we
dhe
CT. ALEXANDER, ;
JOE W. FUREY, © | Editors
‘BELLEFONTE, JAN. 9th, 1862.
Demoeratic State Fx ecutive Com-
mittee.
A meeting of the Democratic State Exec-
tive Committee will be held at the Buehler
House. Harrisburg on Wednesday January,
15. 1862, at 3 o'clock. P, M.
Democratic papers in the State will please
copy. Wor. H. Wersa, Chm’n,
The Mason and Slide!l Case.
Whenever the Councils of a nation are
made up of gabling demagogues instead of
statesmen, it often finds itself placed under
very embarassing circumstances. A forei-
ble illustration of this truth has been recent
ly brought to onr notice, in the wrongfu!
capture, and disgraceful surrender of Mason
and Slidell. That this arrest was made on
the part of Captain Wilkes in violation of
internatioral law 1s now conceded by all
parties ; and had our government at the
time been under the control of the true, live
ine statesmen of the ancientschool the act
would have at once been denounced, the
prisoners returned, and Captain Wilkes
court marshaled for acting without orders
from his Government. But instead of this
which was evidently the true course the Sec-
retary of the Navy endorses this violation of
international law on the part of Captain
Wilkes. A gabling silly congress pass a
resolution commending the Captain fcr his
bravery in settling the law of nations at de~
fiance. But the British Lion soon began to
howl and in his maddened rage, demanded
the release of the prisoners and an appology
for the insult to his majesty. The Secretary
of State complies with his demands and
humbles our proud nation in the acknowl-
edgment that we had violated the law. It
is a terrible 1cbuke to the Secretary of the
Navy for his lack of knowledge as to what
constitutes the law of nations, and to the
gabling set of political pedagngues who con-
stitute the Congress of the United States, for
their s lly, reckless readiness to plunge the
nation, at the present time, into a war with
Great Britain. Secretary Seward did well
to make the acknowledgement of our error
which will save us, for a while, at least,
from a conflict with the powerful navy of
Great Britain, When this rebellion is over
and the Union once more restored, let him
howl if he dare. Let him violate the law
of nations in the smallest part as he has so
often done, and we'll rend his jaws, as Samp:
son did the Lion of the ancient forest.
But for the sake of our national honor, let
the people who compose this mighty nation,
take heed of the present and send statesman
to represent them in the national councils,
instead of Ulathering, canting fools, whose
capacity for the position is measured only
by their peculiar love of negroes, that, in
that day, our nation may be found on the
side of right, and not, as in this stance in
the wroug.
The Law of Newspapers.
Beiow we publish the law of newspapers
which we hope will be carefully studied by
a number of our subscribers who appear to
be laboring under a misapprehension in re-
gard thereto. Many of our subscribers are
good, true, honest christians, who expect,
gomeday, to get to heaven, and who in order
to attain that desireable end, deem it essen
tial to always—ypay the printer. But there
are other men who neither fear man, beast,
God nor Devil, who, after having taken a
newspaper for nearly a year, think that all
they have to do in order to get clear, of pay-
ing the poor printer his hard earned dues, is
to refuse to lift their papers from the posts
office, and notify the Post master to return
them. Tt is for their benefit we publish the
following laws and we hope that many of
them may profit by it:
1. Subscrib rs who do not give express |
orders to the contrary, are cosidered as
wishing to continue their subseribtion.
2. If subcribers order a discontinuance
of their papers, the publishers may contin.
ue to send them®entil all arrearages are paid
3. If subscribers neglect or refuse to take
their papers from the office to which they
are directed, they are held responsible un til
they have scttled and ordered them to be
discontinued.
4. If subcribers remove to other places
without informing the publisher, and the
papers are sent to the former direction, they
are held responsible.
5 The courts have decided that refusing
to take a papar from the office, or removing
and leaving them uncalled for, is prima facie
evidence of intentional fraud.
———— terre
Picrrres.—Those who wish life-like por
traits of themselves or friends, should call
on Mr. Thos. J. Taylor, at his ambrotype
and Photograph car, on the hill directly
back of the Court House, the same place for-
merly occupied by Mr, Schriber. Mr. Tay
loris an elegant operator, and is not sur-
passed by any in his profession. Give him
a call.
177 Dur local items have all been crowded
cut by the extreme length of the County
Insitute proceedings.
Spe rt
“Dan,” who is this Sam Francisco that’s
0’ all the gold out there in Kaliforny ?
the rich {eli 1
ext in all them dig
«loo President
War News.
Mason and Slidell were released from
Fort Warren yesterday, and taken in a
steam-tug to Provincetown, Massachusetts,
a town on the extremity of Cape Cod, fifty
miles below Boston, where they are to he
put on board of the British ateamer Rinal-
do, now lying there.
General Price still occupies Springfield.
Missouri, with eight thousand men,
It is reported at Fortress Monroe that the
confederates, alarmed by a rumor that Gen.
Wool would advance on Sunday, abandon-
ed a camp near Bethel and retirsn towards
Yorktown, taking their heavy cannon with
them.
It is expected that the last message of
Governor Hicks will be communicated to
the Maryland Legislature to-day. ~~ Mr.
Bradford, the Governor elect, is to be inaug-
uiated on the 8th inst.
The court of inquiry in the case of Col.
D. S, Miles. charged with having heen in-
toxicated at the battle of Bull Run, has
honorably acquitted him.
It is statad that the people of Arkansas
have refused to allow Goneral Price to en-
ter that State with any other troops but
those regularly enlisted ih the confederate
service, of whom le has only one thousand
five hundred.
The country north of Springfield is said
to be full of men returning from Price’s
army, who say if they were permitted to re-
turn home and take the ogth of allegiance,
Price would be left with only his regular
confederate troops.
Since General Pope's rapid operations
last week-there is perfect quiet in all the
region between the Missouri an! Osage
rivers, not a ramor of rebel camps or squads
have been heard of.
A dispatch from Cairo says there is no
foundation for the report of a fight at Pa-
ducah.
Advices from Mexico state that the city
of Matamoras surrendered to General Cara-
vajal on the 3d ultimo, and he is now
possession of Western Mexico. Thousands
are said to be flocking to him, and offering
their services. He has issued a proclama-
tion declaring his opposition to the interfer
ence of foreign Powers with Mexican af
fairs and has also declared himself opposed
to secession and to the Southern Confeder-
acy.
The Fort Smith (Arkansas) Z%mes of De-
cember 15th, gives an account of a battle
which took place on the 9th ultimo, on
Bushy Creek near Verdigris rivéy, about
one hundred and eighty miles from Fort
Smith, between one thousand three hun-
dred confederates, under Col. Coober, and
four or five thousand men under the Indian
Opothleyholo. It is stated that the confed-
crates drove the Indian general’s forces
back two miles into the woods.
The Treasury is paying off its own nates,
furnishing only small amounts of specie for
change.
A letter from the White sulphur Springs
to the Richmond Dispatch says there has
been much excitement there on account of
a successful foraging expedition of United
States troops to Meadow to Meadow Bluff’
and the adjacont region.
in
The confederates
have removed the funds in the bank at Lew-
isburg to a place of safety.
The report of Major General IIardee
claims a victory for the confederate forces
in the late fight at Woodsonville, Kent-
tucky.
Orders for building an iron-clad steamer
by coatract, at the Philadelphia navy-yard,
have been received there.
In view of the suspension of specie pay-
ments by the northern banks, the officers of
the Baltimore banks have resolved not to
settle their weekly balances in coin as
heretofore, but to settle them on credit,
so that the coin, with which they are well
supplied, may not find its way to other
cities.
The Paris Patric in enumerating the five
French vessels at New York, says other
ones are shortly to he sent there.
The British Parliament is to reassemble
on the 14th instant.
The Paris correspondent of the Zimes
denies the rumor that Queen Victoria had
asked the ex-Queen of the French to re-
quest the Orleans Princes tu quit the ser-
vice of the United States.
Henry Carroll, a planter of St. Mary’s
county, Maryland, residing about four
miles frem Millstone Landing, was last
week arrested by the military, upon the
charge of facilitating communication with
Virginia. [Ile is now in custody at Fort
McliIenry.
Latest intelligence from the vicinity of
Leesburg leads to the belief that ile enemy
have erected strong works northeast of
Leesburg, on the ridge which terminates
nearly opposite the mouth of the Monocacy.
The report is confirmed that the confederate
force at Leesburg has been largely incres-
ed.
It is said that Gen. Jackson is preparing
to march with all his force against Gencral
Keiley.
The United States gunboat Anacostia
shelled Cockpit Point for two hours on the
2d inst., but there was no return fire from
the confederate battery or force there.
The Massachusetts Legislature organized !
on the 2d. Ex-Governor Clifford was |
f the Senate, and A, H.!|
South last week. The remainder were ex-
pected to arrive under a flag of truce on the
24.
General McClellan has so far recovered
from his recent illness as to be able to at-
tend to the business connected with his po.
sition, and expects to be out in the camps
in a few days. :
The court of inquiry in the case of Gen-
eral II. W. Benham has released him from
arrest, and ordered him to duty at once.
The steamer Columbia, from Havanna,
on the 28th ult., has arrived at New York. |
She brings intelligence that Vera Cruz has |
been occupied by the Spaniards, and that |
the Sparish flag is waving over the famous |
fortress of San Juan de Ulloa.
From the Havanna Diario we learn that
the Governor of Vera Cruz was willing to
evacuate the city, but demanded and re-
ceived arespite of twenty-four hours. Gen-
eral Gassett, on landing, issued a proclama-
tion to the troops and another to the people,
the latter to the effect that the troops had
come thither only to demand satisfaction
for a failure in the fulfillment of treaties
and for violence committed against their
compatriots, and obtain guarantees
against similar outrages, The army after
fulfilling its mission from the Queen, would
return to their own country with the cer-
tainty of having merited the affection of the
Mexicans. Nearly one hundred rifled can-
non, of the latest pattern, were found in
San Juan de Ulloa.
The British steam gunboat Rinaldo left
Provincetown, on the 1st inst., with Mason
and Slidell.
A British war transport passed Eastport,
Maine, on the morning of the 1st with six
hundred of the
Four hundred are to remain at St. Andrews
and the remaining two hundred go to Wood-
stock. :
It is stated that, on the 28th ult., General
Sigel left Rolla, Missouri, with ten thousand
men, with the supposed purpose of cutting
to
sixty-second * regiment.
2
off General Price, who is about going into
winter quarters at Springfield with eight
thousand men.
The new confederate battery, reported
some days since, is on Possum-nose Point,
this side of Cockpit Point, and is, therefore,
the ncarest battery to Washington. At
least one heavy rifled gun is mounted there,
as shells have been fired into the mouth cf
Matawoman creek.
The fleet at Annapolis, which is to take
part in the Burnside expedition, comprises
14 steamers, 1 propeller, 4 ships, 9 barks, 1
brig, 11 schooners, 5 floating batteries, be-
sides two little dispatch steam tugs—in all
41 vessels. These are, perhaps, not half
the vessels to be employed in the expedi-
tion, which will be largely reinforced, for
unless the floating batteries be counted,
none of the naval vessels have come to An-
napolis. All of the the transports, large
and small, are, however, armed, and carry
large supplies of shell and ball for use in the
field as well as on board ship. The steam-
ers arc light draught, can carry from four
men each, besides stores
and ordnance, and when loaded will draw
but from six to eight feet of water.
to six hundred
A treasonable secret society, it is said,
has been exposed in Indiana. The Society
was organized to oppose the war, and re-
sist the collection of taxes.
Ia the past four years there has heen a
decrease in the whaling fleet of two hun-
dred and thirty-two vessels, or twenty-five
thousand five hundred and forty tons,
It is said that circumstances
pired within the past few days leading to
the heliaf that it will not be difficult to des-
ignate with certainty the source whence the
rebels have, within the last two months, de-
rive! most valuable information, which it is
known the government took every means to
conceal.
Captain Dickinson, of the third infantry,
Uuitsd States Army, and Captains Shilling-
ton and Mason, of the New York seventy-
ninth, late prisoners at Richmond, have ar-
rived at Washington,
have trans-
|eighty-nine are in the general hospital at
The building in which is the office of the
American Telegraph Company, at Philadel-|
phia. was partly destroyed by tire on the
3d. The damage to the telegraph office was |
slight. The instruments are uninjured |
and telegraphic communication with the
country is unbroken. :
In Callfornia, since the 24th ultimo, the
floods have been renewed to a great extent
throughout the valley portion of the state.
Sacramento and Stockton have been partial-
ly overflowed again without much addition-
al damage. Business with the interior has
been suspended, and more property has
been destroyed in the State by the freshet
than all the {rehets heretofore.
Judge Hager, on the 31st ultimo, issued
an iujunction, staying the sale of the Brod-
erick estate until the question of the forgery
of Broderick’s will is investigated.
Dispatches hove been received at head-
quarters, at St, Louis, announcing the cap-
ture of the notorious Jeff Owens, Colonel
Jones, and fitty of their bridge-burning
gang, near Martinsburg, Ripely county, by
Genera! Schofield, commander of the State
militia, and stating that the various guerilla
bands along the North Missouri railroad
have Leen thoroughly scattered.
It appears that vessels from confederate
ports still manage to run the blockade occa-
sionally. The schooner New Year, from
New Orleans, is announced in the Havanah |
i 1 thera an tha 21st ult, |
that Commodore Dupsnt js preparing for
another naval Demonstration. A large
number of gunboats sre concentrating at
Hilton Head, and the men are practiced
in the use of launches for landing troops.
The long-contested 14nd claim between
General James I1. Lane and Gaines Jenkins,
involving the title to a valuable quarter
section of land adjoining Lawrence, Kan-
sng, has been finally decided by the Commis
sioner of the Land Office, the Commis-
sioner of Indian Affairs,and the Secretary
of the Interior, uuequivocally in favor of
General Lane.
The opinion of Comptroller, Whittlesey,
acquiesced in by Secretary Chase, is that,
according to the present law regulating the
compensation of members of Congress, they
can receive®* mileage only for the regular
sessions. Therefore, mileage for the July
extra session remains to be provided for by
future legislation.
The New Hampshire Republican State
Convention has nominated Covernor Berry
for reelection, anp adopted resolutions sus-
taining the Government in prosecuting the
war, indorsing the Administration, &e.
It is reported that the transport steamer
Parana, with eleven hundred British troops,
has Leen wrecked in the river St. Lawrence.
The Maine organized on
Thursday. J. G. Blaine, of Augusta, was
reelected Speaker of the House, and J. IL
Goodnow was reelecied President of the
Senate,
The strike at the Brooklyn navy-yard is
ended. All the men have returned to their
work.
Nearly three thousand men of General
Batler’s New England division embarked on
the 1st, at Bos on, on board the steamer
Constitution,
The latest official reports from the differ-
ent hospitals at Washington show one thous-
and one hundred and fifty-five sick soldieas
under treatment therein—a
increase. Of this number four hundred and
Legislature
considerable
Alexandria,
The East Tennessee and Georgia railroad
was to be opened to resume its regular
trains on New Year’s day.
The Eufaula (Alabama) Spirit of the
South says it is ramored that some persons
in Barbour county have been engaged in
shipping cotton from Eufaula to Columbus,
and thence to Appalachicola, where it is
clandestinely conveyed to the United States
vessels, to be carried North.
Important News—Mason and Slidell Re
leased.
WasHiNGToN, Dee. 28.—The National
Intelligencer, of this morning, has the offi-
cial acnonncement of the adjustment of the
Trent diflicalty, and the correspondence be-
tween Lord Lyons and the Sceretary of State
is published in full.
The decission of the President in the
Trent affair, as ann unced and explained in
the despatch of Secretary Seward, has the
approval of every member of the Cabinet,
The National Intelligencer bas tive col-
umns of correspondence. The eitor says:
¢ Earl Russell her Brittanic Majesty’s Seere-
tary of State, for Foreign Aflairs, afier re
ciung the circumstances under which he un~
derstood the capture of those parties to have
been made, proceeds to charac erize it as an
outrage on the British flag, and after ex-
pressing the hope and belief that 1t had not
been authorized by oar Government, asks
as arcpa ation appropriate tosuch an a¢
gression, tnat the four gentlemen designat/d
should be released, and that an apolgy
should be given for what the Governme
Great Britian deems an affront to her
the report of cur naval officers, ar
thus developing the inaccuracies an
sions of British statements, proceegls to an-
alyze the facts and principles of pfblic law
involved in the case, and arives afthe con
clusion that the neglect of Capt.
tially voluntarily, as it was on hi part,
bring the Trent in for trial as a lgwful prize,
may be justly held to operate asp forfeiture
of a belligerant right of captur according
and the law of nations, and that the United
States Government, as well frory this consid.
eration as in consistenev with % own tradis
tional policy respecting marijme rights of
neutrals, would be in its owl w ong 1f it
should refuse a compliance vjth the British
demand, so far as relates to the disposition
that shali be made of perfons taken into
cer tody by Captain Wilkes under cireums
stances believed to be just open to excep
t un ~n both grounds thus dicate. S» far
as regards the apology asled by the British
Government. none is tejdered, because a
simple statements of factf as they are, suffi
ces to show that no offe: fe could have been
intended on the part of far Government, as
it had given no instructpns whatever in the
premises, while the prdieedings of Captain
Wilkes, in so far as it fil to ennre to the
benefit of this Governvent and to conform
to the rules of public aws was dictated by
constderations of rule; and forbearence.
The decision of th) President in this af- |
fair, as announced afl explained in the lucid
dispatch of Mr. Sew vd, says the National
Inteiligencer has th] approval of every mem-
ber of the cabinet. /Mr. Seward. in conelu-
happily bid me from resorting to that de-
fence. Noram I unaware that American
citizens are not in any case to be unnecessar
ily surrendered, for any purpose, into kiep-
urg of foreign States. Only captured per-
sons, hower, or others who are interested in
them, could justly raise question on that
ground. Nor have I been tempted at all by
suggestions, Cases might be found in his-
tory where Great Britian refused to yeld to
otlier nations, and even to ourselve , claims
like that which is now before us. Those
cases occured when Great Brittain, as well
as the United States, was the home of gen-
erations which. with their peculiar interests
and passions have passed away. She could
m no vther way so effectually disavow a:y
such injury. as we think she does by assum-
ing now as her own, the ground upon which
we then stood, 1t would tell little for our
claims and character of a just snd magnan-
imous people if we should so far consent to
be guided by the law of retaliation, as to
lift up buried injuries fiom graves to oppose
against what national consistancy and na-
tiowal conscience compel us to regard as a
claim intrinsically right, Putting behind
me all such suggestions of this kind, T prefer
to express my satisfaction, that by the ad-
justment of the present case upon principles
confessedly American, and yet. as I trust,
mutually satisfactory to both the nations
concerned, a question is finnally and rightly
settled between them which, heretofor, ex-
hausting not only all forms of peaceful dis-
cussion but arbitriment of war itsselt, for
more than half a century alieniated the two
countries from each other, and perplexed
with fears and apprehensions all other na-
tions.
The four persons in question are now
held in military custody at Fert Warren, in
the sta e of Massachusetts. They will be
cheerfully liberated.
The Intelligencer says in conclusion : —
+« Whatever. therefor, may be said by any
in the way of exception, to the extreme
terms of the demand made by the British
Government in the case of the Trent, it is
at least just to admit that the case has been
so adjusted by our Government as to sub-
serve, we would hope, to the great cause of
neutral rights against the assumptions here
tofore asserted by England, but now repu-
diated by that power in common with France
and the United States, ‘I'he law of nations,
as traditionally interpreted by cur Govern-
went, has received a new sanction, though
at the cost it may be, of some National sen-
sibility, waked into disproportionate activity
by the temporary excarbinations of our civ
il heads. The latter, let us remember, are
but for a day ; the law of nations is for all
the time.
(For the Watchman.)
Army Corsespondence.
5th REGIMENT PENNA. RESERVE, |
QuaRTERS OF CoMpANY E., |
“CANP PierpoNT,”” NEAR LANGLEY, VIR.,
Decemser, 301i, 1861.
Dear Mr. Epiror : —You and your read.
ers have, doubtless, ere this, been informgd
of the battle of Drainsville, but as the gener
ality of published accounts have been some-
what meagre, 1 have thought to give you an
account in detail. .
On the morning of December 20th— the
day of the battle—General Ord’s 3d Penna.
Reserve Brigade, suppor ed by the First
Brigade, with our (5th) Regiment on the
right, and in advance, proceeded in the di-
rectioa of Drainsville (14 miles distant) on a
foraging and reconnoitering expedition, so
said, but, evidently, with the real’ purpose
of drawing the enemy into a fight. Arriving
at Difficult Creck— six miles from camp—
where we arrived nea: noon ; our Brigade
halted and formed in oblique Echelon.” —
The Third thea threw ont from each Regi-
ment two companies as tlankers, to precede
he advancing column, to prevent a surprise
or ambuscade. This accomplished, they pro-
ceeded toward, and reached, Dramsville,
about one o'clock, P. M., the Buck Tail Reg-
iment—which accompanied the expedition —
in command of Lieut. Col. Kane (brother to
the celebrated Dr. Elisha Kent Kane) leading
the advance. When they reached what is
known as Thernton’s house, in the village, a
fire was opened upon them by a battery in
the woods and rear, three quarters of a mile
distant. Being masked, it was completely
bid from view ; but the immense volume of
smoke and the close proximity of rattling
shells were plainly indicative of its presence.
At first the range was too high ; the shellg
passing over the heads of our men and fall
ing beyond ; but as they got “down to it,”
they obtained ‘a more thorou:h range, com
pelling our friends to fall upon their faces to
avoid the destructive missiles. In the mean-
time, the remainder of the column advanced
—the 10th and 12th Regiments—to the sup
post of Captain Eastman’s battery of four
guns, to prevent it being flanked, and the 6th
and 9th to the aid of the ‘Buck Tails,” in
the charge. The battery baving obtained a
position partially commanding the hidden
position of the cnemy’s battery. The 9th
and 6th formed their line of battle to the
left, and the ‘Buck Tails’ to the right, rest
ing on Thornton’s house. A squad of the
latter took possession of a large brick house
m Drainsville, locking the owner, his wife
and three children in the cellar. The enemy,
doubtless, thinking the entire Regiment was
sion ; says: -¢[f/dec de this case in fa-
vor of my own ofernment, 1 mast disavow |
its most cherished) principles, and revers
and forever abanbn its essential policy. — |
The country canfot afford sacmfice. Tc IT!
maintain those 1finciples and adhere to that
policy, I must sirrender the case itself. It]
will be seea th fefor, that this Government
could not deny the justice of the claim pre-
sented to us i/this respect upon its mesits. |
We are asked’o do the British nation just!
what we hav/always insisted all nations
ought to do 4 us. The claim of the British |
Government fy, not made in a discourteous
manner. ;
This Gov/, yment, since its first organiz-
tion, has n/%r us-d m re guarded language
in 2 simila/ ase. in coming tomy concla-
sion. I hate ant forgotton that if the safety
of this Uf grequived the detention of the
Ct
er’
in or about the heuse, directed a terrific fire
upon it, the shells falling thick and fast,
e : SE
[ tearing the roof, piercing the walls, and
bruising our men, while a large body of their
Infantry advanced from the woods for the
evident purpose of flanking our men, dividing
our column, and cutting it to pieces. In
their at tempt to flank, however, they march-
ed fairly upon the “Buck Tail” line, (which
had been advanced since the opening of the
engagement) supposing they were in or about
the house. The “Buck Tails,” who had
but were, in their turn, repulsed. Thus the
fight progressed for over an hour. In the
meantime, orders came from Gen. McCall,
for our Brigade “to move forward imme-
diately,” when off we started at double
quick, pell mell, through the uneven, miry
depths of Difficult Creek, up the bank, into
the wood and off toward the place from
whence came the rattle’of infantry and the
roar of artillery. We arrived at’ the seene ~
of action as the fire began to slacken, and
succeeded in capturing a number of prison-
ers, who, in their headlong flight, ran into
the right wing of our regiment. = The firing
having almost ceased. an order was given by
Gen. McCall, who at this juncture arrived on
the field, for the column to advance. Col,
Kane, with the “Buck Tails,” held his posi-
tion toward Drainsville, and the 9th and 6th
theirs to the left. while the 12th advanced m
line of ba'tle for the purpose of taking the
rebel battery, while the 10th remained as a
support for our own. During the advance,
the firing was kept up at intervals.
This part of the country is filled with pine;
spruce and hemlock, and a dense growth of
underbrush. The progress of our forces
was, therefore, very slow. After passing
through the woods, they entered an open
clearing beyond, when they found that the
Rebels had suddenly abandoned their posi
tion, leaving a large number of their dead
and wounded upon the field, together with
immense quantities of arms, ammunition,
knapsacks, provisions clothing, and equips
ments. Upon receiving intelligence of the
the fact, I slipped away from our Regiment,
and took a stroll over the battle field, and,
such a scene ! it beggars description. It
was evident there had been a terrific fight—
that the rebels had sustained great loss—
that they had abandoned their position, and
from their thorough knowledge of the coun
try, had eluded the vigilance of our troops.
Their artillery was taken along, but one of
their gun carriages remained on the spot
where their battery had been placed. This
carriage was considerably blackened and
burned, and was surrounded by dead and,
wounded men, many of whom were lacerated
in the most horrible manner—those still
alive, suffering the most intense agonys A
number of men I found without heads, while
the ‘1mbs of o'hers were discovered some
d stance from where the body laid, and ey.
evrything indicating that a frightful explosion
of their magazine had taken place. In one
instance, I saw a man sitting-erect against a
tree, while his head lay dircetly in front of
him. In another, [ saw a poor fellow with
that portion o1 his face and head above the
mouth blown completely oft. Here was a
man with a hole through his body, large
enouzh to admitone’s head: There another
with the top of his skull blown off, and the
brains oozing out in a large mass. Here a
young, pale, emaciated form of beautiful
features, with the left side of his face gone?
There another, and here another, and stil
another, and another, minus legs and arms, |
dead and dying, presenting the most ghastly
spectacle of which the huwan mind is capa-
ble of imagining. A great many horses had
also been killed, and were mingled with the
bodies of the dead and wounded soldiers. —
The laiter were clothed in linsey-wooltey,
and were poorly equipped. A few of them.
had Springfield and Harper's Ferry rifles,
and a great wany had nothing but shotguns.
Some of the knapsacks captured, were, wark-
«d U. S.,”” and had evidently been collected
by them after the battle of Bull Run. They
were well filled with rations, consisting of
short cakes, boiled lieef, salt pork and hard
biscuit. The wounded of both sides were
placed in awbulances, brought here and
placed in our division hospitals. The dead
remained on the field. The rebel loss isnot
certainly known, as many were evidently
carried away. I counted 79 killed and
mortally wounded. upon the ground, and as
numerous marks of blood were to be seen in -
various places, remote from those lying upon.
the fleld, it is fair 10 presume their loss™in
all was not short of 150. Our loss was as’
follows : Of the «‘Buck Tails” 30 wounded
and 3 Killed ; of the 6th, 13 wounded and 2
killed ; of the 9th, 20 wonnded and 2killed.
Total in wounded. 63, and in killed, 7 : ag-"
gregate 70. It must be borne in mind. how-
ever, ihat while the majority of these 70 are
but slightly wounded, the Tebel loss is al-
most entirely in killed or mortally wounded.
Besides, they had the advantage of position
in the fight : they had six guns while we
had four, and while they were sheltered by
a dense forest of timber, our men were ex-
posed to their fire in an onen clearing. But
notwithstanding these advantages, they were
completely routed. Our troops exhibited
wonderful courage and bravery, and the
Pennsylvania Reserves have acquired new
laurels by their behavior on the occasion.
The rebel force consisted of four regiments
of Infantry from South. Carolina, Alabama,
and Kentucky ; one regiment of Cavalry,
and a battory of six picces—the Kentuck-'
ians commanded by Col. Tom Taylor, the
Cavalry by Col. John H. Forney ; the
whole under command of General Stuart,
who, with Taylor, is said to have been kill-
ed and carried from the field by the rebels,
during the heat of the contest. Stuart 1s a
Virginian. and has lived in the neighborhood
of Drainsvi lle for many years : the possessor
of a splendid plantation and immense wealth®
The people of that country speak of his cruel
vindictiveness towards them when he oceu-
pied Munson’s Hill ; and he was celebrated
for his haughty and tyrannical disposition.
The enthusiasm of“ our men during, the
bat le, was unbounded. They exhitited all
the coolness and valor of disciplined veter.
ans. When the fire from
woods was so heavy, it was: found difficult:
to compel them to lic upon their faces, and
a few, accordingly, were wounded, through
their own mnprudence. Col. Kane, himself,
was wounded in the early part of the en<
gagement—the ball passing through his
cheek, breaking a tooth, and being turned
aside by striking a bone. The wonnd was
very severe, and it bled freely. The Colonel
3
been lying upon their faces, now sprang fo |
their teet, fired. and, almost simultaneons!ys |
charged bayon un them with briskness, |
ck. The fight
; the 6th Quh, a
and drove t}
Mey 's posit
the heart of the ' °
fell when struck, but rose instantly, and:
proceeded along with, i
his Regiment. ~The wound is painful, but
| no serious resets are anticipated. |
Taken altogether, there have been few
brilliant and decisive as the
ements
battle of Dy
eo. General McClellan
‘erms. of the hravery
BAA hae!
| bandaging the wound with his handkerchief, x
and .in command of, °°
»
“tng,