sent a flag of truce, asking a cessation of hostili- to our glorious cause, and, I am happy to say, it ties to bury their dead, which was granted. is fully appreciated by the General. General McCowan was ordered to Camp Breckinridge to command the forces there, and returning to Danville, I stopped in one of the churches, now a hospital, to see if I could recognize any old friend. I found a number of glorious angels administering to the wants of the sick, and one especially, noted for her angelic qualities, Miss Mary Dunlap, who assured us that whatever should be the fate of Kentucky, her women would remain true to the South. The situation of the country around Camp Breckinridge, near Dick's River, is on a hill-ridge with a natural fortification of shelving rocks, while on the north side is a deep ravine, making it impassable and unapproachable. It is a strong place, but may be taken by the enemy getting in our rear by the Manchester pike. In that case we will probably go to Louisville, which I think ought to have been done at first.

On Friday, the tenth, it commenced raining, and has continued nearly ever since, making it almost impossible for officers to write out their reports of the battle, or to get the casualties. All of Hardee's division has come up here, and I suppose our whole army will concentrate at this point.

Sunday, 12.-I have had no opportunity until now of getting a courier for Knoxville, and as one is about leaving, I hasten to close.

Saturday previous to the evacuation of Yorktown, Gen. McClellan ordered me to run a wire into our Battery No. 6, in order to give him telegraphic communication from his headquarters, which were distant about one and a half miles. This battery laid half a mile in front of General Heintzelman, and within half a mile of a long chain of rebel batteries. The office at Battery No. 6 was to be located under ground, in a bombproof arrangement, in order to save the precious life of the manipulator, who would be in his hole before daybreak the next morning. I was informed by Gen. Heintzelman's aids that it was a very hazardous experiment; that from the point where the line must cross the fields the rebel officers could be heard distinctly giving command; that the rebel pickets were within two hundred and fifty yards of us, and if we attempted to distribute poles with our wagon we would be fired upon. Of these facts I informed all our men. Regardless of danger, they unanimously voted for the extension. Fortunately that night was dark, and promptly at nine P.M. we were in readiness to commence operations.

After cautioning all hands to work quietly, I detailed the men as follows: Cosgrove, Hoover, Greiner and McGuire to dig holes; Rote, Keiler, Benedict and Jones to distribute poles on their shoulders, who had to carry them a full mile. John Tryer I posted as guard. His duty was to watch the flash of the rebel guns, and notify the men, who were working and could not see, when to fall on the sod, should the rebels hear us and open. Thus far all was quiet in the secesh quarters. Scarcely had our operations commenced when a compliment from Gen. Magruder in the THE following letter from Parker Spring, Su- shape of a shell was sent us. Through the timeperintendent Construction of United States Mili-ly notice received from our guard, Mr. Tryer,

Doc. 129.

THE MORSE MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.

ITS UTILITY TO GENERAL MCCLELLAN.

tary Telegraph Lines, gives an interesting account
of the services of the Morse telegraph to the army,
and of Gen. McClellan's use of it:

UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGRAPH, HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT POTOMAC, GAINES'S HILL, SEVEN
MILES FROM RICHMOND, June 2.

that "he saw a flash, and that something with a fiery tail was coming toward us," we were enabled to drop. It came within fifty yards of us, bursted, but did no damage. After that shot and shell followed in rapid succession, until we completed our task, which, owing to loss of time in dodging, occupied fully five hours. A number From the time the army of the Potomac first of these missiles fell within thirty feet of us, left Washington the United States Military Tele- showing conclusively that the rebel pickets had graph has never for an hour been allowed to re- discovered our operations, and were directing the main in the rear. Before reaching his new head- fire of their artillery. We have preserved pieces quarters Gen. McClellan almost invariably learns of a shell that knocked down a pole behind us, that the wire is on the advance; that an office which had been erected not five minutes before has already been opened at the point designated the shot was fired. The line was run through a before he left his old camp, and that communica-soft corn-field, and it was amusing next day, tion to the War Department at Washington is after the evacuation, when we returned to this open for him. In several instances when the field, to see the life-like pictures of Tryer, Cosarmy had marched fifteen miles in one day, the grove, and several others, nicely portrayed in the telegraph had reached the new quarters two mud, and which no artist in the world could exhours in advance. When our troops are obliged cel. They were at once recognized by all hands, to remain a few days in one position, wires are and I promised to give you the particulars. immediately run from Gen. McClellan's quarters The telegraph has been called upon to perform

to the headquarters of all commanders of divi- a still more mysterious wonder. For some time sions, thereby placing the entire section of coun- past I have been ordered by Col. Eckert (our try occupied by our troops under his instant superintendent of military telegraphs) to try a control. Assistance like this is surely valuable telegraphic experiment from a balloon.

Satur

ty to give you a telegraphic report from the bal-
loon without a violation of the General's "Order
to Correspondents," you shall have it. Our ex-
periments have met the approbation of all offi-
cers. Balloon telegraphing is fully established,
and I am very happy to inform you that we are
the first who have established it successfully. A
feeble attempt to telegraph from a balloon was
made in Washington last summer, of which I
will give you a correct description, and bring
good testimony to show it was a complete fizzle.
Newspapers were filled with accounts of this
wonderful experiment. Messages appeared as
having been sent to the President and other dis-
tinguished individuals. The balloon ascended-
so did the telegraph. Not until they had de-
scended as low as the house-tops was the mes
sage started. Two thirds of it was sent after the
balloon had delivered its passengers safely on
terra firma. It was such a complete failure that
the operator, W. B. Wilson, then at the War De-
partment, who was to receive the despatch, re-
fused to copy it, he having himself seen the bal-
loon landed on the ground, after receiving the
first few words. To this Professor Lowe himself
will certify.-
Lancaster, Pa., Express.

day morning, when we heard that a great battle must be fought, Professor Lowe notified me that I should extend the wire to his balloon, and we would try it. In one hour we had brought the wire a mile and a half, and I was ready to ascend with the Professor. The battle had commenced. When it had reached its zenith, Professor Lowe and myself, with the telegraph, had reached an altitude of two thousand feet. With the aid of good glasses we were enabled to view the whole affair between these powerful contending armies. As the fight progressed, hasty observations were made by the Professor and given to me verbally, all of which I instantly forwarded to General McClellan and division commanders through the agency of the obedient field instrument which stood by our side in the bottom of the car. Occasionally a masked rebel battery would open upon our brave fellows. In such cases the occupants of the balloon would inform our artillerists of its position, and the next shot or two would, in every case, silence the masked and annoying customers. For hours, and until quite dark, we remained in the air, the telegraph keeping up constant communication with some point. From the balloon to Fortress Monroe, a distance of over a hundred miles, this wire worked beautifully. A number of messages were sent and received between these two points, and had it not been for the tremendous rush of business on the wire, I should have telegraphed you directly from the balloon, while the battle was raging. Sunday morning, at daybreak, we again ascended. Ear- ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE MILITARY FORCE AFTER

ly in the morning the battle was renewed, and with more fierceness than the day before. Incessant firing of musketry and artillery was kept up until noon, when I had the extreme pleasure to announce by telegraph from the balloon, that we could see the enemy retreating rapidly toward Richmond. At this time we could see firing on James River, to the left of Richmond, distance from the balloon, some said, fifteen miles. This fire was of short duration.

Doc. 130.

GENERAL CASEY'S LETTER

THE WAR.

In the Richmond Dispatch, of June third, was published the following letter, purporting to have been taken from Gen. Casey's headquarters after the battle at Fair Oaks,, Va. :

HEADQUARTERS CASEY'S DIVISION,

I propose that we maintain an army of one hundred thousand men, composed of the three arms of the service in their due proportion.

ON BOARD STEAMER CONSTITUTION, May 31, 1862. To the Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: SIR: The few short notes I handed you on the The streets of Richmond in the morning pre- day I left Washington, with regard to the mili sented a deserted appearance, but very few peo-tary defence of the country after this rebellion ple to be seen in the streets. During the after- shall have been mastered, I shall, by your kind noon and evening of Sunday nothing of interest permission, proceed now to elaborate. transpired beyond the removal of the rebel dead and wounded, all of which we could distinctly see from the balloon. Every available machine that had wheels was brought into requisition for I would assign twenty-five thousand men to this purpose. From the scene of battle into the the defence of that part of the country lying west city of Richmond, the road was literally lined of the Mississippi River, including the Pacific with ambulances, wagons and carts, conveying dead and wounded. About twilight we saw camp-fires innumerable around the city; smoke issued from all their hospitals and barracks, which showed us to a certainty that the main body of their army had fallen back to Richmond. Monday morning we made several ascensions, and found a small force near the last scene of action, and thousands of troops marching out from the city, so you may look momentarily for a report of another severe battle.

I am going to continue my ascensions with Professor Lowe, and should I have an opportuni

coast. I would assign fifteen thousand men to the defence of the Lake, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts, stretching from Lake Superior to the mouth of the Mississippi, including Key West and the Tortugas. The remaining sixty thousand men I would station on the line of the railroad from Memphis, Tenn., to Chattanooga, and from thence on one railroad branch to Charleston, S. C., and on one other branch to Richmond, Va.; occupying between Memphis and Chattanooga important intermediate points, say Grand Junc tion, Corinth, Decatur, and Stevenson.

Between Chattanooga and Charleston I would

occupy, say, Dalton, Atlanta, Union Point, Au- few days. The result is all that I could possibly gusta, Branchville, and, possibly, Columbia, S. C. desire. Between Chattanooga and Richmond I would

occupy, say, Knoxville, Abington, Wytheville, Lynchburgh, Charlottesville, Burksville; and Richmond and Fredericksburgh should also be occupied.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General Commanding.

Doc. 132.

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Just as soon as the points indicated are recov- GENERAL HUNTER'S NEGRO REGIMENTS. ered from the enemy they should permanently be occupied by a military force. The important strategic points, such as Chattanooga, Memphis, and Richmond, should be strongly fortified without delay.

I have thus, in a brief manner, stated what I consider the best disposition to be made in a military point of view. Considered politically, I am convinced that the lines are not without their advantages. They pass for a considerable distance through a mountainous region. By the introduction of the superior knowledge and civilization which a disciplined and well-appointed army would carry with it, the inhabitants of that region would become as much attached to the Union, without condition, as any of the Northern States, thus placing an insurmountable barrier to the success of that portion of the Union which would be most likely to rebel against the constituted authorities.

It is very certain that no argument is worth a straw with the Southern rebels but that of the bayonet, and we would be recreant to the cause of liberty on this earth if we did not use it effectually.

The President, besides the war power so to do, is clothed with the legal power to take military possession of all the railroads in the United States. The fact that military provisional governments will have to be first instituted in the States containing the lines, will render the possession and control of them easy.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
obedient servant,
SILAS CASEY,
Brigadier-General Commanding Division.

Doc. 131.

OPERATIONS IN ALABAMA.

GENERAL HALLECK'S DESPATCH.

WAR DEPARTMENT, June 14, 1862.

Hon. G. A. Grow, Speaker of the House of Rep

resentatives:

SIR: A resolution of the House of Representatives has been received, which passed the ninth instant, to the following effect:

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to inform this House if Gen. Hunter, of the Department of South-Carolina, has organized a regiment of South-Carolina volunteers for the defence of the Union, composed of black men, (fugitive slaves,) and appointed a Colonel and officers to command them.

2d. Was he authorized by the Department to organize and muster into the army of the United States, as soldiers, the fugitive or captive slaves? 3d. Has he been furnished with clothing, uniforms, etc., for such force?

4th. Has he been furnished, by order of the Department of War, with arms to be placed in the hands of the slaves?

5th. To report any orders given said Hunter, and correspondence between him and the Department.

In answer to the foregoing resolution, I have the honor to inform the House:

1st. That this Department has no official information whether Gen. Hunter, of the Department of South-Carolina, has or has not organized a regiment of South-Carolina volunteers for the defence of the Union, composed of black men, fugitive slaves, and appointed the Colonel and other officers to command them. In order to ascertain whether he has done so or not, a copy of the House resolution has been transmitted to Gen. Hunter, with instructions to make immediate report thereon.

2d. Gen. Hunter was not authorized by the Department to organize and muster into the army of the United States the fugitive or captive slaves.

3d. Gen. Hunter, upon his requisition as Commander of the South, has been furnished with clothing and arms for the force under his command, without instructions as to how they should be used.

4th. He has not been furnished by order of the Department of War with arms to be placed within the hands of "those slaves."

HALLECK'S HEADQUARTERS, June 4. Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: GENERAL POPE, with forty thousand men, is thirty miles south of Florence, pushing the enemy hard. He already reports ten thousand prisoners and deserters from the enemy, and fifteen thousand stand of arms captured. Thousands of the enemy are throwing away their arms. A farmer says that, when Beauregard learned that Colonel 5th. In respect to so much of said resolution as Elliott had cut the railroad on his line of retreat, directs the Secretary "to report to the House my he became frantic, and told his men to save them- orders given said Hunter, and correspondence beselves the best way they could. We captured tween him and the Department," the President nine locomotives and a number of cars. One of instructs me to answer that the report, at this the former is already repaired, and is running to- time, of the orders given to and correspondence day. Several more will be in running order in a | between General Hunter and this Department

SIR On reference to the answer of this Department of the fourteenth ultimo to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the ninth of last month, calling for information respecting the organization by General Hunter, of the De- To the second question I have the honor to partment of South-Carolina, of a regiment of answer that the instructions given to Brig.-Gen. volunteers for the defence of the Union, composed T. W. Sherman, by the Hon. Simon Cameron, of black men, fugitive slaves, etc., it will be seen late Secretary of War, and turned over to me by that the resolution had been referred to that offi- succession for my guidance, do distinctly author cer with instructions to make an immediate re-ize me to employ all loyal persons offering their port thereon. I have now the honor to transmit herewith the copy of a communication just received from General Hunter, furnishing information as to his action touching the various matters indicated in the resolution.

On the twentieth instant, Commander Porter arrived here with two of his mortar-boats. Yesterday the Miami arrived with another, and this SIR: In obedience to your orders of the thir-afternoon four others were towed up. teenth instant, I left Baton Rouge, on my way up the river, at one P.M. of that day.