News of the War.
The following summary is made up from the latest Southern papers received at this office:
A correspondent from a member of the First Louisiana cavalry writes an interesting letter to the Mobile
Tribune, which we copy:
‘
We are at present encamped within a half mile of the
Tennessee river, having been in the saddle for the last three weeks, scouting the country from Inke, Miss., to the borders of
Tennessee.
During that time we have met the enemy in four different engagements, and we feel a thrill of pride in being able so state that on every occasion the impetuous valor of our gallant boys have sent them flying from the soil which they pollute with their presence.
The first fight occurred near
Tuscumbia, in which
Capt Cannon with a hundred men, ten from each company, engaged a force of the enemy's cavalry and infantry, outnumbering him three to one, one morning about daylight as they were moving on towards
Decatur.--They instantly drew up on seeing him and sent the hissing bullets in showers amongst our boys for a while, but were unable to withstand the fiery charge of
Captain Cannon and his brave troopers, who broke and scattered them like chaff before the wind, killing a number of them without losing a single man himself, and rejoining the main body of the regiment the next day, bringing with him twenty- seven prisoners as trophies of his victory.
Four of them were negroes, who, in a fit of gallantry, had thrown aside their plowshares to testify their devotion to Uncle Abe on the ‘ "tented field,"’ three of whom
Colonel Scott returned to their owner; the fourth one, a notorious villain, was taken to the battle field and hung.
After the attack of
Capt. Cannon, the enemy retreated with such rapidity that they forgot to take their prisoners with them, and never stopped until they were safe on the cars, bound for
Decatur, where they burnt the fine railroad bridge which spans the river at that place.
We rode leisurely along through the beautiful scenery of
North Alabama, the people welcoming us with manifestations of delight, and hailing us as their deliverers from insult and outrage, in further quest of those gentry that thus make war upon the lovely ladies as well as the men of our beloved South.
On arriving at this place (
Courtland)
Col. Scott learned that there was a large number of the enemy at
Athens, about thirty miles from here, and resolving to attack them, we crossed the river in flat-boats, on Wednesday, 30th April, and, traveling all night, the first beams of the morning sun found us within three miles of
Athens.
Col. Scott sent forward an advance guard to attack the pickets and draw them out, throwing the rest of his men in line of battle.
The advance guard consisted of some forty men, under
Capt. Leake--his own company and a portion of the
Morgan Rangers — and on getting within fifty yards of them
Capt. Leake rung out the charge, and away we went, with the rapidity of lightning, right on them, the
Yankees scattering to the right and left and firing volley after volley as they ran.
Capt. Leake then ordered us to return, and, in a short time, as was anticipated, here came the
Lincoln chivalry, their bright bayonets glistening in the sun, breathing vengeance against the daring rebels who owned
Col. Scott as their leader; but our
Colonel, not at all dismayed by the formidable array, calmly ordered
Lieut. Holmes to turn loose his howitzers on them, and with a storm of shot and shell we swept the woods of the cowardly mi creants.
We pursued them at a hard gallop into and through
Athens.
About fifty of the command, armed with shot guns and the howitzer battery, under
Lieut.-Col. Nixon, pursued them seven miles on the
Huntsville road.
From time to time they ambuscaded us and made a stand, and on every occasion we dislodged them.
We returned to
Athens with the loss of one man killed and two wounded. On our way back we passed eighteen or twenty of their dead bodies.
At the same time that
Col. Nixon was sent in pursuit with the shot guns,
Capt. Cannon was placed in command of the Rifles, and sent to cut off a train of cars at
Limestone, eighteen miles distant. He reached the place, and after a sharp fight whipped the guard, and tore up the railroad track before the arrival of the train, and when it came it piled up beautifully.
He took twenty-one prisoners, including two
Captains, and burned eleven card loaded with provisions, and returned to
Athens without the loss of a man.
Col. Scott thought it best to recross the river, as we were short of ammunition and he anticipated an early attack, and sure enough the next day, when
Col. Scott, our artillery, and more than half of the regiment, had crossed
Elk river, a small stream, three miles from the
Tennessee, a picket came rushing to, announcing that a large body of Yankee cavalry were light on us.
Lieut.-Col. Nixon immediately formed us into line, when they came, 250 strong, sweeping down on us in a gallant and magnificent charge through the open field; but our boys, cool and collected, waited until they got within 150 yards of them and then poured a deadly fire into them, employing fifteen saddles of their riders, and the rest flying in disorder and confusion, their
Colonel being mortally wounded.
Two of our boys were killed in the charge, both belonging to the
Morgan Rangers.
One of them,
James Crawford, a brave, noble fellow, was formerly a pilot on
Red river, and is well and favorably known in New Orleans.
Lieut.-Col. Nixon elicited the admiration of us all by his gallant and chivalric bearing both here and in
Athens.
Though he ordered us to dismount to receive the charge, he sat upon his horse, a conspicuous mark for the iron shower that poured around us, as cool and self-possessed as if he were at a festive gathering.
’
Everything in regard to the heroic partisan,
John T. Morgan, is interesting, and we therefore copy a narrative of his movements from the Montgomery
Advertiser, of Thursday last:
‘
The veritable
Col. John T. Morgan, of
Kentucky, who has produced so much consternation among the
Yankee invaders by his dashing exploits, was certainly in this city on Tuesday evening. While in our midst he visited the house of
Hon. Wm. P. Chilton, whose lady is his second cousin.
His presence at the
Exchange attracted a large crowd of spectators, all eager to see the hero of so many successful skirmishes.
The quiet simplicity of his manner and dress impressed all more than ever that he is the man of the true metal he is represented to be.
Col. Morgan looks to be about thirty years of age, has light hair and whiskers, and gray eyes, is some six feet high, and weighs perhaps a hundred and seventy pounds. He is as mild and gentle as a woman, and is so careful of the feelings of others that he would not want-only give a wound to them for anything in the world.
His magnanimity was beautifully illustrated only the other day, in the capture of a Yankee train and passengers between
Nashville and
Bowling Green.
The train consisted of an engine and fifty-three cars, which he burnt and destroyed, of course, to weaken the enemy as much as possible in a legitimate way. The engine was one of the most magnificent machines ever put in motion.
It had just been imported from the
North, for the purpose of drawing the immense military trains of the enemy over the mountain railroads.
He also captured a large amount of money from the train, which was taken care of. Of the passengers, he paroled the
Yankee officers, and did not molest the civilians who were not in the war. The women, however, fearing that they would be treated as their own authorities are in the habit of outraging our ladies, appealed to
Col. Morgan not to hurt them.
With the gallantry of the true Southern gentleman, he told them that he left it for the vandals of the
North to search the persons and insult the honor of helpless women, and that they were as safe from intrusion of injury in his presence as if at home defended by their husbands.
One of them, a young married woman about sixteen, begged him not to hurt her husband who was a prisoner.
He assured her that he would be treated as kindly as he deserved, and he did not know that it would be kindness to him; but to save her any further trouble, he would release him in her hands.
She expressed herself very grateful for her prize.
After
Col. Morgan had entered the carriage to go to the boat, he was brought a dispatch from the telegraph office, informing him that a passenger who had arrived at
Chattanooga, stated that
Lt.-Col. Wood and the men of his command, who were taken from him a short time ago at
Lebanon, Tennessee, had captured the boat that was conveying the down the
Cumberland river from
Nashville, and made good their escape somewhere near
Clarksville.
Col. Morgan was confident it was true, and felt greatly rejoiced that his comrades should have escaped a loathsome imprisonment.
As he rode off from the exchange, the crowd gave him three hearty cheers.
After he had reached the boat that was to take him to
Mobile, he was informed that one of the
Yankee prisoners from
Tuscaloosa, a member of the 5th Ohio regiment, who was sick in the other boat which had just come in, desired to see him. He promptly made his way through the crowd of prisoners to find what the Ohioan wanted.
When there, he was told by the unfortunate victim of Northern fanaticism, that he had fought against him (
Morgan) on one occasion, regarding him then as a great monster, but was glad now to know him better.
He also told him where some of his captured men were, and how they were treated.
Col. Morgan presented him some Yankee money, taken from his brethren in arms against us and returned to his own boat.
A short time after be parted with his friends and left for
Corinth on business connected with his command.
’
The Mobile
Register extracts the following from a private letter, dated
Pascagoula, May 17:
We had a visit from the enemy yesterday evening.
Three sailing vessels anchored op-
posite the village, and sent three boats ashore.
The boats landed at the hotel wharf, and an officer and one seaman come on shores.
The officer stated that they had understood that some schooners were here ready to run the blockade with cotton, and they (the
Federals) had been sent to capture them.
On being assured that there was no vessel of the kind here, he said he was misinformed, &c., and appeared satisfied that he would find none.
In the course of the conversation, he said he thought
Mobile would be attacked soon, perhaps after they got through on the
Mississippi river.
Com. Farragut had gone up towards
Vicksburg.
He also said that the
French Consul at New Orleans was out on their fleet during the bombardment at
Fort Jackson, and had expressed himself dissatisfied with the manner in which he had been treated by the
Confederates at
Fort Jackson.
It appears from his statement that they took
Capt. Pegram, who was on the
Nashville.
Capt. Pegram is reported as having been in command of one of our gunboats about
Fort Jackson.
[The statement about the capture of
Capt. Pegram is a falsehood.]
Ransom's Cavalry in a skirmish.
Our
Richmond readers no doubt remember the splendid regiment of North Carolina cavalry commanded by
Col. Ransom, which encamped for a short period near this place last summer.
They will therefore be interested in perusing the following account of a recent skirmish in which the regiment was engaged, which is furnished by a correspondent of the Raleigh
Standard, under date of May 17:
I have the pleasure of announcing to you a very ‘"handsome"’ skirmish which occurred on our lines on the 15th, between a portion of the 2d cavalry, and an column of the enemy.
Early in the morning, an advanced scouting party of the
Yankees attacked our videttes on the road leading to
Newbern from
Trenton, on the north side of the
Trent; the videttes retreating, hotly pursued by the
Yankees, who, I guess, were felicitating themselves upon ‘"dispersing rebels"’ in such a hasty manner.
The reserve of the pickets, commanded by
Lieuts Rogers and
Graham and stationed a short distance off the main road, suddenly entered the road, upon the alarm being given, and charged down upon the column of Yankee cavalry moving rapidly up. Then commenced the ball.
Our men discharged their firearms as promptly as possible — then drew their sabres, and went to work in regular style.
The galling fire they had given the enemy on coming up, and their thrilling yells as they bare down on them, added decidedly to the discomfiture of the blue coats, and they commenced falling back.
The platoon which had pursued the fugitive videttes hearing the fighting in their rear, wheeled, and our men found themselves attacked by this body also in their rear.
Then commenced a conflict which I imagine was proportionately similar to that which
Eckmuhl and Cow pens witnessed.
The steel of foemen rang vividly against that of his antagonist, and cries of agony (I am told by one who
heard) mingled with the shouts of enthusiasm and the sharp cracks of small arms.
The
Yankees contested well the ground for about half a mile, and until their infantry and cavalry made their appearance on the roadside, and in a small old field.
Our men having cut through the force attacking them in their rear, on seeing their infantry, immediately withdrew out of range to await further demonstrations.
The
Yankees now returned to where the fight was opened, hastily collected their dead and wounded, burned the church and dwellings around which the fight raged, and concluding that it would not be advisable to await
further movements on our part, beat a retreat to their encampment, completely foiled in their attempts to force a column upon
Trenton, which they evidently designed doing.
Their loss, as reported by citizens who saw, was five ambulance loads of dead and wounded, and five prisoners, which fell into our hands, together with eight horses and their equipments, several pistols, sabres, and other cavalry accoutrements.
Their force was 200 cavalry, 2,000 infantry, and a battery of cannon.
Our force was between 40 and 50 cavalry, from the companies of
Capt. Hays,
Capt. Andrew, and
Capt. Turner, almost the entire number being from
Capt. Hayes company, commanded by
Lieut. Rogers.
We lost one man killed, (
Mr. Ray, of
Capt. Hayes company,) with several slightly wounded, mostly with sabres.
We lost two or three horses killed.
The latest newspaper intelligence from
Vicksburg is contained in the Jackson
Mississippian, of the 19th inst. The following particulars are gathered from a gentleman who left the beleaguered city on the evening of the 18th:
Five of the Yankee gunboats arrived with in range of our batteries at 12 o'clock, M., and one shot from our guns fired across the bow of the foremost vessel brought them to. They sent a message with a flag of truce to
Mayor Lindsay, demanding the surrender of the city.
The
Mayor replied, with significant terseness and pointedness, that if they wanted the city to come and take it.
They then communicated with the
Confederate authorities, demanding, it is supposed, the surrender of our forts just below
Vicksburg, which was of course as promptly and peremptorily refused.
After this the gunboats weighed anchor and dropped down the river.
It is believed that they went down to report progress, and bring up the balance of their gunboats for the purpose of opening the bombardment.
Since the appearance of the boats yesterday, noon, we learn that two large additional columbiads have been mounted in our forts.--We are very well prepared for the enemy's approach, and he will have a nice time passing by the forts.
From past experience, however, we should be prepared for the successful passage of the enemy's boats; but we sincerely hope that we may never hear of the surrender of
Vicksburg.
The same paper also says:
‘
Gov. Pettus, we learn, is at
Vicksburg, and will perhaps remain during the bombardment of the city.
The people of
Mississippi are willing to trust the
Governor's spunk.
He will never surrender to an insolent Yankee.
Full of the spirit which ought to animate the bosom of every Southern freeman, he would prefer death to surrender.
’
Sappers and Miners.
The Knoxville
Register, of the 22d, publishes a paragraph which shows the efficiency of the branch of the service which heads this article.
We have been permitted to peruse a letter to a gentleman in this city, from
Lieutenant G. R. Margraves, commanding a company of Sappers and Miners near
Chattanooga, from which we learn that the bridge over
Lookout Creek, recently burnt, has been repaired, and that the railroad connection between
Chattanooga and
Bridgeport is again complete; thus reopening the supply of coal to our Southern foundries and factories.
This company of Sappers and Miners, by their industry on this as well as other occasions, have rendered most efficient service to the
Confederacy, and
Lieut. Margraves is winning for himself an enviable reputation as an energetic and skillful military engineer.
The Raleigh
State Journal, of Saturday last, says in regard to the present condition of our city:
‘
Richmond still stands, and we trust in God will still stand, after the enemy has expended his fury upon it. The calm, however, which has succeeded the first essay of his gunboats is ominous.
McClellan is throwing his coils around it.
Burnside, it is surmised, it proceeding up the
James river in order to give more vitality and life to the anaconda by uniting his forces with
McClellan.
Soon that river will be covered with his ships of war, bristling with huge mortars and rifle cannon, and prepared to do their work at long range.
From all points in the old Union reinforcements will be collected, and the combined land and naval forces of the
Northern despot will descend as an avalanche upon the devoted city.
In numbers the assailants are likely to surpass any army which in modern times has ever invested a city.
In ferocity, cruelty, and brutality of purpose, that army has never had a prototype.
The chivalrous
French fought for
Napoleon, the name of the ‘"Little Corporal"’ being sufficient to incite them to deeds of daring courage which have never been surpassed.
When George the Third made war upon his American Colonies, the
British soldier fought for his
King, and the deluded tory regarded it a sort of sacrilege to renounce his allegiance to the
British throne.
But for whom does the depraved
Yankee and the foreign mercenary fight?
The name of
Abraham Lincoln has no charms for the most dissolute ear. The old Union,
as it was, has no enemies, and therefore they are not fighting for their country.
They have nothing to impel them to deeds on blood and carnage — nothing to incite them to rape and murder, but unbridled and insatiable avarice.--They are worse than tyrants, for even tyrants fight for dominion and glory, but the accursed mercenary Yankee is fighting for the profits of Southern commerce and the prospect of appropriating to his own unhallowed use Southern farms and Southern wealth.
Of such fiendish hell hounds is the army which threatens
Richmond composed, impelled by the passions of furies and guided by satanic cunning, they are congregating around it, and like hungry wolves are yelling their fiendish desire to their lust and their avarice on the ‘"beauty and booty"’ which it contains.
To their numbers there is no limit.
McClellan can command reinforcements until his wildest ambition is satisfied.
The fleets of
Butler and
Burnside stand ready to do his bidding by sea; while the whole land forces of his despotic master are no doubt held subject to his order.
At the lowest estimate, we see nothing to prevent
McClellan from assembling an army of three hundred thousand men to assist him in the reduction of the city.
We will not speculate on the movements or resources of
Gen. Johnston to meet this overwhelming force.
It is plain that whatever forces
Gen. Johnston may have,
McClellan is likely to outnumber him. It is true,
Johnston has the advantage, such as it is, in this case, of selecting his own ground; but in point of numbers and
military equipments, he is likely to labor under disadvantages for which no advantage of position can fairly compensate.
Still, we believe, and have reason to believe,
Johnston will be victorious.
By whatever route
McClellan may conclude to approach the city,
Johnston knows how to meet him. If foiled, as he seems to be, in his attempt to reach
Richmond by his present route from
Yorktown and
Fortress Monroe, he should transfer his base of operations to
Norfolk and advance from that direction, he will only multiply his own difficulties and add nothing to the embarrassments of
Johnston's army.
If he cross the river,
Johnston can also cross; and if he advance on
Johnston's present lines, he will advance on certain destruction.
Of course should
Burnside seek to co-operate with
McClellan on the south of the
James river, the large forces which have been keeping
Burnside within his limited lines, on the coast of
North Carolina, will be ordered to follow him to aid in the defence of
Richmond.
Indeed, however large an Army
McClellan may seek to bring against
Richmond our
Commander-in-Chief will seek to meet with adequate numbers, so far as in his power.
But after all we have been speculating when we only intended to speak of facts.
Having recorded our firm belief in the success of our arms at
Richmond, we may be pardoned for dissenting from those who seem to suppose that
Richmond is the
Confederacy.
If beaten at
Richmond, we are not a subjugated people, unless we ignominiously make it our own choice.
If our army, for prudential reasons, fall back from
Richmond, we will still see no cause for croaking and despair, though we will feel deep regret.
With
President Davis, we are inclined to the opinion that
Virginia affords twenty battle-fields outside of
Richmond and its environs.
The
fall of Richmond, with or without a battle, will not decide the fate of the
Confederacy.
An invaded people, goaded to desperation by the wrongs and insolence of a barbarous enemy, cannot consent to suspend their last hope of liberty on the precarious fate of a single town, whatever its position on the map or national importance, to be decided by a single battle.
Without the hope bordering on the assurance of victory, it would be madness to fight at
Richmond or anywhere else.
McClellan refused to fight
Johnston when the latter tendered him the gauge of battle, and retired like a whipped cur by the same route by which he had advanced.
Now that he can choose his own ground and appoint his own time, and specify his own numbers, supposing that he can do so, shall uninformed popular clamor urge
Johnston to give him battle under any and all circumstances?
Madness and folly could not go farther than this, and it is to be hoped the Richmond papers, the
Richmond people, and every citizen and soldier in the entire Confederacy, will resolve beforehand to acquiesce confidingly in whatever course the
Generals commanding may ultimately pursue, be the consequences what they may.--Those
Generals possess the confidence of the people in its widest extent.
Lee,
Johnston,
Hill,
Magruder,
Longstreet, are names which inspire confidence and hope wherever uttered in the
South.
Lee and
Johnston are confessedly two of the most accomplished military men of the day, in whose hands all our people are willing to trust their cause.--Let them, then, act as circumstances may dictate.
If they fight at
Richmond, it is well.
If they retire or retreat to some other point, true wisdom will have been their counsellor.
Newspapers should be silent while
Generals prepare for battle.
Such of the people as are non-combatants should place their fingers on their lips, and, retiring to their closets, commit their cause to their
Generals and their God.
The newspaper
Generals of the
North precipitated the
battle of Manassas, and the result is before the country.
Let it no be said that the newspapers and the outside public opinion of the
South shall attempt to dictate to Southern
Generals when, where, or under what circumstances, they shall meet the enemy.
We conclude, then, by repeating that the fate of the
Confederacy is not suspended on the fate of
Richmond.
Should
Richmond fall into the hands of the Vandals and Turks who threaten its destruction, it will indeed be a grievous, but not irreparable disaster.--Of its fall, however, our fears are not perplexing.
That object can never be effected by the army which
Gen. McClellan at present commands.
With that army alone he dares not meet
Johnston.
Should it be doubled, however, as it possibly can and may be, and perhaps trebled, it will then be for the gallant
Johnston to say whether he will risk a battle against such unequal odds.
Under God and the able and wise
Generals whose counsel he can command, let
Johnston's will be done, and let every man and woman in the
Confederacy resolve, when it has been done, to say, Amen.
’
An extract from a private letter, dated
Baltimore, and published in the Charleston
Mercury, will be read with much interest:
The first blood shed in the
Southern cause was shed here.
Surely we have deserved better recompense than to see our bravest men in gloomy cells; our tender, delicate women imprisoned in
Washington, with an abolition guard around them, and our poor in every ward of the city in a state of absolute starvation.
Our ladies have been active in their cause; but these times have compelled every family to retrench.
Last night we had an amateur concert for the relief of our poor.--It is certain that, if something is not speedily done for us, there will be refugees from
Baltimore, begging shelter, in every province in
Canada.
They cannot get South, and they would scorn to receive anything from a Yankee.
General--, whom
President Davis has kept so long in this State, to be ready to take command of the
Maryland forces, when they have the privilege of joining the
South, is very restive; says he has been dallied with long enough; and, if his services are not brought into action speedily, he will go abroad; he cannot stand this oppression any longer.
The
Yankees keep a close watch upon him, in common with hundreds of others among our first gentlemen, but they little dream that they are watching a
Major General of the Confederate Army.
Our men are, indeed, crestfallen.
How could they be otherwise, when our hated and insolent Yankee foes are at all times in our streets, threatening us with their bayonets.
But we still hope, and, be assured that, as
our poet say.
‘
"There's Life in the Old Land yet!"
’
We, the ladies of
Baltimore, are ready to make forts of our houses, and arm ourselves with hot water; stones, or any other effective appliances within our grasp, to free our State from the foul invaders.
We hear that
Gen. Lee is
Commander-in-Chief.
He has our cause at heart; he lived among us once we remember him as one of us. We are greatly encouraged since hearing of his appointment.
The last Confederate Fast Day was gloriously kept here.
Churches all open, and as crowded as they are on Good Friday, with humble trusting suppliants imploring success for the
Generals in the right cause.
How is it, that with brave, skillful
Generals, and with the most efficient fighting material, our armies should have been so ingloriously inactive during the winter?
Dr.--has recently heard that
Dr. Warren, who has charge of the
Maryland hospital in
Richmond, needs medicines.
He will start in a day or two for the
Confederate capital.
I shall accompany him, as the dangers he encounters
en route for
Richmond are greatly lessened if he has a lady under his protection.
We will be but a day or two in
Richmond;
Dr.--will be anxious to return to his family; and to be away several weeks, suspected as he is, would result in his being incarcerated in some Northern fort.
We will come loaded with quinine, morphia, mercury, etc., enough to last one hospital, I hope, until the war is over.
I must tell you of a visit I paid to
Fort McHenry a few days ago. You know I have an appetite for adventure, and as
Captain — was there a prisoner, and had not been allowed any communication with his family, I played Union, and so was admitted.
I feigned to be deaf, and had old
Dix screaming at me more vociferously than
Stentor himself.
You would have been amused to hear me tell the old vandal that I had come to the fort ‘"to see that poor deluded prisoner,
Capt.--,to try to convince him of his error."’ The General, no doubt, thought the gentle remonstrances of a woman would be more effectual than the rigorous
surveillance that is every day exercised upon him. So I was left in the cell with the prisoner — the guards being outside I, ‘"the rebel girl,"’ have thus been diplomatic enough to accomplish an interview with a poor prisoner; carried letters to him in my sleeves, and heard from him, though I was so deaf, all that he wished me to tell his friends.
The guards were just at the door, believing that if he said anything to me they could hear it; and so they could, when, at intervals, I made him talk as though I were deaf.
When I left,
Gen,
Dix thanked me cordially for my effort to bring
Capt.--to the right way of thinking.
I shall send this by the underground railroad, which is quite as regular in its schedule and far more convenient to our people than the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, over which the Lincolnites are now as jubilant that they have patched up what they call ‘"the rebel work,"’ I take as great as interest in the Underground Railroad as
Cameron the late Yankee War
Secretary did in the
Northern and Central Railroad, in which he owned a quantity of stock.
You know that while he was in the
Cabinet he compelled the soldiers ordered from various portions of the
North to travel hundreds of miles out of their way, so that, by passing over his road, they might increase its receipts.
Poor miserly wretch to such a shift was be reduced to supply the place of the
Southern travel so much missed this year on all the
Northern roads.
Southern news is very scarce indeed.
Our
