The American Civil War

December 8. — A brisk cannonade between Fort Moultrie and Battery Gregg, in Charleston harbor, was carried on this day. The firing on Fort Sumter was moderated.—In a speech before the rebel Congress, this day, Mr. Foote expressed great indignation at the course pursued by President Davis. “When Pemberton dishonorably surrendered Vicksburgh to the enemy, the President made him his companion, and carried him to General Bragg’s army, when, as he rode along, soldiers were heard to say: ‘There goes the traitor who delivered us over at Vicksburgh.’ The President never visited the army without doing it injury; never yet that it was not followed by disaster. He was instrumental in the Gettysburgh affair. He instructed Bragg at Murfreesboro. He has opened Georgia to one hundred thousand of the enemy’s troops, and laid South-Carolina liable to destruction. I charge him with having almost ruined the country, and will meet his champion anywhere to discuss it. Would to God he would never visit the army again!” . . .

Mr. Foote also referred to abuses in the commissory department. A certain commissary-general, who was a curse to our country, is invested with authority to control the matter of subsistence. This monster, Northrop, has stealthily placed our government in the attitude charged by the enemy, and has attempted to starve the prisoners in our hands!

Meats were furnished the prisoners very irregularly, and in a meagre manner. For twelve days the supply was inadequate, and for eight days they had none at all!

“The commissary-general,” says Mr. Foote, “was a pepper-doctor down in Charleston, and looked like a vegetarian, and actually made an elaborate report to the Secretary of War, showing that for the subsistence of a human Yankee carcass vegetable diet was the most proper! For the honor of the country, this Northrop should be ejected at once.”

—President Lincoln, in his Message to Congress, appended his Proclamation of Amnesty.— (Doc. 32.)

—The following is an account of an affair that took place to-day, near Great Western Furnace, Stuart County, Tenn., about twelve miles from Canton, Ky.: “The guerrilla, Colonel Martin, who lately robbed the citizens in that section of nearly all they possessed, passed through Golden Pond, Tenn., with his gang, taking horses, and plundering indiscriminately. The citizens of the neighborhood organized a squad of fifteen men, composed principally of the late Eighth Kentucky cavalry, headed by John Martin and F. M. Oakley, and started in pursuit of the guerrillas. They came upon them about midnight, in camp, eating a supper furnished them by one Dawsy Griffin. The citizens demanded a surrender, which was refused by the rebel leader, and the order was given by Martin to charge upon them, which was done in a handsome manner, resulting in a complete rout, and the capture of all their arms, horses, clothing, camp equipage, and two contrabands. Three of the rebels were killed on the spot”—The National House of Representatives unanimously passed a vote of thanks to General U. S. Grant and his army, and ordered that a medal be struck in his honor, in the name of the people of the United States.

—President Lincoln sent the subjoined congratulatory despatch to Major-General Grant: “Understanding that your lodgment at Chattanooga and Knoxville is now secure, I wish to tender you, and all under your command, my more than thanks—my profoundest gratitude for the skill, courage, and perseverance with which you and they, over so great difficulties, have effected that important object. God bless you all!” This was immediately published to the armies under the command of General Grant.

December 7.—Major-General Foster, from his headquarters at Tazewell, Tenn., sent the following to the National War Department: “Longstreet is on a full retreat up the valley. Your orders about following with cavalry, shall be carried out. My division of cavalry attacked the enemy’s cavalry in one of the passes of Clinch Mountains, yesterday P.M., and are pushing them vigorously. Couriers from Knoxville arrived last night. The road is clear. Sherman arrived here yesterday.”

—President Lincoln issued the following recommendation for prayer and thanksgiving, for the defeat of the rebels under General Longstreet: “Reliable information having been received that the insurgent force is retreating from East-Tennessee, under circumstances rendering it probable that the Union forces cannot hereafter be dislodged from that important position, and esteeming this to be of high national consequence, I recommend that all loyal people do, on receipt of this information, assemble at their places of worship, and render special homage and gratitude to Almighty God for this great advancement of the national cause.”—A debate on the question of the employment of substitutes in the Southern army was held in the rebel Congress.—The steamer Von Phul, on a trip from New-Orleans to St Louis, was fired into at a point about eight miles above Bayou Sara, and seriously damaged. — Major-General John A. Logan assumed command of the Fifteenth army corps, at Bridgeport, Ala.—The British steamer Ceres was captured off the port of Wilmington, North-Carolina.

—Full and enthusiastic meetings were held in various portions of Indiana. At the capital of the State, General Carrington made a strategical speech, illustrated by maps and diagrams, showing how the rebels could be circumvented.—Jefferson Davis sent a message to the rebel Congress, which was received and read in both houses.—(Doc. 21.)

December 6.—Major-General W. T. Sherman and staff, accompanied by Brigadier-General Wilson, arrived at General Burnside’s headquarters, at Knoxville, Tenn., at noon to-day.—A most successful reconnoissance was made to Madison Court-House, Va., by four squadrons of the First New-York Dragoons, under Major Scott, demonstrating that no rebel force existed in that quarter. At James City a few rebels, who fled on the approach of the Nationals, were seen. On Thoroughfare Mountain, the rebel signal-station was found in the possession of some thirty or more cavalry, who at once beat a hasty retreat. They were pursued some distance by Major Scott’s men, but without capture. It was found to be a good position for its past uses, as well as in turn to be used against them, as from it the position of nearly the whole rebel army can be seen. The destruction was made as complete as possible.—The National iron-clad Weehawken, during a terrific storm, sunk at her anchorage at the entrance of Charleston harbor, S. C, carrying down with her four engineers and twenty-six of her crew.—The merchant steamer Chesapeake, commanded by Captain Willets, was seized by a party of rebels, who had taken passage in her, while on her way from New-York to Portland, Maine. The pirates assaulted the crew, killed the engineer, and wounded two other officers, and, after landing the passengers at Partridge Island, ran away with the vessel.

December 5.—Major-General R. C. Schenck relinquished the command of the Middle Department, and was succeeded by Brigadier-General Lock wood.—Stephen D. Lee, Major-General in the rebel service, sent the following report from his headquarters, at Holly Springs, Miss., to General Joseph E. Johnston: “Chased enemy’s cavalry, eight hundred strong, from Ripley into Pocahontas, on the first The enemy concentrated at Pocahontas, and evacuated Salisbury on the second. Two miles of railroad destroyed at Salisbury. Forrest passed safely over. Routed and drove across into Wolf River, at Moscow, two regiments of the enemy’s cavalry, killing, wounding, and drowning about one hundred and seventy-five, capturing forty prisoners, and forty horses, and killing about one hundred horses.”

—A body of rebel cavalry, with a few pieces of artillery, crossed the Rapidan, and made a demonstration in front of the National lines. After a brief skirmish, it was discovered that the rebels wished to reestablish signal-stations on three peaks overlooking the section of country occupied by the Union army. This was successfully accomplished, and quiet restored.— A train, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, was attacked by a party of guerrillas, at a point two miles east of Bealton Station.—Georgetown, S. C, was destroyed by fire this night.

December 4.—General Longstreet raised the siege of Knoxville, and fell back to Morristown, Tenn., in consequence of the approach of heavy reinforcements to General Burnside, under General Granger, as well as the great victory around Chattanooga.—(Doc. 19.)

December 3.—A large body of rebels, under the command of Chalmers and Forrest, made three desperate charges on a division of National cavalry, stationed at the Wolf River Bridge, Tenn., but were finally repulsed with heavy loss. The National troops were commanded by Colonel Hatch’s cavalry division, which suffered severely.

December 2.—General Braxton Bragg issued a general order from his headquarters at Dalton, Ga., transferring the command of the rebel forces to Lieutenant-General Hardee who, on assuming the position announced, in orders, that “there was no cause for discouragement The overwhelming numbers of the enemy forced us back from Missionary Ridge; but the army is still intact and in good heart; our losses were small, and were rapidly replaced. The country is looking to you with painful interest. I feel I can rely upon you. The weak need to be cheered by the constant successes of the victors of Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, and Chickamauga, and require such stimulant to sustain their courage and resolution. Let the past take care of itself. We care more to secure the future.”

December 1.—The army of the Potomac withdrew from before the works of the rebels on Mine Run, General Meade being convinced that they could not be taken without a great sacrifice of life. A soldier, writing from Kelleysville, on December fourth, gives the following account of the retrograde movement: “Since joining the regiment I have had very tough work, marching great distances in a short space of time, besides living on short rations. We crossed the Rapidan at Ely’s Ford, marching through the battle-field of Chancellorsville and the Wilderness, to within six miles of Orange Court-House, where we halted. Our impressions were, that we would reach Gordonsville before any serious opposition would be shown, but were mightily mistaken. The army skirmished with the rebels from the time we crossed the Rapidan until we halted, and through such a perfect wilderness as to be almost indescribable—the road, the only place where man or beast could walk, with both sides covered with dense woods, overrun with underbrush. So you can readily imagine what a place for troops to advance in line of battle, and manœuvre for instant action. Yet it was done, and with a hearty good will, for the impression animated the whole army we would give the rebels a sound whipping, as we were on their flank; but alas! they got wind of it, and formed a line of battle on the high ridge of hills on the opposite side of Mine Run. We would have cleared them out from there, but the whole of our army did not arrive in time. Night came on, and they improved the time by fortifying. When morning came, they had one of the most formidable works in view I ever saw. The creek, or run, was crammed with felled trees, to break our ranks when advancing in line, and then came immense breastworks with abattis in front, making it an impossibility to make a charge over. Yet that morning the whole line had orders to take off knapsacks and overcoats, and make the attack, or rather attempt it. When all was ready, and going on the advance, the order was countermanded, and with it came many light hearts, as we knew it was impossible to make any impression on what we saw before us, although we were willing to attempt it. We lay all that day, and the next until evening, when we picked up our traps, and made a splendid retrograde movement. To be sure, the army suffered a little in killed and wounded, but nothing in comparison to what it would have been if we had fought them. One of the men in my company was shot in the breast while skirmishing. We are now near Kelly’s Ford, and have arrived at the conclusion that General Meade acted wisely in not giving battle, for he would have been repulsed, and that would not do, when things looked so bright in the West”

November 30.—Fort Esperanza, in Matagorda Bay, having been blown up and abandoned by the rebels, was occupied by the National forces under the command of Major-General C. C. Washburne.—(Doc. 17.)—The rebel blockade-runner Chatham, was captured in Doboy Sound, Ga., by the gunboat Huron.