.—The Confederate Secretary of War invested R. E. Lee with the control of the rebel forces of Va., by the following order:
Mongomery, May 10, 1861.
To Major-Gen. R. E. Lee:
To prevent confusion, you will assume the control of the forces of the Confederate States in Virginia, and assign them to such duties as you may indicate, until further orders; for which this will be your authority.
…………..I. P. Walker, Secretary of War.
—National Intelligencer, May 15.
—The Charleston News of this day contains the prayer of the Rev. James Bardwell, at the opening of the Tennessee Legislature on the 25th of April.—(Doc. 149.)
—In addition to the new Military Departments of Washington, Annapolis, and Pennsylvania, the States of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois will constitute a fourth, subdivided into several others, to be called the Department of the Ohio. Major-General McClellan, Ohio Volunteers, is assigned to its command; headquarters, Cincinnati.
The President, by general orders, directs that all officers of the army, except those who have entered service since 1st April, take and subscribe anew the oath of allegiance to the United States, as set forth in the 10th article of war.—N. Y. Evening Post, May 11.
—The First Regiment of Vermont Volunteers, commanded by Colonel J. Wolcott Phelps, arrived at New York, and took up their quarters in the Park Barracks. This regiment consists of ten companies—77 men each—of hardy Green Mountain boys, whose stalwart frames and broad shoulders are the envy of all beholders. These ten companies were selected from four different regiments. The uniform of the regiment is of gray cloth, each man being supplied with a heavy overcoat of the same material. One or two companies have a blue uniform instead of the gray. Each man wears a hemlock sprig in his hat. They are all supplied with new Minié muskets, but have no ammunition.
The men are nearly all Vermonters, there being scarcely a dozen foreigners in the regiment. They are all esteemed citizens at home, and nearly every one abandoned a profitable business to give his strong arm to his country. They have been encamped at Rutland, Vt., for the past eight days, completing their outfit, and when they came to strike their tents and take up the line of march, not a man was on the sick list. Their destination is Fort Monroe.
The character of the Green Mountain boys may be illustrated by the following incident: As the cars were leaving their camp-ground in Rutland, on the morning of the 9th instant, a private, in response to the cheers of the people, said: “The Vermont Regiment, citizens in peace, soldiers in war, give you the sentiment embodied in the charge of the Grecian matron to her son—We will bring back our shields or be brought back upon them.”—(Doc. 150.)
—The Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Alabama adopted the following ordinance:
“Whereas, the Constitution of the Diocese of Alabama was adopted when the said Diocese actually was, on the presumption of its continuing to be, a part of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States;’
“And whereas, the State of Alabama is no longer a part of the United States:
“Therefore, it is hereby declared by this convention that the first article of the constitution of the Diocese, with all those canons, or portion of canons, dependent upon it, are null and void.
“It is furthermore declared that all canons, or portions of canons, both diocesan and general, not necessarily dependent upon the recognition of the authority of the Church in the United States, are hereby retained in force.
“This declaration is not to be construed as affecting faith, doctrine or communion.”—N. O. Picayune, May 12.
—President Lincoln issued a proclamation directing the commander of the forces of the United States on the Florida coast to permit no person to exercise any office or authority upon the islands of Key West, the Tortugas, and Santa Rosa, which may be inconsistent with the laws and Constitution of the United States, authorizing him at the same time, if he shall find it necessary, to suspend there the writ of habeas corpus, and to remove from the vicinity of the United States fortresses all dangerous or suspected persons.—(Doc. 151.)
—Captain Tyler, of the Second Dragoons, commanding at Fort Kearney, fearing that a mob might take and turn against the garrison the ten twelve-pounder howitzers in his possession, spiked them. He had received orders to remove the pieces to Fort Leavenworth, but thought it unsafe to do so in the distracted state of the country. Threats had been made to take them from him—N. Y. Sun, May 14.
—The Second Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers, Colonel Terry, embarked from New Haven for Washington, on the steamer Cahawba. They marched down Chapel street, escorted by a large body of citizens, cavalry, a body of old New Haven Grays, and by the Emmot Guard—making a very fine appearance. The whole city was alive with people, and the route of the procession was a grand array of flags.—N. Y. Evening Post, May 11.
—The London News publishes an interesting article on the difficulties in the United States, and endeavors to indicate the position which the States under Jefferson Davis now occupy with relation to those under President Lincoln, and the status which both portions of the country now hold with relation to Great Britain and the rest of the world.—(Doc. 152.)
—The steamer Pembroke sailed from Boston, Mass., for Fort Monroe, with reinforcements, including Capt. Tyler’s Boston Volunteers, and a company from Lynn, under Capt. Chamber —N. Y. World, May 11.
—The Winans steam-gun was captured this morning. A wagon, containing a suspicious-looking box and three men, was observed going out on the Frederick road from Baltimore, and the fact being communicated to General Butler, at the Relay House, he despatched a scouting party in pursuit, who overtook the wagon six miles beyond the Relay House, at Ilchester. On examination it was found that the box contained the steam-gun. It was being taken to Harper’s Ferry. The soldiers brought the gun and the three men back to the Relay House. The prisoners, one of whom was Dickenson, the inventor of the gun, were sent to Annapolis.— Baltimore American, May 11.
—The Diocesan Convention of Massachusetts passed resolutions in regard to the present state of affairs. One of them is as follows:—
Resolved, That the convention of clerical and lay delegates of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the diocese of Massachusetts do hereby express their heartfelt sympathy with the National Government in all right efforts to vindicate the authority of the Federal Union against “all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion.”—Boston Advertiser, May 11.
—The Maryland Legislature passed a resolution, imploring the President of the United States to cease the present war.—(Doc. 153.)
—At about 2 P. M., a sudden movement was made by the U. S. forces in St. Louis under Capt. Lyon, upon Camp Jackson, near that city, by which the camp was entirely surrounded in less than half an hour, and compelled to an unconditional surrender. A great mob followed the U. S. troops to the camp, and began a noisy demonstration against them, and to throw stones. One company received the order to fire, and did so. Twenty-two persons were killed, and many were wounded. The mob then dispersed. A large quantity of arms and munitions were taken in the camp, together with 689 prisoners.—(Doc. 154.)
