The American Civil War

December 10.—Resolutions expressive of the opinion of the Legislature of Tennessee in regard to their future policy, and determination to maintain their Declaration of Independence of the old Government of the United States, were introduced to the Tennessee Legislature by Mr. Cardwell, of Weakley County.—(Doc. 220.)

—The court-martial of Col. Kerrigan was convened at Washington, D. C, to-day, and a large amount of evidence was taken. His counsel was E. L. Hearne, of New York, and Reverdy Johnson. J. W. Coombs was the judge-advocate.—N. Y. World, December 11.

—The question of the exchange of prisoners seems to be fairly settled. The New York Executive Committee, consisting of Messrs. Savage, O’Gorman, and Daly, have had several lengthy and interesting interviews with the President, Gen. McClellan, and senators and members of the House, all of whom favor it. The committee’s interview with Gen. McClellan was especially gratifying. He spoke of the subject briefly, but warmly. The Military Committee in both houses have reported favorably on the subject, and a joint resolution which has passed the House, requesting the President to make an exchange, will pass the Senate tomorrow. In point of fact, an exchange has been practically going on, thirty prisoners having been sent from here yesterday to Fortress Monroe, while large numbers have been likewise released from Fort Warren. Richard O’Gorman, John Savage, Judge Daly, and Collector Barney were before the cabinet to-day, with reference to a general exchange of prisoners, and particularly with reference to Colonel Corcoran.—N. Y. Herald, December 11.

December 9.—The Charleston Courier of this day has the following: “The news from Port Royal continues to be of the most gratifying character. The unanimity of our planters in the destruction of the cotton crops, the laying waste and burning every thing that would afford shelter or subsistence to the enemy where it cannot be otherwise defended, deprives them of the extensive spoils with which they have feasted their imagination, and the obtainment of which was one of their chief objects. Their mission in this respect will prove a most disastrous failure. They have gained little or nothing to satisfy them, and should they advance further, every inch of ground will be disputed with fire and sword, and the arms of a brave people. Some of these same thieving adventurers have lately made several visits to Port Royal, with the hope of securing rich plunder, but they were foiled and disappointed in their object by the timely steps taken to thwart them in their purposes. The prospects of paying the cost of their grand expedition by the sale of our cotton has been nipped in the bud. Our planters in that neighborhood have vindicated most patriotically our cause. Scattered as they were in every direction, it was found impossible to act in combination. But an opportunity has now been offered, and they have cheerfully consigned to the flames the labors of the year.

—Gen. Halleck; issued orders stating that the Mayor of St. Louis, Mo., would require all municipal officers immediately to subscribe to the oath of allegiance prescribed by the Missouri State Convention in October last, and would direct the provost marshal to arrest all State officers who had failed to subscribe to such oath within the time fixed by the Convention, and had attempted to exercise civil authority in violation of the ordinance.

—The U. S. flotilla on the Lower Potomac was actively engaged to-day in shelling the woods and burning the buildings of the rebels at Freestone Point, Va. The Harriet Lane, Anacostia and Jacob Bell, supported by the Reliance, Stepping Stones, and Herbert, poured a heavy fire for an hour and a half upon the enemy’s position. The rebel batteries at Shipping Point kept up a brisk fire, which was responded to by the Union battery at Budd’s Ferry with a few shells. Lieut. McCrea, with a boat’s crew from the Jacob Bell, and another boat from the Anacostia, went ashore and burned down the rebel buildings at Freestone Point, containing stores.—(Doc. 218.)

—Adjutant S. K. Hall, of Colonel Eads’ Twenty-seventh Missouri regiment, came in to Sedalia, Mo., this evening from Dunksburg, twenty miles distant, with fourteen rebel prisoners and an escort of twelve mounted scouts. The prisoners were captured by Capt. McGuire’s command, Company A, while on their way North. Eight of them were members of a cornet band from Price’s army, and had their instruments, drums, and trumpets along. They were well provided with transportation, having a large band wagon drawn with four horses, all of which were taken to Sedalia, The names of the band are as follows: Joseph Rosenthrall, leader; Charles Prentice, “E flat;” A. J. Cunningham, tenor; W. B. Lydick, cornet, B flat; George W. Wise, alto; W. H. Stephens, bass; Wm. H. Cunningham, drummer; Jacob Gains, driver; Robt. Fathing, baggage teamster. The Twenty-seventh regiment were sadly in want of music to cheer their drooping spirits, for every paymaster who had been detailed to pay off troops since the 1st July, had invariably ignored their claim for pay, and this band acquisition was a perfect god-send.—Missouri Democrat, December 12.

—The Twenty-fourth Massachusetts regiment, Col. Thomas G. Stevenson, which had been encamped at Readville, left Boston, on its way to Annapolis, at which place it was attached to Gen. Burnside’s Division. The regiment numbered one thousand and twenty men, all of whom were thoroughly uniformed and equipped, and armed with the Enfield rifle.

—Col. Willits, of the Kansas Brigade, arrived at Leavenworth, Kansas, this evening, and reported the following facts: Gen. Price was at Osceola on the 1st December, with about eighteen thousand men; he made a speech, and told them he was going to Kansas to avenge the burning of Osceola.

On Friday last, December 6th, thirteen persons started from near Olathe, in company with a Union man who had been driven out of Missouri, to get some hogs belonging to the refugee. They were attacked from the border in Missouri by about thirty or forty rebels, when they retired back into Kansas, and soon raised near two hundred men, with whom they returned. They soon met the enemy, who also had been reinforced by a considerable body, and a skirmish commenced, which lasted all day Saturday, resulting in a drawn battle, with two Nationals wounded, three rebels killed, and five mortally wounded.—Leavenworth (Kansas) Times, December 10.

—F. W. Pickens, Governor of South Carolina, issued a proclamation, stating that the “State is invaded, and Charleston is threatened, by land and by sea, with large forces,” and calling for twelve thousand volunteers, to be furnished for a term of service, not less than twelve months, unless sooner discharged.—(Doc. 219.)

—Rev. A. A. Von Puttkammer, pastor of a German Baptist Church, Albany, N. Y., assumed command of the Havelock Flying Artillery, one hundred and sixty men and six guns, nearly ready to take the field. Mr. P. is a graduate of the Berlin Military Academy, and was twenty-three years in the Prussian service, where he obtained the rank of Captain of Artillery. He admits none but men of Christian character into his command, and proposes to observe worship three times a day when practicable.— Cincinnati Gazette, December 11.

—A Flag of truce went from Fortress Monroe to Norfolk, Va., this morning, carrying thirty-two rebel prisoners discharged by the United States on their parole. A rebel flag of truce met the boat and transferred thereto some ladies coming from Richmond, Va.—National Intelligencer, December 11.

—A battle took place to-day on Bushy Creek, near the Verdigris River, about one hundred and eighty miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas, between the forces of Col. Cooper and the Yankees, under Opothleyholo, estimated at four thousand or five thousand: Colonel Cooper had only about one thousand three hundred men.

The Yankees attacked Col. Cooper about eleven o’clock, and the fight continued all day until sundown. Col. Simms’ Texas regiment fought with great bravery, and the Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Creeks fought like tigers.

The Yankees followed Col. Cooper several miles, and attacked him with great fury. Col. Cooper drove them back to the woods, a distance of two miles. A large number of Cherokees were with Opothleyholo; likewise about one hundred and fifty Seminoles. Col. Drew, with his men, who remained with him, fought well and did good service. The Choctaws took about one hundred and fifty scalps, and the Chickasaws nearly fifty. The Creeks did not scalp any, because the enemy was their own people.

A white man, by the name of Eli Smith, was taken who had gone over to the Yankees. He was tried by a court-martial and shot. He was a deserter from a Texas regiment. Other deserters were taken and dealt with in the same manner. Col. Cooper behaved with the greatest coolness and bravery.—Fort Smith (Ark.) Times, December 15.

—Major Lyons’ Rocket Battalion, one hundred and fifty men, from Albany, left New York this afternoon for Washington. Their side arras will be sabres and carbines, and their battery is to be constructed on a new plan, so as to throw rockets as well as balls and shells. This arm is expected to be useful in burning towns or fighting cavalry. The battalion consists of two companies, that from Niagara commanded by Capt. Alfred Ransom, and that from Wyoming and Morris counties by Captain J. A. Lee.—N. Y. World, December 10.

December 8.—The American Bible Society has done a great work for the army and navy. It has distributed, in these two branches of the national service, about half a million copies of the Scriptures, mostly of the New Testament, and is now issuing seven thousand copies a day. Every man in the volunteer regiments, who would receive one, has been furnished with a very neat and portable copy of the New Testament; and the same good work is to be done for the other regiments that may yet volunteer in the service of their country to the end of the war. So noble an object is worthy of everybody’s sympathy and cooperation.

—The Second regiment of Ohio Volunteers, under command of Colonel L. A. Harris, left their camp this morning for Elizabethtown, forty-two miles south of Louisville, on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the rendezvous of the troops in Western and Southern Kentucky.

—The schooner E. Waterman, loaded with salt, provisions, coffee, and lend, and munitions of war, was captured off Savannah, Ga., by the steamer Augusta,—N. Y. Herald, Dec. 20.

—Yesterday afternoon a rebel force, consisting of a battery of six pieces, and about four hundred Infantry and two hundred Cavalry, made their appearance at Dam No. 5, on the Virginia side of the Potomac, near Williamsport, Md., and commenced throwing shell and shot it the Dam and houses on the Maryland shore, burning a barn, and riddling all the houses within range, continuing the fire until dusk.

The only Union force there to oppose them, was a company of the Massachusetts Thirteenth, on picket duty, and an unarmed Illinois regiment. As the Massachusetts company was armed with smooth-bore muskets their fire was not effective at that distance.

Early this morning they resumed the fire with artillery and small arms, and, emboldened by the slight resistance met with yesterday, cane down to the very brink of the river, and exposed themselves without fear. During the night, Colonel Leonard had despatched a canal boat from Williamsport and another company of his regiment, armed with Enfield rifles, who were concealed as skirmishers along the Maryland shore. On the renewal of the attack the riflemen opened fire from their concealment, and in a short time the rebel artillerists were compelled to abandon their battery in hot haste, their infantry and cavalry leaving the ground about the same time.

For the want of a sufficient infantry force and battery to protect his movements, Colonel Leonard was compelled to let the rebel guns remain in position, and after nightfall the rebels returned and took them off.—(Doc. 217.)

—Port Royal Island, S. C., on which the town of Beaufort is situated, was taken possession of by the Union forces on the 6th inst., but neither the island nor the town were fully occupied till to-day, when a reconnoissance in force, consisting of three hundred of the Fiftieth Pennsylvania regiment, three hundred of the “Roundheads,” and half of Hamilton’s Battery, all under command of General Stevens, drove the enemy completely from the island, they having to cross Port Royal Ferry, and taking up a position on the main land. The Union pickets were immediately extended so as to defend the town of Beaufort and the entire island of Port Royal.—N. T. Tribune.