in the exploit:

Camp Pields. Mouth of Combahee River, Nov. 12

Capt. Bellinger and Lieut. W. L. Campbell, took a detachment of the Colleton Guards, and went down to Sam's Point, five miles from Beaufort, where Capt. Hays' company was stationed. We had learned that they had evacuated, and concluded if a little risk would regain the cannon and shot left there, we would take it. So at 12 o'clock M., on Monday, Captain B. called for volunteers. Forty immediately responded. We reached Sam's Point about ten o'clock than night, and found the guns thrown from the plat form, some half buried in the sand, and the carriages badly cut up. We went to work, after placing a strong guard, and succeeded in getting one gun into the flat. Tried another, and after getting it on the bridge, just outside the fort, the bridge gave way, and we had to give it up for want of force. Besides, day was approaching, the Yankees were only five miles off, and we had to cross the Coosaw, a wide and rough river, with a flat.

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The improved Southern Yankee.

The daily Mississippian, in common with the entire Southern press, has taken up the war club against the salt speculations, and pitches into them handsomely. Should not those creatures hereabouts who practice the same extortions with respect to other articles of provisions, as well as salt, be taken in hand and receive the same just castigation:

‘"If it be against the law to give aid and comfort to our enemies, we should like to know by what system of ethics the speculating Yankee harpy can be permitted to buy up articles of prime necessity and demand from the people ten prices for them. In times of war the people must protect themselves from the ravages of their enemies. The man who pays one dollars for a sack of salt, and charges ten dollars for it, simply because the necessities of his country compel his neighbor to give it, is a heartless, cold-blooded, speculating Yankee. He is the worst of enemies, and should be dealt with accordingly."’

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Arrest of James Brittain, Jr.

The Knoxville Register, of the 19th instant, says:

‘ Jas. Brittain, Jr., of Greene county, floater from Greene, Hancock and Hawkins, was yesterday arrested at Lick Creek, (where the bridge was burnt,) by the Hawkins's volunteers, under Maj. Bynum, and brought to this city. The cause of his arrest was the use of seditious and incendiary language.

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