September 8.—The United States gunboats Clifton and Sachem were captured by the rebels at Sabine Pass, La., being disabled by the fire from the fortifications on shore. They were operating for the landing of a column of United States troops under Major-General Franklin, to be employed in a movement against Louisiana and Texas. In consequence of the failure at this point, the movement was abandoned.—(Docs. 125 and 165.)
—Chattanooga was evacuated by the rebels, who retreated to the south.—The bombardment of Fort Moultrie, by the monitors Nahant, Montauk, Patapsco, and Lehigh, was renewed and continued during the first half of the day. A house on Sullivan’s Island was set on fire by the shells.—The Washita River expedition, consisting of the greater part of General Logan’s old Brigade, a regiment of cavalry, and a battery of artillery, returned to Vicksburgh from the portion of Louisiana lying adjacent to Washita River. No organized force of the rebels could be found. The detour was made to the north-west, in direction of the village of El Dorado, Ark. A large number of rebel soldiers came voluntarily into he Union lines and surrendered.—A force of National troops assaulted Fort Sumter, but were repulsed, leaving in the hands of the rebels a large number of prisoners.—(See Supplement.)
—The National forces at Bath, Va., composed of a portion of two companies of Colonel Wynkoop’s Seventieth Pennsylvania cavalry, were attacked this morning at three o’clock by a party of rebels, numbering over two hundred, who were repulsed and driven off.—At Baltimore, Md, General Schenck issued an order suppressing the substitute business in Maryland and in his department, it having been found that the agencies for procuring substitutes to go out of the State and department interfered with the operation of the draft and recruiting.
