The American Civil War

June 17.—Major-General J. C. Hindman, of the rebel army, issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of the Trans-Mississippi District, Arkansas, calling upon all those who were not subject to conscription, to organize themselves into independent companies of mounted troops or infantry, as they might prefer, arming and equipping themselves, and to serve in that part of the district in which they might belong.—(Doc. 134.)

—The rebel batteries at City Point, on the James River, below Fort Darling, Va., opened fire on the Union fleet of gunboats, but the boats returned it so briskly with shell and shrapnel, that the batteries were silenced, and the rebels retired.

—General Wallace assumed command of the city of Memphis, Tenn. His first official act was to take possession of the office of the newspaper Argus. T. Knox and A. D. Richardson were appointed to supervise all editorials which appeared in the newspapers.

—Threats having been made to tear down the Union flags flying over the houses of some of the citizens of Memphis, Tenn., the Provost-Marshal of that city issued an order instructing the guard to shoot down any one attempting to haul down the flag, or offering any insult or molestation to resident citizens who had thus manifested their devotion to the Union.

—The United States gunboats St Louis, Lexington, Conestoga and Mound City, on an expedition up White River, Arkansas, opened fire on a rebel battery at St Charles, while the Forty-third and Forty-sixth Indiana regiments made a land attack, which resulted in the capture of the battery. During the fire a ball entered the steam-drum of the Mound City, and it exploded.—(Doc. 75.)

—This afternoon the stage from Fort Scott was stopped eight miles from Kansas City, Mo., by six men armed with double-barreled shotguns, supposed to belong to Quantrell’s band of guerrillas, and the passengers robbed of seven hundred dollars in money, three gold watches, four revolvers and several overcoats. One passenger saved two thousand dollars, which he had sewed in the linings of his coat, and the express agent’s trunk, containing over ten thousand dollars, was thrown aside as of no value.

June 16.—The Richmond Dispatch of this date says: “Desertion has become far too frequent in the confederate army. And yet the habit is not peculiar to confederate soldiers. There must be desertions from all military service where there is no punishment for desertion. We mean no punishment adequate to the offence—none which a coward or vagabond had not rather encounter than endure the service or the perils of a battle. Death is the proper punishment, and it is the punishment prescribed in our laws—the punishment meted to the deserter by governments generally. We anticipate that our own government will be forced to resort to it. With a creditable humanity and forbearance, the policy of appealing to the pride of the soldier by advertisement, by disgraces, has been pursued by our commanders; but there is little pride and no honor in the deserter, and the fear of disgrace will not deter him from absconding. The penalty of death will. An example or two would have a fine effect.”

—The battle of Secessionville, James Island, S. C, was fought this day, resulting in the defeat of the National forces.—(Doc. 72.)

—Attorney-General Bates officially communicated to the Secretary of War his opinion concerning the relations of Governors of States to volunteers in the National service.—(See Supplement.)

—At Memphis, Tenn., a large body of rebel officers and soldiers, together with citizens of the city, took the oath of allegiance to the United States.—Memphis Avalanche, June 17.

—This day, while a few soldiers were hunting for deserters in the vicinity of Culpeper, Va., they suddenly came upon a rebel mail-carrier who was endeavoring to conceal himself in the woods. He was immediately arrested, after a slight resistance, and taken to headquarters at Manassas. A large number of letters to prominent officers in the rebel service, many of which contained valuable information, were found in the mail-bag, also ten thousand dollars in confederate bonds. The carrier’s name was Granville W. Kelly.—Baltimore American, June 18.

—Surgeon Hayes, One Hundred and Tenth regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, having been ordered to conduct to Washington a large detachment of sick and wounded men, and having shamefully neglected them after their arrival, the President directed that for this gross dereliction of duty he be dismissed the service, and he was accordingly dismissed.— General Order.

—This afternoon the rebels in front of the National pickets near Fair Oaks, Va., attempted to flank a portion of the Union forces during a violent thunder-storm, but were soon repulsed with some loss. Lieut. Palmer, Aid to Gen. Sickles, while giving orders to the commandant of the regiment attacked by the rebels, fell pierced with three balls.

—Four of the five men, who, while personating Union soldiers, entered and pillaged a house in New-Orleans, La., of a large sum of money and other valuables, were this day hanged in that city. The fifth man was reprieved.

June 15.—The rebel General J. E. B. Stuart, with a cavalry force, left the rebel lines near Richmond, Va., on the thirteenth, and rode through the lines of the right wing of the Union army in front of Richmond to Garlick’s Landing, Pamunkey River, where he burned two schooners. Thence to Tunstall’s station, where he fired into, but failed to capture, a railroad train; thence rode around the left wing of the Union army, and into Richmond again to-day. (Doc. 67.)

—Lieutenant Commanding Howell, in the Union gunboat Tahoma, accompanied by Lieut. Commanding English, in the Somerset, crossed the bar of Saint Mark’s River, Florida, and drove out a company of rebel artillery, with four or five field-pieces, from a fort near the lighthouse on that river, afterwards landing and burning the fort with the buildings used as barracks.—Official Report.

June 14.—Capt Craven, of the United States steam sloop Brooklyn, sent a marine guard and party of seamen, numbering in all about one hundred men, under command of Lieut Lowry, to Bayou Sara, Louisiana, for the purpose of destroying the telegraph apparatus and cutting the wires. After an absence of two hours, Lieut. Lowry returned to the ship, having accomplished his work. (Doc. 133.)

—General James H. Van Ales, Military Governor of Yorktown, Va., issued an order directing that all negroes in his department, “contraband or otherwise, should be under the immediate charge and control of the Provost-Marshal—that they be allowed full liberty,” etc.

—Captain Atkison, of company C, of the Fiftieth Indiana volunteers, with twenty men, captured six thousand two hundred pounds of powder at Sycamore Mills, thirty miles below Nashville, Tenn., and five miles north of the Cumberland River. The company also stopped at Fort Zollicoffer, and brought off a gun.

June 13.—This day a force of about three hundred rebel troops left Fort Chapman, and proceeded to Hutchinson Island, S. C, where they killed and wounded a number of negroes, and burned a chapel and dwelling-house. On the approach of the boats of the United States ship Dale, lying in St Helena Sound, the rebels retreated. About seventy negroes were taken on board the Dale, including several of the wounded.—(Doc. 69.)

—Colonel James R. Slack, commanding at Memphis, Tenn., issued the following order:

“Hereafter the dealing in and passage of currency known as ‘confederate scrip’ or ‘confederate notes’ is positively prohibited, and the use thereof as a circulating medium regarded as an insult to the Government of the United States, and an imposition upon the ignorant and deluded. “All persons offending against the provisions of this order will be promptly arrested and severely punished by the military authorities.”

— The Bank of Louisiana, at New-Orleans, being ordered by the Provost-Judge to pay a citizen in current funds his deposit formerly received by them in confederate notes, the Bank appealed to General Butler, who sustained the decision of the Judge.—Congress passed a joint resolution of thanks to Lieut. Morris and the other officers and men of the United States frigate Cumberland.

—The pickets of Gen. McClellan’s army near Richmond were driven in from Old Church, and large bodies of the rebels were discovered moving from the neighborhood of Mechanicsville bridge and Richmond towards the battle-field of Fair Oaks.—(Doc. 67.)

—At daylight this morning the rebels opened a sharp fire of artillery in front of Gen. Sumner’s position, in the vicinity of Richmond, which continued three hours, killing one and wounding another of the National troops.

—The United States flag was this day raised in the village of Gretna, La., amid the rejoicings of a large number of spectators. After the ceremony a series of patriotic resolutions were unanimously passed.

—The rebel transport Clara Dolsen was captured on the White River, Arkansas, by the tug Spitfire.—(Doc. 70.)

—A fight took place on James Island, S. C, between a body of Union troops and a much superior force of the rebels, resulting in the retreat of the rebels with a loss of nineteen killed and six wounded. The Union party lost three killed and nineteen wounded.—Official Report.

June 12.—A fight took place at Waddell Farm, near Village Creek, Arkansas, between a body of National troops under the command of Colonel Albert E. Brackett of the Ninth Illinois cavalry, and a party of rebels known as “Hooker’s company,” in which the latter were defeated with a loss of twenty-eight killed, wounded and prisoners. Col. Brackett’s loss was one taken prisoner and twelve wounded.—(Doc. 66.)

—A Detachment of the Richmond Blues had a skirmish near the Chickahominy on the right wing of the rebel army, with a body of Yankee infantry. The fire of the Blues killed six of the Federals and placed several hors du combat, when they retreated.—Richmond Examiner, June 14.

—General Fremont left Harrisonburgh, Va. The citizens expressed their delight by an illumination of every house in the town.

—A Small expedition of United States forces under Captain Hynes, Topographical Engineers, went up the Nansemond River without resistance.—(Doc. 71.)

—Mount Jackson, Va., was occupied by the Union army under General Fremont.—A daring though unsuccessful attack was made on a battery on James Island, S. C, by the Seventy-ninth New-York, Eighth Michigan, and Twenty-eighth Massachusetts regiments.

—About forty farmers of Conway County, Arkansas, came into the Union lines at Batesville, to volunteer for the Union.—Missouri Democrat.

June 11.—This day about noon, near Montgomery, Owen County, Kentucky, a severe skirmish took place between a large party of bushwackers and the Union forces under Captain Nicklin, consisting of a portion of the Thirteenth Indiana light artillery, and a squad of Captain Blood’s Provost-Guard, (mounted.) In the skirmish a sergeant of the cavalry, and a private of artillery, were killed. The loss on the part of the bushwhackers was not ascertained; but twenty-five of them were captured and carried to Louisville. The point at which the skirmish occurred was in a thick clump of brush and bushes, through which the cavalry could not force their horses. After the fight was over, an examination of the ground showed that the bushwackers were badly cut up. The ground was in many places covered with blood, and tracks were visible of bodies drawn off.—Louisville Democrat.

—A Flag of truce was received at Batesville, Arkansas, the headquarters of General Curtis, bearing a letter from General Hindman of the rebel army, threatening to hang every Federal officer and soldier who might fall into his hands, in case General Curtis should hang certain persons in his hands as outlaws. General Curtis replied immediately, disclaiming any intention of hanging.—Specie payment was resumed by the New-Orleans Bank of America.—N.O. True Delta, June 11.

—A Rebel battery of four guns was this day captured at James Island, S. C, by two regiments of Union troops.—The schooner Princeton was captured by the United States steamer Susquehanna.

June 10.—The Seward-Lyons Treaty for the suppression of the African slave-trade was officially promulgated. It is to remain in full force for the term of ten years. Instructions for the ships of the United States and British navies, and regulations for the mixed courts of justice, accompany the publication.

—The obsequies of Colonel J. Lafayette Riker, of the Sixty-second regiment of New-York volunteers and of Colonel James Miller, of the Eighty-first Pennsylvania regiment, took place in the city of New-York. — The schooner Julia was captured at Barataria, La., by master’s mate John H. Gregory, with a crew of twelve men from the United States gunboat Kittatinny.

—A fight took place on James Island, S. C, between a body of Union troops, and a large force of rebels. It was hotly contested for more than two hours, and ended in the rout of the rebels, with a loss to them of seventeen killed, thirty wounded, and six prisoners. The Unionists lost three killed and thirteen wounded.—Official Report.

—The Union army under General Fremont reached Port Republic, Va.—The rebels in front of the Union lines at Savage’s station, Chickahominy Swamp, Va., kept up a bombardment, without effect, their shells falling short of the mark.

June 9.—General (Stonewall) Jackson in retreat before the army under General Fremont fell upon an advance body of the force under General Shields, near Port Republic, Va. After a hard fight this advance body fell back upon the main body under General Shields, and Jackson continued his retreat—(Doc. 19.)

—The Senate of the United States resolved itself into a High Court of Impeachment, for the trial of Judge Humphreys, of Tennessee, for treason, and the members of the House of Representatives were introduced in due form; but it was finally concluded to postpone the proceedings until the twenty-sixth.—The House bill prohibiting slavery in the territories was passed.—Secretary Welles addressed an elaborate communication to the Naval Committee of Congress on the construction of armored ships.

—General Halleck at Corinth, Miss., sent the following despatch to the War Department: “The enemy has fallen back fifty miles from here by railroad, and near seventy miles by wagon road. General Pope estimates the rebel loss from casualties, prisoners, and desertion, at over twenty thousand, and General Buell at between twenty thousand and thirty thousand.

“A person who was employed in the confederate commissary department, says they had one hundred and twenty thousand men in Corinth, and that now they cannot muster much over eighty thousand. Some of the fresh graves on the road have been opened and found filled with arms. Many of the prisoners beg not to be exchanged, saying they purposely allowed themselves to be taken. Beaureguard himself retreated from Baldwin on Saturday afternoon to Okolona, Miss.”

—Brigadier-general D. B. Birney, having been tried by court-martial, and honorably acquitted of the charges brought against him, this day reassumed command of his brigade by order of General Kearny, commanding division.

—The House of Representatives of the United States called for information respecting the organization by General Hunter, of the Department of South-Carolina, of a regiment of black volunteers for the defence of the Union.—(Doc. 132.)

—An interesting correspondence between Judge Rost, Captain Huse, and R. M. T. Hunter, rebel agents in Europe, was this day published.