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ahead, and before Lieutenant Warley could have time to fire the signal rocket, into her they went with an awful crash. An appalling shriek was heard on board of the doomed ship, and the iron steamer was borne off by the current, and found herself in the midst of the enemy's fleet.

range, and but few struck. There were seven vessels all told on the side of the rebels, two of them quite large, almost as large as the Richmond. They finally drew off and left us to take care of ourselves as best we could. Fortunately the steamer McClellan now came up and assisted the Vincennes, which vessel had The signal rocket was fired, the enemy beat been abandoned by her officers and crew, and to quarters, and a perfect storm of iron hail was were all on board of us. They were all sent | falling upon and around the Manassas, the maback, and the commander ordered to throw her chinery of which, it was soon discovered by the guns and all heavy articles overboard. The commander, had in some manner become de McClellan then came alongside of us, so as to ranged. This was most inopportune and perilhaul us off as soon as the tide would permit, ous; and the Richmond, soon observing that and early this morning we moved off, crossed something was wrong, began playing upon her the bar, and are now anchored outside. The with all the power of her guns. Lieutenant Vincennes was hauled off this morning, and is Warley found that only one engine would work, now anchored astern of us. We are in momen- and with that he began working his way out of tary expectations of being run into by "The reach toward shore; but the shot fell thick and Ram; " the moon is up but the sky is very fast around and upon the "old turtle," and her cloudy, so that such an object as she cannot be fate seemed hanging on a hair, when the distinguished until she is close upon us, and then brave little Tuscarora and the Watson came up it is too late to try to move. Our only hope is with five barges on fire, and soon cut them the strength of our ship, and I can assure you she adrift on the stream. was well tested yesterday morning. This may be my last epistle, for if we are sunk there is but little hope that any of us will be saved; the current is very strong toward the sea, so that our chances in that direction are small. These are perilous times, and the future very uncertain. I must mention that on one of the vessels which attacked us was a lieutenant who was in the Mediterranean with us. How soon he has become our mortal enemy, and an enemy to the flag he once swore to defend !

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On Friday night, about twelve o'clock, the little fleet left the forts in the following order: The Manassas leading the way, with orders to go right in among the fleet, and run down the first vessel she could get at, sending up a rocket at the instant she made an attack. Then came the Tuscarora, and the tow-boat Watson with the five barges in tow; these had orders to set fire to the barges the moment they saw the rocket from the Manassas. After these were the Calhoun, Ivy, McRea, and Jackson, and last was the launch, bringing up the rear. The towboat Watson was under the command of Lieutenant Aylette.

The night was intensely dark, and it was almost impossible to see twenty yards ahead. The Manassas put on a heavy head of steam and dashed on in the direction where it was thought the enemy were lying. Suddenly a large ship was discovered only about a length

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Commodore Hollins did not know what had been the result of the firing, neither did the rest of the commanding officers. It was too dark to make observations, and he did not wish to risk signals. So daylight was waited for impatiently. It came at last, and presented the following picture: The enemy, some miles down, heeling it for the open sea by way of the Southwest Pass, with one of their ships sunk on the middle ground. The Manassas close in shore, among the willows, concealed as well as possible; the Watson and the Tuscarora aground on the bank not far off. The Tuscarora was soon pulled off by the rest, and the fleet commenced a pursuit of the retreating enemy. They soon came within range, and a heavy cannonade began. The sunken ship seemed to be in a very bad fix, as she was nearly on her beam ends. The Richmond drew up on the outside and protected her with her full broadside. The other by, and in a great measure protected by the vessels of the enemy soon got aground, but near Richmond's guns.

Our fleet pitched shot and shell into them with vengeance, and our informant tells us that he saw at least two shots hit the Richmond which were fired from the Tuscarora, and two or three from the Ivy. The shots from the Yankees were all badly aimed, and not one touched any of our vessels, though over five hundred passed all around them. After continuing the cannonade until about eight o'clock, Commodore Hollins concluded that the sport did not pay for the powder, and feeling that he had won glory enough for one day, and that the enemy were in a fix that it would take them some time to get out of, he ordered his fleet back to town.

The Manassas struck the vessel which she ran into near the bow, and cut into her upwards of twenty feet, if we may judge from the fact that splinters, copper, and nails were found in the cracks of the iron on her sides to at least that

distance. She drew off from the collision without trouble, though she undoubtedly twisted her prow badly when swayed to one side by the current, for it is found broken and bent to one side. The balls which struck her bounded off without effecting any damage, except in one case, when a ball hit on the bluff of the bow and made an ugly, though not serious, dent in the iron. It is said that the balls from the Richmond's broadside fell upon her like hail upon a house-top, for a while, but to-day nothing of this can be seen excepting the dent above mentioned. The accident which happened to her machinery disabled her propeller, and she was, consequently, almost unmanageable, yet it was not of a nature to require more than a day or two to repair. She went into dock yesterday afternoon at Algiers. If that accident had not occurred, she undoubtedly would have sunk the whole of the enemy's fleet.

ABSTRACT OF THE LOG OF U. S. SHIP-OF-WAR PREBLE.

October 12, eight to twelve, midnight: Saw a large fire inland, bearing W. by N. Twelve to four A. M.: At three thirty saw a very suspicions object drifting down the river. Beat to quarters. Our movements detected. "It" went toward the Richmond, under her port bow, emitting huge volumes of black smoke. Afterward the object moved up the river and stopped abeam of this ship. About twenty-five fathoms distance to them we opened our port battery and fired into it. "She" then moved apparently uninjured up the river. Then we saw three very large fire-rafts drifting down upon us, towed by two steamers, one of which began to fire upon us; slipped our chain and stood for S. W. Pass. The Richmond, at the time of our slipping, was on her way down the river, leaving us in the scrape alone. Came up with the Richmond; then the senior officer ordered us to go down the pass. The fire-rafts soon grounded and seemed burned up. The Vincennes accompanied us, and Richmond and Water Witch astern of us. At six fifteen, Richmond signalized us to cross the bar. The Vincennes inside the bar, ashore, and Richmond also, and the rebel steamers upon them engaged in battle. We could not go back to assist them, because of head wind. At eleven thirty received from the Water Witch seventy men and six officers belonging to the Vincennes, which we then learned had been abandoned, and had a fuze set to her magazine, which, when within one inch to the powder, went out, or else the ship would have been blown up into atoms. Our crew and some of our officers seemed to be very anxious to be in the battle, especially our commander; but as Captain Pope ordered him off, of course he was obliged to keep away. None of our men injured, but the Richmond was damaged. It was nothing but "Pope's run," in my opinion, and nothing else.

Doc. 79.

THE CONTRABAND INSTITUTION.

"A slave was restored to his master yesterday by a Pennsylvania regiment. A filo of soldiers escorted the pseudo contraband two miles beyond our lines."

THE above is taken from this morning's (October 10) despatches from Washington. Similar transactions are of almost daily occurrence. I object to them for the following, among other

reasons:

1. It is a purely volunteer service on the part of the Government. Neither the Constitution nor the Fugitive Slave Law, in spirit or letter, requires it. It exhibits the Government, therefore, in the light of a voluntary patron of slavery.

2. It is degrading to our army. The people of the North responded nobly to the call of their country for the defence of the Constitution and law. Must our brave soldiers now be compelled to perform the despicable work of slave catching, and peril their lives in returning those panting for the inestimable boon of liberty to worse than Egyptian bondage?

3. These acts are rapidly destroying, in the minds of the great mass of the people, confidence in the Administration of the Government.

4. They are depriving us of the sympathy of the friends of freedom abroad, and making us a by-word and reproach throughout Christendom. 5. Must they not be offensive to a God of justice, and may we not be suffering his rebukes?

No doubt the subject has been an embarrassing one to the Government, and it should be judged charitably. But, certainly, honesty is the best policy for Governments as well as individuals. Now, which side does the Government intend to favor, freedom or slavery? In the present state of affairs it cannot ignore the question. It must show itself for or against slavery. It is due to all parties that it be distinctly understood what is to be the character of the Administration of the Government in this respect. If the South is to be won back, and kept in union with the North only as the Government makes it its special business to throw the ægis of its protection over the institution of slavery, let the North understand what is to be the result of the immense sacrifices it is making in maintaining the present war. If, on the other hand, the Government is to sympathize with freedom, doing no more for slavery than a strict construction of the Constitution requires, let the South, including the border, so understand it. To deceive them now is to lay up trouble for the future. To the former policy the North never will submit. Against the latter the South has already protested, and in support of its protest has appealed to the sword. It takes issue distinctly. Let the Government accept it, and meet it fairly and honestly. Then when peace shall come its basis will be under

stood, and there will be ground for hope that it | assure them of an abiding interest in our may be perpetual. prayers.

It is time the policy of the Government was understood. It is useless to disguise the fact that the people of the northern States are becoming seriously dissatisfied with the ambiguous position of the Administration upon this vital question. And is there not reason to fear that there is dissatisfaction elsewhere? We are, at least nominally, a religious people. We believe there is a God, and that he sides with the oppressed. Let us beware lest we be found fighting against him. F. M. OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, October 10, 1861. -Cincinnati Commercial, October 12.

Doc. 80.

5. We recommend that unceasing prayer be made for the President and his advisers, for the Commander-in-Chief, and for all the officers and soldiers of our army and navy, that they may have wisdom, and courage, and strength so to plan and so to fight that the rebellion shall be speedily crushed.

6. We recommend that we forget not to pray for our enemies, that God would open their eyes to see their folly and sin, and bring them to a better mind.

7. And finally, we urge all the members of our churches to sustain with a generous confidence the Government and all who do its biddings, and to cherish such a view of the momentous importance and sacredness of our cause THE ILLINOIS PRESBYTERIANS. that they will bear with cheerfulness all the sacrifices which the war imposes; and whether THE following is the minute adopted at the it be long or short, cheerfully pour out, if needs proceedings of the Illinois Synod of the N. S. be, the last ounce of gold and the last drop of Presbyterian Church, at its meeting in Jackson-blood to bring the contest to a righteous issue. ville, October, 1861:

1. The Synod of Illinois cannot repress the expression of its deep sympathy with our Government in the fearful contest in which it is engaged to put down conspiracy and rebellion, and maintain in their integrity the Constitution and the Union established by our fathers.

2. We acknowledge the hand of God in the Scourge of civil war. We confess that our national forgetfulness of God, our lust of power, and, above all, our complicity in the sin of slavery, and in all those iniquities by which it has been upheld, have merited this our national chastisement and humiliation, and we affectionately enjoin upon all the members of our churches that they give themselves to such confession, repentance, and prayer, as shall contribute to arrest the judgments of God. And especially do we enjoin the most thorough selfexamination in reference to the sin of complicity with that gigantic wrong which is the chief occasion of this Divine chastisement; that if there be among us any who, in their personal, social, or political relations, have failed to clear themselves of all responsibility for this iniquity, they may hasten to repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.

3. We deeply sympathize with the gallant men, our fellow-citizens, and many of them our brethren in Christ, who have taken their lives in their hands and gone forth to do battle for the great principles of civil and religious liberty, of justice and humanity, which the conspirators are seeking to subvert. We commend them to the Lord of Hosts, and pray that he will protect them in the camp and in the field, and make them victorious.

4. We tender to the loyal men in the rebellious States, who still resist the terrorism of the conspirators, and to the kindred and friends of our soldiers, who have laid down their lives in this sacred cause, our warmest sympathies, and

The resolutions were unanimously adopted.

Doc. 81.

SKIRMISHI NEAR UPTON'S HILL, KY.
OCTOBER 12, 1861.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Louisville Journal gives an account of this affair :

CAMP NEVIN, NINE MILES BELOW
ELIZABETHTOwn, Oct. 15.

This camp is named in honor of D. Nevin, Esq., formerly proprietor of the well-known marble shop on Jefferson Street, near Fifth, but now an extensive farmer, and owner of the land on which our tents are pitched. When the troops arrived Mr. Nevin welcomed them most cordially, and informed Gen. Rousseau, who was in command, that any thing and every thing he had was at the service of the army.

Gen. McCook arrived on Sunday, and took command of this division on yesterday (Monday) morning. He is quite a young man, not more than thirty years of age, as I have been informed. In personal appearance he is the very reverse of Gen. Sherman, late head of this division and now head of the department. He is short of stature, fleshy, with a decidedly genial, good-humored face. He graduated at the national military academy, West Point, in 1852.

Last night, about one o'clock, we had another little skirmish. Capt. Vandyke, of the Kentucky cavalry, while out with a scouting party, fell in with a body of rebel horse. Several shots were exchanged, but none were killed or wounded. Just before day this morning a man coming in from the South was shot in endeavoring to pass our pickets. His horse was killed, and the man himself wounded in the hand and wrist.

The health of the army continues excellent. Gen. Rousseau, however, has just come out of a most violent attack of quinsy-so violent, indeed, that at one time his life was in imminent

peril. He is now almost well again. May he | be spared to the army and the country.

Yesterday we received positive intelligence that the rebels had burned Green River bridge. The account was so circumstantial that it seemed there could be no doubt that this long-meditated outrage had at last been perpetrated. But a man arrived this morning, who says he saw the bridge yesterday afternoon, and it was certainly standing then, if any faith is to be put in human vision. It does not seem credible that Buckner should destroy the bridge until the last moment, especially as he can command it with his heavy guns from the southern bluff.

nant, on Tavern Creek, and formed into column in rear of the train. I immediately passed along the line, and requested the officers to keep the men well closed up, and allow none to leave their places, but to keep every thing ready for service at a moment's notice. The reports from my scouts during the night induced me to believe that the enemy might attack us during the day. I also went forward and suggested to the Quartermaster of the Thirteenth that the train be well closed up and kept so; after which nothing of importance occurred, until I arrived at Justice Bennington's, where I learned that Second Lieutenant Laughlin, of rebel Johnson's command, had come in home, and lived one mile north of said Bennington's, and had a lot of McClurg's goods in his house.

I at once detached Captain Crockett and his company, to bring in the Lieutenant and search his place. The Captain had not been gone more than five minutes before I saw a courier coming from the front. I at once called Capt. Crockett back. The courier arrived from Maj. Bow

I am now able to give you a complete account of the skirmish which took place on Saturday between a detachment of the Thirty-ninth Indiana and a squadron of rebel cavalry. The scene of the fight was a log house by the roadside, two miles beyond Upton's, fourteen miles below this camp, and eight miles this side of the rebel camp. A squad of the rebels had come up there to cut off a company which had been recruiting in the neighborhood for Rous-en, stating that he had been attacked, and needseau's brigade, and were to come up here to camp that day. When the Indianians, forty in number, under Captain Herring and Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, reached the place, the rebels were at dinner, the officers in the house and the privates in the bushes beyond. As our men approached, the rebels left the house and their unfinished dinner, and retired behind a hill a short distance below. Captain Herring went forward to see whether they were going to make a stand or continue their flight. Just as he reached the summit of the hill, two men fired at him at a distance of twenty paces. He then returned to his men, and Lieutenant-Colonel Jones ordered forward the detachment to take possession of the house which the rebels had evacuated. This was done, and the firing began, the rebels replying from the cover of the woods which skirted the road. They presently retreated with a loss of five killed and three wounded. None of our party were hurt. The number of rebels engaged was fifty-eight.

P. S. Later intelligence renders it certain that the Green River bridge has been destroyed. It appears that they blew up the abutments and left the central portion of the bridge still lying in its former position, though entirely ruined. Thus the bridge, seen from a distance, would present the same appearance as formerly, and this circumstance deceived the gentleman whose statement I have given in the body of my letter. The ends of the bridge are let down, but its middle is still standing.

ed assistance. I at once ordered Capts. Montgomery and Switzler forward at full speed to the relief of Major Bowen. I ordered the train corralled, and Captain Crockett to remain with his company to guard it until relieved by the infantry. I then despatched a courier to you for men to guard the train and support our cavalry; after which I went forward to the scene of action. I found Major Bowen some two miles forward, and one-half mile south of Mr. Lewis', on the Lebanon road. I immediately had a conference with Major Bowen, and we mutually agreed to the disposition of our forces and plan of attack. The rebels at the time occupied a high ridge immediately in our front, one-half mile south of us. The presumption was that we would have no immediate relief from the infantry in time to secure the rebels, and an immediate attack was resolved on. The disposition was as follows: Capt. Montgomery's company was already on the right, and I ordered Capt. Switzler to join him, flank the enemy, and en gage them at any hazard.

Major Bowen, with two companies of his command, went to the left. I took charge of one company of Major Bowen's cavalry, (at his request,) and took position in the centre, as you found us on arrival. I observed at that time that the enemy were moving to the right. I or dered Capt. Crockett forward to support them, (knowing that they outnumbered us.) I then went to the right myself, found that Captains Switzler and Montgomery had formed a junction, and succeeded in flanking the enemy, and held them at bay. The enemy were commanded by Captains Lorrels, Wright, Thurman, Bell, Fain, and Hawthorn, and were drawn up in line of battle. My two companies threw themselves into line, and were ordered to receive their fire, return it steadily, and then charge with their GENERAL: At seven o'clock A. M., on the sabres, and never allow the enemy time to re13th, my command struck tents at Camp Co-load their pieces, all of which order was carried

Doc. 82.

BATTLE NEAR LEBANON, MO.
REPORT OF MAJOR WRIGHT.
HEAD-QUARTERS CAMP
October 13, 1861.

HEAD-QUARTERS CAMP MCCLUEG,
October 16, 1861.

GENERAL: Enclosed please find Supplemental Report of the action near Henry town on the 13th. The party detailed to scout the battlefield, and see that the dead were all buried, have returned, and report the whole number of the enemy killed sixty-two, instead of twenty-seven, as per my official report; also, the four mortally wounded have since died.

out to the letter, with a coolness and determi- | BURIAL OF THE DEAD.-SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT. nation that evinced true bravery, in both officers and men, and struck terror along the whole line. They could not stand such a charge, so prompt, so uniform, and so determined, that the result was a general rout, and in a short time a running fight commenced, which extended for one mile and a half, with the following result, as near as we could ascertain, without occupying too much time to hunt through the brush. Of the rebels there were twenty-seven killed, four mortally wounded, five severely wounded, three slightly wounded, and thirty-six prisoners. We also got two horses and eightyone guns, most of which, however, were broken around trees on the field; they were mostly old rifles and double-barrelled shot guns. Officers and men all agree that there were many more killed and wounded, but we did not hunt them up. Our loss was one man killed, and two horses slightly wounded.

I cannot call your special attention to every one of the officers or men in those two brave companies. They are each one of them as true as steel; and in this charge, with six to one against them, they exhibited a coolness and de- | termination that those of more experience might proudly imitate. Yet I feel that I would do injustice not to speak of the tenacity with which Capt. Switzler adhered to the order of "charge," and the promptness and the energy of Capt. Montgomery in carrying it out.

I cannot omit naming Lieutenants Montgomery, Paynter, and Stocksdale. Not a nerve quivcred in those brave men; nothing left undone that coolness and energy could do in carrying out orders, encouraging the men, and dealing death-blows to rebels. One incident I must be permitted to mention. Lieutenant Montgomery, after exhausting his revolver and doubling up his sabre in a hand-to-hand fight, so that it was rendered useless, not satisfied with the halfdozen he had already despatched, he charged on yet another, and with one blow of his fist made him bite the dust.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

CLARK WRIGHT,

Major Com. Fremont Battalion Cavalry. To Brig.-Gen. J. B. WYMAN, Com. Brigade.

MISSOURI "DEMOCRAT" ACCOUNT.

ROLLA, Oct. 15, 1861. The ambulances looked for from Springfield, came in to-day, bringing thirty-one of the men wounded in the Wilson Creek fight. Mr. Burns, of Springfield, and two ladies also came along in company with the ambulances.

These people report that a sharp engagement took place Sunday morning between two companies of cavalry, belonging to Major Wright's battalion, attached to Wyman's expedition, and about three hundred mounted rebels, in which sixty of the latter were killed and wounded, and thirty taken prisoners.

The fight occurred on the new road, near the Wet Glaze, some eighteen miles this side of Lebanon. It was one of the most brilliant little exploits of the present campaign. Curious enough, the wounded from Springfield happened to be present, and eye-witnesses of the battle. It is from their point of view that the following account of the affair is given. The ambulances started on their route early Sunday morning, but the occupants had warning of trouble ahead. They were informed that there were about one thousand of the Confederate soldiers hunting up a fight with the Federals, and that the pickets of the former extended some twenty-five miles out. The party had travelled about two miles, when they were met by a party of rebels at a Henry Laughlin, Second Lieutenant, Company point where a ravine crossed the road, and orA, Johnson's regiment; A. H. Elbert, Second dered to halt. "If you move a wheel," roared Sergeant, Company B; J. H. Bond, Fourth Ser-one, "we'll kill the last man of you.” "We'll geant, Company B; J. M. Nichols, Fifth Ser- soon give you another load of wounded to take geant, Company B; W. E. Williams, Fifth Cor-along," shouted a voice. The last remark, as poral, Company D; B. W. Giver, First Sergeant, the result turned out, proved to be more ludiCompany E; J. M. Hunter, Second Sergeant, crous than brutal. Company E; S. D. Keeny, First Corporal; Le Marze, private; J. J. Lane, private, Pulaski County; J. II. B. Clark, private; W. Winningham, private; J. R. Laughlin, private; S. Clark, private; H. M. Dickinson, private.

I append a partial list of the prisoners, with their names, rank, and residence:

All of which is respectfully submitted. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CLARK WRIGHT, Major Com, Fremont Battalion. TO GEN. WYMAN Commanding.

It was observed that mounted men were gathered on the side of a hill beyond the ravine, and to the right of the read, toward the east, from the locality where the Springfield people were detained. The rebel force soon amounted to about three hundred, as near as could be estimated, and they formed in line of battle parallel with and facing the road. In front of this force, and on the opposite side of the road, was a cornfield, on a low bottom. It appeared that they were expecting an attack from this quarter, and all eyes were on the look-out for

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