Late Southern news.
another fight with Opothleyholo — more Yankee prisoners — the confederate cause in
Missouri, &c.
From our Southern exchanges we make up the following summary of news:
Latest from the Indian country — another fight with Opothleyholo — the killed and wounded on both Sides.
From the Fortsmith
News, of the 11th inst. we take the following interesting intelligence:
We learn from
Maj. Clark, of
Texas, direct from the camp of
Col. Cooper, and the battle took place on the 9th on
Bushy Creek, near the
Verdigris River, about 180 miles from this place, between the forces under
Col. Cooper, and the enemy's under Opothleyholo, estimated at 4000 or 8000,
Col. Cooper had only about 1300 men. The enemy attacked
Col. Cooper about 11 o'clock, and the fight continued all day until sun down.
Col. Simms' Texas Regiment, that were in the fight, fought with great bravery, and the Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Creeks, fought like tigers; in fact the battle was one of the hardest fought battles that has taken place in the country.
The enemy followed
Col. Cooper several miles and attacked him with great fury. --
Col. C. drove them back to the woods, a distance of two miles. A large number of Cherokees were with Opothleyholo, likewise about 150 Seminoles.
Col. Drew with his men, who remained with him, fought well and did good service.
The
Choctaws took about 150 scalps and the Chickasaws nearly 50.
The
Creeks did not scalp any because the enemy was their own people.
A white man, by the name of Ell
Smith, was taken, who had gone over to the enemy, was tried by a Court Martial and shot.
He was a deserter from a Texas regiment.
Other deserters were taken and dealt with in the same manner.
Col. Cooper behaved with the greatest coolness and bravery.
We understand that he has called on
Col. McIntosh for assistance and it is to be hoped that he will furnish it with promptness.
If aid is not sent, we will be likely to have terrible times on this frontier.
Later.--From the same paper, of the 16th inst., we gather the following later intelligence:
An express arrived yesterday from
Col. Waite, from which we learn that his regiment is on the move to aid
Col. Cooper.
Nothing has yet been heard of
Capt Parks and his company.
It is feared that they have all been killed, and
Watie's men are highly exasperated.
We learn that
Col. McIntosh, in command of the troops on this frontier, has ordered 8 companies of
Col. Young's regiment, 5 companies of
Col. Greer's regiment, and
Col. Whitfield's battalion to the assistance of
Colonel Cooper, against Opothleyholo and his Jayhawking allies.
Who is Opothleyholo?
Some curiosity having been manifested as to the identity of this notorious Indian chief, the
Fort Smith News, of the 13th inst. answers the question as follows:
‘
Opothleyholo, who is now giving so much trouble, is an old man about eighty years of age, and is a leader among what is now termed the
Upper Creeks.
His first appearance in a public capacity was about 1824 or 1825, soon after the murder, by the
Creeks, of
Gen. McIntosh, who was killed for making a treaty with the
United States.
Opothleyholo's name made its appearance about that time as the leader of the party opposed to the treaty.
He is an eloquent speaker, and wields a mighty influence over the
Upper Creeks by his tongue.
The
McIntosh party compose the
Lower Creeks, and there exists still, between the two parties, the remains of the old national fend, and this may be the cause of the present attitude of Opothleyholo and his followers.
Indians never forget injuries, and when life is taken the relatives of the killed seldom ever forget it. It is said that Opothleyholo and his Creek followers are very hostile to the
Creek Regiment under
Colonel McIntosh, who is a descendant of
General McIntosh, who was slain by the
Creeks years ago.
’
We take the following from the Nashville
Banner, of the 24th inst.:
‘
We announce with pride and pleasure that the drums have sounded a forward reveille in
Kentucky.
The enemy have been driven pell-mell across
Green river, and
Gen. Hardee pursued them, in full force.
He is animated by a firm resolution never to allow them to desecrate the southern bank of that stream with their foot-prints again.
He will hardly stop, however, with this brave determination, nor pause on our side of the rubicon.
We shall probably hear very shortly of our army, or a portion of it, being thrown across to the northern shore instead; in which event, we are bound to demolish the whole posses of Yankee marauders and
Dutch infidels, who infest that region.
The tide of wrath has been slowly — too slowly, we have thought at times, but surely, as we have always believed — rolling towards the long looked for forward movement of
Gen. Johnston's command.
It is now a fixed fact.
There are to be no more halls and back tracks, but quick licks and a clear field.
’
From St. Louis — the Confederate cause Increasing.
We take the following from the Memphis
Appeal, of the 24th inst:
‘
A gentleman who arrived in
Memphis yesterday, just from
St. Louis, represents the excitement throughout the
Northwest as very intense since the reception of the late news touching the warlike attitude of
Great Britain.
The Secessionists of that city are greatly encouraged by it, and believe the day of their deliverance near.
Gen. Halleek has levied a tax of ten thousand dollars upon all residents of
St. Louis, who sympathize with the "Rebels," for the purpose of supporting the "Union" refugees, who are driven there by the indignation of the loyalists of
middle and
Northern Missouri.
A large portion of this levy was upon the property of
Bishop Kendrick, of well-known loyal sentiments.
The consequence of this move has been that the disaffection of the Irish element, already great, has been increased almost to a state of insubordination.
Our informant says that if
Gen. Price should approach within twenty miles of
St. Louis the rush of citizens to his standard at this time would be enthusiastic and overwhelming.
’
The sequel to the
battle of Leesburg, which proved so overwhelmingly disastrous to the
Yankees, proves how fortunate it was that that gallant and sagacious patriot,
Gen. Evans, determined to defend it against Yankee invasion, instead of quietly surrendering it, as, it is understood, he had previously been ordered to do. We take the following paragraph from the
Leesburg correspondence of the Memphis
Appeal:
‘
It seems to be the determination now to hold
Leesburg at all hazards.
Fortifications are being erected in proper places.
The topography of
Leesburg, as surveyed by
Lieut. Duval, of the Confederate army, is found to be difficult of fortifying, showing my mistake in stating it as easy, in a previous letter.--However, the work has commenced in good earnest, and in a short time we may have the pleasure of setting down
Leesburg as one of the invulnerable places.
No movement of the
Yankees is noticeable opposite here, of a hostile character.
Our pickets on the river report all quiet.
Some visiting between ours and the enemy's pickets occur occasionally, which is a most delectable practice in the humble opinion of your writer; for I cannot see how any Southerner can reconcile it to his feelings of honor to hold friendly intercourse with the villains.
’
More Yankee prisoners.
The Memphis
Appeal, of the 24th inst., says:
‘
On Monday night of last week a successful little movement occurred on the
Cumberland river near
Paducah, which goes to show that our friends in that region are alert and active.
It seems that 28 mounted Federals left
Smithland on a scouting expedition, and during the evening they happened upon a "corn-shucking." Thinking to have a good time, they picketed their horses, stacked arms and "pitched in." One of our friends quietly slipped away, and gave the alarm to
Capt. Wilcox, who with 14 of his men proceeded to the scene of merry-making, quietly took possession of the Hessians' horses and arms, and then captured the whole party except the captain.
The latter endeavored to escape, when he was shot.
The prisoners and spells were carried to
Hopkinsville.--
Capt. W. is now in a condition to treat for the release of a few of his men, including a lieutenant, who were captured a short time since.
’
A deserter turned Bush-Whacker
From the
Cumberland Gap correspondence of the
Nashville Garrite we extract the following:
‘
The bush-whackers of
Hancock county, who have caused so much alarm, have been aught and are now in safe hands.
They
are the same class of men as the escaped
East Tennessean, ignorant and lazy, and pursue this occupation for a livelihood.--Among the number was a man who said his name was
Richardson, who had gone from
Nashville to
Virginia — joining the
Southern army under
Gen. Floyd in
western Virginia whence he deserted and came to
Tennessee as a bush- whacker, and I think by the time a court-martial gets through with him he will be bush-whacking in a warmer region.
’
Col. Solon Borland has published an address to the people of
Arkansas, justifying himself against the reports which have gained circulation, ‘"that the rumor of seven thousand troops descending upon
Pocahontas was false — the officers at that point having been deceived by reports which were thought reliable."’ The
Colonel insists in his communication that ‘"there was an overwhelming superior force advancing upon his command, which constituted a part of a system of simultaneous attacks to be made by the enemy from
Paducah and
Cairo upon
Columbus — from
Cape Girardeau upon
Bloomfield and from
Ironton upon
Pocahontas — and attributes their failure to advance further, to the disaster which they suffered at
Columbus."’
A Lincoln Spy arrested.
The Louisville (
Bowling Green)
Courier, of the 24th inst., says:
‘
A Lincoln spy was arrested a few days since in the neighborhood of
Uniontown.
His baggage was searched, and a complete plan of the fortifications at
Dowling Green and
Randolph, Tenn., was found.
It is to be hoped that the vile miscreant will speedily meet with a just reward.
’
Encountering a bear.
We clip the following paragraph from the
Cumberland Gap correspondence of the
Nashville Garette:
‘
A few days ago, as a party of our regiment were out on a surveying expedition, they came across a bear and chased him to his den. The same beast came near frightening a picket out of seven years growth, who, for fear of raising an alarm, had to wait patiently until morning.
’
