ing it, and its transportation costs no more. And our Government should have it to feed the soldiers; and their poor families at home should have it at a more reasonable rate; and those engaged in the sale of it should have that much patriotism in them. If they have it not, the law should furnish them with it. Country jeans could be had for fifty cents per yard before the war, now it is from one dollar twenty-five to one dollar fifty. The labor of making it and the material out of which it is made cost no more now than then; and the soldier should have it to clothe him while be fights for us at more reasonable rates. Patriotism demands this much at the hands of those who deal in such articles. It may be difficult to frame a law to meet the exigencies of this case; but the necessity is great, and we are in favor of the Legislature making the attempt. Coffee is selling from fifty to sixty cents per pound; but we say let it sell for whatever people are willing to give for it. It is not an article of prime necessity. It is a luxury; and let those who indulge in it get it as cheap as they can. Fine dress goods are luxuries, not necessities; let those who wear them pay what dealers see fit to ask. We would make no restrictions on any such articles as these. But during the war, when our national existence, our greatest interests, and personal honor are at stake, we would put a check upon the disposition to speculate upon such articles as the Government and the soldier must have or perish. men in East Tennessee, Captain Miller picked up a party of twenty-two young men, accompanied by Mr. J. R. Howard as a volunteer, and started from Bristol by the railroad at six o'clock. They sent lanterns ahead of the train and found the track torn up between Wautanga and the Union Station Bridge; but the damage was soon repaired, and they passed over safely. Arriving at Carter's Station, they stopped and threw out pickets, and about midnight the litthe scouting party, under Captain Miller, started to explore the country. They had proceeded some three and a half miles through Carter County, Tennessee, when they were met by a pretty heavy fire from rifles and shot-guns, which was promptly returned, and the skirmish was kept up with spirit for half a hour. The Lincolnites were some three hundred strong, and constituted the advance of a body of eight hundred stationed at Elizabethtown, the mountain stronghold of the traitors. We may state here that these men, as has been since ascertained from prisoners, expected a reinforcement of five hundred men from Wautarga County, North Carolina, a disaffected region adjoining Johnson County, Tennessee. In the fight the enemy were driven out of the woods, nine killed and five taken prisoners. The remainder retreated, and our scouts returned toward their camp. Captain Miller received a charge of buckshot through his coat, and two of his men were slightly wounded in the feet. The prisoners were taken to the cavalry camp at Carter's Station. LYNCHBURG " VIRGINIAN" ACCOUNT. And now, in conclusion, we deprecate the spirit manifested by some in relation to this matter. Our neighbor, the Intelligencer, a few We are indebted to Captain H. H. Miller, of days ago, indulged in what we consider intem- the Twelfth Mississippi regiment, for the fol perate strictures, which, if heeded, would ex-lowing particulars of an engagement between cite the people to deeds worse than those com- twenty-two Virginians, under his command, plained of. Such subjects should not be dealt and three hundred of the enemy, supposed to rashly with, and the rights and equity of deal- be under the command of Taylor, a forers should not be run over rough-shod by a mer member of Congress from Tennessee, which mob, or an enraged populace, so long as any occurred at Taylor's Ford, on the Wautauga thing else will avail. We are in favor of abid- River, about two o'clock Sunday morning. ing by law and recognizing every man's legal rights as long as they exist. These times, however, have imposed upon us obligations toward each other, and toward the Confederate Government, which our present laws do not exact. We are in favor of having the authorities take this matter in hand, and deal with it so as to respect the rights of dealers, while justice is secured to those who are needy. There is a line of demarkation-a golden mean-that should be carefully observed in this matter. Captain Miller arrived at Bristol on Saturday last, en route to Mississippi, when intelligence reached there of the depredations that were being committed by the Union men in East Tennessee. He was requested by General Clark, who was in command, to make a reconnoissance with twenty-two Virginians who had volunteered their services, and ascertain the position and numbers of the enemy on Wautanga River. Captain Miller with his force arrived at Taylor's Ford, and had nearly succeeded in crossing the river, when they discovered the enemy on the opposite side in large numbers. A fght ensued, when our force got within thirty yards of the enemy. Captain Miller ordered his men to return to the shore and attack the enemy from that position. Our men were so enthu siastic that it required his utmost exertions to restrain them from crossing the river and IN consequence of private intelligence re- making a charge upon the enemy. We susceived at Bristol of the doings of the Uniontained no loss. Captain Miller received a slight Doc. 146. FIGHT ON THE WAUTAUGA RIVER, RICHMOND, VA., Nov. 11. wound in the hand and one in the back, the | ball glancing from his sword belt. One or two others were slightly wounded. The enemy's loss, as reported by two prisoners captured Monday, was nine killed and seven wounded, and their force is said to have been about seven hundred. The people are gathering in large numbers, arined with every available weapon, and express great determination to resist any invasion. Doc. 147. DRAWING LOTS AT RICHMOND, VA. THE HOSTAGES FOR THE PRIVATEERSMEN. THE following is the official correspondence relating to the selection, by lot, of hostages for the prisoners of war: C. 8. A. WAR DEPARTMENT, RICHMOND, Nov. 9, 1861. SIR: You are hereby instructed to choose, by lot, from among the prisoners of war of highest rank, one who is to be confined in a cell appropriated to convicted felons, and who is to be treated in all respects as if such convict, and to be held for execution in the same manner as may be adopted by the enemy for the execution of the prisoner of war Smith, recently condemned to death in Philadelphia. You will also select thirteen other prisoners of war, the highest in rank of those captured by our forces, to be confined in the cells reserved for prisoners accused of infamous crimes, and will treat them as such so long as the enemy shall continue so to treat the like number of prisoners of war captured by them at sea, and now held for trial in New York as pirates. As these measures are intended to repress the infamous attempt now made by the enemy to commit judicial murder on prisoners of war, you will execute them strictly, as the mode best calculated to prevent the commission of so heinous a crime. Your obedient servant, J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War. To Brig.-Gen. JoпN H. WINDER, HEAD QUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF HENRICO, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, Nov. 11, 1861. SIR: In obedience to your instructions contained in your letter of the 9th instant, one prisoner of war of the highest rank in our possession was chosen, by lot, to be held for execution in the same manner as may be adopted by the enemy for the execution of Smith, recently condemned to death in Philadelphia. The names of the six colonels were placed in a can. The first name drawn was that of Col. Corcoran, Sixty-ninth regiment N. Y. S. M., who is the hostage chosen to answer for Smith. In choosing the thirteen from the highest rank to be held for a like number of prisoners of war captured by the enemy at sea, there VOL. III.-Doc. 31 HEAD-QUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF HENRICO, RICHMOND, VA., November 12, 1861. SIR: In obedience to your instructions, all the wounded officers have been exempted as hostages, to await the result of the trial of prisoners captured by the enemy at sea. I have therefore made selections, by lot, of Captains H. Bowman and T. Keffer to replace Captains Ricketts and McQuade, wounded. The list of thirteen will now stand: Colonels Lee, Cogswell, Wilcox, Woodruff, and Wood; Lieutenant-Colonels Bowman and Neff; Majors Potter, Revere, and Vogdes; Captains Rockwood, Bowman and Keffer. Respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN H. WInder, Brigadier-General. Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Sec. of War, Richmond. HOW THE BALLOTS WERE DRAWN. RICHMOND PRISON, VA, Nov. 11, 1861. SIR: This lets you know that I am in as good health and spirits as could be expected under confinement so long. It is now sixteen weeks since I was taken, with many more, on the battle-field at Bull Run, and since that many more have been taken and brought here. They number in all, who have been brought to Richmond, as many as two thousand six to seven hundred. Some arrived as late as last nighta few from Fairfax and Leesburg; and before, over 700 from the Leesburg battle of the 21st of October, and on the north side of the Potomac, which no doubt you have got the news of. I think that through and by the same flag of truce that this comes, other versions and the details of the battle will be sent by officers in full knowledge of the facts, from the spot, which of course you will become acquainted with. There is one thing I wish to let you know, which is this: the General in charge of this post, Richmond, Brigadier-General Winder, with five or six other officers, came into prison yesterday at four o'clock P. M., called us officers to order, and stated that he had an order from the War Department to ballot one out of the highest rank of the six colonels now prisoners of war in their possession, and the one balloted and drawn to be placed in a cell in prison, similar to that in which the condemned 3. Col. Corcoran, Sixty-ninth New York State Militia. 4. Col. Woodruff, Second Kentucky regiment. 5. Col. Wilcox, First Michigan regiment. 6. Col. Wood, Fourteenth New York State Militia, Brooklyn. They were placed fairly in a tin or ballot box, a cap covering it, and then well shaken. The drawer appointed by the General was the Hon. Alfred Ely, M. C., of Rochester, N. Y. It so happened that the said lot fell on Michael Corcoran, colonel of the Sixty-ninth regiment New York State Militia, now at Castle Pinckney, near Charleston, S. C. Then the other five colonels were to stand with others next in rank to them against and in lieu of the other thirteen under trial for piracy, and also to be dealt with accordingly. The officers next in rank, to make up the thirteen, are: Major Potter, Thirty-eighth regiment N. Y. Volunteers. Lieut.-Col. Neff, Second Kentucky Volun teers. Major Revere, Tenth regiment Mass. Volun teers. Lieut.-Col. Bowman, Pennsylvania. Then out from among the captains were drawn three to make up the thirteen, the drawing done by Mr. Ely. It happened that the first three drawn from the box were these: 1. Capt. McQuade, Thirty-eighth regiment, N. Y.-not expected to survive from wounds received at the battle of Manassas. 2. Capt. Rockwood, Fifteenth Mass. 3. Capt. Ricketts, U. S. First Artillery; he still lies in a critical condition since the 2d July in one of the hospitals here. His wife has been his attendant ever since she could get to him. It was emphatically stated that whatever course was taken with those fourteen pirates by our Government, the same course would be followed in dealing with those selected in this way so that we wait impatiently to know the fate of our brother officers. I remain yours, most respectfully, JOHN WHYTE, 1 First Lieut. Seventy-Ninth Regt. N. Y. S. M. P. S.-10 A. M. Nov. 12.-Gen. Winder has just come to the prison and called the captains, eleven in number, and balloted two out from them in place of the two whom I have mentioned as not fit to be removed from the hospital to the prison cells. The two drawn happened to be: 1. Capt. Keffer, Co. N, First California regt., Philadelphia. 2. Capt. Bowman, Co. E, Fifteenth regt. Mass. Vol. Preparations are being made to put the selected in the cells of the county prisons. We trust there will be no hanging, and we are all in pretty good spirits. Doo. 148. AFFAIR AT CLARK'S STATION, MO. CAMP OF THE FIRST KANSAS, TIPTON, MO., November 11. LAST night a band of rebels, armed and mounted, broke open and plundered the store of a loyal citizen, at Clark's Station, seven miles east of this post. They fled toward the South, taking with them a large amount of valuable goods. On receiving information of the robbery, Col. Deitzler sent a squad of cavalry in pursuit, under charge of Lieut. Shriver. Toward night, ten of the party returned, bringing three prisoners, four horses, one mule, six guns, a portion of the stolen goods, and some money. On emerging from a piece of timber they came upon the robber gang, some ten miles out, at a Four of the house where they had halted. rebels were caught trying to beat a retreat, leaving the plunder scattered about the place. The rest of the herd, numbering twelve or fifteen, scampered off with forty of our party in hot pursuit. One of the prisoners, persuaded by the sight of a rope and some remarks from the Lieut.-the nature and force of which will be conceived by those who know this plucky officer-made a clean breast of it, giving information of a large portion of the booty stored in the house of an accomplice eight miles beyond, and consented to act as a guide to the place. This evening the rest of the party came in with five more of the robbers, their horses and their arms, four Government mules found in their possession, and a large quantity of the plunder, having travelled about thirty miles, and visited many houses scattered over the country through which they passed, in which nearly all the inhabitants are virulent secessionists. They captured all of the gang engaged in the depredation of whom they got sight, except one who, being well mounted, made his escape. Doo. 149. FIGHT AT GAULEY BRIDGE, VA. Ar daylight on the morning of the 10th November, Col. De Villiers crossed the New River, with the first detachment from his regi ment, the Eleventh Ohio. The river was swollen and rapid, but in spite of the difficulties which it presented, the colonel had passed over before noon, nearly the whole available force | his order, "Advance one, and give the coununder his command. At 12 o'clock he drove tersign," they hesitated. He repeated the order in the enemy's pickets, planted our flag in their peremptorily, "Advance and give the counterbreast works, and posted guards all along the sign, or I'll blow you through." They answered, ridge overlooking our communications. In without advancing, "Mississippi." "Where driving in the pickets, John Roe, private of do you belong?" he demanded. "To the SecCompany A, pressed forward far in advance of ond Virginia regiment.' "Where are you his companions, and received a ball from a Mis- going?" "Along the ridge." They then in sissippi rifle through his head, killing him turn questioned him, "Who are you?" "That's instantly. It required a long, extended line my own business," he answered, and taking of sentinels to guard the ridge of its whole deliberate aim he shot down his questioner. He length; consequently the posts in each were called for his boys to follow him, and sprung weak and widely separated from their reserve. down a ledge of rock, while a full volley went At eight o'clock in the evening the enemy in over his head. He heard his companions sumfull force made an attack upon these outposts, moned to surrender, and the order given to the driving some of them back over the ridge, while major to advance with the regiment. Several others held their position until the morning. started in pursuit of him. He had to descend Satisfied with this dash, and not waiting the the hill on the side toward the enemy's camp. advance of our reserve, the enemy withdrew to While he eluded his pursuers, he found himself their camp. In the morning, Col. De Villiers, in a new danger. He had gotten within the with a part of his regiment and a detachment enemy's camp pickets! He had, while running, from the Second Kentucky, made a bold move- torn the U. S. from his cartridge box, and ment toward the enemy's camp, exchanging fire covered his belt plate with his cap box, and tore with their outposts and still advancing. A ball the stripe from his pantaloons. He was chalgrazed the colonel's ear, slightly abrading the lenged by their sentinels while making his way skin. The enemy withdrew at his approach,aban-out, and answered, giving the countersign, doning their principal encampment at Cotton Hill. Thus the first aggressive movement was successfully made by the Eleventh Ohio regiment, supported in the latter part of the engagement by reinforcements from the other two regiments of Gen. Cox's brigade, the First and Second Kentucky. General Cox took the initiative and fairly and alone drove the enemy from their position, by a bold movement across the river at its widest point, and up precipitous ascents which would have discouraged any less enthusiastic soldiers than those under his command, and these, too, stimulated to heroism by the example and presence of Col. De Villiers. The Eleventh lost eight men in killed and missing, one severely wounded, and ten slightly injured. Robert Bachelor, of Yellow Springs, received two mortal wounds while holding his position against overwhelming odds. Before going into action he said that he had heard so much of the cruelties practised by the enemy upon their prisoners, that he was determined he would never surrender. There were many instances of personal bravery displayed by our men. One deserves prominent record. Sergeant Carter, of Tippecanoe, Ohio, was upon the post first attacked by the enemy. The advance guard of the Second Virginia, consisting of twelve men, came suddenly upon him and his three companions. The bright moonlight revealed the flashing bayonets of the advancing regiment. He was surrounded and separated from his reserve. With great presence of mind he stepped out and challenged, "Halt! Who goes there?" The advance guard, supposing they had come upon a scouting party of their own men, answered, "Friends, with the countersign." At "Mississippi," Second Virginia regiment. They He Colonel Benham is preparing to-day to move in pursuit of the retreating force under Floyd. D. B. -Cincinnati Commercial ANOTHER ACCOUNT. In my last letter I informed you of an early preparation for a general battle, but up to this time nothing of the sort has transpired, although we are momentarily expecting it; and will surely have it, if some unforeseen event does not transpire. If such a thing as a battle takes place, it will be one of extermination on either side. For it will be the great battle for supremacy in the Kanawha Valley. The strength of the Southern forces is variously estimated at from seven to eight thousand, not including cavalry and artillery. Our forces must be at least thirteen thousand. The Southern forces are commanded by Generals Floyd and Henningsen, and are now situated between Cotton Mountain and Fayetteville. General Benham's brigade, some three thousand five hundred strong, are at this point, Gen. Schenck's is at Camp Ewing, near Mountain Cave; Col. McCook's brigade a few miles from them; Gen. Cox is at Gauley, and Gen. Rosecrans at Tompkins' farm. The men are all in good spirits, and anxiously awaiting the coming contest. The truth of the matter is, they are willing to meet double their number, so as to get out of Western Virginia; and if they are foiled in this attempt to capture Floyd, they will feel worse than crazy. They are all now well uniformed, and have plenty to eat. They are neat, clean, and tidy. I don't suppose that a single man is now unequipped in the whole division. Since writing the above, I have learned that the rebels have vamosed from the Fayetteville road, and are now making tall tracks for Lewisburg. Floyd was too "wide awake" to put his head into the trap laid for him. Several of our officers are terribly exasperated at being thus deprived of capturing the arch-thief; and among them all, I saw none more excited than the brave Gen. Benham. He felt almost confident that his brigade alone would be able for Floyd, and to be thus deprived of seeing him excited him considerably. It was surprising to me to see how expeditiously he marched his whole brigade across the Kanawha at night. Not a murmur escaped the lips of a single man -not a sound hardly was heard-all was done in a quiet, easy, and knowing manner. The men have the greatest confidence in him. He is an old soldier, having served twenty-eight years in the regular army; was second in his class, and is now about forty-five years of age. -Cincinnati Times, November 13. Doc. 150. MASSACRE AT GUYANDOTTE, VA. ADJUTANT WHEELER'S REPORT. THE undersigned, acting as Adjutant of the Ninth Virginia regiment, would beg leave respectfully to report, that, on Sunday evening, the 10th Nov., a little after seven o'clock, the said regiment, consisting of only one hundred and fifty men yet in camp, was completely surprised by seven hundred cavalry, under command of Jenkins, the guerilla chief, and cut to pieces or captured, with the loss also of about thirty horses, a small stock of Government stores, and two hundred Enfield rifles. The dead and wounded on either side could not be clearly ascertained, but supposed to be ten or twelve killed, and twenty or thirty wounded. The enemy captured seventy prisoners, and their loss in killed and wounded was equal to, if not greater than ours. They left one of their captains dead in the street. His name was Hubbell, or a name similar in sound. Three other bodies of the enemy were found in the street, and they were seen to throw several from the suspension bridge into the Guyandotte, killed by our men while they were crossing the bridge, besides a wagon load was hauled off in the night. Three of our dead were found-one was known to be shot one mile above town, on the bank of the Ohio River, and four in crossing the Guyandotte River. Several others are missing, and are supposed to be killed. Among the number is Capt. G. W. Bailey, of Portsmouth, who commanded a company in the railroad masked battery affair at Vienna, and also at Bull Run. Among these taken prisoners, are the Hon. K. V. Whaley, who was in command of the place; T. J. Heyslip, Clerk in the Quartermaster's Department; Capt. Paine, of Ohio, who was one of the first three to plant the Stars and Stripes on the walls of Monterey, in Mexico; and Capt. Ross, of Ironton, an intelligent Scotchman. Captain Thomas, of Higginsport, Ohio, is supposed to be taken; and also Dr. Morris, of Ironton, the first Surgeon. The rebels also arrested and took with them the following Union citizens, after having first taken and destroyed their goods: Wm. Dowthit, merchant, and his son; Dr. Rouse, druggist, who was also a Commissioner of the Federal Court; Albert White, and perhaps some others. At Barboursville they captured John W. Alford, candidate for the Legislature; Matthew Thompson and all his goods; old Mr. Kyle and Morey. These prisoners were lashed together and compelled to walk. Among their other cruelties, I will mention one incident: James E. Wood, a citizen of the place for many years, but now in the army, had his hand shot off. He was then run over by the cavalry and his hips put out of place, but he managed to get to the middle of the suspension bridge, jumped off and swam to the opposite shore of the Guy andotte, where he was taken and his hands tied behind him and refused any thing to eat, until & secession woman almost compelled them to allow her tominister to his wants; and when they marched off, he was compelled to march afoot in his disabled condition. The attack was so sudden and unexpected, that not more than forty of our men got into |