The American Civil War

October 16.—At Annapolis, Md., a presentation of standards to the regiments of Brigadier-General Viele’s command, took place. The standards were the united gift of Mrs. Brigadier-General Viele and the Union Defence Committee, of New York. They were of the regulation size, made of the heaviest Canton silk, and fringed with heavy gold bullion. Each standard had an appropriate inscription thereon. Prior to the presentation ceremonies the entire brigade was drawn up on the College Green of the city, comprising several acres.

The first standard was presented by Governor Hicks, of Maryland. The presenter, attended by Brigadier-General Viele and his full staff, appeared in the front and centre of the regiment, and in a most telling speech, alluding to the present crisis, enjoined upon every soldier the necessity of carrying the National colors into theheart of the enemy’s country. The presentation to Colonel Rosa’s regiment, the Forty-seventh, of New York, was made by General Viele in person. The reply by the colonel was brief, but exceedingly apropos. The presentation to the Forty-seventh New York, the Washington Greys, was made by Brig.-Gen. Abram Duryea. The presentation speech was highly patriotic, alluding to the past history of the country and the cause of the present crisis. The presentation to the Forty-eighth regiment, Colonel Perry, was made by Governor Hicks. As each color was received the cheers of the troops and spectators were most enthusiastic, while the bands of the several regiments discoursed choice music. To Gen. Viele, whom the troops of his brigade style the “Big Little General,” and his lady were given the greatest lumber of cheers. The affair was one that will be long remembered in Annapolis, both from the importance of the occasion and the historical reminiscences of the city.—Baltimore American, October 19.

—Col. John W. Geary, of the Pennsylvania Twenty-eighth regiment, with detachments from his own, the Thirteenth Mass., and Third Wisconsin regiments, in all four hundred men, crossed the Potomac at Harper’s Ferry, and captured twenty-one thousand bushels of wheat stored in a mill near that place. While upon his return and on the Charleston road, near Bolivar Heights, midway between the Potomac and the Shenandoah. rivers, he was attacked by a large Confederate force with infantry, artillery, and cavalry. Rebel batteries upon Loudon and Bolívar Heights participated in the action, as did also a National battery upon the Maryland side. After several hours of intermittent fighting, the rebels were driven off, supposed with considerable loss. National loss four killed and eight wounded. Col. Geary took from the rebels one thirty-two pounder.—(Doc. 90.)

—Indiana disputes the statement that New Hampshire is the first State that has her full quota of volunteers in actual service. Indiana, whose quota is thirty-four thousand, has thirty-two regiments of infantry, of one thousand and forty-eight men each; one regiment of cavalry, being fourteen companies, of one thousand one hundred and fifty-three men; three batteries of one hundred and fifty-six men each, and one of one hundred men, making an aggregate of thirty-five thousand three hundred and fifty-seven men in actual service. In addition to this, there are six regiments now ready for the field as soon as arms can be procured, and sixteen more organized and rapidly filling up.—Dubuque Times, Oct. 18.

—The Twentieth regiment of Ohio Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Charles Whittlesey, left Camp Chase, at Columbus, for the seat of war.—Ohio Statesman, Oct. 17.

—A skirmish took place about five miles from Warsaw, Mo., between forty National troops and thirty-five rebels, in which the latter lost three killed and three prisoners. The Nationals escaped unharmed.—Cincinnati Gazette, Oct. 23.

—The Committee of the City Council, of Philadelphia, Pa., presented a sword of honor, on behalf of the city, to General Robert Anderson.

—In compliance with orders issued by the War Department at Richmond, Virginia. Colonel Adler, a Polish officer, recently attached to the Wise Legion, in Western Virginia, as an engineer, with the commission of colonel, was arrested by the Government detectives and conveyed to the Columbian Hotel, where, in consequence of his weak condition caused by a self-inflicted wound, he was permitted to remain upon parole until yesterday forenoon, when he was taken to the prison hospital as a prisoner. The charges preferred against him are that of the spy, and of holding communication with the enemy. Colonel Adler went to Richmond highly recommended as an officer of ability, who had served with distinction in the Hungarian war, and in the Italian struggle under Garibaldi, and upon these representations obtained a commission in the army. His unaccountable conduct in Western Virginia, exciting the suspicion of Governor Wise, he was, at the command of the latter, arrested as a spy. Upon hearing of his arrest, he attempted to commit suicide through mortification, it is said, inflicting a serious gash upon his throat, from the effects of which he is now suffering.—Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 19.

—One hundred and fifty men of the First Missouri Scouts, under Major Wright, surprised the rebel garrison, at Lexington, Missouri, and recaptured the place and all the sick and wounded, together with a quantity of guns, pistols, and other articles which the rebels threw away in their flight. Two pieces of cannon, which were in the fort, were also captured. The rebel garrison numbered three hundred. The condition of Lexington was deplorable. Portions of the town had been stripped of every thing, and many of the inhabitants were actually suffering for the necessaries of life.—(Doc. 91.)

—An immense audience assembled at Baltimore, Md., to-night, to hear the Hon. Henry Winter Davis on the rebellion. L. W. Gosnell, Esq., a Breckinridge Democrat, presided. Mr. Davis was received with the most unbounded enthusiasm. He endorsed the war policy of the Government to the fullest extent..

—Lord Lyons issued a circular to all the British Consuls in Southern ports that they shall take for their guidance the law of blockade as announced by the State Department, which does not permit vessels to take in a cargo in blockaded ports after the announcement of the blockade.—(Doc. 92.)

October 15.—The United States steamer Roanoke took possession of the ship Thomas Watson, which, in the attempt to run the blockade at Charleston, had got on Stone reef and was abandoned by the captain and crew. She was laden with an assorted cargo, which, with the ship, was thought to be worth about a hundred thousand dollars. She was burned.—N. Y. Herald, Oct. 24.

—The Confederates burned the house of the widow Childs, situated about half way between Falls Church and Lewinville, Va., to the right of the Leesburg turnpike. A party of ten of the New York Fourteenth regiment went thither to ascertain the cause of the conflagration, when they were surrounded by a largely superior force of Confederates, but by the prompt use of their rifles, killing two of the enemy, they escaped.—The naval fleet which left New York on Monday arrived in Hampton Roads this day, and created a great excitement among the troops, owing to the extensive character of the expedition. A flag of truce came up from Norfolk, but Gen. Wool refused to receive it.—The armed steamer Pawnee left the Navy Yard, at Washington, for Fortress Monroe, with a battalion of marines. As the Pawnee got abreast of the secession batteries above Acquia Creek, about fifty shell and shot were fired at the steamer, but having been ordered not to return any fire unless she were struck, and no shot taking effect on her, she went on her way down the river unharmed.—National Intelligencer, October 17.

—The Second Minnesota regiment, under the command of Colonel Henry P. Van Cleve, passed through Chicago, Ill., on the way to the seat of war on the Potomac.—Chicago Tribune, October 16.

—The Connecticut Senate, by a vote of twelve to six, this morning passed the following: “Resolved, That the messenger of the Senate be, and is hereby requested and directed to remove from the Senate Chamber the portraits of Isaac Toucey and Thomas H. Seymour, and that whenever the comptroller shall be satisfied of their loyalty he is instructed to return their portraits to their present place on the wall.”

—Six Hundred rebels, under Jeff. Thompson, attacked forty U. S. soldiers, posted to guard the Big River Bridge, near Potosi, in Missouri. Though the Union troops fought bravely for a while, they were surrounded and compelled to surrender. Their loss was one killed and six wounded; the rebel loss was five killed and four wounded. Immediately after the surrender, the Federal prisoners were sworn by Jeff. Thompson not to bear arms against the Southern Confederacy, and released. The rebels then burned the bridge and retreated. All the troops along the road, when this became known, were ordered to Ironton, by Colonel Carlin, commandant of that post, in anticipation of an attack.—(Doc. 88.)

—About two o’clock A. M. a skirmish took place near Green River, Ky., between three hundred Confederate cavalry, and about forty United States cavalry, under the command of Capt. Vandyke. As many as forty or fifty shots were fired by the Confederates without effect. Only four or five were fired by the Union men. The latter kept their position, and sent for reinforcements, but before these arrived the rebels disappeared.—N. Y. Times, October 20.

—The steamers Pocahontas and Seminole, while going down the Potomac, were fired upon very briskly from the batteries at Shipping Point. Captain Craven, who was five miles further up the river, on beard the Yankee, upon hearing the firing, steamed down, bnt found that the Pocahontas and Seminole had succeeded in passing the batteries.—(Doc. 89.)