The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

September 17.—The objects of the invasion of Pennsylvania were thus set forth in the Richmond Dispatch of this day: “The road to Pennsylvania lies invitingly open. There are no regular soldiers on the route, and it would be a task of little difficulty to disperse the rabble of militia that might be brought to oppose them.

“The country is enormously rich. It abounds in fat cattle, cereals, horses, and mules. Our troops would live on the very fat of the land. They would find an opportunity, moreover, to teach the Dutch farmers and graziers, who have been clamorous for this war, what invasion really is. If once compelled to take his own physic, which is a great deal more than he ever bargained for, Mynheer will cry aloud for peace in a very short time. For our own part, we trust the first proclamation of Pope, and the manner in which his army carried it out, will not be forgotten. We hope the troops will turn the whole country into a desert, as the Yankees did the Piedmont country of Virginia.

“Let not a blade of grass, or a stalk of corn, or a barrel of flour, or a bushel of meal, or a sack of salt, or a horse, or a cow, or a hog, or a sheep, be left wherever they move along. Let vengeance be taken for all that has been done, until retribution itself shall stand aghast This is the country of the smooth-spoken, would-be gentleman, McClellan. He has caused a loss to us, in Virginia, of at least thirty thousand negroes, the most valuable property that a Virginian can own. They have no negroes in Pennsylvania. Retaliation must therefore fall upon something else, and let it fall upon every thing that constitutes property. A Dutch farmer has no negroes, but he has horses that can be seized, grain that can be confiscated, cattle that can be killed, and houses that can be burnt. He can be taken prisoner and sent to Libby’s Warehouse, as our friends in Fauquier and Loudon, Culpeper, and the peninsula have been sent to Lincoln’s dungeons in the North. Let retaliation be complete, that the Yankees may learn that two can play at the game they have themselves commenced.

“By advancing into Pennsylvania with rapidity, our army can easily get possession of the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, and break it down so thoroughly that it cannot be repaired in six months. They have already possession of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the York River Railroad. By breaking down these and the railroad from Philadelphia to Baltimore, they will completely isolate both Washington and Baltimore. No reenforcements can reach them from either North or West, except by the Potomac and the bay.”

—Colonel Dunham, in command of the National garrison at Munfordsville, Ky., surrendered to the rebel forces under General Bragg.—(Doc. 121.)

—A fight took place this morning near Durhamville, Tenn., about twenty-five miles southeast of Fort Pillow, between a detachment of one hundred and fifty men, belonging to the Fifty-second regiment of Indiana volunteers, under the command of Lieut. Ross Griffin, and a party of rebels under Lieut.-Col. Faulkner, which resulted in the complete rout of the rebels, with a loss of eight killed and twenty wounded. The National loss was one killed, one missing, and ten wounded.—Surgeon. Martins) Report.

—Colonel George W. Berry, of the Harrison County home guards, left Covington, Ky., with six hundred of Colonel Tevis’s cavalry, for the purpose of reconnoitring up the Kentucky Central Railroad as far as Falmouth. Before reaching Falmouth, the officer in command of the cavalry declined going any further, and started back toward Covington. Colonel Berry was not to be baffled in his enterprise in this way; so he pushed ahead, in company with Greenbury Reed, U. S. Marshal of Bourbon County, and nine other men, and reached Falmouth in a few hours, finding it evacuated by the rebels. The little band had not been there long when twenty-eight Texan Rangers came into the place, and immediately attacked Colonel Berry’s small force. A desperate fight ensued, resulting in the rebels being driven out of the town with a loss of two killed, four wounded, and one prisoner. One of Colonel Berry’s men, named A. McNees, from Harrison County, was badly wounded. This was the only casualty on the National side. The rebels threatened to return soon with a cannon. They burnt the railroad near Falmouth, in their retreat.—Cincinnati Commercial, Sept. 20.

— Brigadier-general L. F. Ross, U.S.A., commanding at Bolivar, Tenn., issued a general order requiring the owners of slaves living within ten miles of that place to send in three fourths of their male slaves, between sixteen and forty-five years of age, to be employed upon the fortifications.—The guerrilla chief Poindexter escaped from the Nationals at Hudson, Mo. — St. Louis Republican, September 18.

—The ship Virginia, of New-Bedford, Mass., was captured and burned by the rebel privateer Alabama, Capt Semmes, in latitude 39° 10′ and longitude 84° 20′. The privateer when first seen displayed English colors, but when a quarter of a mile from the Virginia set the rebel colors and sent an armed boat’s crew aboard. The Captain was informed that he was a prize to the Alabama, and was ordered to take his papers and go on board that steamer. The privateers then stripped the ship of all the valuable articles on board, and at four P.M. set fire to the vessel. On arriving on board the steamer the captain of the Virginia asked Semmes to release him, as he was doing no harm. His answer was: “You Northerners are destroying our property, and New-Bedford people are having their war meetings, offering two hundred dollars’ bounty for volunteers, and send out their stone fleets to block up our harbors, and I am going to retaliate!”—Captain Tilton’s Account.

— This evening, before dusk, a scouting-party of fifty-three of the Tenth Kentucky cavalry, under Major Foley, when near Florence, Kentucky, engaged a party of rebels one hundred and one strong. The rebels, after a short engagement, were routed, with a loss of five killed and seven wounded. Among those killed was one citizen, a rebel sympathizer. The National loss was one killed and one wounded. The enemy sent in a flag of truce, asking permission to bury their dead and take care of their wounded, which was granted.—Cincinnati Commercial, September 18.

— In the rebel House of Representatives, at Richmond, an animated discussion was held on the bill authorizing a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.

Mr. Conrad, of Louisiana, was in favor of an early opportunity to discuss the bill. If Congress should fail to pass such a law, circumstances might arise in which the President might be compelled to suspend the writ without authority.

The Richmond Examiner in commenting on the debate, strongly denounced the proposition of Mr. Conrad.—Richmond Examiner, Sept. 20.

—The battle of Antietam, Maryland, was fought this day between the National forces under Gen. McClellan and the rebel army commanded by General Robert E. Lee.—(Doc. 122.)

— Lieut.-Colonel Kilpatrick, of the Ira Harris cavalry, made a reconnoissance up the road from Edward’s Ferry to Leesburgh, Va.

At Goose Creek he met a rebel force, and dispersed it with artillery. On arriving at Leesburgh he encountered a regiment of infantry and a battalion of cavalry. A sharp action took place, and the rebels were driven from the town, the Tenth New-York pressing them at the point of the bayonet. A regimental flag, several guns and a number of prisoners were captured.

— Governor Curtin of Pennsylvania announced that seventy-two thousand men had responded to his call for the defence of the State, and that he expected that the number would be increased to one hundred thousand. These men were furnished with equipments, and moved to the State border as rapidly as possible.

— The rebel House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing Jeff Davis to call into the military service, for three years or during the war, all white male citizens of the rebel States, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years. Such persons to serve their full term; no one being entitled to a discharge because he might have passed the age of forty-five before such term of service expired.

—An expedition consisting of the United States gunboats Paul Jones, Cimerone, and three other steam vessels, left Port Royal, S. C, on the thirteenth instant, and proceeded to the Saint John’s River, Florida, where they arrived to-day. They immediately attacked the rebel batteries, and, after a few hours’ shelling, succeeded in dismounting most of their guns, greatly damaging their breastworks, and completely silencing them.

— Cumberland Gap, Tenn., was evacuated by the National forces under the command of Gen. George W. Morgan.—(See Supplement.)

— In consequence of the reported approach of an the rebel army under General E. Kirby Smith, considerable excitement existed in Louisville, Kentucky. The troops commenced fortifying the city. Negroes were impressed to throw up rifle-pits and dig breastworks.

September 16.—Major-Gen. O. M. Mitchel arrived at Port Royal, S. C, and assumed command of the department.—A grand Union demonstration took place at Jefferson City, La.—Paynesville, Stearns County, Minn., was attacked by a party of Indians, who retired after burning one house and committing other depredations.—St. Pau’s Pioneer, September 20.

September 15.—The rebels advanced again towards Cincinnati, Ohio, as far as Florence, and drove in the Union pickets.

—Colonel McNeill had a two hours’ fight with Porter’s gang of guerrillas, near Shelburne, resulting in the complete rout of the latter, with a loss of two killed and a number wounded. Col. McNeill captured twenty wagons and a number of horses and guns.—Ponchatoula, La., was occupied by the National forces under Major George C. Strong, of Gen. Butler’s staff.—(Doc. 208.)

—Harper’s Ferry, Md., surrendered to the rebels under the command of Gen. Jackson, after a contest of three days’ duration.—(Doc. 120.)

September 14. — The entire National army moved from Frederick, Md., at daylight this morning, taking the route towards Harper’s Ferry.—Ripley, Va., was occupied by the advance of Col. Lightburn’s troops.

—This evening the stockade fort at Bacon Creek, Ky., was surrendered to the rebel cavalry under Colonel J. J. Morrison. The garrison consisted of Sergeant Ellis and twenty-eight men of company D, Fifty-fourth regiment of Indiana home guards. The regiment had been posted at different points along the railroad, and this squad at Bacon Creek. This afternoon, about dark, Col. Morrison made his appearance, and, while sending in a flag of truce, planted his artillery so as to destroy the fort He demanded its surrender, threatening, in case of his refusal, to open upon it with his artillery. Sergeant Ellis consulted with the rebel officer, and represented their position to Morrison. It was agreed that the party should be paroled, not to take up arms until regularly exchanged or discharged from the service. The men then surrendered. Morrison destroyed the fort and took about fifty guns.

—Maysville, Ky., was evacuated by the rebels and taken possession of by the National forces under Colonel Norton of the Twenty-first Ohio volunteers.

—General Butler, at New-Orleans, La., issued the following general order: “As in the course of ten days it may become necessary to distinguish the disloyal from the loyal citizens and honest neutral foreigners residing in this Department,

“It is ordered that each neutral foreigner, resident in this Department, shall present himself, with the evidence of his nationality, to the nearest Provost-Marshal for registration of himself and family.

“This registration shall include the following particulars:

“The country of birth. The length of time the person has resided within the United States. The names of his family. The present place of residence, by street, number, or other description. The occupation. The date of protection or certificate of nationality, which shall be indorsed by the Passport Clerk, ‘registered,’ with date of register;

“All false or simulated claims of foreign alliance by native or naturalized citizens will be severely punished.”

—General Loring, the rebel commander at Charleston, Va., issued the following order this day: “The Commanding General congratulates the army on the brilliant march from the Southwest to this place in one week, and on its successive victories over the enemy at Fayette Court-House, Cotton Hill, and Charleston. It will be memorable in history that, overcoming the mountains and the enemy in one week, you have established the laws and carried the flag of the country to the outer borders of the Confederacy. Instances of gallantry and patriotic devotion are too numerous to be specially designated at this time; but to brigade commanders and their officers and men, the Commanding General makes grateful acknowledgment for services to which our brilliant success is owing. The country will remember and reward you.”

—Drafting in the State of Ohio was postponed until the first day of October, by order of Governor Tod.—The First Metropolitan regiment, N.Y.S.V., left Riker’s Island for Washington.

—The battle of South-Mountain, Md., was fought this day, between the rebel army invading Maryland, under General Lee, and the National forces, commanded by Generals Hooker and Reno, resulting in the defeat of the rebels, who, after stubbornly contending the whole day, abandoned the field of battle at night, leaving their dead and wounded in the hands of the Nationals. The loss of the rebels was not known, although it was acknowledged to be greater than that of the Nationals, which amounted to over two thousand killed, wounded, and missing. Gen. Reno was among the killed.—(Doc. 119.)

—The attack upon Harper’s Ferry, Md., was continued by the rebels this morning in a vigorous cannonading from Maryland and Loudon Heights, and from Sandy Hook; the Union troops under Gen. Miles replying frequently.

—The funeral of Col. George W. Pratt, of the New-York Twentieth regiment, took place at Albany to-day. It was one of the largest assemblages ever seen in that city on a similar occasion. It was attended by the Governor and staff, the Tenth and Twenty-fifth regiments, deputations from Masonic orders, and a number of distinguished strangers from New-York and elsewhere.

—An engagement took place at Munfordsville, Ky., between a force of Union troops stationed in that town, under the command of Col. Wilder, Seventeenth Indiana, and a large body of rebels, under General Duncan, resulting, after a fight of seven hours’ duration, in the repulse of the rebels with great loss.—(Docs. 121 and 207.)

—This evening the Union cavalry at Harper’s Ferry, two thousand in number, succeeded in cutting their way out by the Sharpsburgh road, and while so doing captured one hundred prisoners, and the rebel General Longstreet’s wagon train.—(Doc. 120.)

September 13.—The military excitement in Philadelphia, Pa., continued. A large number of armed citizens were leaving for Harrisburgh.— The Mayor of Harrisburgh issued a proclamation, forbidding the citizens to leave town under penalty of arrest.

—The rebel chief Porter, with about five hundred guerrillas, made a descent on Palmyra, Mo., this morning and released forty rebel prisoners. He held the town for awhile, but withdrew when he heard an engine from Hannibal whistle. He did no damage whatever.—A force of rebel troops, under the command of Gen. Loring, took possession of the Kanawha salt-works, near Charleston, Va—Richmond Dispatch, Sept. 20.

—The rebels continued the attack upon the Union forces on Maryland Heights, who held the place until three o’clock, when an order was received to spike the guns and remove down the valley to Harper’s Ferry.

September 12.—To-day one hundred and eleven rebel prisoners were sent from Fortress Monroe to Aiken’s Landing, Va., for exchange.

—This morning the rebel army under Gen. E. Kirby Smith in full retreat from their position before Cincinnati, Ohio, were pursued by a portion of the Union forces under Gen. Wallace, as far as Florence, Ky.—In view of the invasion of Pennsylvania by the rebel army under General Lee, the City Council of Philadelphia appropriated five hundred thousand dollars for the defence of the city and State, and gave the Mayor of the city full power to act as he might sec fit. The public archives, bonds, and treasure of the State of Pennsylvania and cities of Harrisburgh and Philadelphia were sent to New-York for safe keeping. Many of the capitalists of the State also sent their bonds and treasure.

—A fight took place on the southern bank of Elk River, near Charleston, Va., between a Union force under Col. Lightburn and a large body of rebels, which lasted all day, both parties bivouackng on the field. The Union forces shelled and burned Charleston.

—Capt. Harry Gilmer, of Stuart’s rebel cavalry, with seven other rebel sympathizers, while being “feted by their friends,” were arrested at the house of Dr. T. L. Williamson, seven miles distant from Baltimore, Md., on the Hookerstown road, and carried to Fort McHenry.—The Twenty-first Connecticut, and Eleventh New-Hampshire regiments, under the command of Cols. A . A. Dalton and Walter Harriman, passed through New-York, en route for the seat of war.

—A war meeting of the wholesale grocers was held at New-York City this afternoon, for the purpose of raising an enlistment fund. Mr. Wm. McKenzie called the meeting to order, and nominated G. W. Lane, Esq., for chairman. Dwight Townsend was appointed secretary. Mr. Lane, on taking the chair, made a few appropriate and introductory remarks, after which the following resolution, presented by Mr. Wm. McKenzie, was offered and unanimously adopted: “Whereas, the grocers and the trades connected therewith in the city of New-York desire to aid the Government in suppressing the present rebellion against our Union and Constitution; we do therefore Resolve, that a committee be appointed by the chairman, who shall have full powers to collect money and expend the same in procuring men to enlist as soldiers in the army of the United States, in such a way as shall seem to them most suited to attain the object for which the meeting has been called.” A committee of fourteen was appointed to carry out the object of the resolution.—Bloomfield, Mo., was recaptured by a force of Union troops under the command of Col. Boyd.

—As important debate took place in the rebel House of Representatives at Richmond, Va., upon the propriety of an invasion of the Northern States.—See Supplement.

—The following commands in the army of Virginia were designated by the War Department: First corps, Major-Gen. Hooker; Second corps, Major-Gen. Sumner; Third corps, Major-General Heintzelman; Fourth corps, Major-Gen. Keyes; Fifth corps, Major-Gen. Fitz-John Porter; Sixth corps, Major-Gen. Franklin; Seventh corps, Major-Gen. Dix; Eighth corps, Major-Gen. Wool; Ninth corps, Major-Gen. Burnside; Tenth corps, Major-Gen. Mitchel; Eleventh corps, Major-Gen. Sedgwick; Twelfth corps, Major-Gen. Sigel.

—John Ross, chief of the Cherokee Indians, had an interview with President Lincoln, at Washington, this morning, with regard to the rescue of his nation from the rebels.

—The Union army under General Burnside entered Frederick, Md. A slight skirmish occurred between the Union advance-guard and the rear-guard of the rebel army, in which there were several men killed and wounded on both sides. Great enthusiasm was manifested by the inhabitants, on the appearance of Gen. Burnside and his army.—(Doc. 202.)

—Frankfort, the capital of Kentucky, was occupied by a large force of rebel cavalry under Gen. E. Kirby Smith. He issued a proclamation, informing the citizens that they must fight for him or against him. He also organized a city government and appointed a mayor.—N.Y. Times.

—The attack upon Harper’s Ferry, that position being completely invested by the rebel army, commenced this afternoon in a skirmish with the Union troops upon Maryland Heights, under command of Colonel Ford, lasting until sundown. —(Doc. 120.)

Robert Huston Milroy (June 11, 1816 – March 29, 1890) was a lawyer, judge, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War, most noted for his defeat at the Second Battle of Winchester in 1863. (Wikipedia)

September 11.—This morning a force of rebel cavalry entered Ilagerstown, Md. They immediately seized twelve hundred barrels of flour, and commenced tearing up the railroad in the vicinity of the depot. The United States Marshal, the sheriff, and other officials left the town as soon as the rebels entered, carrying with them the public records and other valuables in their different offices. Hundreds of private citizens also left the place.

—In consequence of the reported approach of the rebel army under General Lee, the greatest excitement existed in Pennsylvania, and especially in the cities of Philadelphia and Harrisburgh. In the latter city, the Governor of the State issued a proclamation, calling for fifty thousand men, “for immediate service to repel the now imminent danger from invasion by the enemies of the country.” He also telegraphed to the Mayor of Philadelphia to send him twenty thousand men. The latter immediately issued an address to the citizens, in which he embodied the Governor’s despatch, and called upon all able-bodied men to assemble next morning at the precinct-houses of the election districts, in readiness to obey the summons to immediate service.

—The New-Hampshire Eleventh regiment left Concord to-day, en route for the seat of war.—A Union meeting was held at Beaufort, N. C, at which an address was made by C. H. Foster, of North-Carolina. The meeting was largely attended, and resolutions of a highly patriotic character were adopted.—A party of rebels made a descent on the National pickets at Ridgeville, Va., and carried off three of them and several of the Union men of the place. Captain Fiery rallied a small force, and, pursuing the rebels, succeeded in capturing three prisoners and a number of horses.— Wheeling Intelligencer, September 13.

—Maysville, Ky., was occupied by the rebel forces under Brig.-Gen. R. M. Gano, of General E. Kirby Smith’s division of the rebel army.— Maysville Eagle, September 13.

—In compliance with orders from the Secretary of War, Gen. Schofield ordered the Provost-Marshal-General for the district of Missouri to proceed without delay to carry into effect the confiscation act, so far as the provisions of said act were subject to be carried into effect by the miltary authorities of the United States in the district. The property liable to confiscation in the district was estimated at fifty millions.

—Westminster, Md., was taken possession of by five hundred rebel cavalry, under the command of Col. Rosser. They came dashing into the town at a rapid rate, and immediately proceeded to place pickets around the town, to prevent the citizens from leaving. A gentleman named Crothers, in endeavoring to make his escape, was fired upon and killed. The rebels seized the post-office and the depot; ascertaining that there was a locomotive and two passenger and four freight-cars a short distance from the town, they also despatched a force and brought them in. Upon being established in the town, the rebels proceeded to lay hands upon all the boots, shoes, and clothing that they could find in the stores, for which they tendered in payment confederate money. Secession sympathizers suffered in common with the Union residents, the rebels stating that they had been deceived relative to the secession feeling in Maryland.—Baltimore Clipper, September 13.

—New-Market, Md., was occupied by the National forces.

—The Union forces stationed at Gauley, Va., under the command of Colonel Lightburn, having been threatened by an overwhelming rebel force in front, flank, and rear, were compelled to evacuate that place, after destroying all the Government stores they were unable to carry away.

—To-day the rebel army under Gen. E. Kirby Smith had reached Latonia Springs, Ky., within seven miles of Cincinnati, Ohio, and skirmishing between the rebel and Union pickets commenced on the banks of the West-Licking River, in the vicinity of that city. At night the rebels began to throw up breastworks in front of Fort Wallace. The Union forces in Cincinnati were being largely reenforced from all parts of the State, and also from Gen. Grant’s army, several regiments of which having arrived there to day. Considerable excitement existed in the city, although it was considered perfectly safe.

—Bloomfield, Mo., was captured by a large body of rebel guerrillas, after a fight of two hours. The town was defended by fifteen hundred State militia, who, being outnumbered, retired.—The Twentieth regiment of Connecticut, commanded by Col. Samuel Ross, left New-Haven for Washington.

—The Union army under Gen. Buell was on the march to the support of Nashville, Tenn., which was menaced by the rebel army under General Bragg, and eight thousand men from the army of General Rosecrans, under command of General Jefferson C. Davis, arrived there to-day for the purpose of reenforcing General Buell.

September 10.—Frederick, Md., was this day evacuated by the rebel army under General Lee. — (Doc. 202.)

—The Seventh regiment of Rhode Island volunteers, under the command of Colonel Zenas C. Bliss, left Providence, for the seat of war in Virginia.— The Sixth regiment of Massachusetts militia, under the command of Colonel Albert S. Follansbee, passed through New-York, on their way to Washington.

— Day before yesterday Colonel Grierson, with three hundred and seventy men, came up with the enemy beyond Coldwater, near Cochran’s Cross-Roads, Miss. They were a portion of Jackson’s and Pierson’s cavalry and a number of infantry, amounting to about one thousand men. They were posted and commenced the attack, but were driven two and a half miles through heavy timber. In the affair four of the rebels were killed and seventy or eighty wounded.

At night Colonel Grierson camped between the cross-road and Hernando, remaining Wednesday in the latter place, and this morning he moved in the direction of Coldwater, and came upon the enemy’s pickets at Coldwater Bridge, behind which they lay in force. They fired the bridge, but moved off, and the bridge was so far saved that, after some repairs, the Union forces crossed, the enemy retiring as they advanced, and Grierson entered Senatobia, where he burned the railroad depot and its contents.

— A public meeting was held in Susquehanna, Pa., and in accordance with the orders of the Governor of the State, a company was formed for immediate service. Over ninety men signed the roll and held themselves in readiness to march at an hour’s notice.—The draft in Pennsylvania, was postponed until the twentieth of September.

— A severe fight took place at Fayette, Va., between a force of rebels five thousand strong, under General Loring, and the Thirty-fourth and Thirty-seventh Ohio, under the command of Col. Siber, numbering about one thousand two hundred men, resulting in a defeat of the Unionists, with a loss of over one hundred killed and wounded.—(Doc. 206.)

— The excitement in Cincinnati, O., consequent on the near approach of the rebel army under General E. Kirby Smith, still continued. Martial law was enforced. The military authorities were actively employed in fortifying and preparing the city for a vigorous defence. Over one thousand squirrel-hunters from the neighboring counties came in and volunteered their services.

— A force of Union cavalry, supported by two pieces of artillery, under the command of Captain Saunders, acting Colonel of the Sixth United States cavalry, left Barnesville, Md., on a reconnoitring expedition to Sugar-Loaf Mountain. When half-way up the mountain, the Unionists encountered a force of rebel infantry supported by artillery, and a skirmish ensued in which the Unionists were defeated and compelled to retire. At night they returned to Barnesville.

September 9.—The greatest excitement existed throughout York and Adams County, Pennsylvania, as well as at Harrisburgh and throughout the Susquehanna region and the Cleveland Valley. The farmers sent their women and children, as well as their cattle, away, and armed for the defence of their homes against cavalry raids.

At Wilkesbarre all places of business were closed. All the church and court-house bells rang for the people to assemble for drill, at which time nearly all the able-bodied men in the town, amounting to some hundreds, assembled in the public square, formed into companies, marched to the river bank and drilled. Men over sixty years of age fell into the ranks. — Wilhesbarre Record.

— This afternoon, in latitude 28°, longitude 94° 10′, the United States steamer Connecticut captured the English schooner Rambler. She had run the blockade at Sabine Pass, Texas, and was bound to Havana heavily laden with cotton. Among the papers found on board was a memorandum in writing, directing the captain of the Rambler to sell the cotton at Havana, and with the proceeds of the sale to purchase powder, medicines, army shoes and other contraband articles, and without delay to return to Sabine Pass.

—Colonel Brums, sent in pursuit of the guerrillas under Quantrel, after their attack upon Olathe, Mo., overtook them five miles north of Pleasant Hill, Mo., and after a short skirmish compelled them to retreat, leaving in the hands of the Nationals all their transportation and subsistence, one thousand rounds of ammunition, one hundred horses, five wagons, a number of tents and other camp equipage, and a large quantity of dry goods, and other articles stolen from the citizens of Olathe.—Official Report.

—Major-general Banks, in compliance with an order issued on the seventh instant from the headquarters of Major-General McClellan, assumed command of the defences of the capital during the absence of the General Commanding from Washington.—Col. T. L. Kane, of the Pennsylvania Bucktail Rifles, was appointed a Brigadier-General for gallant and meritorious conduct in the field.

— This morning, the Third Indiana and the Eighth Illinois cavalry, the entire force under command of Col. Farnsworth, of the latter troop, left Poolesville, Md., and proceeded toward Barnesville. Upon approaching Monocacy Church, the cavalry discovered the rebel videttes guarding the cross-roads. Col. Farnsworth distributed his force, sending companies A and B, of the Third Indiana, on the road leading toward Nolansville, and other companies in other directions. Companies A and B, under command of Major Chapman, pursued the rebel videttes for some distance on the road to Nolansville, and succeeded in taking the regimental flag of the Twelfth Virginia cavalry, and eight prisoners. During the flight, the rebels lost three men killed. The companies then joined their squadron, and the entire force pushed forward into the town of Barnesville. Before reaching the town, however, they met with another small force of rebel cavalry, and after a few shots had been exchanged, the rebels fled, leaving seven more of their men prisoners. The rebels also sustained an additional loss of five men killed. In the whole affair, the Nationals had none killed, and only one man wounded.

To-night, the Eighth Illinois and the Third Indiana occupy the town—N. Y. Times, Sept. 12.

— Middletown, Md., was occupied by the rebels this morning, about two hundred taking formal possession and declaring martial law. In anticipation of such an event, many of the Union residents, whose names had been forwarded by their secession neighbors to Frederick, left last evening and early this morning, thus escaping the draft the rebels enforced from the enrolled lists taken from the National officer.

— Great excitement existed in Baltimore, Md., in consequence of the apprehended approach of the rebel army under General Lee. The authorities made the most ample preparations to intercept any movement in the direction of their city; and should the rebels succeed in entering it, to receive them in a manner different from that expected by them.

— Colonel Shingles with a force of rebel cavalry, and three pieces of artillery, made an attack on Williamsburgh, Va., this morning. After having captured the National pickets, they marched into town, taking the troops by surprise. An engagement ensued, which lasted about thirty minutes. The National force consisted of the Fifth Pennsylvania cavalry, Colonel Campbell, who was taken prisoner, together with five captains, four lieutenants, and a few privates. The rebel commander, Colonel Shingles, and eight of his officers and men were killed.

— The U. S. bark Braziliero, Acting Master M. V. Gillespie, commanding, captured the schooner Defiance, of Nassau, N. P.