From the South.
Skirmishes with the enemy continue along the
Confederate coast.
Fifty Federals landed from the gunboat Western World, at Butler's Inlet, S. C., on the 22d inst., to destroy the salt works there, but were surprised by a cavalry company and driven off, with a lose of 12 killed and wounded.--At
Pascagoula, Fla, five launches, laden with Federals, started for the shore, but as they neared the land were fired into by our troops.
In the foremost boat not a man escaped unhurt, and the other boats returned to their ship.
Capt. Reld, of the gun boat, then commenced shelling the town for revenge, but sent no more troops ashore.
Dashing Cavalry Exploit in Mississippi--a fighting Parson.,
We make the following extract of a letter, dated
Tupelo, Miss., July 14th:
‘
We have recently had a brilliant affair of cavalry at
Booneville, north of this place
Gen. Chambers, commanding a brigade of four regiments of cavalry, was ordered to attack the
Yankee force and drive him from
Booneville.
Two of these regiments were commanded, respectively, by
Colonel Clanton, of
Montgomery, Ala, and
Col. Lay, a Virginian, commanding
Kentucky cavalry.
At the outset our skirmishers were hard pressed by the enemy, and our lines ambuscaded.
At this juncture
Col. Clanton volunteered to attack the ambuscade, and promptly the charge was sounded, and the woods were cleared.
The charge was made by the Alabamians in a column of fours down a narrow lane.
It was led by
Col. Clanton,
sans peur. and at his side rode the
Chaplain of his regiment,
the Rev. Telfair Hodgson, of
Virginia.
The head of our column was instantly shot down; but, on and away dashed the gallant cavaliers over dying and dead men and horses.
The ambuscade was cleared, and down under the flash of sabre and blaze of revolver sank one hundred bodies of the ruthless vandals.
Col. Clanton and his
Chaplain, who led this brilliant charge, both miraculously escaped.
The former had five balls through his clothes and scabbard, and his
Chaplain one through his haversack.
The regiment pursued the fugitive vandals for several miles.
Meanwhile five hundred of the picked cavalry of the enemy had been sent to get to the rear of
Col. Clanton's regiment.
Fortunately,
Colonel Lay's regiment was posted on the road by which they moved.
On this road was situated our hospital, and the
Chaplain had returned to that place, in the ministrations of his office; at this moment a straggler informed
Mr. Hodgson that the enemy's cavalry was at hand.
He was quickly in saddle, and, with the enemy thundering at three hundred yards behind him, he reached
Col. Lay's position.
Line was instantly formed, and as the enemy mounted a hill a lethal volley broke their ranks and scattered them.
This ‘"fighting parson"’ is scarcely 21 years of age, and already he had made one campaign in
Western Virginia, that of
Rich Mountain, as a Zouave.
In the spring of last year he was a student in the Episcopal Theological Seminary in New York.
He wouldn't ‘ "stand it,"’ and came home to militate and officiate, both in one.
He has a brother, captain of cavalry, in
Col. Clanton's regiment.
Bishop General Polk can hardly be at fault for an ‘"assistant"’ militant.
’
A gentleman now in
Atlanta, and a refugee from
Memphis, has received a letter from his wife at
Panola, Miss., from which we make the following extracts:
‘
You have seen
Gen. Grant's proclamation before this.
The cars are loaded with the heads of families on their way to
Memphis for their wives and children.
Judge Dixon,
Messrs.,
Estes,
Brinkley,
Waddell,
King, and many others, have gone to the relief of their families.
Two Federal soldiers went to the of
Mr. R. C. Brinkley, and ran his daughter Annie all over the house, up and down stairs.
Mrs. Brinkley had sent to one of the officers for protection.
The officer sent over a guard, and had to knock them down twice before they would be taken.
He then placed a guard around the house for several days, to protect it and its inmates.
Another set of Federals went to
Mr. T. W. Roysters, and asked his little son, a sprightly boy of about ten years of age, if he was a "Secesh," The boy said he was, and the wretches came near shooting him.
Mrs. Roysters got the child in the house, and with the aid of her servants locked the doors.
They, the soldiers, then cursed and abused her, and were in the act of breaking in the windows, wisen some kind friend came to her relief.
The Rev. Dr. G. has gone over to the
Federals, and is now an out-and-out Union man, bold in his language.
He is preaching in the
Second Church again.
Rumor says the
Rev.
Doctor piloted a company of Federals into the country to arrest a party of Southerners.
Mr. A. H. came out, from
Memphis a few days since, and says the
Federals are burying some days as many as thirty pickets.
They admit to have buried opposite
Memphis seven hundred of their men.
The Federals have a great many negroes working in their entrenchments.
They are taking up negroes wherever they can find them, and have hundreds in the city now. They have destroyed
Mr. Lanier's beautiful grove, and burnt all the fencing; and it is said they have determined to burn the city if they have to leave it.
’
Outrage of the Federals in Louisiana.
A correspondent of the Lynchburg
Republican gives the particulars of the treatment of
Major S
Roberts, a veteran of 1812, at his farm in the vicinity of
Baton Rouge.
The enemy learned that his two sons, one captain of a guerrilla company, and the other a regular Confederate soldier, were at their father's house.
The letter says:
‘
Collecting a body of his men,
Colonel McMilton of the 21st Indiana regiment, proceeded, under negro guidance, to the house of
Major S. Roberts.--Surrounding the house, they demanded the surrender of Josiah and
G. W. Roberts.
Knowing too well what would be their fate, they determined to die rather than surrender.
Seizing a gun, Josiah was about to make the best of a defence, when he fell at his father's door, pierced by several balls.--
Major S. Roberts, a veteran of 1812 and 1815, and
upwards of four score years, grasped the gun from the hands of his dying son, and shot down
Colonel McMilton.
The officer next in command then ordered his men to charge bayonets upon and murder the "d — d old scoundrel." The old
Major stepped back a pace or two, and told them that "he was lord and master of his own house, that he had done the deed, and that, if they advanced one step, he would fire again." Taken aback by such coolness and bravery, the commanding officer told his men not to hurt the old man under any considerations, but to take him prisoner, for he was too brave to kill.
But numbers prevailed, and the old man and son were taken prisoners.
Then commenced high handed pillage and devastations.
The house was set on fire, as were likewise barns, the gin and sugar houses, and burnt to the ground.
The mules, horses, and stock were driven off; negroes taken away; carts, wagons, and farming utensils were sieged, and the growing crops destroyed.
Not a building was left to tell where lately flourished a prosperous farm.
The wife of
G. W. Roberts, scarcely strong enough to rise from a bed of confinement, was driven out and forced to fly from a house that was burning over her head, and obliged to walk several miles to seek shelter for herself and tender babe, in the house of a neighbor, and to procure assistance to remove the body of the dead.--That brave old man, borne down by a wrecked constitution and the weight of oppressive years, was compelled to walk twelve miles, over a miserably muddy road, and to cap the climax of brutality, father and son were handcuffed together and driven through the streets of
Baton Rouge.
In the words of the narrator, "An old man and son could not be guarded by a regiment of men without binding the prisoners in irons."
’
A letter from
Vicksburg, July 20th, says:
‘
way, the pretty much the entire day, but having the decency to let us sleep without disturbance at night.
The
Arkansas has been exercising them terribly, simply by operating in their fears.
Having had occasion to shift her position several times, the Yanks have each time believed she was about to pounce on them, and great was their funk in consequence.--They have employed themselves the past two days in the attempt to dump a 15 inch shell on her deck, but have as yet missed the mark, though sinking, in that manner, the wharf boat near by.
I regret to say that facilities for such work are now so meagre at this beleaguered place, that even the slight damage sustained by the
Arkansas in her actions with the enemy, is not yet repaired.
Yesterday the men at work upon her sadly tunnel were driven off by the sharp shooters across the river.
It is very long ranges, but still near enough to render a Michaeline unpleasant visitor.
Men will stand being shot at when they can to their shooting send em back the same but to be picked off in cold blood, whilst perched up on a scaffold and intent on some mechanical employment, is decidedly unpleasant.
’
The following address has been issued by
Gen Van Dorn.
Headq'rs district of the Mississippi.
Vicksburg.July 18, 1862.
Your conduct thus far, under the circumstances which surround you has won the admiration of your countrymen, Cool and self possessed under the concentrated fire of more than forty vessels of war and mortar boats, you have given assurance that the city entrusted to your keeping will not be given up to the blustering demands of cannon nor the noisy threatening of bomb shells.
Such exhibitions of vary serve but to you and to animate the tedium of camp life — you await a more formidable demonstration.
Impotent in his rage, the enemy is striving to turn the current of the
Mississippi from your batteries.
He will fail — When he is master of the great river that flows at your feet, and which has become the eternal custodian of your natures and glory, every wave that ripples by its shores will crimson with you blood and every hill that looks down upon you will be the sepulchre of a thousand freemen.
Soldiers! to have been one among the ‘"Defenders of
Vicksburg "’ will be the boast hereafter of those who shall hear your names, and a living joy by your hearthstones forever.
Continue, I beseech you, to be worthy of your country's praise and the reputation you have achieved.
The commanding General will take pleasure, as it is his duty, in forwarding the names of the
distinguished among you to the
General commanding the Department, for honorable mention in General Orders — it is
kis pride to be your commander.
The steamer ‘"
Arkansas"’ is immortal, and above his praise — she commands the admiration of the world.
