This was in despite of the fact that they were found in our lines, in our uniform, and bearing forged papers, purporting to be signed by Assistant Adjutant-General E. D. Townsend and Major-General Rosecrans. They did not explain upon what grounds they made the plea of not being spies under these circumstances. It is to be regretted that they did not, as it might have explained their reasons for coming into our lines. No such unimportant matter as a proposed attack on Franklin could have induced two officers of their rank and character to undertake so hazardous an enterprise. your despatch came, they owned up as being a the term. rebel Colonel and Lieutenant in the rebel army. Colonel Auton by name, but in fact Williams, was once on General Scott's staff, and belonged to the Second cavalry of the regular army. Their ruse was nearly successful on me, as I did not know the handwriting, of any commanding officer. I am much indebted to Colonel Watkins, Sixth Kentucky cavalry, for their detection, and to Lieutenant Wharton, of General Granger's staff, for the detection of the forgery of the papers. As these men don't deny their guilt, what shall I do with them? I communicate with you because I can get an answer sooner Upon finding themselves about to be executed, than by signal, but I will keep General Granger Williams or Auton made the following request, posted. I will telegraph you in a short time, as which was transmitted by telegraph to General we are trying to find out, and believe there is an Rosecrans: attack contemplated in the morning. If Watkins can get any thing out of Auton I will let you know. I am, General, your obedient serv-Will you have any clemency for the son of ant, Captain Williams, who fell at Monterey, Mexico? As my dying speech, I protest our innocence as spies." (What follows is rather inexplicable. The document appears to be signed "Lawrence W. Auton, formerly L. Auton Williams.")* Williams then adds: "I send this as a dying request." Colonel Baird concludes the despatch: J. P. BAIRD, Colonel Commanding. Upon the receipt of this, General Garfield sent an order to Colonel Baird to take the confessions of the two men in writing and then to hang them forthwith. No. 6.-FRANKLIN, June 9, 3.25 A.M. To General Garfield, Chief of Staff: Colonel Watkins says that Colonel Williams is a first cousin of General Robert Lee, and he has been Chief of Artillery on Bragg's staff. We are consulting. Must I hang him? If you can direct me to send him to be hung somewhere else I would like it; but if not, or I do not hear from you, they will be executed. This despatch is written at the request of Colonel Watkins, who detained the prisoners. We are prepared for a fight. J. P. BAIRD, 'Colonel Commanding. The confession of the men having placed their guilt beyond doubt, this delay appears to have somewhat fretted General Rosecrans, who appears, from the date of his next despatch, to be losing sleep over the matter. General Garfield having also retired, the next despatch is signed No. 8-FRANKLIN, June 9, 1863. To Brigadier-General Garfield: The men are condemned and we are preparing for their execution. They prefer to be shot. If you can answer before I get ready, do. J. P. BAIRD, Colonel Commanding Post. No. 9.-FRANKLIN, June 9, 10.30 A.M. To General Garfield, Chief of Staff: Doc. 62. J. P. BAIRD, Colonel Commanding Post. THE DOINGS OF THE FIRST MARYLAND CAVALRY. by Major Bond, the senior Aid-de-Camp of Gen- fic and desperate cavalry fight that ever occurred eral Rosecrans, a most discreet and careful gentleman. The despatch is as follows, and is an on this continent a fight which commenced at, important one in the official history of this most sunrise and closed at the setting of the same. important case. Does it not sound like the style. We had learned that Stuart, with a heavy force of one Israel Putnam? It is certainly positive enough, even for Colonel Baird, who had no disposition to do the hanging: No. 7.-HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Colonel J. P. Baird, Franklin: The General Commanding directs that the two spies, if found guilty, be hung at once; thus placing it beyond the possibility of Forrest's profiting by the information they have gained.. FRANK S. BOND, Major and A. D. C. Upon being informed that they were to be hung, the two men protested against it, asserting that they were not spies in the ordinary sense of of cavalry and artillery, was encamped at Brandy Station. It was determined to give him fight for two reasons: to find out the whereabouts of the enemy, and to disturb his plan of a contemplated raid into Pennsylvania. Our success was com+ * TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW-YORK HERALD.. Tuesday, June 16, 1863. I notice in the issue of the Herald of this date that the rebel spy Williams," who was hanged, is stated to be Lawrence A. Williams by your Murfreesboro correspondent, the military his. tory of L.A. W. being given editorially. This is an error; and would it not be well to correct it? The spy was W. Orton Williams, formerly of the Second United, States cavalry, who resigned his commission of first lieutenant on the tenth of June, 1861. Lawrence A. Williams (a graduate of West-Point, which W. O. Williams was not) is now a resident of this city, and has not been South during the war, except as an officer of our army. plete. We found out the whereabouts of the away through the lines of the enemy and back enemy emphatically. We interfered with his again. Many of our men were captured, and espurposed raid, for we captured his plan and let-caped because their clothes were so covered with ters of instruction, which we have now at headquarters, Second brigade, Third cavalry division. General Buford was to cross Beverly Ford and attack the enemy in front, while General Gregg's and Colonel Duffie's divisions crossed at Kelly's Ford, and passing around his rear attacked him there. Your correspondent was with General Gregg's division. At sunrise we heard the cannonading of Buford's command. At half-past seven A.M., we commenced to cross; at ten, we nabbed the enemy's picket; at half-past ten, the Second brigade, Third division, commanded by Colonel Wyndham, struck his main body, and the play began. A section of artillery, supported by the First Maryland cavalry, was instantly thrown to the front and placed in position. As soon as his regiment was formed Major Russell, First Maryland cavalry, led his second squadron to the charge. He routed the enemy's advance, sent it flying over fields and roads, captured an ambulance which was afterward found to contain a major and all General Stuart's plans and letters of instruction from General Lee-drove the enemy before him down the Culpeper road, and, alas! charged too far. Before he could rally his men and bring them back, the enemy had brought up two regiments and cut him off, with fifteen of his command. The artillery now opened on both sides. Captain Buckley and Lieutenant Apple led the third squadron First Maryland cavalry into the charge to meet the advancing foe. The Captain was taken prisoner, then rescued by his boys. The Lieutenant was wounded; his men faltered and shivered before an overwhelming force. Lieutenant Erick rallied them and led them to the charge again. He, too, was wounded. Then brave, fearless Captain Creager led on his brave boys of company I. Three times they charged the foe. Twice they were driven back; but in the third charge Captain Creager fell from his horse, wounded in the left breast. Then Lieutenant Kinble took command of company I, rallied the men behind a hill and led them back to the charge. Eight times did that fearless officer and those brave boys charge with shrieks and yells against fearful odds. Lieutenant-Colonel Deems was conspicuous on the field, rallying and cheering on his men. On our left stood a house around which a body of rebel cavalry had gathered. Lieutenant-Colonel Broderick led his brave New-Jersey boys in a charge by battalions against them. As they closed up, the rebels fell back, when the whole house full of infantry poured a murderous fire from the hundreds of loop-holes which pierced the walls of the house. The Lieutenant-Colonel and the Major were wounded, and the boys fell back. The scene now became terrific, grand, and ludicrous. The choking dust was so thick that we .could not tell "t'other from which." Horses, wild beyond the control of their riders, were charging VOL. VII.-Doc. 19 dust that they looked like graybacks. Captain Buckley was three times a prisoner, and finally escaped. Sergeant Embrey, of company I, was taken prisoner. He wore a brown blouse. He played secesh orderly to a secesh colonel for a while, and then escaped. Sergeant Hiteshem, same company, was captured, and escaped because he wore a gray pair of trowsers. Our men fought well and lost heavily. But the enemy met every charge with overwhelming numbers. He had both wings supported by infantry; had three batteries against our three guns. I was in the fight, and have only mentioned, therefore, what passed under my own eye, and in the dust one man could not see far. I must not forget to mention that Major Russell, after he found that he was cut off, lost none of his usual coolness, courage, and sagacity. His wit sharpened with the emergency; he reached the rear of the enemy's army. He rallied his fifteen men, and set immediately to work. The enemy moved out of the woods and tried to turn our left flank. The Major had most of his men partly concealed, partly exposed. Every time the enemy moved out of the woods the Major would dash at them with three or four men, and when close upon them would turn upon his horse and call upon some imaginary officer to bring up those imaginary squadrons out of those woods. Then he would retire, always bringing some prisoners with him. When they (the enemy) moved out again he would repeat the joke. At one time he had between forty and fifty prisoners whom he had thus captured. He thus perplexed and checked them until our division had retired. At length the rebels charged upon him and re. took all the prisoners excepting fourteen. The Major turned, fired his pistol into their faces, and again called upon that imaginary officer to bring up those imaginary squadrons. The charging squadron of rebels halted to re-form for the charge, and while they were forming he slid his men and prisoners between two divisions of the rebel cavalry and rejoined his regiment. Two things probably saved the Major. He lost his hat and took a secesh cap from a prisoner. He looked like a reb. When he returned through the two divisions of rebel cavalry he had so many prisoners and so few men that they doubtless mistook him and his party for their own men moving out to reconnoitre. This may sound extravagant, but I have the word of the prisoners he brought in (fourteen) and of his own men for its fidelity, and the ambulance he captured, with General Stuart's trunk, papers, letters, and plans, are at headquarters. The battle soon became a fight for Beverly Ford. We drove the enemy back, secured the ford, and recrossed about sundown. We accomplished our great design, that is, found out that the enemy was there. 2 Doc. 64. THE SIEGE OF SUFFOLK, VA. APRIL AND MAY, 1863. THE siege of Suffolk was raised on the third of May, 1863, almost simultaneously with the mortifying disaster at Chancellorsville. The latter event in its absorbing influence upon the public mind drew away all thought from the minor operations about Suffolk, and in the absence of any apparent important results, the stubborn and successful defence of that town has never received a tithe of the public recognition its merit warranted. Close examination of the facts, however, will reveal that in two points of view it presents one of the most interesting chapters of the war. A PARTY of our daring marines started to get a steamboat; the party was under the command of Captain James Duke. After experiencing rather hard fare in the marshes of the Mississippi for some days, they discovered the Boston towing the ship Jenny Lind, loaded with ice, up to New- 1st. In its bearing upon the general progress Orleans. This was some three miles from the of our arms, and secondly, as presenting to the Pass a l'Outre lighthouse. The brave fellows military student an example of the defence of a hailed the ship, and a line was thrown out to fortified place against an enormous investing them they were in an open boat. On getting force, in which the entire success of the garrison aboard of the Boston the confederates made a was unblemished by a single reverse. Its fortifivery pretty display of revolvers, when the Cap- cations were hastily constructed by the troops tain of the ship remarked: "I told you they were with incredible labor, they were guarded with a rebels." It was too late; the fastenings sleepless vigilance and defended with unflinching were instantly cut, and our men were in posses-bravery and tireless energy. sion of the steamer. Longstreet designed to make a sudden descent in overwhelming force; to cross the Nansemond, a narrow and crooked stream, and overwhelm the garrison, or at least seize the roads to Norfolk and cut off the supplies. In either event there would have been no earthly obstacle to his marching unchecked into Norfolk and Portsmouth, In coming round at sea, they met the bark Lennox, from New-York, loaded with an assorted cargo, principally stores, to which they helped themselves, and retaining the captain and mate as prisoners, sent the passengers and crew ashore. They then set fire to her, completely destroying the vessel. This took place yesterday, (Wednes-as two small and raw regiments alone constituted day.) There were about forty on the Lennox. About an hour afterward they came up with the bark Texana, also from New-York. They did not take any thing from her but the captain and mate-the balance they sent ashore. The Texana was then set afire, and was burning splendidly when she was left. Among the prisoners is Captain Woolf, of the old bark Asa Fish, well known here. There are about seventeen prisoners on board of the Boston, all of whom seem quite resigned to their fate. the garrison of those places. His designs were brought to naught by the watchfulness and skill of the Federal commander, and the obstinate resistance of the Federal troops when conscious of their danger. Longstreet's plans were laid with a completeness, forethought, and subtlety, that at once stamp him as the able leader he is known to be. Had General Peck permitted his army to be surprised, beaten or captured by his wily and daring foe, it would have only been in imitation of a precedent that has unfortunately been too often The Boston arrived at Fort Morgan this morn-established by some of our officers, and his repuing about two o'clock, and at the wharf at eleven o'clock. She is a staunch tug-runs about twelve knots an hour, and is a propeller. tation as a soldier might have been blasted for ever, despite his previously long and honorable career. But in him the rebel general found an In the Mississippi River the confederates were adversary whose watchfulness was more than a for some time within speaking distance of the match for his own skill and daring. Justice to United States man-of-war Portsmouth, sixteen General Peck requires that even at this late day the guns, and about half an hour previous to their cap-true history of the Suffolk campaign should be turing the Boston, a gunboat had passed up within gun-shot of our men. This prize will prove very valuable to the captors-and shows what daring can accomplish in the way of a little private enterprise. What a howl will go up in New-York when they hear the news. The Boston was cheered all along our front as she came in, the confederate flag over the gridiron. She now lies in at the slip back of Gage's icehouse. made public. Suffolk lies at the head of the Nansemond, twelve miles from its confluence with the James. Two railroads unite at this town, one from Norfolk to Petersburgh, the other from Portsmouth to Weldon, etc., N. C. By means of them General Peck's supplies were forwarded from Norfolk, a distance of twenty miles, and on the other hand the rebel stores and reënforcements were forwarded from the opposite extremities almost to the very lines of investment. The objects of Longstreet's attack were important and manifold. By crossing the narrow Nansemond and occupying the railroads in rear, the city would fall an easy prey together with its thirteen thousand defenders, its vast commissary, quartermaster, medical, and ordnance stores, and sixty miles of railroad iron. Thence the occupation of Norfolk would be but a holiday march. It is also assumed that the éclat attaching to the name of a General who should accomplish these objects, may have had some influence on a mind notoriously eager for military renown. To crown his undertaking with success three preliminar movements were carefully planned and put into execution. 1st. The Suffolk garrison must be weakened. To accomplish this, Hill was sent with a considerable force to attack Little Washington, N. C., whence he could in three or four days rejoin the main army in Virginia. defences of the town, who from time to time engaged our troops to divert attention from his real designs, he then directed his attention to the Nansemond. The first object to be attained was of course to destroy or expel the army and navy gunboats from the river. As the gunboats consisted only of a half-dozen armed tugs and ferry-boats, (of these the Smith Briggs and West End being army boats,) with machinery and magazines unprotected, almost unable to manoeuvre in the narrow, shallow, and crooked stream, this was apparently an easy task. In the silence of the night, battery after battery was constructed and powerful guns placed in position at points favorable to command the stream and protect a bridge. These batteries, as soon as unmasked, engaged the gunboats. Fortunately the river fleet was commanded by two officers, young in years, but of unconquerable bravery, skill, and pertinacity. And though the frail steamers were riddled with 2d. Pontoon and siege trains were collected at proper points and held in readiness for an in-countless shot-holes, and a long list of casualties stant move. attested the severity of their trials, they were never driven from the river, and but for a few days from the close vicinity of the town. The army gunboats, under Captains Lee and Rowe, never left the Upper Nansemond. 3d. The troops were also conveniently stationed in such manner that they might be literally precipitated upon the doomed town, sixteen thousand being posted on the Blackwater, the remainder along the railway to Petersburgh. As was To Brigadier-General Getty, commanding Third anticipated, Hill's movement resulted in an order division Ninth army corps, was intrusted the dedirecting General Peck to forward three thou-fences of the Nansemond River. A more capasand troops to General Foster. It will now be seen in what manner was sprung the trap thus skilfully prepared. Longstreet's spies advised him promptly of the order removing the three thousand troops, and he instantly put his army in march, crossed the Blackwater on several bridges, with four divisions,* in all thirty thousand men, moving in three columns, and by a forced march arrived in a few hours before the Federal camps, surprising and capturing the cavalry pickets as they ad vanced. ble officer or more efficient troops could not have been selected for this arduous and responsible duty. The nature of the duty is comprehended in the statement that five thousand men were to hold a line eight miles long, and prevent forty thousand from crossing a stream too small to permit a large steamer from turning round. Moreover, the banks of the Nansemond were of such a character that troops could not, without making long marches around ravines, creeks, and swamps, pass as reënforcements from one point to another. To remedy this feature in the topoThe Federal General, from information given graphy, General Getty instantly commenced the by spies, deserters, contrabands, and the con- construction of a military road several miles tents of a captured rebel mail, fathomed the plans long, including several bridges and long spaces of the rebel commander, and was in readiness of corduroy, following the general course of the to receive him. Admiral Lee having been tele-river-bank. By means of the most unheard of graphed, gunboats were sent up the Nansemond, in readiness to resist and delay, though it was impossible for them to prevent a crossing. Seeing this, Longstreet apparently made a sudden change of plan, and resolved to carry the place by storm. His columns advanced on our works, capturing pickets as above stated, just as the reenforcements for General Foster were leaving on the train. As a matter of course these troops were retained. The enemy, upon coming within range of our works, found them firmly garrisoned and bristling with steel. An interchange of a few shots convinced them that the surprise was a total failure, and there remained only their numerical superiority as a guarantee for final success. Leaving a considerable force in front of the main *Those of Hood, French, Pickett, and Anderson. exertions the troops completed this road in three days, making it passable for artillery. As soon as the rebel batteries on the opposite bank were unmasked, General Getty's skill as an artillerist was brought into play with remarkable effect. In company with Colonel Dutton, commanding his Third brigade, (an officer of engineers,) he selected positions for rifle-pits and batteries. The ground was traced out at nightfall, and the next morning the astonished rebels would be saluted in their works by a storm of rifled shells, fired by invisible gunners. This system of warfare continued for several days, the rebels continually striving to gain a permanent foothold on some point of the shore, and being as continually baffled by the resistless gunnery of our land batteries and the gunboats. On the eighteenth of April, however, it seemed that their object was finally accomplished. An earth-work, mounting five heavy rifled guns, was established at Hill's Point, about six miles from Suffolk, and of such strong profile and skilful construction that our missiles could only bury themselves harmlessly in the parapet, while from their protected position they maintained a destructive fight with the gunboats. The Mount Washington, already disabled in an unequal contest with a battery higher up, grounded off Hill's Point, directly under the rebel guns. Her companions refused to leave her in this emergency, and then for six long hours raged one of the most desperate and unequal contests of the war. The gallant Lamson, on his crippled vessel, and the equally gallant Cushing, stood over their smoking guns and bleeding gunners till the rising tide at last floated them off in safety. The Commodore Barney showed one hundred and fifty-eight ball and bullet-holes in her hull and machinery; the Mount Washington was even worse riddled. of our batteries, and to foil sorties should any be made. General Peck, continually vigilant to observe any change in the location, strength, or plans of the enemy, repeatedly sent out columns of moderate strength to attack the enemy. A reconnoissance, made on the twenty-fourth, by General Corcoran on the Edenton, and another by Colonel Foster on the Somerton road resulted in lively skirmishes, in which the enemy's outposts were driven back to their main lines, before whose formidable strength our weak columns were in turn compelled to retire. General Peck had divided his entire circle of defence (including the Nansemond) into sections of convenient length, to the direct responsibility of which he assigned his principal subordinates. That of General Getty, which was by far the longest and weakest, was subsequently subdivided into the line of the Jericho, under General Harland, and that of the Nansemond, under Colonel Dutton. Admiral Lee having now ordered the gunboats out of the Upper Nansemond, matters wore a The vast labors performed by Getty's division desperate aspect. At this crisis the fertile genius during the three weeks of the siege, consisting of Lieutenant Lamson devised a plan which was of forts, rifle-pits, batteries, roads, bridges, and approved by General Peck, the conception of timber-cutting, must be seen to be appreciated. which was only less brilliant than its subsequent Nevertheless, these troops exhibited to the last execution. He proposed to General Getty the no other feeling than that of the most praisecapture of the Hill's Point battery. The follow-worthy patience, courage, and devotion to duty. ing extract, from an eye-witness, describes this brilliant feat: "Shortly before sunset, on the nineteenth of April, the gunboats on the river, and the four rifled guns at and near battery Stevens, opened a terrific fire upon the rebel battery. Meantime, detachments from the Eighty-ninth New-York volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel England, and Eighth Connecticut, Colonel Ward, in all two hundred and eighty men, embarked on board the gunboat Stepping Stones, Lieutenant Lamson, at a point about a mile above the battery. Protected by the artillery fire, the gunboat boldly steamed down the river, and ran close to the shore about two hundred yards above the rebel works, the shore at that point being an abrupt bluff. Immediately the troops disembarked, wading to their waists in water, ascended the bluff, and with loud cheers charged on the rear of the fort. Meantime, the gunboat's crew had landed four boat howitzers, placed them in position, and opened on the fort. The enemy, taken completely by surprise, were able to discharge but two or three volleys of musketry, and one gun, when our troops entered the work and captured the entire party of seven officers and one hundred and thirty men, with five brass guns and a large supply of ammunition." Every able-bodied man in this division was employed every day, and not unfrequently at night either on picket or fatigue duty. Repeatedly also, the pickets themselves were compelled to handle the pick and shovel. An amusing incident is related in this connection. A soldier in a New-Hampshire regiment, while wearily digging during the small hours of the morning, was heard to remark to his neighbor: "I say, Bill! I hope Old Peck' will die two weeks before I do." "Why so?" queried his friend. "Because he'll have hell so strongly fortified that I can't get in," was the irreverent reply. An inspection of the defences of the Nansemond at the close of the siege, would have convinced an observer that if the river Styx is ever made equally difficult to cross, the soldier's remark was not void of reason. On the twentieth of April, rebel reënforcements commenced arriving, fresh from the fruitless siege of Little Washington. Before the thirtieth, more than ten thousand troops under General D. H. Hill had joined Longstreet. Fortunately, however, reënforcements from Washington had commenced arriving at Suffolk, and the enemy having lost the golden moments afforded by its originally weak condition, it was now regarded as almost impregnable. The capture of the Hill's Point battery alarmed the rebels to such an extent that they instantly Longstreet manifestly entertained a similar turned their attention to securing their own po- opinion, but was loth to relinquish his attempt, sition. Defensive lines of vast length and con- and with his accustomed pertinacity made new siderable strength protected their front for a dis- but futile efforts for final success. New battertance of several miles, trees were felled and abat-ies were secretly constructed and unmasked only tis planted in front, and every measure which to be silenced by the deadly fire of our gunboats the resources of skilful engineering could devise and the Parrotts from our own works. Meantime were adopted to resist the terrible artillery fire instances of individual daring and skill, on the |