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not one of the most pleasant for contemplation | them. Lieut. Tillotson, of the Naval Brigade, in the present state of affairs.

in charge of our 32-pounder upon one of the launches, then sighted the piece accurately and sent a concussion shell into their very midst. The rebels then scattered into the woods. Our men upon the boats discharged their muskets into the woods, and the pickets having been taken on board, and several shots given from Tillotson's gun, Capt. Crosby again gave the order to retreat and the expedition floated down the river. The Fanny Cadwallader was found some distance below run aground, and all efforts to get her off were for a time unavailing. She was near the shore, and had the enemy known the circumstances, they could not have found a more favorable opportunity for attacking the expedition, and would certainly have sunk the boat aground and scattered the fleet, had they come in season.

Capt. Louther's company were now put in command of a bridge near by, while Capt. White was sent across with his as skirmishers in the adjacent woods and fields about. Scarcely had the movement been made, when a negro woman came running down with the intelligence that the rebel troops were advancing rapidly toward them from Temperanceville, about five miles further inland. The alarm, she said, had spread, and all the country around was aroused. Not many minutes after the crack of rifles upon Capt. White's pickets announced the presence of the rebels. Our men quickly collected together, and commenced firing in return. The enemy were scattered about firing with rifles from behind the fences and haystacks, or under cover of the woods around the open field where our troops had formed. As soon as Capt. In a short time the order was given by Capt. White's men were in rank, he marched them Crosby to throw her coal overboard. Several out under the open fire and directly toward the of the men were detailed for the purpose, and locality whence the shots came thickest, load- commenced the speedy execution of the order. ing and firing as they went. Four of the ene- The Fanny was then attached to the Fanny my had been killed, when they were gathered Cadwallader, and had scarcely succeeded, after up by the rebels, who fled precipitately. One much effort, in getting her off, when Capt. squad, numbering about fifteen, was chased at White, who was again ashore with pickets, saw least half a mile, and our men were pressing on movements in the woods and a large white intending to pursue them to Temperanceville, wagon approaching, guarded by several solwhen Capt. Crosby overtook them with the diers. The picket fell back to the boats. A order, "Make the best of your way back to few moments afterward a shot from a rebel the fort as soon as possible!" Not one of howitzer was sent whirling toward the launch our men had been even wounded. The charge which bore Tillotson's gun, and a shower of that had been made by them was a splendid musket and rifle balls fell among the boats. one, and not a single soldier of ours showed Tillotson_answered the fire bravely and effecany thing but bravery. The credit of the affair tively. The action continued briskly for about belongs to Capt. White and his company, and fifteen minutes, the rebels firing from behind a to Lieut. Ryan, who rushed on bravely at the sand battery and the trees. Their aim, howhead of about fourteen of the Naval Brigade. ever, was much too high and none of their Lient. Ryan had a Sharpe's rifle, and with it shots scarcely but fell beyond. Some of the shot one of the rebels down deliberately. The rifle balls struck the smoke-stacks of the steamFederal troops took a number of muskets, caps, ers, and quite a number of bullets marked the pieces of uniforms, &c., and had it not been for upper parts of the boats. Not one of our men, the order to retreat would have captured a so far as I am able to learn, was injured. The large number of prisoners. I may here say rebels had two howitzers playing mostly on that the uniform of Lieut. Crossly is made the launch, where Tillotson kept up a heavy of coarse Kentucky jeans, green facings, and fire, finally dismounting one piece, and, for a trimmed with the "sic semper tyrannis" but-time, silencing the other. Capt. Crosby gave tons. In the afternoon, after the retreat down Pocomoke River, they took a prize schooner, and early the following morning the fleet started for Cherrystone Creek. Arriving at the wharf at the mouth of the river, they found the schooner Passenger. Her captain is also captain of the Cherrystone Guards, a company of rebel troops who rendezvous in the vicinity. They removed a number of things from the schooner, and then fired her and another lying near. They then placed a picket line along the shore. Scarcely ten minutes afterward a cloud of dust was seen up the road, and then a column of bayonets gleaming in the early sunlight. A moment afterward a ball from a heavy gun came whizzing down the road, and struck in the water a very little distance from

the order to retreat, and at the same instant the rebels gave Tillotson a shell. He again fired, and the launch commenced the retreat. Again and again he fired in answer to the gun upon shore, as his boat moved off, until at last she was silenced. Tillotson, after the action closed, received three loud, long, and hearty cheers for his bravery, and the expedition then moved off toward the fortress, where it arrived early this morning. The last engagement occurred at about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon and continued more than half an hour.

The prize schooner taken at Pocomoke River now lays in the harbor. She is a trim-rigged little craft, and it is regretted by our men that she was not as well stored as built.

-N. Y. World, August 7.

Doc. 162.

TEMPERANCE IN THE ARMY.

RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT THE MEETING HELD IN
NEW YORK, August 4.

1. Resolved, That, in the present solemn and momentous condition of our country, our army is our glory and defence, and that in this, especially in our noble volunteers, our sons and brothers, habitually obedient to all the moral and physical laws of their being, we have the greatest confidence. Our prayer is that, amid all the temptations and trials of camp life, they may be kept unharmed and uncorrupted, and that, when their term of service is over, they may return like the army of Cromwell, to be a blessing and not a curse to their country.

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In the exercise of the right reserved to the people of Missouri by the treaty under which the United States acquired the temporary dominion of the country west of the Mississippi River, in trust for the several sovereign States afterward to be formed out of it, that people did, on the twelfth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twenty, "mutually agree to form and establish a free and independent republic by the name of the State of Missouri." On the tenth day of August, eighteen hundred and twenty-one, the State was duly admitted into the Union of the United States of America, under the compact called the Constitution of the United States, and "on equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever." The freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Missouri, and her equality with the other States of the Union, were thus guaranteed not only by that Constitution, but by the laws of nations requiring the sacred observance of treaties.

In repeated instances, the Government and

2. Resolved, That we rejoice in the recent act of Congress, imposing a heavy penalty upon all in the District who sell to the soldiers intoxicating liquors; also in the prompt and energetic regulations of our youthful commander, to preserve our troops from the snares of the grog-shops. The nation will approve of the severest action in every military district, toward such as for gain will debauch the army. 3. Resolved, That the secret transmission of liquors to the soldiers in camp, in packages of home comforts, by misguided friends, is as mis-people of the States now remaining in that chievous and deadly as it is dishonorable and base, and should receive universal reprobation. 4. Resolved, That in our intense anxiety for friends and brothers, we can never be at ease while they are liable to be led into battle by drunken officers; and we invoke Congress at once to pass a law which shall discharge every officer at the first conviction, whether in battle or on any other occasion.

Union have grossly violated, in their conduct toward the people and State of Missouri, both the Constitution of the United States and that of Missouri, as well as the general, great, and essential principles of liberty and free government. Their President, Abraham Lincoln, in avowed defiance of law and the Constitution of the United States, and under the tyrant's plea of necessity, has assumed to regulate com5. Resolved, That we most deeply sympathize merce with foreign nations and among the sevwith our patriotic soldiers in all their hard-eral States, stopping by violence our trade with ships and sufferings, and would do all in our power to alleviate them; yet as we know that in war intemperance often slays more than the sword, as science and observation prove that the severest toils are borne better without than with intoxicating drinks, and the severest wounds are easier healed, and as we know that the drunkard, whether dying in battle or coming home a burden to his family, is ruined for time and eternity, we do most earnestly exhort all our patriotic and self-denying troops, officers, and common soldiers, at once to abjure all intoxicating drinks, often composed of the most destructive materials, and by one simultaneous effort banish intemperance forever from the national army; and we do rejoice in the effort now made to supply each regiment with a thousand appropriate tracts, exhorting every soldier to beware of the bottle, to sign ⚫ the Ellsworth pledge, and become his own master. This effort we will give not only our good wishes, but our substantial support.

our Southern neighbors, and depriving our citizens of the right secured to them by a special, solemn compact with the United States, to the free navigation of the Mississippi River. He has usurped powers granted exclusively to Congress, in declaring war against the Confederate States; to carry on this unholy attempt to reduce a free people into slavish subjection to him, he has, in violation of the Constitution, raised and supported armies, and provided and maintained a navy.

Regardless of the right reserved to the States respectively, of training the militia and appointing its officers, he has enlisted and armed, contrary to law, under the name of Home Guards, whole regiments of men, foreigners and others, in our State, to defy the constitutional authorities and plunder and murder our citizens. By armed force and actual bloodshed he has even attempted to deprive the people of their right to keep and bear arms, in conformity to the State laws, and to form a well-regulated militia necessary to the security of a free State. With his sanction his soldiers

have been quartered in houses without the | Declaration, it was hoped that the rights consent of the owners thereof, and without therein asserted would not be denied to her any authority of law. The right of the people people. to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, Her authorities also relied on the clause in and effects, against unreasonable searches and the very Constitution with which she was adseizures, has been habitually and grossly vio-mitted into the Union, asserting as one of the lated by his officers, acting under his orders. general, great, and essential principles of liberHe has utterly ignored the binding force of our ty and free government, "that the people of constitutional State laws, and carried his inso- this State have the inherent, sole, and exclusive lence to such an extent as to introduce, from right of regulating the internal government and other States, free negroes into our midst, and police thereof, and of altering and abolishing place them in positions of authority over our their Constitution and form of Government white citizens. whenever it may be necessary to their safety and happiness." But this military commander haughtily refused the consent of his Government to the exercise by us of these rights, which our ancestors in the last century endured an eight years' war to vindicate. He but expressed, however, the deliberate purpose of his masters at Washington and the people over which they rule; for his predecessor at St. Louis had, a few weeks before, formally proclaimed to our people that our equality with the other States would be ignored; that we should be held in subjection to the North, even though the independence of our Southern sister States might be acknowledged; that, to use his own words, "whatever may be the termination of the unfortunate condition of things in respect to the so-called cotton States, Missouri must share the destiny of the Union;" that the free will of her people shall not decide her future, but that "the whole power of the Government of the United States, if necessary, will be exerted to maintain Missouri in the Union," in subjection to the tyranny of the North.

He has encouraged the stealing of our slave property. In these and other proceedings the Government and people of the Northern States have unmistakably shown their intention to overturn the social institutions of Missouri, and reduce her white citizens to an equality with the blacks. In the execution of his despotic wishes his agents, without even rebuke from him, have exhibited a brutality scarcely credible of a nation pretending to civilization. Even women and children of tender age have fallen victims to the unbridled license of his unfeeling soldiery. He has avowedly undertaken to make the civil power subordinate to the military; and with the despicable and cowardly design of thus protecting himself and his accomplices, by binding the consciences of the unhappy victims of his tyranny, he has exacted from peaceful citizens, guilty of no crime, an oath to support his detestable government. To crush out even peaceful and lawful opposition to it, he has forcibly and unconstitutionally suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, and abridged the freedom of speech and of the press by subjecting innocent citizens to punishment for mere opinion's sake, and by preventing the publication of newspapers independent enough to expose his treason to liberty.

These manifold and inhuman wrongs were long submitted to in patience, and almost in humility, by the people of Missouri and their authorities. Even when the conduct of the Lincoln Government had culminated in an open war upon us, those authorities offered to its military commander in Missouri to refer to the people of the State for decision of the question of our separation from a government and nation thus openly hostile to us. Those authorities relied on the principles consecrated in the Declaration of Independence of the United States, that, to secure the rights of citizens, "governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." Missouri having an admitted equality with the original States which had made this

The acts of President Lincoln have been endorsed by the Congress and people of the Northern States, and the war thus commenced by him has been made the act of the Government and nation over which he rules. They have not only adopted this war, but they have gone to the extreme of inciting portions of our people to revolt against the State authorities: by intimidation they have obtained control of the remnant left of a Convention deriving its powers from those authorities, and using it as a tool, they have through it set up an insurrectionary government in open rebellion against the State. No alternative is left us; we must draw the sword and defend our sacred rights.

By the recognized universal public law of all the earth, war dissolves all political compacts. Our forefathers gave as one of their grounds for asserting their independence, that the King of Great Britain had "abdicated government here by declaring us out of his protection, and waging war upon us." The people and Government of the Northern States of the late Union have acted in the same manner toward Missouri, and have dissolved, by war, the connection heretofore existing between her and them.

The General Assembly of Missouri, the recognized political department of her govern

ment, by an act approved May 10, 1861, entitled, "An act to authorize the Governor of the State of Missouri to suppress rebellion and repel invasion," has vested in the Governor, in respect to the rebellion and invasion now carried on in Missouri by the Government and people of the Northern States and their allies, the authority "to take such measures as in his judgment he may deem necessary or proper to repel such invasion or put down such rebellion."

Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority in me vested by said act, I, Claiborne F. Jack son, Governor of the State of Missouri, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of my intentions, and firmly believing that I am herein carrying into effect the will of the people of Missouri, do hereby, in their name, by their authority, and on their behalf, and subject at all times to their free and unbiased control, make and publish this provisional declaration, that by the acts, and people, and Government of the United States of America, the political connection heretofore existing between said States and the people and government of Missouri is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that the State of Missouri, as a sovereign, free, and independent republic, has full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent States may of right do.

Published and declared at New Madrid, Missouri, this fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-one. CLAIBORNE F. JACKSON,

Doc. 164.

Governor of Missouri.

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the same county. They will all be taken before General Banks this afternoon, and held. The horses are of the finest Virginia stock, and are considered quite a prize. The prisoners will all be well treated, and profess to be good Union men. This is reliable, and will relieve the dulness of the war news for the last few days.-X. -Baltimore American, August 6.

The following is a copy of the report of Colonel John C. Starkweather, of the First regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, relative to the operations which preceded the affair opposite Point of Rocks to-day, August 5:

HEAD-QUARTERS FIRST REGIMENT W. V.,
CAMP STARKWEATHER, August 3, 1861.

Major Robert Williams, A. A. G., Harper's
Ferry:

DEAR SIR: In compliance with my orders Messrs. Clark, Stone, Bennett, and Allen, of Companies E and F, Wisconsin Volunteers, crossed the Potomac, at Edwards' Ferry, with a skiff, on the 1st instant, at about four o'clock, and concealed themselves until morning, in order to examine fully the ford and other surroundings. Having secured the information that the enemy's pickets remained there in force only during the night, and upon making the examination necessary, they were fired into by a large body of the enemy, whose fire they returned, retreating slowly to their boat, and recrossing the stream without any casualty on our side. The firing was so close to the ferry house that the same was by some chance set on fire, and, with the barn immediately adjoining, burned to the ground. The same had been used for a long time as a place of observation and security by the enemy, and from which their skirmish firing was generally conducted. On the following morning, at about eleven

SKIRMISH NEAR POINT OF ROCKS, MD. o'clock, the enemy's pickets having been re

BERLIN, Md., August 5, 1861. MESSRS. EDITORS: You will please announce in your morning paper that a sharp skirmish took place this morning opposite the Point of Rocks, in Virginia. A detachment of sixty men of the Twenty-eighth regiment of New York Volunteers, stationed at our place, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, crossed the river at this place last night and marched through the county, and came on a party of cavalry of Captain Mead's company, of the Confederate army, opposite the Point of Rocks.

ported gone, W. H. Langworthy and J. J. Smith, of Company E, Wisconsin regiment of Volunteers, and Wm. Moore, of Company C, Wisconsin Volunteers, again crossed, in order to complete the examinations, and when about concluded, they were surrounded and attacked by twelve of the enemy's troops, in a most daring and impetuous manner. My own, however, fell back behind the trees, after first clearing their way, where they remained skirmishing with the enemy for some time, and finally by a preconcerted signal they made a charge upon the enemy, routing them completely, killing three and wounding one. They The Colonel, with his party, came on them then retreated to their boat, and recrossed, about sunrise, and ordered them to halt, which being protected by our troops, who had adwas not obeyed, and they fired on them and vanced to the water's edge on this side for such killed three, wounded two, and took twenty purpose. W. H. Langworthy was wounded by horses, with their equipments, and seven pris- a musket ball passing through his side. He is, oners. They brought them into camp this however, around to-day the same as usual. No morning about ten o'clock, without getting a other casualties. They are entitled to great man hurt. Among the killed is George Orri- praise for their daring and courage in making son, of Loudon County. Among the prisoners these reconnoissances, and for the good genare a son of Mrs. Dawson, one Mr. Drane, oferalship displayed in attacking and routing an

VOL. II.-Doc. 38

enemy so superior in numbers. It is one of those Spartan feats that I trust the department will take notice of.

I am, with respect, yours to command,

JOHN C. STARKWEATHER, Colonel First Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers.

Doc. 165.

THE ESCAPE OF THE SUMTER.
UNITED STATES STEAM-SLOOP BROOKLYN,
OFF MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,
Wednesday, July 10, 1861.

SUNDAY last, the 7th inst., as the following will vividly show, was a day pregnant with misfortune for us. It was then the pirate Sumter escaped us, and that, too, by our own injudicious management. Now, as there is the greatest probability that this steamer, manned, as she is, by a band of cutthroats, will capture, rob, and sink, or burn some of our merchant vessels, laden with valuable cargoes, I imagine it will be nothing more than fair if the manner of her escape is put upon record in your journal; so here goes: At daybreak on the morning of Sunday, the lookout discovered a vessel in the offing, acting very suspiciously, and leading us to believe that she would run the blockade if an opportunity was given her. We duly got under way and went in pursuit of her. She kept standing off, and led us a merry chase of some fifteen miles from our anchorage; but finally overhauling her, we found her to be an English bark in ballast from some port in Spain, and bound for New Orleans. We warned her not to attempt to enter.

During this chase it was reported to our Captain that, taking advantage of our absence from Pass l'Outre, a steamer was making its way down the river with terrific speed. Instead of continuing to follow the confounded old bark, upon the reception of such important intelligence, we should have ignored her presence, and, instantly putting about, hastened back to the river with all possible speed, for it had been universally known for a long time that the secession man-of-war steamer Sumter was lying at the head of the Pass, awaiting an opportunity to pass us and escape, that she might be at large upon the high seas, to plunder and murder indiscriminately. But no! our Captain did not seem to discern the necessity of such an action, but kept our vessel steaming on until, overtaking the bark, he simply ordered her off, as stated above. 'Tis true in doing this we were performing our duty to the very let ter; but it was of minor importance when compared to the interception of a vessel notoriously a pirate.

When we returned, it was reported to us that the Sumter had already succeeded in crossing the bar, and at this moment our Captain, as if awakening from sleep, ordered us to carry all the steam possible and crowd on all sail, and start in pursuit of the fugitive. This order had hardly been carried into effect when a terrible

squall came up, and it continued with such severity for a while we could not see the length of our ship ahead of us. For fear of grounding we lessened our speed, and eventually stopped altogether, remaining so until the squall Lad passed. Much to our chagrin we then saw the Sumter a very great distance ahead of us, and going through the water like a witch; we continued the chase, but she slowly increased the distance between us, it being a dead calm after the squall, and we could not use our sails. Had our vessel been in as good a condition as she was at the commencement of this cruise, instead of the miserable state she is now in, we could have caught her easily under steam alone. Still we kept on, and at four P. M. we were gladdened by the wind coming around fair, and freshening every moment.

We made all sail, until the masts cracked and groaned under their burden, and we were rewarded by the fact that we were rapidly gaining upon the Sumter, which caused us to feel elated, as we argued it would be a "nice job" if we could succeed in trapping the pirate. Suddenly, at this juncture of affairs and the very turning point in our favor, Captain Poor ordered the ship to put about, to abandon the chase, and return to our anchorage. Amazement was depicted upon the countenance of every man on board, and as a matter of course the greatest and most bitter indignation prevailed because of this action. It was so uncalled for, so inexplicable, that wonder and scorn were the predominant feelings manifested. Again, it was the opinion of every man on board our ship that it was our imperative duty to follow this pirate to the lower regions, if necessary for her capture, and let the blockade go, for the damage this one piratical vessel will do to our commerce, if let alone, will be incalculable.

The Sumter, it is reported, carries nine guns of large calibre, some two hundred men, and is very fast. She is the propeller Habana, her name afterwards changed to Alfonzo, built in 1857 by Messrs. C. H. & W. M. Crump, of Philadelphia. Her dimensions are as follows: Length, on deck, one hundred and eighty feet; breadth of beam, thirty feet; depth of hold, ten feet; draught of water, nine feet six inches; five hundred tons burthen. Thus it will be observed that with the large crew and heavy guns she is reported to have, she will prove a most formidable privateer.

Our very discreet Captain (that is, he thinks himself such, but a great many others do not) disregarded all advice from his officers, and, intrenching himself behind his official position, would not venture an explanation or an excuse for his action, but deliberately returns to the blockade, and lets the pirate run, to destroy millions of dollars' worth of property; whereas the raising of the blockade for a few days would have amounted, comparatively, to nothing. And further, it was only after the repeated requests and urgings of all the officers that Capt.

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