The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

May 8.—Nine Union regiments, under Generals Milroy and Schenck, fought fourteen thousand rebels, under General Jackson, at McDowell, in Virginia, from six till nine P.M., when they fell back to the town of Franklin in good order. (Doc. 10.)

—The bombardment of the rebel batteries on Sewell’s Point and Craney Island was actively carried forward by the Monitor, the Naugatuck, and other vessels of the fleet. The Merrimac finally appeared, but as she evinced a disinclination to come out into the roadstead, and the National vessels were equally disinclined to go up to her, the combat ceased. The scene was an exciting one for some time, and was witnessed by President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton.— (Doc. 26.)

—Messrs. Richardson, Knapp, and Robinson, of Illinois; Law and Voorhees, of Indiana; Allen, White, Noble, Pendleton, Morris, and Vallandigham, of Ohio; Johnson and Ancona, of Pennsylvania, and Shields of Oregon, issued an address to the Democracy of the United States, setting forth party organization as a positive good and essential to the preservation of public liberty. —Cincinnati Gazette, May 9.

—Four companies of the Seventh Illinois cavalry, under command of Major Aplington, when reconnoitring within a mile and a half of Corinth, Miss., discovered two rebel regiments of infantry in position on both sides of the road. Major Aplington gallantly charged upon them, but fell pierced by a ball through the brain. Four of the Union troops were slightly wounded; the rebels suffered the loss of thirty killed and wounded, and four prisoners.

—The United States Senate passed a bill establishing Beaufort, S. C, as a port of entry.

—The iron-clad gunboats Galena, Aroostook, and Port Royal left Fortress Monroe and started up James River, at six o’clock this morning. Immediately after their departure, the rebel tug, F. B. White, came out from Craney Island, having left Norfolk this morning with a crew and two citizens on board, on a mission to Tannery Point, but they run over to Newport News, and surrendered to General Mansfield!—Baltimore American, May 9.

—Three brigades of General Buell’s army seized the portion of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad between Corinth and the Grand Junction, and thus cut the communication between those points.—Chicago Times, May 9.

—Governor Clark, of North-Carolina, in response to a demand of the confederate government for more troops and transportation, informed that government that it “had received all the aid from North-Carolina that it could expect, and that no more troops would be permitted to leave the State.” —N.Y. Herald, May 19.

May 7.—This afternoon the rebel pickets above Columbiana Bridge, on the east side of the Shenandoah River, Va., were driven back by detachments under Col. Foster, who was subsequently ambuscaded by two rebel regiments. The action lasted an hour, when Foster withdrew in good order. The enemy did not pursue. A company of Vermont cavalry was cut off and surrounded, but escaped by swimming the river. The enemy’s loss is not known, except seven prisoners, belonging to the Sixth Virginia and Seventh Louisiana, which indicates that the enemy’s force was one of Ewell’s brigade.—(Doc. 8.)

—General Franklin’s division, Army of the Potomac, was attacked while landing at WestPoint, Va., by the rebel Army of the Peninsula. After a hard fight the rebels were repulsed with considerable loss, and the landing effected. (Doc. 9.)

—A Letter from Algesiras, Spain, published this day, gives the final account of the pirate Sumter. She had lain closely blockaded in Gibraltar, by the United States gunboat Tuscarora, which lay in Spanish waters within sight of her, for two months. Thirteen of the Sumter’s crew meanwhile deserted to the gunboat. Seeing no other end to such a state of affairs, the Captain of the Sumter discharged his crew and sold his ship.—N. Y. Times, May 7.

—General Cox’s advance, consisting of part of the Twenty-third Ohio, under Major Cauley, occupied Giles’s Court-House and the narrows of New-River, driving out the rebels, who were taken by surprise. A considerable quantity of commissary stores was taken, and some twenty privates made prisoners. The surprise prevented the burning of the place, as the rebels intended. The citizens remained, and most of them seem loyally disposed.—General Fremont’s Despatch.

May 6.—The rebels having evacuated the works in front of Williamsburgh, and continued their retreat toward Richmond, the place was occupied by the Union forces under the immediate command of Gen. McClellan.—(Doc. 96.)

—General Franklin’s division of the Army of the Potomac left Yorktown in transports, to proceed up the York River to West-Point.—N. Y. Evening Post, May 8.

—At Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States Circuit Court, at the April term, 1861, the Grand Jury found an indictment of treason against James W. Chenoweth, for furnishing supplies and munitions of war to the rebels. At the present term ex-Senator Pugh, counsel for the defendant, moved to quash the indictment on the ground that the first clause of section two, article three, of the Constitution, which provides that treason shall consist only of levying war refers to rebellion, while the second clause, “or adhering to their enemies in giving aid and comfort,” relates only to a public war with a foreign enemy. Justice Swayne gave his decision to-day, sustaining the motion by quashing the indictment— Cincinnati Enquirer, May 8.

—This afternoon a detachment of the Fifth New-York cavalry made a reconnoissance from New-Market towards Harrisonburgh, Va., and when about five miles from the town they encountered upwards of two hundred of Ashby’s cavalry. They charged on the rebels and pursued them within two miles of the town, killing ten and taking six prisoners. The National loss was one killed and the battalion adjutant taken prisoner.—Baltimore American, May 8.

—J. P. Benjamin, the rebel Secretary of State, in answer to an inquiry by a Southern firm, whether cotton purchased on foreign account would be treated as exempted from the general law which declares that all cotton shall be destroyed when it is about to fall into the hands of the enemy, says:

“I know no law which prohibits the purchase of cotton on foreign account, but I am not aware of any law or reason of policy which should induce this government to extend to property thus purchased greater protection than is extended to that of our own citizens. It is the settled determination of the government to allow no cotton to fall into the hands of our enemies, as it is perfectly well known that they would seize and appropriate to themselves all cotton they could find, without regard to ownership. If your correspondents buy cotton they must expect to share the same risks as are incurred by our own citizens.”—Richmond Dispatch, May 7.

—The rebel schooner C. C. Pinckney, from Charleston, S. C, for Nassau, N. P., was captured by the United States gunboat Ottawa.

May 5.— H. M. Rector, Governor of Arkansas, called upon the people of that State by proclamation to take up arms and drive out the “Northern troops.”—(Doc. 6.)

— This day the battle of Williamsburgh was fought between the Union forces in the advance toward Richmond, and a superior force of the rebel army under Gen. J. E. Johnston. The Nationals were assailed with great impetuosity at about eight A.M. The battle continued till dark. The enemy was beaten along the whole line and resumed his retreat under cover of the night— (Docs. 7 and 96.)

— General Butler promised to Louisiana planters that all cargoes of cotton or sugar sent to New-Orleans for shipment should be protected by the United States forces.—National Intelligencer, May 30.

— Last night, Lieutenant Caldwell, of the light artillery, received information of the return to his home in Andrew County, Missouri, of the notorious Captain Jack Edmundson. For some months past Edmundson had been with the rebel army in Southern Missouri and Arkansas, but had now returned, as was supposed, for the purpose of raising a guerrilla company, stealing a lot of cattle and making off with them.

Lieutenant Caldwell at once proceeded to headquarters at Saint Joseph’s, and obtained an order to take a sufficient force, and proceed in pursuit of Edmundson and his gang. No time was lost, and the party arrived at the house of the guerrilla just before daybreak. But by some means Edmundson had been informed of their approach, or was on the look-out, and escaped from the house just as the party approached. He was pursued, and so hot was the pursuit, that he dropped his blanket and sword, but reaching some thick brush, managed to escape. The party then proceeded to other parts of Andrew and Gentry Counties, and arrested some twenty men whom Edmundson had recruited for his gang. They were all carried to Saint Joseph’s and confined. —St. Joseph’s Journal, May 8.

— General Dumont, with portions of Woodford’s and Smith’s Kentucky cavalry, and Wynkoop’s Pennsylvania cavalry, attacked eight hundred of Morgan’s and Woods’s rebel cavalry at Lebanon, Kentucky, and after an hour’s fight completely routed them.—(Doc. 22.)

— D. B. Lathrop, operator on the United States military telegraph, died at Washington, D. C, from injuries received by the explosion of a torpedo, placed by the rebels in the deserted telegraph-office at Yorktown, Va.

—The rebel guerrilla, Jeff. Thompson, attacked and dispersed a company of Union cavalry near Dresden, Ky.

May 4.—General McClellan at one o’clock this afternoon, sent the following to the War Department:

Our cavalry and horse artillery came up with the enemy’s rear-guard in their intrenchments about two miles this side of Williamsburgh. A brisk fight ensued. Just as my aid left, General Smith’s division of infantry arrived on the ground, and I presume he carried his works, though I have not yet heard.

The enemy’s rear is strong, but I have force enough up there to answer all purposes.

We have thus far seventy-one heavy guns, large amounts of tents, ammunition, etc. All along the lines their works prove to have been most formidable, and I am now fully satisfied of the correctness of the course I have pursued.

The success is brilliant, and you may rest assured its effects will be of the greatest importance. There shall be no delay in following up the enemy. The rebels have been guilty of the most murderous and barbarous conduct in placing torpedoes within the abandoned works, near Mill Springs, near the flag-staffs, magazines, telegraph-offices, in carpet-bags, barrels of flour, etc. Fortunately we have not lost many men in this manner. Some four or five have been killed and a dozen wounded. I shall make the prisoners remove them at their own peril.

—The English steamer Circassian was captured by the United States gunboat Somerset, with a cargo of munitions of war, valued at half a million dollars.—N. Y. Herald, May 23.

— Rumors of foreign intervention in American affairs still continue. The Paris correspondent of the London Daily News states that the French and English ministers at Washington have received identical instructions to attempt a moral intervention, exclusive of any idea of force. The Paris correspondent of the Independence Belge also reiterates his former statements in reference to intervention. At a meeting at Ashton under Lyne resolutions were adopted calling on the government to recognize the Confederate States. A letter from Mr. Russell to the London Times charges upon Secretary Stanton the trouble to which he was subjected; he also says that General McClellan has expressed himself strongly in reference to the Secretary’s conduct to him and to Mr. Russell also.

— A Pontoon-bridge was thrown across the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburgh, and General McDowell and staff, with an escort of cavalry, passed over by it and entered Fredericksburgh.—N. Y. Times, May 10.

May 3.—The rebel steamer Bermuda, laden with arms and munitions of war, was taken into Philadelphia.—Philadelphia Inquirer, May 4.

—The Nashville Union of to-day contains a call, signed by one hundred and fifty influential citizens, assigning Monday, May fourth, for a meeting to take measures to restore the former relations of Tennessee with the Federal Union.

—General Paine’s division of the Union army of the south-west, sent out by General Pope to reconnoitre, found the enemy near Farmington, Mississippi, about four thousand five hundred in number, and in a strong position. General Paine, after a sharp skirmish, drove them from their position, and captured their camp.—(Doc. 4.)

—At Liverpool, England, Captain William Wilson, of the ship Emily St. Pierre, was presented by the merchants and mercantile marine officers of that place, with a testimonial for his gallantry on the twenty-first of March, in recapturing his ship, which was seized by the United States gunboat James Adger, three days previous, off Charleston, S. C.—London Times, May 4.

—The rebels evacuated Yorktown and all their defences there and on the line of the Warwick River, at night. They left all their heavy guns, large quantities of ammunition, camp equipage, etc., and retreated by the Williamsburgh road.— (Doc. 5.)

—The United States gunboat Santiago de Cuba brought into the port of New-York, as a prize, the rebel steamer Ella Warley, captured on her way from Nassau, N. P., to Charleston S. C, laden with arms.

—Jeff Davis proclaimed martial law over the Counties of Lee, Wise, Buchanan, McDowell, and Wyoming, Va.—(Doc. 94.)

May 2.—Secretary Seward informed the foreign ministers that the post routes were reopened “to New-Orleans and other places which having heretofore been seized by insurgent forces, have since been recovered, and are now reoccupied by the land and naval forces of the United States;” also that a collector had been appointed for New Orleans, and that preparations were being made to modify the blockade.

—This night, the steamer Edward Wilson was fired into by rebel cavalry, six miles below Savanah, Tenn., wounding five soldiers. The gunboat Tyler immediately went down and shelled the woods, and notified the people of the vicinity that their property would be burned on the repetition of the occurrence.

—At Corinth, Miss., General Beauregard issued the following address to his troops: “Soldiers of Shiloh and Elkhorn! We are about to meet once more in the shock of battle, the invaders of our soil, the despoilers of our homes, the disturbers of our family ties, face to face, hand to hand. We are to decide whether we are to be freemen or vile slaves of those who are free only in name, and who but yesterday were vanquished, although in largely superior numbers, in their own encampment, on the ever memorable field of Shiloh. Let the impending battle decide our fate, and add a more illustrious page to the history of our revolution—one to which our children will point with noble pride, saying: ‘Our fathers were at the battle of Corinth.’

“I congratulate you on your timely junction. With your mingled banners, for the first time during this war, we shall meet the foe in strength that should give us victory. Soldiers, can the result be doubtful? Shall we not drive back into Tennessee the presumptuous mercenaries collected for our subjugation. One more manly effort, and, trusting in God and the justness of our cause, we shall recover more than we have lately lost Let the sound of our victorious guns be reechoed by those of the army of Virginia on the historic battle-field of Yorktown.”

May 1, 1862. At Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee, a general order was issued transferring Major – General Thomas’s division from the Army of the Ohio to the Army of Tennessee, and Major-General Thomas to the command of the army formerly under General Grant, of which the divisions of Generals McClernand and Wallace were to constitute a reserve, under General McClernand. Major-General Grant retained command of his district, including the army corps of Tennessee, but acted as second in command under the Major General Commanding the Department.

—The rebel schooner Sarah, while endeavoring to run the blockade of Bull’s Bay, South-Carolina, was chased ashore by a party of the crew of the United States vessel Onward, under the command of Acting Master Sleeper. The rebel crew escaped after setting fire to the schooner.

—At Corinth, Mississippi, four hundred Germans from a Louisiana regiment, who had been sent out from the rebel camp on outpost duty, came into the National lines in a body with white flags on their guns, and gave themselves up as deserters.

—The United States steamer Mercedita, Commander Stellwagen, on the twenty-seventh of April, about fifteen miles north of Hole in the Wall, captured the steamer Bermuda, laden with articles contraband of war, among which were forty-two thousand pounds of powder, seven field-carriages, and a number of cannon, swords, pistols, shells, fuses, cartridges, military stores, saltpetre, saddles, ingots of tin, etc. She was taken into Philadelphia for adjudication.

—This evening, the rebel Colonel Morgan, with his squadron, attacked the train of Gen. Mitchel, near Pulaski, Giles County, Tenn., and captured sixty wagons and about two hundred and seventy unarmed National troops. Morgan not having the means of moving the prisoners, released them on parole.—Shelbyville (Tenn.) News, May 8.

—Yesterday General O. M. Mitchel occupied Huntsville, Alabama, after a lively engagement with seven thousand of the rebel infantry and cavalry.—National Intelligencer, May 3.

—Intelligence was received of a battle at Poralto, Texas, on the fifteenth of April, between the National forces, under General Canby, and a party of Texans who had fortified themselves at that place. The rebels were defeated. General Canby’s loss was twenty-five killed and wounded.—Missouri Republican, May 2.

—General Robert Anderson and Sergeant Peter Hart, received medals from the New-York Chamber of Commerce, in honor of the heroic defence of Fort Sumter.

—The following instructions were sent to the flag-officer of each of the blockading squadrons from the Navy Department at Washington:

Sir: The approach of the hot and sickly season upon the Southern coast of the United States renders it imperative that every precaution should be used by the officers commanding vessels to continue the excellent sanitary condition of their crews. The large number of persons known as “contrabands” flocking to the protection of the United States flag, affords an opportunity to provide in every department of a ship, especially for boats’ crews, acclimated labor. The flag-officers are required to obtain the services of these persons for the country, by enlisting them freely in the navy, with their consent, rating them as boys, at eight dollars, nine dollars, and ten dollars per month, and one ration. Let a monthly return be made of the number of this class of persons employed on each vessel under your command.

—Brigadier-general William T. Sherman was confirmed by the United States Senate as Major-General of volunteers.[1]

—General Butler began the debarkation of the troops of his command at New-Orleans, and by proclamation declared the object and purposes of the United States in taking possession of that city “to restore order, maintain public tranquillity, and enforce peace and quiet.”—(Doc. 1.)

—Last Sunday afternoon, April twenty-seventh, a skirmish took place near Horton’s Mills, ten miles from Newbern, N. C, on the Pollockville road, between a party of cavalry belonging to the One Hundred and Third New-York regiment and a body of rebel cavalry, resulting in the defeat and dispersion of the rebels, with a loss of three killed and ten prisoners. The Union casualties were private Sanders, company C, killed, and three officers, and the same number of privates wounded.—Newbern Progress.

—Yesterday the Union siege-batteries opened their fire against the rebel works at Yorktown, Va.—N. Y. Herald, May 8.

—A Fight took place at Clark’s Hollow, Va., between company C, of the Twenty-third Ohio infantry, under the command of Captain J. W. Stiles, and a party of rebel bushwhackers belonging to the band of the notorious Capt Foley, resulting in the defeat of the latter.—(Doc. 3.)

[1] General Halleck, in a despatch to the Secretary of War, urged the promotion of General William T. Sherman, on account of his Important services at the battle of Shiloh, as follows:

“It is the unanimous opinion here, that Brig.-Gen. W. T. Sherman saved the fortunes of the day on the sixth, and contributed largely to the glorious victory of the seventh. He was in the thickest of the fight on both days, having three horses killed under him and being wounded twice. I respectfully request that he be made a Major-General of volunteers, to date from the sixth instant.”

April 30.—The schooner Maria was captured near Charleston, S. C., by the U. S. steamer Santiago de Cuba.—N. Y. Tribune, May 6.

—A Reconnoissance in force was made this morning from the right wing of the National army, near Pittsburgh, Tenn., four miles north of Purdy, on the Memphis and Ohio Railroad. The National troops met a force of rebel cavalry, who fled, and were pursued to Purdy. On taking possession of the town, the Union troops burned two bridges and threw a locomotive into the river. Three prisoners were taken, and the Unionists retired, having cut off all railroad communication between Corinth and the North.—Baltimore American, May 2.

—A. G. Curtin, Governor of Pennsylvania, has issued a general order in acknowledgment of the gallantry of the Seventy-seventh regiment of infantry, Pennsylvania volunteers, Col. F. S. Stambaugh commanding, at Shiloh, Tennessee, and of the First regiment of cavalry, Pennsylvania volunteers, Col. George D. Bayard commanding, at Falmouth, Virginia. He orders that “Shiloh, April 7th, 1862,” be inscribed on the flag of the Seventy-seventh regiment of infantry, and that “Falmouth, April 18th, 1862,” be inscribed on the flag of the First regiment of cavalry, and that this order be read at the head of all the regiments of Pennsylvania volunteers.

—In the United States House of Representatives, the following resolution was passed by a vote of seventy-five yeas against forty-five nays:

Resolved, That Simon Cameron, late Secretary of War, by investing Alexander Cummings with the control of large sums of the public money, and authority to purchase military supplies without restriction, without requiring from him any guarantee for the faithful performance of his duties, when the services of competent public officers were available, and by involving the Government in a vast number of contracts with persons not legitimately engaged in the business pertaining to the subject matter of such contracts— especially in the purchase of arms for future delivery—has adopted a policy highly injurious to the public service, and deserving the censure of this House.

—The report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, in reference to the treatment by the rebels at Manassas of the remains of officers and soldiers of the United States killed in battle there, was made public.—(Doc. 155.)