Confederate States Congress.
[adjourned session.]
Senate.
Tuesday, September 2, 1862.
The Senate met at 12 o'clock. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Deshirl, of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
Mr. Phelan offered a resolution, that the Committee on Military Affairs inquire into the expediency of authorizing certain military officers to enlist, for a term of ninety days, persons not able to perform military duty, and not at the time in the service of any State.
Adopted.
Mr. Semmes, of La, from the Finance Committee, reported a bill providing for the collage of copper (alloy) tokens of the value of five, ten, and twenty cents, to the extent of $5,000,000, and the appropriation of $200,000 for the purpose.
Placed upon the calendar.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported back the petition of infirm soldiers, at Winder Hospital, and were discharged from its further consideration.
Also, the petitions from various Southern religious organizations asking exemptions in certain cases, from which the committee was also discharged.
Mr. Sparrow also reported from the Military Committee a bill providing for the extension of the Conscript age to forty-five, which was ordered to be printed, and made the special order for 12½ o'clk on Thursday.
Mr. Brown, of Miss., from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported a joint resolution of thanks to Commander Eben Farrand, and the officers and men under his command, for gallant services in repulsing the enemy's gunboats at Drury's Bluff, on the 15th of May last Adopted.
The following message, with accompanying dispatches, from President Davis, was received and read by the Clerk:
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederate States
I have the gratification of presenting to Congress two dispatches from Gen. Robt. E. Lee, commanding the army of Northern Virginia, communicating the result of the operations north of the Rappahannock.
From these dispatches it will be seen that God has again extended his shield over our patriotic army, and has blessed the cause of the Confederacy with a second signal victory on the field already memorable by the gallant achievement of our troops.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the skill and daring of the Commanding General who conceived, or the valor and hardihood of the troops who executed, the brilliant movement whose result is now communicated.
After having driven from their entrenchments an enemy superior in numbers, and relieved from siege the city of Richmond, as heretofore communicated, our toil-worn troops advanced to meet another invading army, reinforced not only by the defeated army of Gen. McClellan, but by the fresh corps of Gens. Burnside and Hunter.
After forced marches, with inadequate transportation, and across streams swollen to unusual height, by repeated combats, they turned the position of the enemy, and, forming a junction of their columns in the face of greatly superior forces, they fought the decisive battle of the 30th, the crowning triumph of their toll and valor.
So far this army has steadily advanced, and repulsed the frequent attacks of the enemy. The line of the Rappahannock and Warrenton has been relieved. Many prisoners are captured, and I regret, quantities of stores to be destroyed for want of transportation. Anderson not yet up, and I hear nothing of those behind. We have Ewell, Trimble, and Taliaferro wounded. The latter slightly, the others not mortally.
This army achieved to day, on the plains of Manassas, a signal victory over the combined forces of Gens. McClellan and Pope. On the 28th and 29th each wing, under Gens. Longstreet and Jackson, repulsed with valor attacks made on them separately. We mourn the loss of our gallant dead in every conflict, yet our gratitude to Almighty God for His mercies rises higher each day. To Him, and to the valor of our troops, a nation's gratitude is due.
The House resolution voting thanks to Captain Raphael Semmes, of the C. S. steamer Sumter, was referred to the Military Committee. The bill amendatory of the act to organize bands of Partisan Rangers, restricting the privilege of raising such bands, as given by the original bill, and also authorizing the Secretary of War to brigade them as troops of the line, was taken up. A lengthy debate succeeded, sundry amendments were adopted, and, after all, the bill was defeated by a vote of 12 to 7. The Senate then went into Executive session.
