September 4.—On Monday last, September first, a detachment of Dodge’s New-York Mounted Rifles were despatched from Suffolk Va., upon a scout, under the command of Major Wheelen. The party proceeded nearly thirty-five miles, and when about twelve miles west of South-Mills they came across a company of rebels, on their way toward Richmond. Major Wheelen made such a disposition of his force that he succeeded in capturing the whole command, consisting of two commissioned officers and one hundred and eleven privates. The rebel company had gathered along the route thirty-eight negroes, who were tied, and destined for Richmond. This morning the prisoners were marched into Suffolk, and placed under a guard from the Third regiment New-York volunteers. They were conscripts, intended to fill up old regiments.
—The rebels burned three bridges over Benson Creek, on the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad, about sixty miles east of Louisville, Ky.
—A war meeting was held at the halfway house, on the Philadelphia and Trenton turnpike, between the villages of Andalusia and Eddington, Pa., for the special purpose of encouraging recruiting “to a company of loyal Virginians.” Patriotic resolutions were adopted and speeches made urging the necessity of “immediately putting forth all our energies to sustain our dearbought liberties.”
—The Governors of Maine, New-Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island held a session at Providence, R. I., with a delegation of the New-York National War Committee.
—Jeff Davis issued a proclamation setting apart Thursday, the eighteenth inst., “as a day of prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God for the great mercies vouchsafed to our people, and more especially for the triumph of our arms at Richmond and Mannassas.”
—The rebel war steamer Oreto ran the blockade into the harbor of Mobile, this day. The correspondent of the Charleston Mercury gives the following account of the steamer:
“The vessel is the steam corvette Oreto, now called the Florida, and is not an iron-clad. Our readers are aware of the difficulties which the commander of this ship encountered at Nassau, owing to the rigor of the British neutrality regulations. Having finally escaped from the clutches of the Court of Admiralty, Capt Maffitt steamed away to the Gulf and boldly ran the gauntlet of the blockaders at the mouth of Mobile Bay, in broad daylight The Captain was at the time sick with fever, as were most of her small crew of thirteen men. The Florida ran within sixty yards of the Yankee vessels, and her sides are peppered all over with shrapnel and grape-shot. One eleven-inch shell went through her side a foot above the water-line, and lodged in the “coal-bunkers.” The Florida is a beautiful and well-armed corvette of great speed. Her armament consists of eight guns. Her dash through the blockaders, with a sick crew of only thirteen men, in broad daylight, is one of the most daring naval exploits of the war. The Florida did not fire a shot, as her crew were unable to man even a single gun. She had one killed and two wounded.”
—A skirmish took place near Cumberland Gap, between a foraging party of National troops and a body of rebels, in which the latter were routed with considerable loss.—Louisville Journal.
—Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, issued a proclamation earnestly recommending the immediate formation, throughout the State, of volunteer companies and regiments, in conformity with the Militia Act of 1858. Arms would be distributed to such organizations agreeably to the provisions of the act. It was further recommended that, in order to give due opportunities for drill and instruction, all places of business should be closed daily at three o’clock.
—Frederick City, Md., was evacuated by the National troops, after they had burned the hospital and commissary stores, and removed the sick and wounded.
—Major-general George B. McClellan, pursuant to general orders from the War Department, of the second of September, assumed command of the fortifications of Washington and of all the troops for the defence of the capital.— Joseph Holt, of Kentucky, was appointed Judge Advocate General of the army of the United States, with the rank of Colonel.
—Ravenswood, Va., was entered and occupied by a force of rebel guerrillas, who destroyed a large quantity of wheat and other private property.
—The Peace Society of London, England, issued an address to the people of the United States, urging that the time had come when an attempt should be made to arrest the destructive conflict that had been carried on. It deprecated any interference with American affairs, but such as would prove acceptable to Americans, but said: “Surely the idea of friendly mediation may be entertained without any derogation of national dignity. It argues that there are only two alternatives to issue out of the war—either the utter extermination of one of the parties to it, or some form of accommodation and compromise between the contending sides. Is it not better to have recourse to the latter at once, before the feelings of the North and South become hopelessly inflamed with the most bitter animosity and vengeance?”
—The bark Fannie Laurie, was captured while attempting to run the blockade of South-Edisto, S. C.—Commodore Du Ponts Report.
