one 24-pounder, and two 18-pounder Dahlgren guns. By the 27th of May she had captured and sent into New Orleans two schooners, the John Adams and the Mermaid, of Provincetown, and the brig Panama. Their united crews numbered 63 men, and they had on board 215 bbls. whale and sperm oil. She captured also the ship Milan, from Liverpool, with 1,500 sacks of salt, worth $20,000; the bark Ocean Eagle, from Rockland, Maine, with lime, worth $20,000; and the schooner Ida, from Tampico, with fruit, worth $5,000. The Calhoun was commander Hollins's flag-ship when the attack on the Union fleet was made on the Mississippi, October 11.

The schooner William C. Atwater, Capt. Allen, belonged to New Haven, and was in the service of the Government. The crew numbered eight men. Off Cedar Keys, Florida, on the 10th of May, she was captured by the steamer Spray, which had on board thirty-one men, armed with bowie-knives, revolvers, muskets with bayonets, etc. The captors took her to Appalachicola, where she arrived on the 13th of May.

The Ivey, a small steamer of 200 tons, was armed with two 8-inch rifled 32-pounder guns. She captured the ship Marathon, from Marseilles, in ballast, worth $35,000; and the ship Albino, from Boston, with a cargo of ice, worth $20,000. The armed steamer Murie captured the Marshall Sprague, of Providence, from Havre, in ballast, worth $50,000; and the ship John H. Jarvis, from Liverpool, worth $10,000.

The steamer Wm. H. Webb was formerly a towboat in New York, where she was built in 1856; she was 650 tons, draught 7 feet, 197 feet long, 31 feet beam, 12 feet hold, and was one of the strongest and largest boats of that class. A few years previous she had been purchased by some of the New Orleans merchants for the purpose of towing the heavilyladen ships to and from that city. She was converted into a gunboat and seized three vessels laden with oil, on the 24th of May.

The Dixie, a schooner of about 150 tons burden, was fitted out as a privateer in Charleston, from which place she ran the blockade on the 19th of July, and on the 23d encountered the bark Glen, of Portland, Maine, of which she at once made a prize. On the 25th she captured the schooner Mary Alice, of New York, with a cargo of sugar, from the West Indies, bound to New York, and placed a prize crew on board; she was, however, retaken by the blockading fleet almost immediately after. On the evening of the 31st the Dixie came up with the Rowena, a bark laden with coffee, bound to Philadelphia; she was taken possession of, and the captain of the Dixie himself took the place of prize-master, and successfully reached Charleston on the 27th of August, after several narrow escapes from the vessels of the blockading fleet. The following were the officers of the Dixie: captain, Thomas J. Moore; first

lieutenant, George D. Walker; second lieutenant, John W. Marshall; third lieutenant, L. D. Benton; gunner, Charles Ware; boatswain, Geo. O. Gladden; steward, C. Butcher. She had also twenty-two seamen and a cook, and her armament consisted of four guns.

The Jeff. Davis, early in June, appeared on the eastern coast, running in as near as the Nantucket Shoals, and making on her way prizes that were roughly estimated at $225,000. She was formerly the slaver Echo, that was captured about two years previous, and was condemned in Charleston harbor. She was a fullrigged brig, painted black on the outside, and had a rusty, dull appearance, that would not be likely to alarm any vessel of ordinary sailing qualities; crew 260 men. Her armament consisted of a 32-pounder gun, placed amidships, mounted on a pivot, so that it might be used in all directions, and on each side a 32-pounder and a 12-pounder, so as to equalize the strength of the broadside. Captain Coxetter was her commander. His first lieutenant, named Postel, was at one time a midshipman in the United States navy, and also held a position in the Savannah custom-house.

The Davis had previously taken three prizes; one of these, and the most valuable, was the J. G. Waring, captured within 200 miles of New York. The captain, mates, and two seamen, were taken out, and five of the Davis crew put on board. The colored steward, W. Tillman, was allowed to remain. The vessel then made for Charleston. On the 16th of July Tillman, aided by McLeod, a seaman, killed the prize-captain and mates, and sailed for New York, where he arrived with two prisoners of the prize-crew. Tillman was awarded salvage. The Jeff. Davis also took the ship John Crawford, from Philadelphia, for Key West, with arms and coal for the United States. She drew 22 feet water, and was burned.

In attempting, August 17, to cross the bar at St. Augustine, Fla., the brig grounded on the North Breakers. This was about half-past six o'clock, Sunday morning. A small boat was sent ashore with Dr. Babcock and Lieut. Baya, and the prisoners landed. The officers and crew of the privateer then went ashore, and were greeted with the most enthusiastic demonstrations by the inhabitants. About halfpast nine two lighter-boats went off to the brig with Capt. Coxetter and other officers. The starboard guns were thrown overboard to lighten the vessel, in order to clear her decks of water, and save as much as possible of the supplies on board the brig. Every effort was finally made to change her position, but it was supposed that the guns when thrown overboard stove her in and caused her to bilge. The lighter boats, however, were filled with a large amount of provisions and baggage, and finally succeeded in saving all the small-arms on board. About two o'clock all hands left, and were conveyed to St. Augustine. The crew

afterwards arrived at Charleston. The brig became a total loss.

The Bonita, a brig built in New York, 1853, was 276 tons burden and 110 feet long, 25 feet wide, and 11 feet deep. She was previously engaged in the slave trade, but was captured on the coast of Africa and was taken to Charleston, and afterwards to Savannah, where she was seized by order of Gov. Brown, and converted into a vessel of war. She had always borne the character of a fast sailer, and was in perfect order.

The Sallie was a fore-and-aft schooner of one hundred and forty tons burden, mounted one long gun amidships, and had a crew consisting of forty men. She was previously the schooner Virginia, of Brookhaven, and was built at Port Jefferson in 1856. Her dimensions were: length, 97 feet 6 inches; breadth, 29 feet 4 inches; depth, 10 feet. She was commanded by Capt. Libby. She ran out from Charleston and made several prizes, among them the Betsey Ames and the brig Granada; both these vessels were sold in Charleston, under decree of Judge Magrath, of the Admiralty Court. In New Orleans, by the end of May, there were the following prizes:

four 24-inch carronades; Dodge, 100 tons, one long pivot; McClellan, Breshwood, one pivot, four sideguns. Steamer: Bradford, formerly Ewing.

In addition to the above, the Navy Department of the insurrectionary Government purchased or fitted out the following vessels, which acted as privateers:

The Gordon was a small sea steamer of about 500 tons burden, drawing from seven to nine feet of water, and making an average of twelve miles an hour. She was about ten years old, and the most of that time she had been running in and out of Charleston harbor. In 1859 she was purchased by the Florida Steamship Company, and ran on the line between Charleston and Fernandina as consort to the Carolina, a steamer of her own size and build. The Gordon was fitted out as a vessel of war. She was employed along the coast islands at Hatteras, in and out of Pamlico Sound via Hatteras Inlet, when it was occupied by Union troops. She succeeded in running the blockade at Charleston, with some vessels which she had made prizes. She was armed with two guns, and was commanded by Capt. Lockwood, who was formerly engaged on the New York and Charleston line of steamers. His last employment, previous to this position, was as commander of the Carolina, on the Charleston and Fernandina line of steamers. He had succeeded in running the blockade with his vessel seventeen times. The last feat of the Theodora, to which the name of the Gordon had been changed, was to carry to Cuba the ministers, Slidell and Mason.

The Coffee, a side-wheel steamer carrying 2 guns, the steamer Marion, and the schooner York, were consorts of the Gordon in Hatteras Inlet. The Coffee was wrecked-a total loss.

The McRea, formerly the steamer Habana, plying between the ports of New Orleans and Havana, was a propeller of 500 tons burden; she was built in Philadelphia in 1859, and was owned in New Orleans previous to her being used as a privateer. She carried a 64-pounder, mounted on a pivot, four 8-inch columbiads, and a rifled 24-pounder. She succeeded in running the blockade at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The steamer Lady Davis was one of the first vessels prepared in Charleston, and was intended for the harbor defence. She was purchased by Gov. Pickens, at Richmond. She received her name in honor of the wife of Jefferson Davis. She was armed with two 24pounders, regularly equipped, and commanded by Capt. T. B. Huger.

The Nina was a small steam gunboat, mounting one light gun.

The Jackson was a steamer, 200 tons, armed with two 8-inch columbiads. She was commanded by Capt. Gwathemy.

The Incarora, steamer, carried one 8-inch columbiad, and a 32-pounder rifled cannon. The little steamer George Page, operating

on Occoquan River and Quantico Creek, was famous for her boldness in running down to within gunshot of the Federal batteries, and occasionally throwing a shell into them, thereby keeping up continuous alarm.

The Judith, schooner, of 250 tons, armed with a heavy pivot-gun, and four broadside guns, was destroyed in Pensacola harbor, September 13. The Union loss was 3 killed, 12 wounded.

The Yorktown was formerly used in the New York and Virginia line of steamers. She was a side-wheel steamer of 1,400 tons burden, built in New York in 1859; length, 251 feet; breadth, 34 feet; depth, 18 feet. She had been completely fitted out at Norfolk, her sides having been plated with iron, and other means taken to strengthen her, and to render her formidable. She was commanded by Capt. Parish, her old commander, and carried two pivots, and six broadside guns.

The Everglade was a small side-wheel steamer, purchased by the State of Georgia for the sum of $34,000. She was made a gunboat, for the purpose of cruising as a coast-guard at the mouth of the Savannah River. Her officers, as at first appointed, were as follows: commander, J. McIntosh Kell; midshipmen, R. F. Armstrong, S. N. Hooper, J. A. Merriweather; chief engineer, Joshua Smith; assistant engineer, Norval Meeker; clerk, William J. Bennett.

The North Carolina steamer Winslow, Lieut. Crossman commanding, captured off Cape Hatteras the schooner Transit, Knowles master, last from Key West. The prize was in ballast, having sailed from New York for Key West

with provisions, shot, etc., about the 27th of May. Having landed her cargo safely at Key West, the Transit was upon her return north when captured. She was a fine schooner, of 195 tons burden, and was built at a cost of $13,000. She was copper-fastened up to 9 feet, and had galvanized iron fastenings above that. She belonged to New London, Conn. The prize was carried to Newbern, by Lieut. Seawell. Lieut. Crossman also captured off Cape Hatteras, the Hannah Balch, a hermaphrodite brig, which was captured previously off Savannah by the United States ship Flag, Lieut. Sarton. She was just from Cardenas, and laden with 150 barrels of molasses.

The little schooner Savannah was formerly pilot boat No. 7, doing duty in Charleston harbor, 54 tons burden. She carried one 18pounder amidships, and was commanded by T. Harrison Baker, of Charleston, and had a crew of 20 men. On the 1st of June she captured the brig Joseph, of Maine, from Cuba, loaded with sugar, and sent her into Georgetown, S. C., in charge of eight men. On the 3d of June, off Charleston, she fell in with the U. S. brig Perry, which she mistook for a merchantman, and immediately engaged, but was soon taken. Her crew were placed in irons on board the United States steamer Minnesota, and she was sent to New York, in charge of prize-master McCook. Her appearance created great interest among the people, on account of her being the first privateer captured, and crowds of people flocked to the Battery, off which she lay, to see the little craft. She was afterward taken to the navy yard.

MILITARY operations now began to be conducted with more concentrated forces. From the first moment great activity in raising troops had prevailed in the State of Ohio.

Gen. George B. MClellan was invited from his duties in connection with the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad by the Governor of Ohio, and appointed to the chief command in the State. Under his directions the volunteers were organized, and preparations for a campaign made. Early in May the forces were ready to cooperate with the two or three regiments organized in Western Virginia, to oppose the advance of Virginia troops. The occupation of Western Virginia, which had voted against the ordinance of secession, and its control, was early an object with the Confederate Government. To oppose them, Gen. McClellan pushed

forward, under the orders of the United States Government.

On the 26th of May he issued the following proclamation to the people of Western Virginia, from his headquarters at Cincinnati, Ohio:

To the Union Men of Western Virginia.

VIRGINIANS: The General Government has long enough endured the machinations of a few factious rebels in your midst. Armed traitors have in vain endeavored to deter you from expressing your loyalty at the polls. Having failed in this infamous attempt to deprive you of the exercise of your dearest rights, they now seek to inaugurate a reign of terror, and thus force you to yield to their schemes and submit to the yoke of traitorous conspiracy dignified by the name of the Southern Confederacy. They are destroying the property of citizens of your State and ruining your magnificent railways.

The General Government has heretofore carefully

abstained from sending troops across the Ohio, or even from posting them along its banks, although frequently urged by many of your prominent citizens to do so. It determined to wait the result of the State election, desirous that no one might be able to say that the slightest effort had been made from this side to influence the free expression of your opinions, although the many agencies brought to bear upon you by the rebels were well known. You have now shown, under the most adverse circumstances, that the great mass of the people of Western Virginia are true and loyal to that beneficent Government under which we and our fathers lived so long.

traitors commenced their work of destruction. The

As soon as the result of the election was known, the General Government cannot close its ears to the demand you have made for assistance. I have ordered troops to cross the river. They come as your friends and brothers—as enemies only to armed rebels, who are preying upon you; your homes, your families, and your property are safe under our protection. All your rights shall be religiously respected, notwithstanding all that has been said by the traitors to induce you to believe our advent among you will be signalized by an interference with your slaves. Understand one thing clearly not only will we abstain from all such interference, but we will, on the contrary, with an iron hand crush any attempt at insurrection on their part. Now that we are in your midst, I call upon you to fly to arms and support the General Government; sever the connection that binds you to traitors; proclaim to the world that the faith and loyalty so long boasted by the Old Dominion are still preserved in Western Virginia, and that you remain true to the Stars and Stripes. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding.

On the same day he issued the following proclamation to his troops:

SOLDIERS: You are ordered to cross the frontier and enter on the soil of Virginia. Your mission is to restore peace and confidence, to protect the majesty of the law, and secure our brethren from the grasp of armed traitors. I place under the safeguard of your honor the persons and property of the Virginians. I know you will respect their feelings and all their rights, and preserve the strictest discipline. Remember, each one of you holds in his keeping the honor of Ohio and of the Union. If you are called upon to overcome armed opposition, I know your courage is equal to the task. Remember, that your only foes are armed traitors, and show mercy even to them when in your power, for many of them are misguided. When, under your protection, the loyal men of Western Virginia shall have been enabled to organize and form until they can protect themselves, you can return to your homes with the proud satisfaction of having preserved a gallant people from destruction.

G. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major-General Commanding.

The instructions to General McClellan were to cross the Ohio, and, in conjunction with the forces of Western Virginia under Colonel Kelly, to drive out the Confederate force, and advance on Harper's Ferry. On the night of the 26th of May, orders were given to Colonel Kelly at Wheeling, to march on Grafton, which he proceeded to execute early the next morning with the First Virginia Volunteers. He was followed on the same day by the Sixteenth Ohio, Colonel Irvine, which had been stationed at Bellair, Ohio. These forces advanced by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. At the same time, the Fourteenth Ohio, Colonel Steadman, crossed the Ohio at Marietta, and occupied Parkersburg. These, advancing on the rail

road, were welcomed by crowds at every station. On the same night, a Confederate force of 1,500 men evacuated Grafton, and that place was occupied, on the 29th, by the Virginia and Ohio Volunteers. Here they were joined by the Seventh and Ninth Indiana. The Confederate force, in the mean time, had retired to Philippi, where they prepared to make a stand with considerable strength. Philippi is twenty-four miles from Grafton, the Confederate force. On the night of June and General McClellan determined to surprise 2, two divisions moved forward to accomplish this purpose. The surprise was complete, and the Confederate force, under Colonel G. A. Porterfield, was forced to retire, abandoning a large amount of stores and arms, with a loss of fifteen killed. Owing to the storm and the darkness of the night, the first division, under Colonel Kelly, was unable to arrive in the rear of the Confederate force soon enough

to cut off its retreat. This force retired to Laurel Hill, in the vicinity of Beverly, where the enemy was concentrated in a strongly fortified position, which not only commanded the road to the southern part of the State, whence the Confederate supplies were obtained, but from which an attack upon the Federal forces was constantly threatened. Laurel Hill is on the western slope of a range of the Alleghany Mountains, which runs from northeast to southwest, and which is impassable for an army except at certain points. The Confederate encampment was on a slope which declined gradually to the valley, and was strongly fortified in front, below which passed the only road to southern Virginia. The plan of General McClellan was to occupy the attention of the enemy, by the appearance of a direct attack, while a strong force marched round to his rear to take possession of the road by which his supplies came. The enemy must then either come out of his intrenchments and fight, or starve. Taking the main body of his army, composing a force of ten thousand men, General McClellan moved to Clarksburg, and thence to Buckhannon, on the west of Laurel Hill. Previously however, and on the 7th of July, he ordered General Morris to march upon Laurel Hill, to occupy the enemy. Taking with him the Ninth Indiana, Colonel Milroy, the Fourteenth Ohio, the First Virginia, the Cleveland Artillery, the Sixth and Seventh Indiana, and the Sixth Ohio, in the order named and making a force of about 4,000 men, he left early in the morning, and reached Bealington in front of the enemy at eight o'clock, with his right, having flanking parties on each side, and two companies of skirmishers ahead. Confederate pickets fired and retreated. A slight skirmish ensued with a party of the enemy in a wood beyond the town, about two miles from the Confederate camp, which the Federal force had occupied. On the 8th, a brisk skirmishing was kept up all the afternoon with the Confederates, and some were killed

The

on both sides. On the 9th, the skirmishing was renewed, and every outlet of the Confederate camp was watched except that back to Beverly, where General McClellan was soon expected to be. Thus the enemy was held in check on the north and occupied, while General McClellan was attempting to get in his rear. Meantime, as General McClellan reached Buckhannon, he found that the rear of the enemy was strongly fortified at a position called Rich Mountain, which was defended by one to two thousand men, under Colonel Pegram. He now formed the plan of capturing this entire force. For this purpose, General Rosecrans with about three thousand men was sent to attack his rear, while General McClellan himself made a direct attack in front. General Rosecrans with the Eighth, Tenth, Thirteenth Indiana, and Nineteenth Ohio, therefore proceeded, on the 11th, along the line of hills southeast of the enemy's intrenched camp on the Beverly road, to make an attack on the east side, while General McClellan made it on the west side, as soon as he heard from General Rosecrans. A courier, who mistook the road through the enemy's camp for the route of the troops, gave the enemy intelligence of the movement. Their position was about two miles west from Beverly, which is on the east side of what is called Rich Mountain, a gap in the Laurel Hill range, through which the southern road passes. General Rosecrans arrived in the rear of the enemy at four o'clock, and meeting a small force, immediately began the attack, to which they made a vigorous resistance, but were unable to withstand it. The effect was to alarm Colonel Pegram, and upon finding out his exposed position he silently moved off with his main body, with the hope of being able to join the camp at Laurel Hill. Meanwhile General McClellan was in position with his whole force during the afternoon ready to make an assault, but heard nothing from the other column except distant firing. Early in the morning he was about proceeding to plant cannon upon an eminence commanding a portion of the Confederate camp, and preparing to attack the whole next in front, when it was ascertained that the enemy had evacuated his position during the night, moving towards Laurel Hill, leaving only a few men in charge of the sick, cannon, and camp equi. page and transportation.

The following despatch from General McClellan thus announced these movements:

RICH MOUNTAIN, VA., 9 A. M., July 12. Col. E. D. Townsend, Assistant-Adjutant General: We are in possession of all the enemy's works up to a point in sight of Beverly. We have taken all his guns; a very large amount of wagons, tents, &c.; every thing he had; and also a large number of prisoners, many of whom are wounded, and amongst whom are several officers. They lost many killed. We have lost in all, perhaps twenty killed and forty wounded, of whom all but two or three were in the column under Col. Rosecrans, which turned the position. The mass of the enemy escaped through the woods entirely dis

organized. Among the prisoners is Dr. Taylor, formerly of the army. Col. Pegram was in command. ing and marched some eight miles through the moun Col. Rosecrans' column left camp yesterday morntains, reaching the turnpike some two or three miles in the rear of the enemy. He defeated an advanced force, and took a couple of guns. I had a position ready for twelve guns near the inain camp, and as the had retreated. I am now pushing on to Beverly-a guns were moving up I ascertained that the enemy part of Colonel Rosecrans' troops being now within three miles of that place. Our success is complete and almost bloodless. I doubt whether Wise and Johnston will unite and overpower me. The behavior of our troops in action and towards prisoners was admirable. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding.

By the retreat of Colonel Pegram, the rear of the Confederate force at Laurel Hill was entirely exposed. On the 11th, General Garnett first learned that General McClellan was in his rear. He immediately evacuated his camp, and retired before General Morris, hoping to reach Beverly in advance of General McClellan, and thus be able to withdraw his forces by the road to southern Virginia. Upon arriving within three miles of Beverly, the fugitives of Colonel Pegram's force were met, and finding escape impossible by that route, General Garnett returned towards Laurel Hill, and took the road branching off to the northeast towards St. George, in Tucker County. His aim was now to press along the base of the mountains down the Cheat River, with the hope of finding some practicable path across the mountains into the valley of Virginia. The following despatch of General McClellan describes the precise state of affairs at this time:

To Col. E. D. Townsend:

BEVERLY, VA., July 18, 1861.

The success of to-day is all that I could desire. We captured six brass cannon, of which one was rifled; their cups. The number of tents will probably reach all their camp equipage and transportation, even to two hundred, and more than sixty wagons. Their killed and wounded will fully amount to one hundred and fifty. We have at least one hundred prisoners, and more coming in constantly. I know already of plete. We occupied Beverly by a rapid march. Garten officers killed and prisoners. Their retreat is comnett abandoned his camp early this morning, leaving his camp equipage. He came within a few miles of Beverly, but our rapid march turned him back in great confusion, and he is now retreating on the road to St. closely. I have telegraphed for the Second Pennsyl George. I have ordered Gen. Morris to follow him up vania Regiment at Cumberland to join Gen. Hill at Rowlesburg. The General is concentrating all his troops at Rowlesburg, to cut off Garnett's retreat, if out some ten thousand troops, strongly intrenched, possible, to St. George. I may say we have driven with the loss of eleven killed and thirty-five wounded. Provision returns were found showing Garnett's force to have been ten thousand men. They were Eastern Virginians, Georgians, Tennesseans, and, I think, Carolinians. To-morrow I can give full particulars, &c. Will move on Huttonsville to-morrow and endeavor to seize the Cheat Mountain pass, where there are now but few troops. I hope that Gen. Cox has by this time driven Wise out of the Kanawha valley. In that case I shall have accomplished the object of liberating Western Virginia. I hope the General will approve my operations. G. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General Commanding.

Up the mountains, through defiles, and