FIGHT AT ORANGE COURT-HOUSE, VA. come but recently from a long and tedious trip,

deserted village, whose inhabitants had suddenly been struck with death.

But the stillness was soon broken by volley after volley poured into our column, and with a yell that sounded above the din, the enemy in solid column dashed upon us. They were bravely met, our gallant fellows returning cheer for cheer; and although one regiment had no carbines, but their sabres and pistols only, they dashed furiously upon the enemy. Fierce, yes, furious, was the fight in those narrow streets, as horse after horse and rider after rider fell to the earth.

Sparta, and within a mile of the river we encountered their pickets. With our advance-guard drove them over the river, and pursued them a quarter of a mile from the bridge. The advance found the rebels too strong, and retired over the bridge. Our men then came up, and we had a skirmish for one hour. Finding the enemy too strong--they numbering seven hundred men and two pieces of artillery-the Colonel thought best to withdraw his men towards the main army, which lay encamped on the river ten miles from where we had the fight. Had they been up with But a few rods apart, the contending forces us, we would have captured the whole party at fired shot after shot. Again the enemy charged Sparta. Our loss is one man missing, one woundupon us, and so rapidly did they pour in their ed slightly, and three horses shot. According to fire that for a moment there was confusion, and the account from the enemy, they had thirty some of the companies fell to the rear. It was killed and ten wounded. We took one prisoner. but for a moment. No sooner had the enemy We came back from the river seven miles, and appeared in the main street of the town than our encamped for the night. On the fifth, took up troops were upon them, driving them back with the march again for Sparta, and when within the sabre. They were hastily retreating, when three miles of the town, received orders from Gen. Capt. Hammond, with his squadron of the New-Nelson to return to McMinnsville, where we arYork cavalry, came furiously charging into the town up the Gordonsville road. Already he had fought the enemy at the dépôt, and again his brave men were upon them. On, too, came Captains Flint and Wells, of Vermont, and the enemy turning, fled in the utmost confusion.

rived on the sixth, at twelve o'clock M., all well. It was one of the hardest marches we ever experienced, as it was night and day, and we had to subsist on corn-fields, our wagons being in the rear of Gen. Nelson's army, which did not keep up with us. I can safely say that for seven days, while on the march, the sleep did not average three hours out of twenty-four. The Seventh has been worked very hard, and men and horses are nearly all used up. I am in hopes they will give the Seventh a respite for a while, and let them recruit up.

Doc. 170.

THE ORDER FOR A DRAFT.

During the fight, which was hand to hand, in a narrow street, several of our men were killed and wounded, and the enemy lost a large number. Twenty dead bodies were counted lying in the streets, and as the rebels fell wounded from their horses, the people rushed from their houses and carried them in. The balls flew everywhere. Our General and his body-guard were with the advance, and as the terrific fire was poured in upon us, and our whole line was checked by the furious charge, you could hear his voice urging his men to be steady, and his repeated orders to them to charge upon the enemy. One of his body-guard was shot through the body, and two of the others had their horses shot under them. So close was the enemy, and so determined was the resistance and the fighting, that instances occurred in which our men were taken prisoners and again recaptured. A sergeant of the body- Second, that if any State shall not by the fif guard had his horse shot and was taken prisoner. teenth of August furnish its quota of the addiHe was recaptured by Captain Hammond in his tional three hundred thousand volunteers authorcharge, and in his turn captured one of the ene-ized by law, the deficiency of volunteers in that my, whom he brought into camp.

'Doc. 169.

THE BATTLE AT SPARTA, TENN.

COLONEL WYNKOOP'S REPORT.

NASHVILLE, TENN., August 11, 1862.

I LEFT McMinnsville with my command on Sunday, August third, for reconnoitring. Leaving the army at McMinnsville, under General Nelson, there were in the command sixty-three men of the Fourth Kentucky and one hundred and seven of the Seventh Indiana. We saw nothing of the rebels on Monday. We crossed the river for

War Department, WASHINGTON, D. C., August 4, 1862. ORDERED: First, that a draft of three hundred thousand militia be immediately called into the service of the United States, to serve for nine months, unless sooner discharged. The Secretary of War will assign the quotas to the States and establish regulations for the draft.

State will also be made up by a special draft from the militia. The Secretary of War will establish regulations for this purpose.

Third, regulations will be prepared by the War Department, and presented to the President, with the object of securing the promotion of officers of the army and volunteers for meritorious and distinguished services, and of preventing the nomination and appointment in the military service of incompetent or unworthy officers.

The regulations will also provide for ridding the service of such incompetent persons as now hold commissions.

By order of the President.

EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.

Doc. 171.
OCCUPATION OF MALVERN HILL, VA.

NEW-YORK “TRIBUNE" ACCOUNT.

CAMP NEAR HARRISON'S LANDING, Wednesday morning, August 6, 1862. HOOKER and Sedgwick repossessed Malvern Hills yesterday morning. They marched circuitously to the right, and approached in the rear of that position, having the enemy between them and the river. He may have been four thousand strong. The ball opened with artillery, both parties throwing spherical case; the enemy throwing more and making better practice than he usually does. His guns were numerous in proportion to his men. The duel began on Nelson's farm. Leaving that position, the enemy fell back two miles, to Malvern, and made a stand. Here the battle raged an hour, the gunboats participating; I do not think they were of any service, however. By an hour, the enemy was becoming silent. Soon after we advanced, not firing again. The bayonet was sufficient. The enemy did not stand an instant, nor fire a shot. He had already withdrawn his guns by the river-road toward Richmond. His cavalry followed them. His infantry scattered into a heavy body of woods, and, taking by-paths and cattle-ways, passed through to that same river-road, and escaped. The Eighth Illinois cavalry charged after, cut down numbers, and captured forty. The woods were too dense for a destructive charge. Becoming hopelessly entangled in the woody meshes, they were compelled to draw rein. So ended the battle.

Our loss will reach forty killed and wounded. Here is a partial list:

RICHMOND "EXAMINER" ACCOUNT.

RICHMOND, August 10.

An officer who participated in the affair at Malvern Hill has furnished us with the following particulars with reference to the occupancy of that point by the enemy, and its subsequent recovery by our forces under General Longstreet:

On Tuesday morning the Eighth Georgia regiment, Capt. Lawson commanding, was moved up from New-Market Heights to relieve the Seventeenth, then on picket on Malvern Hill. On the march they were met by several couriers, stating that the enemy were in large force advancing upon the hill, and in its immediate vicinity. The reports of artillery gave evidence that a brisk engagement was going on. When the Eighth Georgia reached the base of the hill, the announcement was made by several couriers to Captain Lawson that the ammunition of our pieces was exhausted, and that the artillery at the post, and the Seventeenth, were surrounded. Capt. Lawson immediately despatched a courier to the commandant of the Seventeenth, that he had formed his regiment in line of battle at the base of the hill, and would protect their retreat, and to come off at all hazards. With artillery playing upon one flank and a cavalry charge upon the other, they left the hill, and succeeded in making good their retreat, bringing off all their pieces, and only losing one caisson, that was torn to pieces in the fight. Some eight or nine of the Seventeenth had previously been captured while picketing.

Three members of the artillery were killed and If the design was to capture the enemy in a two wounded. Between seventy and eighty of body, it failed. Nevertheless the results are im- the enemy are supposed to have been killed. portant. We again threaten Richmond. We About one mile from the base of the hill the captured fifty, perhaps, of those lurking within Eighth Georgia was overtaken by the enemy's our lines; we hunted out of the woods five times cavalry and artillery. So soon as it was discovthat number; killed and wounded sixty that are ered, the regiment was drawn up in line of battle, in our hands, and doubtless have given the ene- which checked the advance of the foe. The regimy a good scare. He probably was astounded ment then moved back into a corn-field, and, unat such audacity in this army. der cover of the corn and intervening hills, the retreat was effected with the loss of one man of the regiment, who was captured. The regiment continued to fall back till it came within a short distance of New-Market Heights. About three o'clock the same regiment received orders to advance again through a thick woods on the left of the river-road, with a view to feel the enemy. They advanced about two miles, when their skirmishers were fired upon by the enemy, simultaneously with a charge of the enemy's cavalry upon our cavalry. Our cavalry fell back, but the regiment continued to respond to the fire of the enemy for some ten minutes, when the firing ceased. Falling back, the cavalry and infantry took position at an eligible position about four hundred yards in rear of the woods. The enemy made no further demonstration on that day, having full possession of the hill.

Killed-Ed. F. Jones, company G, Eleventh Massachusetts; John Nolan, company G, Eleventh Massachusetts; John Dugan, Eighth Illinois cavalry; Sergeant O. J. Morse, Eighth Illinois cavalry.

Wounded-Lieut.-Col. Gamble, Eighth Illinois cavalry, severely; Capt. Benson, of Benson's regular battery, severely; W. E. Jeffrey, company G, Eleventh Massachusetts, thigh; Sergeant Wm. P. Price, Eleventh Massachusetts, arm; Marcus M. Holmes, Eleventh Massachusetts, ankle; John Towle, Eleventh Massachusetts, slightly; Jas. H. Sutcliffe, Eleventh Massachusetts, slightly.

The casualties in the Eleventh Massachusetts were all by a single shell. Besides the above, the Sixteenth Massachusetts lost seven or eight, and the Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania as many.

We picketed last night nearly or quite to White
Oak Swamps, and some distance up the river.
The men are immensely elated at regaining old
battle-fields.
C. A. P.

On Wednesday morning, at daylight, the corps of Gen. Longstreet was moved forward, and encamped that night within half a mile of the hill, the day having been spent in reconnoitring. On Thursday, about twelve o'clock, the corps ad

vanced and took possession of the hill without by Capt. Hunter Brooke of his staff, and Major firing a gun, the enemy having evacuated the night before, about twelve o'clock. The number of the enemy was estimated at from fifteen to thirty thousand. Several prisoners were taken, among them two sentinels, who were on the top of the house on the summit of the hill. Considerable supplies of coffee, meat, crackers, etc., were left by the enemy, indicating that they had evacuated under evident alarm.

There are good reasons for supposing that the attack was planned solely for Gen. McCook's capMajor George E. Flynt, A.A. G., Chief of Staff sassination, many of the soldiers of the brigade ture or murder. Infuriated by this cowardly asSIR: It becomes my melancholy duty to report spread themselves over the country before any that, while a portion of the Third brigade, composing the Ninth Ohio volunteers, the Second Min-measures could be taken to check them, and burned nearly all the property of rebels in the nesota volunteers, and the Thirty-fifth Ohio volunteers, under the command of Brig.-Gen. Robert vicinity, and shot a rebel lieutenant who was on L. McCook, were on their march from Athens, furlough and supposed to be connected with the Ala., to this point, at a point near the southern line of Tennessee, Gen. McCook, who was sick, and riding in an open carriage upon his bed, about three miles in advance of the troops, accompanied]

Doc. 173.

BATTLE OF TAZEWELL, TENN.

GENERAL MORGAN'S DESPATCH.

AUGUST 9, 1862.

To His Excellency Andrew Johnson:
GOVERNOR: On the fifth and sixth instant, De
Courcey's brigade, with the Fourteenth Kentucky,
had a series of brilliant affairs with Stevenson's
division in entire force. The enemy outnumbered
DeCourcey four to one.

The enemy lost two hundred and twenty-five, and Lieut.-Colonel Gordon, of the Eleventh Tennessee, was taken prisoner. We captured two hundred wagon-loads of forage, twelve hundred pounds of tobacco, and thirty horses and mules. We lost three killed, fifteen wounded, and fifty prisoners. Two companies of the Sixteenth Ohio were surrounded by the rebel regiments, but two thirds of them cut their way through.

John Morgan, at the head of two thousand cavalry, left Knoxville for Kingston about the second instant. It is rumored that Kentucky is to be GEO. W. MORGAN, Brigadier-General.

invaded.

LOUISVILLE "JOURNAL" ACCOUNT.

LOUISVILLE, August 16.

a terrible fire upon them, which checked their advance and threw them into disorder. In the mean time, Foster's entire battery of six guns had been placed in position on an eminence in the rear, and opened fire, which turned the rebel disorder into a rout, and no more was seen of them. Rebel officers who came in under a flag of truce, acknowledged a loss of from two hundred to two hundred and fifty, and the Knoxville Register, a copy of which Captain Ferry had read, published the names of one hundred and nine killed.

We lost but three killed; among them, we regret to say, was Captain Edgar, of the Sixteenth Ohio, who was on picket-duty with his company in advance of the Fourteenth Kentucky. He was a brave man, and one of the most accomplished drill officers in the service. His death was instantaneous, having been shot through the head. Col. Cochran had fifteen wounded in his regiment, and our total wounded was twenty-three. We lost fifty-seven men of Edgar's and Tannehill's companies of the Sixteenth Ohio, who were cut off before they could fall back from picket-duty, on the main body.

Lieut.-Col. Gordon, of the Eleventh rebel Tennessee regiment, was taken prisoner by two men of the Sixteenth Ohio, and though their company was completely surrounded, they dexterously managed to bring him in to Colonel De Courcey. We have had the pleasure of an interview with The rebels offered to exchange all the prisoners Capt. J. H. Ferry, Quartermaster of General Mor- taken by them for their lieutenant-colonel, but gan's division, who left the Gap at noon on Tues- the arrangements had not been completed when day last, the twelfth instant, and he gives a full | Captain Ferry left the Gap. Gen. Morgan issued and explicit denial to the rebel reports of our re-orders complimenting Cols. Cochran and De Courverses in that vicinity. Since the fight at Wallace's Cross-Roads, in the middle of July, there has been no regular engagement near the Gap until last Saturday, when Col. De Courcey went out on a foraging party with his whole brigade, consisting of the Sixteenth and Forty-second Ohio and Twenty-second Kentucky, Col. Lindsey, and the Fourteenth Kentucky, Col. Cochran, of Gen. Baird's division.

Col. Cochran was in advance with his regiment, about a mile and a half beyond Tazewell, on picketduty, when he was attacked by four rebel regiments under Col. Rains, comprising the Eleventh and Forty-second Tennessee, Thirtieth Alabama, and Twenty-first Georgia. Col. Cochran immediately formed his command on each side of the road, each flank supported by a piece of artillery from Foster's Wisconsin battery, under command of Lieut. John D. Anderson. The rebels advanced upon the Fourteenth Kentucky in extended line, and their flanking regiments thrown forward, with the evident intention of surrounding and cutting off the whole regiment and artillery. Col. Cochran, seeing this, retired his regiment in perfect order, as soon as the artillery had placed itself in his rear, and took position where the movement could not be repeated against him.

The rebels then changed their plan of attack, and charged by column of regiments, until when within two hundred and fifty yards, Col. Cochran, who had stood without discharging a gun, poured

cey and their men for their bravery, but it is universally conceded that to Col. Cochran belongs all the credit of the splendid repulse of the four rebel regiments.

ATLANTA "CONFEDERACY

ACCOUNT.

MORRISTOWN, August 8. The enemy has been met and defeated-in fact, routed; but it has not been as extensive an engagement as at first supposed; neither has there been the cutting to pieces of this regiment and that battalion, as stated. The fight was a gallant one while it lasted, which, according to the general's despatch, was about four hours. The enemy were getting bold in the vicinity of our forces, and was gradually extending his lines and committing depredations upon the property of private citizens; so Gen. Smith ordered an attack, to put a check upon his movements. The skirmish of Colonel Ashby's cavalry, some days ago, was the forerunner of a movement on him, and shout after shout went up from the ranks of men almost disheartened that our government would not let them have a brush. As I learned, the Third Georgia and Fourth Tennessee were in advance, and waded Clinch River, which, being swollen a little, came up to their arm-pits.

It is impossible to draw the Yankees in a fair, open field fight, but they are always found in strong position, as in this instance. Two miles from and overlooking Tazewell, is a ridge called