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

February 2.—Lieutenant-Colonel White’s cavalry encountered a force of Lincoln’s infantry in Morgan County, Tenn., on the mountain side. The Lincoln force was estimated at from one hundred to three hundred. White charged upon the enemy. Captain Duncan rallied his men twice, when he was shot through the head and killed by J. Roberts, a lad fifteen years old. The Kentucky Unionists were then completely routed and fled in confusion, leaving seven of their dead upon the field.—Norfolk Day Book, February 6.

—The bark Trinity left Boston, Mass., to-day, for Fortress Monroe, Va., with three hundred and eighty-six rank and file, and eleven officers, from Fort Warren, in Boston harbor, to be exchanged for an equal number of National soldiers in the hands of the rebels.— N. Y. Herald, February 3.

February 1.—At Leavenworth, Kansas, an interview was held between Mr. Dole, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and the chiefs of several of the loyal tribes of Indians. The chiefs were Opothleyoholo, of the Creeks, Alektustenuk, of the Seminoles, and several representatives of the Iowa tribes. The interview was of an impressive character, and the conference covered the entire range of topics relative to the status of the Indian tribes, their relations to the Government, and their position as regards the rebellion. Commissioner Dole informed the chiefs that the Federal Government had no intention of ever calling upon its red children to take a share in the contest, but a portion of the Indians having proved false to their allegiance, and, under the instigation of designing men, having driven the loyal Indians from their homes, the Government would march its troops down into the Indian country and compel submission.—(Doc. 24.)

—By order of the Provisional Government of Kentucky, the name of Wolfe County was changed to Zollicoffer County. The county of Zollicoffer will perpetuate on the records of Kentucky the name of one whose fame belongs to struggling freemen every where.—Louisville-Nashville Courier, February 3.

—A skirmish took place to-day near Bowling Green, Ky., on the Green River, between a party of rebels and a company of the Second Cavalry, Forty-first regiment Indiana Volunteers, commanded by Captain J. B. Presdee. The rebels lost three killed and two wounded; none of the National soldiers were injured.—(Doc. 25.)

—The Spanish steamer Duero arrived at Liverpool, Eng., from Cadiz, bringing as passengers the captains of three American ships, captured and burned by the privateer Sumter.—(Doc. 26.)

January 31. — Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State, directed to-day the release from Fort Lafayette of all the persons taken on board of vessels which had violated the blockade.—Baltimore American, February 3.

—George W. McCaddon, Sylvester Bartlett, and Amon Wells, of Harmar, and Wm. C. Olney, of Marietta, Ohio, were in Kentucky with a company who were putting up a telegraph line for the National army, and were captured by a party of rebels near Campbellsville, by whom they were taken South.—Ohio Statesman, February 8.

—Queen Victoria this day declared her determined purpose “to observe the duties of neutrality during the existence of hostilities between the United States and the States calling themselves ‘the Confederate States of America,'” and “to prevent, as far as possible, the use of her Majesty’s harbors, ports and coasts, and the waters within her Majesty’s territorial jurisdiction, in aid of the warlike purposes of either belligerent.”

—As act was passed to day in the Congress of the United States, authorizing the President to take possession of the telegraph and railroad lines in the United States, whenever, in his judgment, the public safety required it. Also, that any attempt to resist the unrestrained use by Government of such property, when too powerful to be suppressed by ordinary means, shall be punished by death, as a military offence. It was also enacted that three Commissioners be appointed by the President to assess and determine the damages suffered by railroad or telegraph companies in consequence of such seizures, the compensation of each Commissioner to be eight dollars per day while in active service. It was further enacted that the transportation of troops, munitions of war, etc., be under the immediate control of the Secretary of War, and such agents as he may appoint. Finally, the provisions of this act, so far as it relates to the operating and using said railroads and telegraphs, shall not be in force any longer than is necessary for the suppression of this rebellion.

January 30.—The Senate of the United States confirmed the nomination of Major Frederick Steele, of the Eleventh regiment Infantry, as Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

—Captain Ericsson’s iron-plated steam battery, the Monitor, that for some months past has attracted no small share of attention, was successfully launched to-day from Sneeden’s ship-yard, at Greenpoint, Long Island, N. Y. A large number of people witnessed the launch, and as the strange-looking craft glided swiftly and gracefully into its new element, the assemblage cheered rapturously, and several salutes were fired from vessels in the neighborhood in honor of the event—(Doc 23.)

—A Notorious rebel marauder, Captain John Morgan, seized a party of six Union men at a church near Lebanon, Ky., to-day. Five he allowed to leave with some of their clothing, and setting fire to the church, forced the remaining victim into the building, intending to burn him alive. After some ineffectual attempts to escape, the man finally succeeded, while the attention of his persecutors was drawn off. As soon as the news of the occurrence reached the camp of the First regiment of Ohio Cavalry, not far distant, two companies were despatched in pursuit, but owing to the bad condition of the roads, and impassable streams, the chase had to be abandoned. —Cincinnati Commercial.

—In the United States Senate, n. M. Rice, of Minnesota, offered a joint resolution, which was adopted, that the Secretary of War be authorized to procure from officers and soldiers, now prisoners in the so-called Confederate States, allotment pay for families; the Secretary of War to issue drafts on New-York or Boston, Mass., to families.

January 28.—In the United States Senate a petition from citizens of Illinois, asking Congress not to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, and asking for the expulsion of members who advocate it, was presented by Mr. Saulsbury, of Delaware

A resolution was offered by Mr. Foster, of Connecticut, and adopted, asking the Secretary of the Treasury whether any further legislation is necessary in order to take charge of the cotton and other lands of South-Carolina, now in possession of the Government, and to place them under cultivation, and also in relation to the blacks in these localities.

—Reconnoissances from Port Royal, S. C, having discovered the fact that the Savannah River, Ga., could be entered some distance above its mouth, and Fort Pulaski, commanding the entrance, flanked and cut off from all communication with the city of Savannah, an expedition of United States gunboats, under command of Captain C. H. Davis, U.S.N., and Captain C. R. P. Rodgers, U.S.N., was despatched yesterday for the purpose of entering the Savannah River in the rear of the Fort. Captain Davis’s detachment followed the Wilmington Narrows on the south side of the river, while Captain Rodgers sailed up Wall’s Cut, and thence into Wright River, on the north side. The two expedition appeared this morning on opposite sides of the savannah, both being detained by piles driven in to oppose their progress, or by the shallowness of the water. While in this position, Commodore Tatnall, of the Confederate Navy, came down the savannah with five rebel gunboats, and a fleet of lighters in tow with provisions for Fort Pulaski. The national gunboats immediately opened fire on him, and a triangular engagement took place, during which three rebel boats succeeded in reaching the Fort, and discharging their lighters. They then returned and passed between the National fleets, being nearly two miles distant from each, up the river. No damage was sustained by the National gunboats during the fight.—(Doc. 21.)

—A Division of the Union troops in Missouri, under command of Jeff. C. Davis, left Versailles on the march towards Springfield. The division comprised the Eighth and Twenty-second Indiana, the Thirty-seventh Illinois and Ninth Missouri, accompanied by two batteries of twenty-four pieces, and three companies of cavalry under Major Hubbard.

January 26.—A force consisting of Willich’s Indiana regiment, Colonel Starkweather’s Wisconsin regiment and a company of Indiana cavalry, Captain Gaddis, made a rcconnoissance from Camp George Wood, near Munfordville, Ky., in the direction of the enemy. Willich’s regiment and the cavalry penetrated to Horse Cave, on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, eight miles beyond Green River. Colonel Starkweather’s regiment was placed in reserve about four miles out. Willich learned that Hindman had recently advanced with his brigade and had encamped only three miles beyond Horse Cave. The railroad track was destroyed in places up to and within five miles of the national camp, and the turnpike was blocked up by trees which the rebels had felled across the road for a distance of four miles this side of Horse Cave. Several reservoirs of water, which they passed, filled the air for some distance around with stench arising from the decaying cattle and hogs the rebels had thrown into them.— Cincinnati Gazette, January 31.

—This day was celebrated at New-Orleans as the anniversary of the secession of Louisiana from the United States. A parade of about fifteen thousand men took place, after which the Governor and principal officers partook of a collation at the St. Charles’ Hotel; the great sentiment of the occasion being the Independence of Louisiana.— New-Orleans Picayune, January 27.

—At St Louis, Mo., General Halleck issued a special order directing the President, and other officers of the St Louis Mercantile Association and the Chamber of Commerce, to take the oath of allegiance prescribed by law. In case of failure to do so for the space of ten days, the officer so failing shall be deemed to have resigned; and if he attempts to exercise the functions of his office, he shall be arrested for contempt and punished according to the laws of war.—(Doc. 20.)

—The Southern expedition left Port Royal, S. C, and consisted of all the light-draft steamers, light gunboats, and eight thousand troops. The object supposed to be an attack on Savannah, commencing with Fort Pulaski.

—Official despatches received at St. Louis, Mo., from the expedition sent from Cape Girardeau to Benton and Bloomfield. It captured Lieutenant-Colonel Farmer and eleven other officers and sixty-eight privates, with a quantity of arms, horses, saddles, etc. Most of the rebel officers were surprised and captured in a ballroom.—General Halleck’s Despatch.

January 25. — William H. Seward, Secretary of State, issued an order to the Marshal of the District of Columbia, directing him “not to receive into custody any persons claimed to be held to service or labor within the District, or elsewhere, and not charged with any crime or misdemeanor, unless upon arrest or commitment, pursuant to law, as fugitives from such service or labor:” and “not to retain any such fugitives in custody beyond a period of thirty days from their arrest and commitment, unless by special order of competent civil authority.” The order was to be enforced ten days after its publication, and had no relation to arrests made by military authority.—(Doc. 19.)

—The Twentieth regiment of Kentucky Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Sanders D. Bruce, left Camp Wallace, for the seat of war. —Louisville Journal, January 25.

— The Eighth regiment of New-Hampshire Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Fearing, left Manchester for the seat of war.

— Governor Pierpont declared all the civil offices, on the Eastern shore of Virginia, vacant, and the Commanding General of the Federal forces, stationed on the Peninsula, issued a proclamation requesting the people to elect others.— National Intelligencer, January 25.

—The Wisconsin First Battery, Captain J. F. Foster, and the Wisconsin Third Battery, Captain Drury, arrived at Louisville, Ky. The batteries number three hundred men and twelve guns, and are splendidly equipped. The guns are six pounders, and twelve-pounder howitzers. Some of the members were armed with rifled yagers — saber bayonets.—Louisville Journal, Jan. 27.

—The Petersburgh, Express, of this date, contains the following: “An order, signed by John Withers, Assistant Adjutant General, has issued from the Inspector General’s office, at Richmond, Va. The two hundred and fifty Confederate States troops, ten officers, and two hundred and forty non-commissioned officers and privates, who were captured by the United States troops at Hatteras, N. C, subsequently released from Fort Warren, Boston harbor, and released on parole by General Wool, United States Army, are hereby released from said parole, and will immediately report for duty with their respective companies, General Wool having acknowledged, in exchange, the receipt of a like number of United States prisoners, sent to Fortress Monroe, Va., by the Confederate Government.

—The Fifty-fifth regiment of Illinois volunteers, under the command of Colonel M. M. Baine, arrived at Cairo, Ill., en route for the seat of war. — Cincinnati Gazette, January 27.

January 24.—A large meeting was held at the St. Charles’ Hotel, in New Orleans, La., for the purpose of expressing regret at the death of General Zollicoffer. Colonel Andrew Erwin was called to the chair, and Mr. H. L. Goodrich requested to act as Secretary. On motion, the Chairman appointed the following Committee, to draft resolutions: Colonel J. G. Pickett, Major-General Lovell, Brigadier-General Ruggles, Commodore Hollins, W. A. Johnson, A. L. Davis, W. J. Barry, Alexander Fall, D. M. Hildreth, M. Hilcher, and J. C. Goodrich; which reported the following resolutions:

Resolved, That we have received the intelligence of the death of General Felix K. Zollicoffer, with feelings of the profoundest sorrow, and lament his untimely end as an irreparable loss to the cause for which he heroically gave his life. In private life, or in discharging public duties, we always found him an incorruptible patriot. Cool and collected amidst troubles, he was unfaltering in the execution of his purposes. No man, since General Andrew Jackson, enjoyed, so completely, the confidence and undivided esteem of the people of Tennessee.

Resolved, That we mourn his death as a great public loss, which is only relieved by the recollection that he fell fighting bravely at the head of his column, against the invaders of his country.

—The Second Maryland regiment, under the command of Colonel John Sommer, who have been encamped some time at Pikesville, Baltimore county, arrived at Annapolis, about four o’clock yesterday afternoon, in the steamer Columbia, and marched immediately to the Naval School, where they took up their quarters. The regiment presented quite a fine appearance as they marched through the streets, and looked as if they were glad of the prospect of more active duties. — The Forty-seventh Pennsylvania regiment, Colonel T. C. Goode, also arrived about ten o’clock last evening, from Washington, in a special train, and took quarters in the Naval School.

—The Union light-boat, stationed near the Middle Ground, at the mouth of the Chesapeake, went ashore at the Pleasure House beach, near Cape Henry, and, with its crew, consisting of seven men, was captured by the rebels.

—Two rebel vessels, with valuable cargoes of cotton, attempted to run the blockade, off Pass à l’Outre, at the mouth of the Mississippi, this morning, but having got aground, were set on fire, and burned to the water’s edge.