Master J. B. Breck commanding, which was lying near where she went ashore, came immediately to my assistance. I ran a nine-inch hawser to the Venus, and Captain Breck sent a seveninch hawser to the Nansemond's bow; but all our efforts were unavailing, as the tide had turned ebb, and she was going at least fourteen knots per hour when she went ashore. Finding it impossible to move her, I ordered her to be set on fire, which was done in three places by ActingEnsigns Porter and Henderson of this vessel. Our boats were for some time exposed to a sharp fire of musketry from the beach, and the vessel was within range of one of the batteries.

We had just commenced shelling her machinery when another vessel was seen off shore, and by the light of the burning steamer I was able to give him one shot and started in pursuit, but it was so cloudy and hazy that we lost sight of her almost immediately. I ran east at the rate of fourteen knots till seven o'clock, but did not get sight of him again, and ran back, making the land to the northward.

In the mean time Captain Breck, with the assistance of the Iron Age, Lieutenant Commander Stone, had completed the destruction of the Venus, her boilers having been blown up and her hull riddled with shell.

Wednesday, the twenty-first instant, at Cherokee Station, on the Memphis and Charleston railroad, about eight or nine miles this side of Tuscumbia. The troops of the gallant Fifteenth corps met the rebels with their usual bravery, however, and soon made themselves masters of the situation. On the day previous a brisk cavalry fight took place near the same spot, between a considerable body of rebel mounted infantry and the Fifth Ohio cavalry, in which six rebels were killed, and fifteen wounded left on the field. Our gallant troops went into the rebels with a shout, cutting and slashing right and left, and cleaned them out in short order, losing only two men killed and five horses. The Third regular cavalry also went forward to participate, but the Ohio boys had completed the job. This was on Tuesday evening. The cavalry then fell "back near the advance of General Osterhaus's division.

The next morning, Wednesday, broke dark and lowering, with rain and fog. The movement of the First division, General Österhaus's, which was to have been at six o'clock, was delayed till eight. The Second division, General Morgan L. Smith, lay close up to the First division, waiting until they should move ahead before striking camp. Major-General Blair commanded both divisions. When General Osterhaus moved forward

I have to express my thanks to Captain Breck toward Tuscumbia, he had not proceeded far befor the prompt assistance rendered me by send-fore his advance, consisting of the Fourth, Ninth, ing his boats to assist in carrying my heavy haw- Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, Thirtieth, (the Thirser, and by sending a hawser to the Nanse-tieth in the advance,) and Thirty-first Iowa regimond's bows. His boats then reported to Acting-ments, encountered a large force of rebels, estiEnsign J. H. Porter, who was in charge of the Venus. The fire forward not burning as well as was expected, he sent a boat on board in the morning and re-kindled it.

mated at between four and six thousand, under command of the rebel Generals S. D. Lee, Roddy, and Richardson. A heavy musketry fire was immediately opened, and the fight was furious The Venus was two hundred and sixty-five for an hour, when the rebels fell back with heavy feet long and one thousand tons measurement, loss in killed and wounded. General Osterhaus and is represented by her captain and officers to hurried up several twenty-four-pounder Parrotts, have been one of the finest and fastest vessels which made havoc in their retreating columns, engaged in running the blockade. She had the and our whole division was soon on the ground. finest engines of any vessel in this trade, and was The General managed his troops with great skill. sheathed completely over with iron. She drew The loss on our side will not exceed one huneight feet of water, and when bound out last dred in killed and wounded. The death of Colcrossed the bar at low-water, with over six hun-onel Torrence, of the Thirtieth Iowa, was the dred bales of cotton on board. The wrecks of most serious disaster. This brave officer was the Hebe, Douro, and Venus are within a short distance of each other.

killed while in advance of his men, in the midst of the fight. Mistaking a party of rebels, who were dressed in Federal uniforms, for our troops, he rode forward to ascertain who they were, and at half-range distance was shot down by them. The regiment seeing him fall, raised a yell and rushed forward, at a charge, regaining his body and scattering the rebels in all directions.

The loss in this regiment was twenty-nine killed and wounded. Captain H. Randall, of company D, was killed; Captain Hall, of company A, was severely wounded in the leg, which he will lose; Captain Clark, of company H, was seriously and probably mortally wounded in the back; Captain Smith, of company E, was also seriously wounded; Adjutant Clendenning was wounded in the head and thigh, and had six or seven bullets through his clothes. In company E three privates were killed. Several other reg

iments, including the Fourth and Twenty-Fifth Iowa, lost more or less, but we were unable to learn particulars.

onel of the Thirtieth Iowa infantry. On the death of the gallant Colonel Abbott, in the charge on Vicksburgh, he assumed command of the regiment, and was an officer of substantial merit and a man of rare virtue.

Some of the prisoners taken at the Cherokee

The bodies of Colonel Torrence and Captain Randall arrived here last evening, where they were embalmed, and will be sent North to-day in charge of C. D. Gage, Sutler of the Thir-Station give as an explanation of their blue unitieth regiment. Colonel Torrence lived at Keokuk, Iowa. He served with distinction through the Mexican war, and was one of those men whose influence and character were almost without blemish. Tall and commanding in person, active, energetic, strict in discipline, kind of heart, he was held in great regard among the troops. Iowa has lost in him one of her most worthy and gallant sons.

forms, that the rebel Government intends to clothe all their troops with blue overcoats. This statement may have been trumped up for the moment, but the fact that hundreds of their men appeared in the front rank of battle dressed in the uniform, would seem to give it some color of probability.

It is said that rebel despatches from Johnston have recently been captured, in which rebel offiSince the above was written, we have gather-cers have been conjured not to permit. our forces ed a few additional items of interest, which are to open up the road between Memphis and Desubjoined:

It appears that the rain and fog had delayed an early advance movement on Wednesday morning, and the first known of the proximity of the rebels was the driving in of our pickets and forage-teams, and their appearing in sight. The regiments above named were immediately ordered into line, and skirmishers thrown out to feel their position. The enemy did the same, except that a large portion of their force had dismounted and were lying in ambush. The advance of the enemy wore the United States uniform, and in the fog it became difficult for Colonel Torrence to distinguish friends from foes. He therefore ordered his men to cease firing, and approached the enemy dressed in blue, and when within a short distance they opened a galling fire upon him, piercing his body in many places, and killing him instantly. At the same time they opened a murderous fire upon our left flank, killing and wounding the Captain and Adjutant above named. For a few moments the Thirtieth regiment was thrown into confusion, but when Colonel Torrence's Orderly came back and announced that their Colonel was in the hands of the enemy, the men rushed forward with a yell, recovered his body and dispersed the rebels. They found, however, that his body had been searched, and all his money and watch stolen. Our troops pursued the fleeing rebels back to their fortifications.

The rebels are said to have very strong fortifications about one mile this side of Tuscumbia, on the railroad, and prisoners report that they expect to make a strong defence there. They say they had four thousand men there on Tuesday, and received reënforcements of one thousand cavalry on Wednesday morning, and that some twenty thousand more are expected there from Bragg's army. The following officers are said to be in command there: Generals Loring, S. D. Lee, Roddy, Richardson, and Forrest.

catur.

Tennessee River is reported to have risen in the vicinity of Eastport some nine feet, and is still rising fast. There have been heavy rains in that section, and, if necessary, we presume that gunboats can now ascend that stream to any point where their services may be effective.

An impression exists, induced by existing circumstances, to the effect that probably before this our forces have encountered the enemy and drove them from their fortifications. If such a conflict has not taken place, it is because the rains have prevented, or the enemy has run away.

Doc. 206.

IMPRESSMENT OF SLAVES.

REBEL GENERAL ORDER,

ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
RICHMOND, Oct. 24, 1863.

GENERAL ORDER, No. 138:

The following instructions are published for carrying into effect the ninth section of the act of twenty-sixth of March, 1863: To regulate impressments in respect to labor on fortifications and other public works in States in which provisions have not been made on this subject:

1. The Commanding General, or the officer of Engineers in charge of the work, shall have power to decide upon the necessity for making impressments of slaves for this purpose, after making suitable efforts to secure the necessary labor by contract. He must be satisfied of the necessity of the measure before he resorts to it.

2. He may authorize the impressment of male slaves between the ages of seventeen and fifty years, but before the first day of December next shall abstain from impressing slaves from plantations exclusively devoted to the production of grain and provisions without the consent of the owner, except in cases of urgent necessity.

Colonel Torrence, who was in command of the Thirtieth Iowa, is said to have been an officer of 3. No impressments shall be made of the rare excellence. He served with distinction in slaves employed in the domestic and family serthe Mexican war, and entered the service again vice exclusively, nor upon farms or plantations as soon as the war commenced-first as Major of where there are not more than three slaves of the the First Iowa cavalry, and then Lieutenant-Col-age specified, and not more than five per cent of

the population of slaves shall be impressed in any county at the same time, unless the necessity is very great, and after consultation with this Department or the Governor of the State in which the impressment is to be made.

8. Subsistence and provisions furnished by the owner shall be commuted for at the rates allowed soldiers in service. All slaves sent voluntarily to the confederate authorities, and accepted by them without other special contract, shall stand 4. The ordinary period for impressment shall on the same footing as those delivered under rebe sixty days, but if the owner of any slave shall quisition, and the owners of all slaves delivered fail to bring the slaves impressed to the place of or taken under requisition shall be entitled to rerendezvous within five days after the time ap-gard the Confederate States as contracting with pointed, the slaves so withheld may be detained them to comply with the obligations and condifor ninety days, and for a longer term of ten days tions herein expressed. for every day of default, unless a reasonable excuse can be given for the delays that have occurred.

5. It shall be the duty of the Commanding General in charge of any lines requiring fortifications, to acquaint himself with the resources of slave labor within his department, and to consider with care the manner in which he may obtain the control of whatever is necessary for the public service by fair and equitable apportionment among the owners of such property. He will consult with the Governor of the State and other State authorities as to the best mode of proceeding, so that his impressment may cause the least embarrassment to the industrial pursuits of the community.

6. Notice shall be given of the number and character of the slaves required, the time and place of their delivery, the time for which the service is required, and of the arrangements made for the subsistence, management, and custody of the slaves so required; and if the masters of slaves shall agree to furnish subsistence for their slaves, and a suitable overseer or agent to superintend them, they shall have the privilege of so doing. But such overseers shall be subject to the control of the officer in charge, and may be dismissed for any misconduct by him.

7. The sum of twenty dollars per month for each slave delivered in pursuance to requisition, and fifteen dollars per month for each slave held in consequence of failure of his master to obey requisition made as hereinbefore provided, shall be paid by the Confederate States, and soldiers' rations, medicines, and medicinal attendance furnished, and the value of all such slaves, as may die during their time of service or thereafter from injuries received, or diseases contracted in such service, or may not be returned, shall be paid by the Confederate States. Such value shall be conclusively established by a formal appraisement by a Board of Experts, mutually agreed upon at the time the slaves are received into the confederate service. Compensation shall also be made for all injuries to slaves arising from the act of the public enemy, or from any injury arising from a want of due diligence on the part of the authorities of the Confederate States. But the Confederate States will not be liable for any slave not returned by reason of fraud or collusion on the part of his owner or his agent, or the overseer selected by him to superintend them, nor if his death should be caused by the act of God, or by disease existing when the slave is reeived by confederate authorities.

9. In case there should be any disagreement on the subject of the value of any slave impressed, or in case the impressing officer shall not be satisfied of the accuracy of any valuation or valuations, the appraisement shall be referred to the appraisers appointed under the fifth section of the act concerning impressments according to the provisions of the act of Congress, approved twenty-seventh April, 1863, and published in Orders No. 53, current series. By order,

S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector-General.

}

HEADQUARTERS POST OF PINE BLUFF, PINE BLUFF, Oct. 27, 1863. GENERAL: I respectfully submit to you the following report of the battle fought at this place October twenty-fifth, between General Marmaduke's forces and the garrison at this post.

About eight o'clock in the morning, I sent Lieutenant Clark, Fifth Kansas cavalry, with one company, out in the direction of Princetown. He did not go far before he met the enemy advancing in force. The enemy's skirmishers fired on him at once, but soon after an armed party, bearing a flag of truce, came forward, and the officer in command of this party insisted that he should be allowed to pass in immediately. Lieutenant Clark told him it was no way to first fire on him, and then insist on going in with a flag of truce. But he would give him half an hour for him (Clark) to send in to headquarters and get an answer. He rejected the proposition, and said he had despatches from General Marmaduke to the commanding officer, he supposed demanding a surrender of the place. The Lieutenant

deed of burning some of his own wounded. Several of his own men who were wounded were burned to death, and almost entirely consumed by the flames that he kindled. The court-house, General James's, General Yell's, and John Bloom's houses, were all nearly destroyed by the enemy's artillery. There is scarcely a house in town that does not show the effects of the battle. The enemy plundered every house he' could get to, and stole every horse and mule from the citizens that he could lay his hands on. The prisoners that I captured reported General Marmaduke's force from two to three thousand men, and twelve pieces of artillery. I think he had some two thousand five hundred men, and twelve pieces of artillery.

replied: "Colonel Clayton never surrenders, but Marmaduke committed the gross and barbarous is always anxious for you to come and take him, and you must get back to your command immediately, or I will order my men to fire on you." He fell back, and they commenced skirmishing again. Meantime the whole command was ordered out, and skirmishers sent in every direction; also three hundred negroes set to work rolling cotton-bales out of the warehouses. In less than half an hour I had all the streets leading into Court Square completely and very formidably fortified with cotton-bales, and my artillery six mountain howitzers, and three small steel rifled guns - planted so as to command every street leading into the square; my sharp-shooters posted in all of the houses and other buildings on the square, so that the enemy could in no way approach the works only through the open spaces. I then had about two hundred negroes commence carrying water from the river up to the square, and fill all the barrels they could find, so that, if necessary, I could hold out two days, even though cut off from the river. The enemy succeeded in driving in my skirmishers about nine o'clock, and approached the works in three columns, as follows-on my right, centre, and left, the main one being in the centre-and opened on me with their artillery, twelve pieces, a part of which were twelve-pound rifle guns, throwing both the Hotchkiss and the James projectiles. The firing from both sides, from the artillery and the sharp-shooters, continued with great rapidity until two o'clock. Between twelve o'clock M. and one o'clock P.M., the enemy set fire to the buildings on my right, expecting thereby to rout me; but I put some two hundred negroes to carrying water and throwing it on the buildings immediately joining the square, and thus prevented the fire from doing me any damage. The enemy seeing that he failed in his efforts to drive me by fire as well as by force, planted another battery on my centre and kept up a heavy cannonading for a short time, then retreated, (about two o'clock P.M.,) leaving a great portion of his wounded and dead on the field. I followed him for about one mile, then returned and stationed my pickets as usual.

My force consisted of the Fifth Kansas cavalry, commanded by Major Thomas W. Scudder, and the First Indiana cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas N. Pace, and one company of State militia, commanded by Captain Murphy, amounting in all to some five hundred and fifty men. Captain Murphy's company behaved like veterans. The officers and men both of the Fifth Kansas cavalry and of the First Indiana cavalry behaved most admirably. The fact that so small a force kept four times their number at bay for five hours, and finally drove them from the field, bespeaks for the whole command greater efficiency and gallantry than words can do; every officer and soldier in the whole command seemed determined to fight as long as there was a round of ammunition left. The negroes also did me excellent service, and deserve much praise therefor.' I am, General, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, POWELL CLAYTON, Colonel Commanding.

Major-General STEELE,

Commanding Army of Arkansas. CONGRATULATORY ORDER OF GENERAL STEELE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF ARKANSAS, LITTLE ROCK, ARK., Nov. 7, 1863.

GENERAL ORDERS, No. 41:

It is fit that the conduct of troops on the battle-field, especially gallant and heroic, should be publicly approbated by the commanding officer, and officially published for the emulation of the whole command.

Therefore, the Major-General commanding the army of Arkansas publishes to his command these facts:

My loss was eleven killed, twenty-seven wounded, and one missing. There were also five negroes killed, and twelve wounded. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded, so far as ascertained, is about one hundred and thirty, and will probably reach one hundred and fifty. I have also three Lieutenants and thirty men prisoners, On the twenty-fifth day of October last, the fifteen of whom are wounded. The buildings cavalry brigade, consisting of the Fifth Kansas that were burned by the enemy were occupied and First Indiana cavalry, commanded by Colby the Fifth Kansas cavalry as quarters, conse- onel Powell Clayton, and numbering less than quently their camp and garrison equipage, and their books and papers, were all burned. The train was also corraled in sheds in rear of the buildings that were burned. When the fire was raging the mules were cut loose to keep them from burning, and sixty-two of them are missing. The enemy also burned one warehouse, containing over two hundred bales of cotton. In setting fire to these buildings, General

six hundred men, was attacked at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, by an army of rebels, twenty-five hundred in number, with twelve pieces of artillery.

Unawed by this overwhelming force, they fought them for five hours, and drove them, discomfited and with heavy loss, from the field. Retreat and surrender were words unknown to these brave men, and their determined heroism

CHICAGO" TRIBUNE" ACCOUNT.

PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS, October 26, 1863. The attack that the authorities here have been expecting for some time has at last come, and the roar of cannon and the rattle of musketry have subsided, and the smoke from a hard-fought battle-field, or rather battle-town, has disappeared enough to enable us to see where we are and what we have accomplished.

This place is situated on the south bank of the Arkansas River, about fifty miles from Little Rock, ninety from the Mississippi River, and sixty from Arkadelphia, (General Price's late headquarters.) It contained, before the war, some three thousand inhabitants, and was one of the finest and most business towns in Arkansas. For six or seven weeks it has been occupied by the Federals, during which time it has been garrisoned by the Fifth Kansas cavalry, and the First Indiana cavalry, under the command of Colonel Powell Clayton, of the Fifth Kansas cavalry. There is also here one company of State militia, which has been recruited since the Federals came here.

ant Clark replied: "You cannot see Colonel Clayton. You have no right to be here with a flag of truce; you. have already been firing on me, but I will give you half an hour to wait here for me to send in and get an answer." He replied: "I will not wait. I have despatches from General Marmaduke, as I suppose, demanding a surrender of the post. I must go in immediately." Lieutenant Clark said: "You cannot go in. Colonel Clayton never surrenders, but is always anxious for General Marmaduke to come and take him; and now, God damn you, get back to your place immediately, or I will order my men to fire on you." He fell back, and they commenced skirmishing again.

Meanwhile Colonel Clayton assembled his whole command and sent out skirmishers in every direction, and come the General Jackson on them by setting three hundred negroes to rolling cotton-bales out of the warehouses to barricade Court Square. In less than thirty minutes every street and opening leading into Court Square was completely and very formidably fortified, and the artillery planted so as to command every street and opening leading into the square, and sharp-shooters placed in every building adjacent thereto, so that the rebels could approach the square in no way except through the streets and openings that were commanded by our artillery. Thus did Colonel Clayton, with a few negroes and plenty of cotton-bales, almost "in the twinkling of an eye," convert a place apparently defenceless into a strong fort. Surely Cotton with his ebony sceptre is king. About nine o'clock the enemy had succceded in driving in the skirmishers, and approached us in three columns, namely, on our right, centre, and left, the main one being in the centre, and commenced pouring in their shell and canister like hail. The first fire was greeted with loud cheers from our boys, shell and canister from the guns, and a Sharpe's rifle-ball from every man that could get his eye on a "Butternut." From this on there was a perfect tornado of shells, canister, and bullets flying from both sides for five hours. During all this time Colonel Clayton rode round the works and gave directions with as much coolness and composure as The rebel authorities feeling ashamed and though he was directing the movements of some aggrieved at this, began to concentrate General celebration instead of a battle. Every man also Marmaduke's cavalry force at Princeton, forty-seemed determined to fight as long as he could five miles from Pine Bluff, Friday, (October twen- get a round of ammunition. Between twelve ty-third,) about noon, with about four thousand o'clock M. and one o'clock P.M., the enemy set men and twelve pieces of artillery, mostly twelve-fire to the buildings on the right, expecting to be pound rifled guns, and started to take revenge on Colonel Clayton, who only had between five hundred and six hundred men, and nine pieces of light artillery. Sunday morning, about eight o'clock, Lieutenant Clark, of the Fifth Kansas cavalry, with one company, was sent out on the Princeton road, to see what he could discover, but did not go far before he met the enemy's advance, which fired on him at once. They did not skirmish but a few minutes before an armed party bearing a flag of truce came forward, and the officer commanding it said: "I must go to the commanding officer immediately." LieutenVOL. VII.-Doc. 37

About two weeks ago, Colonel Clayton took three hundred and fifty men and four pieces of light artillery, and by making a circuitous route, and marching ninety miles in thirty-three hours, succeeded in surprising and completely routing Colonel Dobbin's cavalry brigade at Tulip, capturing one stand of colors, all his camp and garrison equipage, quartermaster and commissary stores, medical supplies, transportation, etc.

able to rout us by fire, though not able to do so by force. Two hundred negroes were set to carrying water and throwing it on the buildings on the right, adjacent to the square, and by thus doing prevented the fire from doing us any damage.

As soon as the enemy found that he could not rout us by fire, he changed a battery from the right to the centre, kept up a sharp cannonading for a short time, then retreated, leaving his wounded and dead on the field. We followed him for about two miles, then returned and put out pickets the same as usual. The battle was fought