The Colonel seeing the way the thing was working, at once turned and came back, and ordered the colored infantry to his support, which they did at a double-quick, but, as usual, the rebels failed to appear when met with the same number of men. Colonel R. T. M. Hunter, late United States Senator, now a strong rebel. The mills were filled with Confederate flour; before they were consumed, a liberal portion was delivered to the poor families connected with these extensive estates. The forces then proceeded on to On Friday, the eighteenth, the two companies Lloyd's. Here we received information that of the command were called to take the direct General Wade Hampton was in the rear of Sheriroad in search of the rebel force, and either dan, whose force had just passed on Saturday whip them or compel them to fall back, the Col- through New Town and Hampton, close after onel, during the night, having received word him; also, that the Ninth and Forty-ninth Virthat they had strong reinforcements, and ginia, of his command, had crossed over into were ready to dispute his way to Heath- Richmond county to intercept us, but were too ville. This intelligence was communicated, as late. Soon after, our cavalry pickets who were usual, by the plantation negroes. The Colonel out on the road to New Town, came back and had no earthly wish to go to Heathville, but reported the rebels advancing. We made a still would give the rebels a brush before he short turn (after securing all the stock), and left. The troops advanced on the rebels, who made direct for the cover of the gunboats, the were found posted at the old spot, behind barri- cavalry in the meantime burning all the mills cades and fences. Their forms could plainly be containing Confederate flour, and visiting the seen, and from appearance, they appeared to be extensive lands and mansion of Mr. Hunter. A at least five hundred strong; over two hundred large number of negroes left his plantation and horses could be distinctly counted. The forces followed us to the boats. We got our stock all commanded by the Colonel consisted of one on the transports, and started them again to hundred and forty men in the line of advance- Point Lookout. At Tappahannock we landed, twenty as a reserve, and forty as a support to the and again had a skirmish with the rebels, we cavalry, there being little dependence on the cav-holding possession of the town with the infantry, alry from the former fight the day before, while the cavalry made some large hauls on the although I am satisfied there were some noble rich planters in the immediate vicinity. In the and daring spirits among them. The colored evening, the rebels having driven in our pickinfantry were now deployed to the right through ets, the colored infantry were again called up in a grove, and as they began to advance the rebels battle line. fired several volleys. The infantry again advanced, and opened on them by file. This had its effect, and on the second volley several horsemen were seen to fall, and soon the rebels began to run, and had the charge been made as soon as ordered, their whole force would have been captured. We learned the command consisted of over six hundred men, a portion being the advance of a large force sent by General Wade Hampton, consisting of a portion of the Seventh Virginia cavalry, and the Forty-ninth Virginia infantry, intended for the purpose of capturing this expedition, they having the idea that we would take the direct road to Heathville. The command was then marched back to the boats, and all embarked safely, the rebels, however, appearing on the beach before we left. The Commodore Reed opened her broadside on them, and sent them some grape and shell, which had the effect to make them decamp instantly, and the wharf we had built was destroyed again, and all the boats steamed up the river to Lloyd's landing, on the south side of the Rappanannock river, some thirty miles above the Tappahannock, in Essex county, Virginia. The horses were again landed safely, and we took the direct road to Lloyd's, passing through a fine country, stocked with horses, sheep and cattle, a large number of which we succeeded in capturing. The country was highly cultivated; acres and acres of flowing grain presented itself to the eye. On the road we burned the large and extensive flouring mills of We The cattle, horses, and farming utensils having been all safely deposited on board, the boat started on the down trip, the gunboats giving the rebels at Union wharf a salute. Here we again landed with a few men, and found that the rebels in large force had been there, and were sadly disappointed in not finding us. reached the Point late on Monday night, having been away eight days, capturing on the route two hundred horses and mules, four hundred head of cattle, and fifty sheep, bringing away four hundred contrabands, and farming utensils to a large amount. Taking it in the whole, the raid was one of the most successful of the war, and it is not saying too much when we say that the success of the expedition depended greatly on the sagacity and skill of the acting General commanding. Doc. 89. THE MURDER OF NEGRO TROOPS. OKALONA, MISSISSIPPI, June 14, 1864. There is but one fact significant above all others in connection with the recent victory of General Forrest-it is the first which has been won by the smaller over the larger force, where the inequality in numbers was so great that every participant in the struggle must have been conscious of the relative strength of the combatants. Strategy, Forrest's name, and confidence in their leader, won the day. The Yankees and negroes opposed Forrest in Middle 1 You have heard that our soldiers buried negroes alive at Fort Pillow. This is true. At the first fire after Forrest's men scaled the walls, many of the negroes threw down their arms and fell as if they were dead. They perished in the pretence, and could only be restored at the Tennessee, and came forth simply to slaughter the helpless, to plunder and desolate the country. Forrest's strength in the contest was about three thousand five hundred men. The number of negroes and whites is not accurately ascertained. Prisoners say that their force was twelve or fifteen thousand. Telegraphic des-point of the bayonet. To resuscitate some of patches have given the general result of the battle, but many days must elapse before the details are known. Prisoners are constantly brought in by the country people. Very few negroes it seems have been captured. Perhaps not more than forty or fifty have appeared at headquarters. Most of them fled as soon as it was known that Forrest was on the battle-field. Those that were taken escaped. (?) The soldiers say that they "lost them." You must know that most of Forrest's men are from Western Tennessee. Before the battle fugitives from the counties through which Sturgis and his troops were advancing, came into camp detailing incidents which made men shudder who are accustomed to scenes of violence and bloodshed. I cannot relate the stories of these poor frightened people. Robbery, rapine, and the assassination of men and women, were the least of crimes committed, while the Avengers of Fort Pillow" overran and desolated the country. Rude unlettered men, who had fought at Shiloh, and in many subsequent battles, wept like children when they heard of the enormities to which their mothers, sisters, and wives had been subjected by the negro mercenaries of Sturgis. The mildest, most peaceable of our soldiers became madmen when they heard how the persons of their kinswomen were violated. The negroes were regardless of the age, condition, sex, or entreaties of their victims. In one instance, the grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter, were each, in the same room, held by the drunken brutes, and subjected to outrages by the bare recital of which humanity is appalled. A young wife, enciente, taken to a negro encampment, and, tied to stakes driven in the ground, was made to minister to the hell-born passions of a dozen fiends. Death, in his mercy came to her relief. A little boy, who sought to defend his mother, was brutally bayoneted. When their savage lusts were gratified, the victims here and there were burned in their dwellings. Insanity, in some cases, came to the relief of sufferings such as never before were inflicted upon human creatures by remorseless fiends in human shape. Terror, and the agony of hopeless shame, and famine, and fire, and blood, and the assassination of the helpless and unoffending, marked the progress of the "Avengers of Fort Pillow." It is not strange that negro prisoners were "lost." The whites who led them on and incited them to these damnable deeds, deserve a more terrible punishment. Yet we have sent three thousand of those white men to prison to be exchanged. Simple justice demands their instant execution by the hangman's rope. them, more terrified than the rest, they were rolled into the trenches made as receptacles for the fallen. Vitality was not restored till breathing was obstructed, and then the resurrection began. On these facts is based the pretext for the crimes committed by Sturgis, Grierson, and their followers. You must remember, too, that in the extremity of their terror, or for other reasons, the Yankees and negroes in Fort Pillow neglected to haul down their flag. In truth, relying upon their gunboats, the officers expected to annihilate our forces after we had entered the fortifications. They did not intend to surrender. A terrible retribution, in any event, has befallen the ignorant, deluded Africans.-Atlanta Appeal, July, 1864. Doc. 90. AFFAIRS IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. THE APPROACH OF GENERAL SHERMAN. To the Ladies of St. Philip's Parish : LADIES: It is unnecessary for us to tell you the enemy is at your door. The booming of the cannon announces the stern fact in unmistakable language; yet we may tell you what you seem to have forgotten. This is, that wounded, mangled and dying soldiers, who have given all for the defense of your homes, are daily brought to our city, expecting the relief at your hands that their valor entitles them to receive. They have placed themselves between you and the demons let loose upon our land, contesting inch by inch their advance, giving their life-blood for your protection; dying nobly to save you from pil lage, and all its attendant horrors. Is the language strong? Look at the desolated fields, ruined homes, and insulted women of those sections over which these robbers and plunderers have passed; learn what your own fate will be, should we be defeated. Can you, in this hour of peril, hesitate to come forward and render all the assistance in your power to your brave defenders? Upon the shoulders of a devoted few rests the heavy responsibility of attending to their wants, and we are finding the undertaking more than we can accomplish alone. Ladies, come forward and help us. The ordinary vocations of life must be, for a time, suspended. Our brave soldiers are straining every nerve to win their own and our independence, and so must we bend all our energies to the task of attending those who require it. A few of us have determined to remain in the city as long Our readers have noticed, we presume, the proclamation of the Mayor of Atlanta, summoning the poople to fasting and prayer, in view of the perils which threaten our city. A short time ago the same authority called on all the able-bodied men of the city to rally for its defence. These two proclamations are entirely harmonious. After having employed all the means within our reach to resist the approach of the invader, it is well to remember that our chief dependence is on an Almighty arm. If Providence vouchsafe a blessing upon our armies, the preparations which have been made will be found efficient to hurl back in confusion and disaster the columns which our vaunting foe is pressing upon us. If He-the giver of victories -withhold his blessing, all that has been done, ample, gigantic as we deem it, will prove unavailing. It is eminently proper, in view of this fact, that the people who are more immediately exposed to the present invasion should most earnestly seek the Divine succor. Let to-morrow be emphatically a day of supplication to Almighty God for his favor. Let the merchant close his doors, let the laborer intermit his toil, and let each give himself to this important work. Let old and young, let men, women and children join their hearts and voices at home and in our sanctuaries in importune supplications at the throne of grace for the coveted good. Never could a people have a more powerful incentive to prayer than that which is now Our homes and our altars, in a great measure the safety of the State, and very largely the interest of our entire confederacy, are suspended upon the result of the battle which now seems to be impending. upon us. A decided victory will give new courage to our people, inflict wide-spread demoralization upon the foe, and hasten the day of peace. Self-preservation, patriotism, religion-all summon us to earnest, fervent prayer. The showers of yesterday and last night chilled the tube of our thermometer considerably. There is a pleasant breeze blowing this morning, and the ladies, taking advantage of the pleasant weather, are out shopping on Whitehall street. Bareges seemed to have the call in the matter of dress, though we noticed several pretty muslins and lawns, with now and then a light-colored summer silk, with waist of white jaconet.-Atlanta Register, June 10. Doc. 91. GENERAL HUNTER'S EXPEDITION. GAULEY, WEST VIRGINIA, June 28, 1864. The expedition is over-our work is done-and for the present the command is resting on its arms and trophies. On Friday morning, June cleventh, the consolidated commands of Crook and Sullivan-the latter having the old Sigel division-all under Hunter's control-marched out with flying colors and hopeful spirits from Staunton on the road through Middlebrook to Lexington. Three miles from town the rebels were posted behind rail breastworks, apparently intending to make a serious opposition to our progress. As it was, however, our steady advance rapidly dislodged them, and we drove them before us, scarcely allowing them to halt to fire upon us. Seventeen miles from Staunton they managed to kill two and wound two of our men, when a strong force of cavalry was sent forward to charge and route them, which done, they troubled us no more that day. The force in front of us was ascertained to be merely McCausland's brigade, whose only object seemed to be to delay our advance as much as possible. On the morning of the eleventh, General McCook's division, being in the advance, approached Lexington about eleven o'clock, and a heavy cloud of smoke rising in front of us, revealed the destruction of the bridge leading over the James into the town. On the high banks opposite, with glasses, we could easily perceive rebel sharpshooters. The only ford is about a mile above the site of the bridge, and to this ford the Second brigade is sent, while the Thirty-sixth Ohio is placed on the main road to occupy the rebels there. As the Thirty-sixth drew near the banks, a rebel shell was sent so exactly in range of their position as to wound six and kill one. Captain McMullen was ordered up with one section of artillery, and proceeded at once most effectually to silence the rebels. Some of them were on top of the Virginia Military Institute, but a few shells quickly drove them from their high position, and about two o'clock they, fearing the Second brigade's having crossed the ford, rapidly skedaddled, leaving the town to our quiet occupation. Sunday the Institute buildings and Governor Letcher's house were burned, ten minutes' time being given to remove any property from the latter. In the afternoon a contraband brought in word that seven canal boats were hidden nine miles off, deeply laden with stores, etc. To secure these, Captain Blazer with his scouts was sent out, and, skirmishing the whole route, he found the boats as reported. Burning five of them, he dismounted his men and hauled the remaining two to Lexington. In them were six cannons-two six-pounders, one twelve-pounder and three mountain howitzers-nine thousand rounds of artillery ammunition, a ton and a half of powder, and commissary stores in great variety and abundance. General Duffie rejoined us here, having marched through Waynesboro' on to the Charlotteville and Lynchburg railroad, tearing up a small portion of the latter and capturing a good part of Jackson's wagon trains. Tuesday evening we camped at Buchanan. Averell, coming in before us, captured the Confederate Navy records of 1861 and 1862, together with twelve more canal boats heavily laden with provisions. On the fifteenth, while we were halting at the base of the Peaks of Otter, information was received that Breckinridge with ten thousand men was at Balcony Falls, intending to attack us on our flanks. In a good position for defence, General Crook awaited General Hunter's and the other division. The whole command then being assembled, and no foe appearing, we once more marched forward, stopping for the night at Taney Farm, almost at the base of the Peaks of Otter. Thursday noon we entered Liberty, with bands playing" Hail Columbia," Yankee Doodle," &c. Halting, the whole command proceeded to tear up and demolish the railroad, including a bridge seven hundred feet long. For seven miles the work is maintained, and night closed in upon a scene of smouldering timbers, ties, and hopelessly bent and twisted rails. In Liberty were five or six rebel hospitals, in which were a large number of sick and wounded from Lee's army. We learn here that the rebels are rapidly moving all their stores from Lynchburg to Danville, anticipating the at least possible capture of the former place. on the first charge, the rebels were driven back fully two miles to their line of breastworks, the Ninety-first Ohio gallantly capturing and bringing off the field a rifled gun made in Liverpool, a Blakeley's patent. I heard also that three other guns were captured in this charge, or rather series of charges, but have only been able to verify hearing by sight in the case of this one. During this attack both sides maintained a furious fire of shell, grape and canister, the rebel gunners evidently being skilful hands in the management of their pieces. Our loss was rather large here, especially in the Ninetyfirst and Twelfth, Colonel Turley of the former having his right thigh fractured. By the time our men were safely posted, and rested from their arduous three hours' work, the moon had long been shining, and the thick darkness of the woods in our front, and the unknown character of the ground, forbade any further operations for the night. By this time the three brigades of Crook's division being encamped in line of battle, in the advance, were relieved by the First division, and the men camped and passed the night quietly enough, save occasional shots, as some incautious man of either party exposed himself too openly. Although but two regiments of our command, the Twelfth and Ninety-first Ohio, had been engaged to any great extent, the fighting this first day was remarkable, both for the rapidity of firing, and the steady perseverance of our men. It was confidently believed that had we arrived but a few hours earlier, we would have driven the enemy through Lynchburg that night. As it was we were compelled to halt, and during Early on the morning of the seventeenth, the whole night the locomotive whistle told us having heard from Averell that the enemy were of the rapid arrival of heavy reinforcements, drawn up in good number in front of him at that were greeted with continual cheers of welNew London, we marched Crook's division in come by the foe in our front. Saturday morning advance, by a road not laid down on maps, came bright and clear, and after an early breakalong the north of the railroad, crossing at fast I rode out to a temporary hospital on the James Church. This movement tending to roadside, expecting every minute to hear a rebring us in the rebel rear, caused them to newal of the battle. While talking to the retire toward Lynchburg. Cutting across the wounded, the battery right in front of the hoscountry we endeavored to intercept their re- tal sent a few shells over into the rebel line, that treat, but arrived just too late on the main were immediately replied to, their shells going road. Stopping here for dinner we were within over and around the building, though none about seven miles of the city, on the road to struck it. Save this, no firing of any conseNew London. The pickets of the two parties quence happened during the entire morning, the were so close, that various uncomplimentary re-time being occupied in changing the position of marks were passed quite freely from one to the other. At four o'clock, with the Ninety-first Ohio, Second brigade of Crook's division, in advance, we moved out on the road, and in about two miles the rapid firing in front told us that we were near the enemy's first position. They opened on us with a vigorous cannonade, having evidently obtained the range of all prominent points in our lines by previous practice. The Third brigade being placed on the left of the road, the Second on the right, the order to charge was given. The main opposition was found on our right, the Ninety-first and Twelfth Ohio suffering most severely. The Third brigade having little but skirmishing, as it was, our various brigades, so as best to use them against the enemy's rapidly extending line. All this time a sharp skirmishing fire was kept up in our immediate front and centre, while a louder report, followed by the ominous whistle, told of the rapid flight of shot or shell. The First division occupied the advance line, while General Crook's division was sent off to the right, but returned almost immediately. As the General's practised eye saw that the enemy were massing for an attack on our centre, he advised the Commanding General of the fact, and recalled his division. It arrived not a minute too soon. Having seen the weakening of our centre, and not knowing of the return of the Kanawha division, the rebels came on in perfect confidence of victory. There they come, old veterans of the famous Ewell corps, practised in the hundred battles of the Potomac army, rank after rank. Will our men resist and repel this almost irresistible torrent of steel, lead and iron, rushing on to overwhelm them? We wait but a few minutes. Grape, canister, shell, are hurled on them from our batteries, while regiment after regiment pours in its effective fire at short range. They waver, halt, turn, when, with a cheer, our men are up and after them, driving them clear into and behind their breastworks. These being completely commanded by works in the rear, our men reluctantly retired, bringing with them numerous guns, dropped by the rebels in their hurried flight. In this charge the Fifth Virginia infantry by some misunderstanding got into the front ranks, although they, with the whole Second division, were only used as reserves. As it was, they rushed on with the advance occupying the left, and suffered severely, losing about thirty men. With this charge, repulse and charge, ended the second day's work before Lynchburg. We had tested the enemy's position and numbers, and found both too great for our army, with limited rations, to overcome. Before us was a strongly-fortified town, that if taken by us at all, could only be taken by surprise. In it were troops far surpassing ours in numbers and freshness, fighting behind breastworks. So, quietly, on the night of the eighteenth, the wagon and ambulance trains were started; in the afternoon and about nine o'clock the troops were withdrawn, and our journey home was commenced, General Crook's division bringing up and guarding the rear. at Buford's Gap, General Crook drew up his division in line and awaited their onset. The men were fairly longing for one more chance to punish the wolves hovering in our rear, but they came not, and after waiting a couple of hours, once more we marched on, and once more they followed. All night of the twentieth we marched along the line of the railroad, and every bridge or culvert that was burnable was burned, so that through the whole country for miles shone the light of these traces of our devastating march. As the command was at breakfast on the morning of the twenty-first, in and around Salem, the rebels made a fierce attack on the rear, with both musketry and shells. A brigade being sent back to assist in covering the retreat into the valley at the foot of the Catawba Mountain, the trains were hurried on. For a few moments it was very difficult to decide whether we were not going to have a regular stampede, such a panic seemed to possess the inevitable teamsters. The trains passed on in safety, and were followed by Carlin's and Stone's batteries, that by some strange neglect, were left unguarded by any except the artillerists, they having neither revolvers nor sabres. Passing into a defile, a party of one hundred and fifty to two hundred rebels rushed down on them, drove them off, and proceeded leisurely to chop up the spokes of the wheels and cut the traces, and lead off the horses, and all, too, without firing a single shot. So quietly was it all done, that persons accompanying the line, quietly resting in a wood near by, heard or knew nothing of it, until a score or two of frightened artillerists rushed up to tell of their loss. The remaining command coming up were astonished to find the ruins of two splendid batteries standing in the road a desolate monument to somebody's inexperience and guilt. An effort was made to haul off the pieces in wagons, bnt it was found possible to carry but four; the remaining six, spiked, and with trunnions knocked off, were hidden. The ten carriages and ten caissons were then, by some bril On Saturday evening, Colonel Powell, Second Virginia cavalry, with the First and Second Virginia cavalry regiments and two guns, marched around by the right, to cut the railroad east of Lynchburg, and surprise a fort about two miles from the city. By some oversight, the guide missed the road and led them ten miles out of the way, to Campbell Court-liant orders, fired and left to burn by the house. After a slight skirmish, in which they killed two and captured six, a messenger arrived from Averell, informing the Colonel of our withdrawal, and he was compelled to rejoin the main column without doing much injury to the railroad. Flying rumors, and false rumors, too, passed from one end of our column to the other, as to the number and designs of the enemy following in our rear. The event proved their only object to be to harass, as much as fifteen hundred men could, our army, and pick up stragglers. Early's division could not be spared from Richmond longer than absolutely necessary for Lynchburg's safety, so McCausland followed us with his brigade. It was galling to our brave soldiers to retire thus in the guise of retreat before the men they had so often overcome and routed. To give them a battle, if they really wished it, VOL. XI.-Doc. 34 roadside, over which almost our whole column has still to pass. The result may easily be imagined, and the folly and stupidity of the morning's work culminated in the killing of six men and wounding ten of the Second Virginia cavalry. Our loss, then, by this sole disaster of our retreat, is six cannon, ten carriages, ten caissons, one hundred and twenty horses, six men killed and ten wounded. It is entirely owing to the policy maintained in the First division, of carrying the batteries as trains separated from the column. Unarmed as the men are, we can readily perceive what an easy matter it would be for any enterprising rebel with a small command to dash in and destroy and capture, as was done Tuesday morning. Attempts had been made to induce General Crook to place his batteries in the same position in our columns, but he steadily refused, |