September
September 1.
A severe fight took place at Britton's Lane, near Denmark, Tenn., between a force of Union troops, numbering about eight hundred men, under the command of Col. Dennis, Thirtieth Illinois, and a large body of rebels, under General Armstrong, resulting, after an engagement of four hours duration, in the retreat of the rebels, who left one hundred and seventy-nine of their dead on the field. The total rebel loss in this affair was over four hundred, that of the Nationals was only sixty.--(Doc. 198.)
The New York Tribune's report of the second battle of Bull Run produced the greatest excitement in Philadelphia, Pa., on being posted on the bulletin-boards. In some cases altercations occurred between the excited friends and opponents [69] of Gen. McClellan. About noon the Tribune's despatches were torn from the boards on information being received that the Government had ordered the Tribune office to be closed.--Charles J. Ingersoll was discharged from arrest by order of Secretary Stanton.--The One Hundred and Twenty-second regiment N. Y.S. V. left Syracuse for the seat of war. It was commanded by Colonel Silas Titus.--Paris, Ky., was evacuated by the National troops, who fell back on Cynthiana.
Great excitement existed in Louisville, Ky., in consequence of the approach of the rebel army under Gen. E. Kirby Smith. The Governor of the State issued a proclamation authorizing Col. Gibson to organize and bring into the field all the able-bodied men in the county of Jefferson and city of Louisville, and the Mayor called upon the citizens to come forward and enroll themselves for the immediate defence of their city. The public archives were removed from Frankfort to Louisville, and the Legislature adjourned to the same place.
Lexington, Ky., was entered and occupied by the rebel forces under Gen. E. Kirby Smith. The Union troops evacuated the place a few hours previous, and fell back to Covington.--Natchez, Miss., was shelled by the Union gunboats.
Yesterday the rebels commenced an attack upon the National forces at Stevenson, Ala., which continued until to-day, when the rebels retired with a severe loss. The fight was brought on by the National forces, which had just evacuated Huntsville, and were on their way to Nashville, Tenn. The batteries engaged were Simonton's Ohio and one section of Loomis's Michigan regiments. They were supported by the Tenth Wisconsin and Thirteenth Michigan regiments.--Cincinnati Times, September 6.
A severe engagement took place at Chantilly, near Fairfax Court-House, Va., between the Union army under Gen. Pope, and the rebel forces under Generals Jackson, Ewell and Hill. The battle lasted for nearly an hour, the rebels being driven back at all points with great loss. Among the killed on the side of the Nationals, were Major-Gen. Kearny and Brig.-Gen. Stevens.--(Docs. 104 and 200.)
The Secretary of the Navy officially promulgated the section of the law concerning the navy, which stopped the spirit ration of the sailors, and gave notice that it would be rigidly enforced. The section reads as follows: “Section 4. And be it further enacted, That from and after the first day of September, 1862, the spirit ration in the navy of the United States shall forever cease, and thereafter no distilled spirituous liquors shall be admitted on board vessels of war except as medical stores, and upon the order and under the control of the medical officers of such vessels, and to be used only for medical purposes. From and after the said first day of September next there shall be allowed and paid to each person in the navy now entitled to the spirit ration five cents per day in commutation and lieu thereof, which shall be in addition to the present pay.”
Poindexter, the notorious leader of guerrilla bands in Missouri, was caught twenty miles from Hudson, Mo., on the Hannibal and Missouri Railroad.
September 2.
The following order was issued from the War Department at Washington:
By direction of the President, Major-General McClellan will have command of the fortifications at Washington, and of all the troops for the defence of the capital.--Gen. Wright, commanding Department of the Ohio, issued an order from his headquarters at Louisville, Ky., proclaiming Jefferson County in that State, to be under martial law.
The greatest excitement existed in the cities of Cincinnati, Ohio, Covington and Newport, Ky., in consequence of the reported approach of the rebel army under Gen. E. Kirby Smith. General Wallace assumed command, and issued a proclamation declaring those cities to be under martial law. All business was suspended. Saloons were closed and liquor of all kinds was forbidden to be sold. The ferry-boats were stopped. The inhabitants, including judges and clergymen, met in public places, formed themselves into companies, and began to drill in readiness for military duty. A large force was being gathered together by Gen. Wallace with which to meet the enemy should he make his appearance.
The Thirty-sixth regiment of Massachusetts volunteers, under the command of Colonel Henry Bowman, left Worcester for the seat of war.--The rebel sloop John Thompson, was captured by the United States bark Restless, Lieut. Edward Conroy commanding.
This morning at four o'clock a train of one hundred wagons, with commissary stores, was intercepted by the rebels between Fairfax and [70] Centreville, Va., and driven off toward Manassas before the party could be overtaken. They secured the entire train. So soon as this raid in the rear of the National army at Centreville was known, the necessity of guarding that direction became apparent, and at noon the whole army of Virginia abandoned Centreville, and massed northeast of Fairfax Court-House. At noon they again took up the line of march, and this evening the advance was in sight of Munson's Hill. The enemy's cavalry followed them in the distance, but made no attack, and the entire movement was being accomplished in excellent orders (Doc. 104.)
A large force of rebel cavalry under General Scott, entered and occupied Versailles, Ky.--Louisville Journal, September 1.
A fight took place at Morganfield, Ky., between a force of Union troops under command of Col. Shackleford, Eighth Kentucky cavalry, and a body of rebel guerrillas under Col. A. R. Johnson, resulting in a rout of the latter with considerable loss.
A. S. Paddock, Acting Governor of the Territory of Nebraska, apprehending an attack by the hostile Indians on the frontier settlements of that territory, issued a proclamation calling upon the citizens of the organized counties of the territory to enroll themselves in accordance with previous instructions, and that all organized companies should meet as often as practicable to perfect themselves in drill, that they might be prepared for any emergency.
The chiefs of the Wisconsin Chippewa Indians, Naw-gaw-nub and Shin-gwack, sent a letter to Gov. Ramsey of Minnesota, offering their services in putting down the hostile Sioux Indians, who had risen against the whites in the frontier settlements of the latter State.
A fight took place near
