The very Latest from the North.
We are indebted to the courtesy of Capt. Thos. D. Jeffress, of the 55th Va., now on duty at the Libby prison, for a copy of the New York Herald of Saturday last, the 18th inst. We give below some interesting extracts from the news it contains:The battles in Kentucky--a Change of Tune — the rebels not "Routed with great Slaughter."
Now that the elections at the North are over, the dispatches from Kentucky, which were evidently intended to effect the voting, have changed materially in their character. A dispatch from Louisville, on the 17th, says the Journal of that date discredits all the reports about the defeat of Kirby Smith at Big Hill, which was described as an ‘ "utter rout"’ in the dispatches of the day before. The great victory claimed at Chaplin's Hill, after the Perryville battle, is thus disposed of by a correspondent of the New York Herald, writing from there: ‘ When I wrote you yesterday morning, immediately subsequent to the battle of the day before, I was willing to admit that it was a drawn battle, and only claimed that we had, with 10,000 men, held our own against 30,000 of the enemy. But now that I have had time to look over the field, to talk with prisoners, and our wounded left beyond our line, I claim a victory. There are thousands of evidences of the complete and disastrous defeat of the enemy. And it is due to the gallant Rousseau, who alone conducted the engagement, and whose division, unsided, won the victory, that he should have the credit that is undoubtedly due him. The right brigade was driven back, as I have described in the detailed account sent you yesterday. The men were despondent, but not despairing.--They were not beaten, though overpowered. But we did not then know that we had actually gained the day, and that the rebels were as glad for night to come as we. The wounded left on the field when the right fell back state that no sooner had night masked them than the rebels began to retire. They fell back in haste, bearing their wounded, but none of their dead and taking many of our wounded officers with them. Captain Jones, of General Roussean's staff, was taken prisoner after the fight, while looking for the body of Col. W. H. Lytle, who, it was supposed, was dead. He and Captain Grover, of Col. Lytle's staff, were engaged in the task together, when they were approached by General Polk and escort and compelled to surrender. They were taken to Harrodsburg, and remained the guests of Gen. Polk until paroled. They represent Polk as a jocular fellow, who is continually punning. This is the only characteristic mentioned of him. General Bragg was on the field, and Captain Jones had an interview with Buckner at Polk's headquarters. ’ A letter, dated Louisville, the 14th, says the losses in Roussean's division alone at Perryville were 2,000. Among the officers nine were killed and fifty wounded. It says: ‘ I wrote yesterday detailing the situation of camp Dick Robinson, into which the affrighted rebels had tumbled in order to secure a brief respite from Buell a assaults, and dwelt on the chances of a battle at that place. But to-day the scene changes. The rebels are in full retreat from that doubtful fighting ground, evidently foreseeing their inevitable destruction if caught in that trap, and are headed out wildly into the barren wastes of East Kentucky.--In this direction they will find only a prolongation of their miseries. They will not escape Buell's pursuing army, but will add to their other afflictions the curse of starvation. There is no subsistence for them in the direction they are now taking. It is only a desperate plunge into uncertainty. On Sunday our forces entered both Harrodsburg and Danville, the enemy, as usual, flying before them. At Harrodsburg we found nearly two thousand rebel wounded — the result of Wednesday's battle — who had been left in the hasty retreat of the enemy. We also got a number of prisoners at Danville, and captured about two thousand from the rear of the enemy's line as they frantically tumbled across the Dick river into Camp Dick Robinson. Altogether Gen Buell has taken about five thousand prisoners in and subsequent to the Perryville battle. ’ A telegram from Washington, dated the 17th, says: ‘ Later advices from the West show that there has been no bagging of the columns of the enemy, though there, as hereabouts, they have lost guns, &c. Wise General look sharp to their base and line of retreat, and it is only those who do not do this that are in danger of being bagged. The radicals think it is easy to bag rebel armies; but in practice only one army has been in danger of entire destruction, and that was the army of Gen. Pope. ’The advance by M'Clellan's forces--two Reconnaissances — their result.
From papers of the 17th we yesterday gave an account of McClellan's advance by way of Harper's Ferry, and his occupation of Charlestown.--The New York papers, of the 18th, state that at the same time of that advance Gen. Woodbury's division crossed the Potomac at Shepherdstown ford taking the road leading to Smithfield, a small village half way between Charlestown and Bunker Hill. The dispatch, which is dated the 17th, P. M., says: ‘ Gen. Woodbury encamped last night between Leetown and Kearneysville, about seven miles from Smithfield. His troops met with but alight resistance during the day from the enemy's mounted pickets. This morning he advanced his cavalry towards Smithfield, six miles from Bunker Hill, where he met the cavalry belonging to Hancock's division.--Before reaching this point the enemy was found to be in very large force. The reconnaissance here ended, its object being to ascertain where the main body of the rebel army was. There is no doubt but that the rebel General intended to give battle at or near their present location. The indications are that they will not have to wait long before they again meet the Army of the Potomac. McClellan was with Hancock's division in its advance on Charlestown, and the telegraph agent, thus notices his ‘"splendid conduct"’ on the occasion. Gen. McClellan was on the ground during the letter part of the day, and showed great coolness and bravery, riding up to the front and carefully examining the position of a section of artillery which the enemy had planted on the brow of a hill within easy range, but which did not for some reason fire upon us. By his order some two thousand bushels of wheat in store were purchased of a citizen of Charlestown and promptly transported to Harper's Ferry, under the superintendence of Col. Blanchard, the efficient Quartermaster of the second army corps. ’The Facts Concerning the dismissal of Maj. Key from the U. S. Amy — letter from "A. Lincoln."
The Washington Star gives the following as an ‘"exact copy" ’ of the record upon which Maj. Jno. J. Key was dismissed from the military service of the United States: I am informed that in answer to the question ‘"Why was not the rebel army bagged immediately after the battle of Sharpsburg ?"’ propounded to you by Major Levi C. Turner, Judge Advocate, &c. you answered, ‘"That is not the game. The object is that neither army shall get much advantage of the other; that both shall be kept in the field till they are exhausted, when we will make a compromise and save slavery."’ I shall be very happy if you will, within twenty-four hours from the receipt of this, prove to me by Major Turner that you did not either literally or in substance, make the answer stated. Yours,
A. Lincoln.
[Endorsed as follows:]
Copy delivered to Major Key at 10.23 A. M., September 27, 1862. John Hay.
At about 11 o'clock A. M., September 27, 1862, Major Key and Major Turner appeared before me. Major Turner says, ‘"As I remember it the conversation was — I asked the question why we did not bag them after the battle of Sharpsburg ? Major Key's reply was: That was not the game; that we should tire the rebels out and ourselves; that was the only way the Union could be preserved, we come together fraternally, and slavery be saved.'"’ On cross examination Major Turner says he has frequently heard Major Key converse in regard to the present trouble and never heard him utter a sentiment unfavorable to the maintenance of the Union.
He has never uttered anything which he, Major Turner, would call disloyalty.
The particular conversation detailed was a private one.
A. Lincoln.
[Endorsed on the above:]
In my views it is wholly inadmissible for any gentleman holding a military Commission from the United States, to utter such sentiments as Major Key is within proved to have done.
Therefore, let Major John J. Key be forthwith dismissed from the military service of the United States.
A. Lincoln.
The foregoing is the whole record, except the simple order of the dismissal at the War Department.
At the interview of Major Key and Major Turner with the President, Major Key did not attempt to controvert the statement of Major Turner; but simply insisted, and sought to prove, that he was true to the Union.
The substance of the President's reply was shat if there was a ‘"game"’ even among Union men to have our army not take an advantage of the enemy when it could, it was his object to break up that game.
A. Lincoln.
