July 30.—A brief skirmish occurred at Irvine, Estelle County, Ky., between the Union forces of Colonel Lilly, commanding two squadrons of the Fourteenth Kentucky cavalry, and the rebels. The latter, under Colonel Scott, after their failure to take Lexington and Paris, commenced beating a hasty retreat for Irvine. They were hotly pursued .by the Federal forces. Skirmishing commenced at or near Winchester, and continued for a long distance. Irvine is some thirty miles from Winchester, where the Fourteenth were stationed. The rebels came upon them unawares, but this not discomfit them in the least, nor did they stop to calculate how far they were outnumbered, which they were, fully four to one. As soon as the attack was made by the rebels, the Fourteenth was ready for them, and gave them such a battle as they have cause long to remember. Every assault was bravely met and withstood, and notwithstanding the enemy gained some little advantage at one point, and captured some of the Nationals, the tide of battle was soon turned again, and the Nationals recaptured, together with eighty odd prisoners of the enemy, and their whole force driven across the Kentucky River, with the loss of all their wagons and stolen mules. At this point the pursuers came up and crossed the river and continued the pursuit. The Union loss was four killed, fifteen wounded, and ten prisoners. The rebel loss was seven killed, from sixteen to eighteen wounded, and seventy-five prisoners.—The Fifty-second regiment of Massachusetts volunteers, under the command of Colonel Greenleaf, arrived at Cairo, 111., en route to Boston, to be mustered out of the service.— President Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring that the United States would protect its troops of all colors.—(Doc. 137.)
—In Saline County, Mo., Captain Cannon, with about seventy-five men of the Fourth enrolled Missouri militia, attacked a band of sixty-three bushwhackers, under one Captain Blunt, and supposed to belong to Quantrell’s command. The militia lost two men killed and one wounded, and a horse killed. The rebels had several men wounded, and Blunt’s horse received a fatal shot. The militia then retreated, and the enemy fell back to the brush, cheering for Quantrell as they retired. The rebels next attacked a smaller party of militia, fifteen in number, belonging to the First enrolled Missouri militia, acting as a guard to a paymaster, who had about fifty thousand dollars. The money escaped observation, but two militiamen were captured and paroled, and seven of the best horses belonging to their comrades taken. The enrolled Missouri militia squad finally got safe within a brick church, and were not again molested.—The rebel guerrilla Mosby entered Fairfax Court-House this evening, and captured a number of sutlers’ wagons, together with stores and other property valued at nearly ninety thousand dollars.—General Grant, from his headquarters at Vicksburgh, Miss., issued a general order regulating the transportation on the river steamboats.—The bombardment of Fort Wagner was continued to-day, by the Ironsides and two monitors. Two men were killed in the Fort.
