when endeavoring to pass where we were posted our men were ordered to fire, which they did, causing the enemy to retreat. Previous to their retreating, which was caused by a welldirected fire from the left wing, under command of Captain John Falconer, the enemy fired on us, killing one, private John Downie, of the eighth company. At the same time the right wing captured a prisoner, who was wounded, and who had on when captured a Major's shoulder straps. His name is Hobbs, of Colonel Stewart's Cavalry regiment.

Having successfully accomplished the mission. we were ordered on-the prevention of the pickets at Lewinsville being reinforced-and the enemy having retreated, and the alarm being sounded in all the enemy's camps in the neighborhood, we left our position, and arrived in camp by way of Langley at half-past ten o'clock A. M. The lowest estimate of the enemy's loss is four killed, two wounded, and one prisoner. Much of the success of the expedition is owing to the exertions of our guide, Mr. Sage.

sounded, our pickets retired and were formed in | direction of Lewinsville, and a body of cavalry line. The battalion of Chasseurs and Seventy- came from the direction of Fall's Church, and ninth were countermarched by the right flank, on the ground they respectively occupied, which brought the Seventy-ninth in the rear. Line of battle was formed, faced to the front, and while in this position, waiting for the column then in the rear to move forward to the right, a deadly fire of shell from the enemy's guns was opened upon us, the first bursting in the road, near the right of the line. This surprise created, as a matter of course, considerable excitement, but the cover furnished by the fence on the roadside and the coolly exercised authority of the company officers, effectually prevented the men from becoming seriously alarmed, notwithstanding a rapid fire was continued for half an hour before Griffin's battery could be got in position to bear on the enemy. By your command the detachment was moved forward until they took position on a prominence on the left of the road; and by your command the Seventy-ninth was detailed to protect them, while the battalion of Chasseurs was ordered to advance and protect a section of Griffin's battery, which had taken position a little in advance and on the right of the road. From this the battalion was ordered further down the road to protect another section, and again, by General Smith's command, moved on to the rear of a section stationed at Langley's tavern. The guns of the enemy having been silenced, we were directed to proceed homeward, which we did. We were joined at the head-quarters of General Smith by the Seventyninth, and returned to quarters at about halfpast five P. M., without the loss of a single man. The conduct of the officers and men of the Seventy-ninth while under my command was in the highest degree praiseworthy. They gave undoubted evidence of their bravery and resoluteness.

Lieutenant Alexander Graham, of the eighth company, was conspicuous for his coolness and bravery during the engagement. Mr. Hazard Stevens, volunteer, distinguished himself in the expedition for his usefulness and his bravery during the engagement.

With these remarks I beg to submit the above report. Yours, obediently,

DAVID IRELAND, Adjutant Seventy-ninth regiment.

GEN. MCCLELLAN'S DESPATCH.
FROM GENERAL SMITH'S HEAD-QUARTERS,
September 11, 1861.

}

When the work was completed and the command had started back, the enemy opened fire with shell, killing two men and wounding three.

To Simon Cameron, Secretary of War: two thousand men to Lewinsville. He remainGeneral Smith made a reconnoissance with Great credit is also due to the young and in-ed there several hours, and completed the exexperienced officers and soldiers of the Chasseur amination of the ground. battalion. Considering that this was the first fire to which they were ever exposed, their conduct was surprisingly cool and deliberate. I commend them, therefore, to your favorable notice in connection with the noble Highlanders. With high regard, &c., I have the honor to subscribe myself your very obedient servant, ALEXANDER SHALER, Lient.-Col. First regiment United States Chasseurs. ADJUTANT IRELAND'S REPORT.

Griffin's battery silenced the enemy's battery. Our men then came back in perfect order and excellent spirits.

The men behaved most admirably under fire.
GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-Gen., &c.

NATIONAL ACCOUNT.

In accordance with orders from General McCAMP ADVANCE, Va., Sept. 11, 1861. Clellan, early on Wednesday morning General The Seventy-ninth regiment of Highlanders, Smith, commanding the advance brigade on the New York State Militia, ordered on the special south side of the Potomac near the Chain reconnoissance in the direction of Fall's Church, Bridge, directed a topographical reconnoissance left camp at one o'clock A. M., Sept. 10, and pro-in force to be made in the direction of Lewinsceeded to the place designated, through the various by-paths, without disturbing the enemy's pickets, and arrived there at daybreak. The command was divided into two wings to guard the approach of the enemy. Soon after the men had been posted firing was heard in the

ville. The reconnoitring party consisted of battalions from the Seventy-ninth New York Volunteers, Third Vermont Volunteers, the Nineteenth Indiana Volunteers, the First United States Chasseurs, four pieces of the West Point battery, Captain Griffin; one company of

United States Cavalry, Lieut. McLane com- | General Smith, in the mean time, had arrived manding; and one company of Young's Cavalry -the whole under command of Colonel Isaac I. Stevens, acting Brigadier-General.

at the scene of the conflict. He left his camp immediately upon hearing the firing, having first given orders to send after him a large reinforcement of troops. On reaching the scene of action, however, he found that they would not be needed, and caused them to be halted on the way. The enemy's battery consisted of two rifle guns, throwing Hotchkiss shell, and two six-pounders, the rifled guns being heavier than those of Griffin's battery. A thirty-two-pounder was sent after the force, but did not get up with Colonel Stevens until after Griffin had silenced the enemy's guns. A single shell was afterward thrown from this gun into a body of secession cavalry, some seven or eight hundred in number, who made their appearance in the rear of our forces, as if disposed to dispute the way with them. The shell caused the caralry to make a hasty retreat, scattering in all directions. Colonel Stevens, it is stated, had to restrain the ardor of his command, who were anxious to advance upon the hidden enemy after their artillery had been silenced. No force ever showed a better spirit for the fight. They returned to their camp in good order. General McClellan, on receiving intelligence that the enemy seemed disposed to dispute Colonel Stevens' return to our lines, mounted, and accompanied by his staff, hastened in the direction of the affair. He was enthusiastically cheered by the troops wherever he was seen by them, both going and returning. Our loss was one killed on the field, one died in a short time, five badly and five slightly wounded. The killed and the wounded were all brought away with the exception of one man, too badly wounded to be moved, and he was left at a farm-house to be cared for. The wounded in the hospital are Moses A. Parker and Newell R. Kingsbury, of Vermont; John Hamilton, of Indiana; James H. Van Ripper, James Elliot, and John Colgan, of New York. All are but slightly wounded except Elliot, who received a mortal wound in the side from a shell or a canister shot. The others are quite comfortable, and will soon recover.

The scientific corps was in charge of Lieutenant Orlando M. Poe, United States Topographical Engineers, assisted by Lieutenant West, of the United States Coast survey, who were to conduct the reconnoissance. The reconnoitring party, thus organized, left Camp Advance about seven A. M., and proceeded without molestation to Lewinsville, a distance of four or five miles, reaching that point at half-past ten A. M., just in time to get a sight of the heels of a secession cavalry picket, about fifty strong, which evacuated the village, and retreated in the direction of Fall's Church, without firing a shot upon the approach of our advance guard. After the arrival of our troops in Lewinsville, cavalry and infantry pickets were thrown out on all the diverging roads and prominent places for a distance of half a mile. Scouting parties were also sent out to observe the movements of the enemy. At about eleven o'clock A. M., a large body of secession cavalry were seen in the distance watching the movements of our troops. They did not come within cannon or musket range, and therefore their appearance did not interfere with the operation of the reconnoitring party. Lieutenant Poe, of the Engineers, with a corps of assistants, commenced his surveys, and proceeded over an area of four miles | square, obtaining valuable topographical information. At half-past two o'clock the reconnoissance was completed, and orders given to recall the pickets, preparatory to returning to Camp advance. All the pickets responded to the recall except a picket of the Third Vermont and one from the Nineteenth Indiana regiments. Colonel Stevens sent a detachment out to learn the reason of their detention, and subsequently learned that they were watching the advance of a column of the enemy, consisting of seven hundred cavalry, two regiments of infantry, and four pieces of artillery, who were coming from the direction of Fall's Church. Little or no attention was paid to the enemy's advance, as the objects of the expedition had been accomplished, and our troops had proceeded but a few rods on their return home, when the enemy's COLONEL STUART'S OFFICIAL REPORT. battery, which by this time had attained a poHEAD-QUARTERS MUNSON'S HILL, sition within three-fourths of a mile of our September 11, 1861. troops, opened a rapid cannonade upon them GENERAL: I started about twelve o'clock with shot and shell. The firing was kept up with the Thirteenth Virginia Volunteers, comfor ten minutes, when a section of Capt. Grif-manded by Major Terrill, (three hundred and fin's battery, consisting of two ten-pounder rifled cannon, was immediately placed in position, and returned briskly the fire of the enemy. Simultaneously with the secession cannonade they opened a fire of musketry from behind trees and other places of concealment, while our troops were formed in line of battle, with orders not to fire unless the enemy came out of their hiding-places. They did not, however, come out into the field. The cannonading continued until the enemy's guns were silenced. I

SECESSION REPORT.

five men,) the First section of Rosser's battery, Washington Artillery, and a detachment of First cavalry, under Captain Patrick for Lewinsville, where, I learned from my cavalry pickets, the enemy were posted with some force. My intention was to surprise them, and I succeeded entirely, approaching Lewinsville by the enemy's left and rear, taking care to keep my small force an entire secret from their observation. I at the same time carefully provided against the disaster to myself which I was striving to in

tion under direction of Capt. Rosser and Lieut. Slocum (all the time under fire from the enemy's battery) certainly, for accuracy and effect, challenges comparison with any ever made. Valuable assistance was rendered me, as usual, by Chaplain Ball; and Messrs. Hairston and Burks, citizens, attached to my staff, were conspicuous in daring. Corporal Hagan and Bugler Weed are entitled to special mention for good conduct and valuable service.

Our loss was not a scratch to man or horse. We have no means of knowing the enemy's, except that it must have been heavy, from the effects of the shots. We found in all four dead and mortally wounded, and captured four.__ Of course, they carried off all they could. Your attention is specially called to the enclosed, which was delivered to me at Lewinsville, and to my endorsement. I send a sketch also. I returned here with my command, after reëstablishing my line of pickets through Lewinsville. Please forward this report to General Johnston. Your obedient servant, J. E. B. STUART,

Colonel Commanding.

GENERAL ORDER-No. 16.
HEAD-QUARTERS ADVANCED FORCES,

ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Sept. 13, 1861.

flict upon the enemy, and felt sure that, if | in a manner worthy of the General's highest necessary, I could fall back successfully before commendation, and the firing done by the secany force the enemy might have; for the country was favorable to retreat and ambuscade. At a point nicely screened by the woods from Lewinsville, and a few hundred yards from the place, I sent forward under Major Terrill a portion of his command, stealthily to reach the wood at a turn in the road, and reconnoitre beyond. This was admirably done, and the Major soon reported to me that the enemy had a piece of artillery in position in the road just at Lewinsville, commanding our road. I directed him immediately to post his riflemen so as to render it impossible for the cannoneers to serve the piece, and, if possible, to capture it. During subsequent operations the cannoneers tried ineffectually to serve the piece; and finally, after one was shot through the head, the piece was taken off. While this was going on a few shots from Rosser's section, at a cluster of the enemy a quarter of a mile off, put the entire force of the enemy in full retreat, exposing their entire column to flank fire from our pieces. Some wagons and a large body of cavalry first passed in hasty flight, the rifle piece and howitzer firing as they passed; then came a flying battery, eight pieces of artillery, (Griffin's,) which soon took position about six hundred yards to our front and right, and rained shot and shell upon us during the entire engagement, but with harmThe Commanding General is pleased to exless effect, although striking very near. Then press his high appreciation of the conduct of passed three regiments of infantry, at double the officers and soldiers under Colonel Stuart in quick, receiving, in succession, as they passed, the combat at Lewinsville, on the 11th inst. Rosser's unerring salutation; his shells burst- Such deeds are worthy the emulation of the ing directly over their heads, and creating the best-trained soldiers. Three hundred and five greatest havoc and confusion in their ranks. infantry, under Major Terrill; a section of The last infantry regiment was followed by a artillery, under Captain Rosser; and a detachcolumn of cavalry, which at one time rode over ment of First Cavalry, under Captain Patrick, the rear of the infantry in great confusion. The met and routed at least three times their numfield, general, and staff officers were seen exert-bers of infantry, artillery, and cavalry, without ing every effort to restore order in their broken ranks, and my cavalry videts, observing their flight, reported that they finally rallied a mile and a half below, and took position up the road, where they supposed our columns would be pursuing them. Captain Rosser having no enemy left to contend with, at his own request was permitted to review the ground of the enemy's flight, and found the road ploughed up by his solid shot and strewn with fragments of shells; two men left dead on the road, one mortally wounded, and one, not hurt, taken prisoner. The prisoner said the havoc in their ranks was fearful, justifying what I saw myself of the confusion. Major Terrill's sharpshooters were by no means idle, firing whenever a straggling Yankee showed his head, and capturing a lieutenant, (captured by Major Terrill himself,) one sergeant, and one private, all belonging to the Nineteenth Indiana, (Colonel Meredith's.) The prisoners reported to me that General McClellan himself was present, and the enemy gave it out publicly that the occupancy of Lewinsville was to be permanent. Alas for human expectations! The officers and men behaved

loss. This handsome affair should remind our forces that numbers are of little avail compared with the importance of coolness, firmness, and careful attention to orders. If our men will do themselves justice, the enemy cannot stand before them. By order of

BRIG.-GEN. Longstreet.

PEYTON T. MANNING,

A. D. C. and A. A. Adj.-Gen.

GENERAL ORDER-No. 19.

HEAD-QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Sept. 13, 1861.

The Commanding General has great satisfaction in making known the excellent conduct of Colonel J. E. B. Stuart and of the officers and men of his command in the affair of Lewinsville, on the 11th instant. On this occasion, Colonel Stuart, with Major Terrill's battalion, (Thirteenth Virginia Volunteers,) two field pieces of the Washington artillery, under Captain Rosser and Lieutenant Slocomb, and Captain Patrick's company of cavalry, (First Virginia,) attacked and drove from their position in confusion three regiments of infantry, eight

pieces of artillery, and a large body of cavalry, | stitution it has enjoyed complete shelter and inflicting severe loss-incurring none. By comGENERAL JOHNSTON.

mand of

THOMAS G. RHETT, A. A. General.

Doc. 43.

PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S LETTER.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 11, 1861.

protection for three-quarters of a century.

The occupation of Columbus by armed Tennesseeans, under the leadership of Bishop Polk and Pillow, has excited no surprise here where the unscrupulous character and ultimate aims of the rebel chieftains are well understood. So long as Kentucky maintained that most illusory of all attitudes-neutrality-and carefully guarded an extended and exposed position of the frontier of the Rebel Government-in a

Major General John C. Fremont : SIR: Yours of the 8th, in answer to mine of word, so long as she subserved the purposes of the 2d instant, was just received. Assured that the conspirators seeking the overthrow of the you, upon the ground, could better judge of the Republic, and gave reason to hope that she necessities of your position than I could at this would finally unite her fortunes with them, she distance, on seeing your proclamation of August was graciously let alone; so soon, however, as 30, I perceived no general objection to it; the she declared her loyalty to a Government to particular clause, however, in relation to the which she is indebted for all her prosperity, and confiscation of property and the liberation of to which she is united by the most solemn ties slaves appeared to me to be objectionable in its of duty, of affection, and of interest, her soil is nonconformity to the act of Congress, passed ruthlessly invaded, and, under the promptings the 6th of last August, upon the same subjects, and guidance of traitors in her own bosom, her and hence I wrote you expressing my wish that vote at the polls is now to be reversed by the that clause should be modified accordingly. bayonets of Tennesseeans, and the proud old Your answer just received expresses the prefer- Commonwealth reduced to the condition of a ence on your part that I should make an open nium called the Southern Confederacy. Those conquered province of that political Pandemoorder for the modification, which I very cheerfully do. It is therefore ordered that the said who have read the history and know the spirit clause of said proclamation be so modified, of her people can have no fears as to the result held, and construed as to conform with and not of this audacious assault upon her honor and to transcend the provisions on the same subject independence. The Government here will give contained in the act of Congress entitled "An all possible support to the State at the earliest act to confiscate property used for insurrection-moment practicable. Very sincerely yours, ary purposes," approved August 6, 1861, and GEN. JAMES SPEED, Frankfort, Ky. that said act be published at length with this order. Your obedient servant,

A. LINCOLN. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN MR. LINCOLN

AND JOSEPH HOLT.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 1861.

MY DEAR SIR: I hasten to place in your hands the enclosed correspondence with the President of the United States. The action which he has taken was firm and decided, and must prove satisfactory to the friends of the Union in Kentucky.

The act of Congress alluded to was a necessity under the circumstances, and was fully justified by the usages of civilized warfare. The Government has the same right to confiscate slaves engaged in digging trenches or mounting guns for the rebels that it has to confiscate their arms when captured during the progress of the war; but, having confiscated them, Congress goes no further. Upon this law the President stands firmly, and in doing so, and in disavowing Gen. Fremont's proclamation, he gives another of the ever-multiplying proofs that the war, which is one for national existence, does not seek to extinguish or interfere with slavery as established in the States. If this institution suffers detriment from the events or issues of the rebellion, the blow will come from those who, under the pretence of defending it, are striking at the life of a Government under whose Con

J. HOLT.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12. DEAR SIR: The late act of Congress providing for the confiscation of the estates of persons in open rebellion against the Government was, as a necessary war measure, accepted and fully ap proved by the loyal men of the country. It limited the penalty of confiscation to property actually employed in the service of the rebellion with the knowledge and consent of its owners, and, instead of emancipating slaves thus employed, left their status to be determined either by the Courts of the United States or by subsequent legislation. The proclamation, however, of General Fremont, under date of the 30th of August, transcends, and, of course, violates the law in both these particulars, and declares that the property of rebels, whether used in support of the rebellion or not, shall be confiscated, and if consisting in slaves, that they shall be at once manumitted. The act of Congress referred to was believed to embody the conservative policy of your Administration upon this delicate and perplexing question, and hence the loyal men of the Border Slave States have felt relieved of all fears of any attempt on the part of the Govern ment of the United States to liberate suddenly in their midst a population unprepared for freedom, and whose presence could not fail to prove a painful apprehension if not a terror to the homes and families of all. You may, therefore, well