steamships for purposes of public defence. I directed the Commandant of the Navy-Yard at Philadelphia to purchase or charter, and arm an equal number for the same purpose. I directed the Commandant at New-York to purchase or charter, and arm an equal number. I directed Commander Gillis to purchase or charter, and arm and put to sea two other vessels. Similar directions were given to Commodore Du Pont, with a view to the opening of passages by water to and from the capital. I directed the several officers to take the advice and obtain the aid and efficient services in the matter of His Excellency Edwin D. Morgan, the Governor of New-York, or, in his absence, George D. Morgan, Wm. M. Evarts, R. M. Blatchford, and Moses H. Grinnell, who were, by my directions, especially empowered by the Secretary of the Navy to act for his Department in that crisis, in matters pertaining to the forwarding of troops and supplies for the public defence. On the same occasion I directed that Gov. Morgan and Alexander Cummings, of the city of New-York, should be authorized by the Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, to make all necessary arrangements for the transportation of troops and munitions of war in aid and assistance of the officers of the army of the United States, until communication by mails and telegraph should be completely reestablished between the cities of Washington and New-York. No security was required to be given by them, and either of them was authorized to act in case of inability to consult with the other. On the same occasion I authorized and directed the Secretary of the Treasury to advance, without requiring security, two millions of dollars of public money to John A. Dix, George Opdyke, and Richard M. Blatchford, of New-York, to be used by them in meeting such requisitions as should be directly consequent upon the military and naval measures for the defence and support of the Government, requiring them only to act without compensation, and to report their transactions when duly called upon. The several de partments of the Government at that time contained so large a number of disloyal persons that it would have been impossible to provide safely through official agents only, for the performance of the duties thus confided to citizens favorably known for their ability, loyalty and patriotism. The several orders issued upon these occurrences ⚫ were transmitted by private messengers, who pursued a circuitous way to the seaboard cities, inland across the States of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and the northern lakes. I believe that by these and other similar measures taken in that crisis, some of which were without any authority of law, the Government was saved from overthrow. I am not aware that a dollar of the public funds thus confided without authority of law, to unofficial persons, was either lost or wasted, although apprehensions of such misdirections occurred to me as objections to these extraordinary proceedings, and were necessarily overruled. I recall these transactions now because my atten tion has been directed to a resolution which was passed by the House of Representatives on the thirtieth of last month, which is in these words: "Resolved, That Simon Cameron, late Secretary of War, by intrusting Alexander Cummings with the control of large sums of the public money, and authority to purchase military supplies without restriction, without requiring from him any guarantee for the faithful performance of his duties, when the services of competent public officers were available, and by involving the Government in a vast number of contracts with persons not legitimately engaged in the business pertaining to the subject matter of such contracts, especially in the purchase of arms for future delivery, has adopted a policy highly injurious to the public service, and deserves the censure of the House." * Congress will see that I should be wanting equally in candor and in justice if I should leave the censure expressed in this resolution to rest exclusively or chiefly upon Mr. Cameron. The same sentiment is unanimously entertained by the heads of the departments, who participated in the proceedings which the House of Representativer nas censured. It is due to Mr. Cameron to say that although he fully approved the proceedings, they were not moved nor suggested by himself, and that not only the President, but all the other heads of departments were at least equally responsible with him for whatever error, wrong or fault was committed in the premises. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Doc. 48. THE JAMES RIVER EXPEDITION. FORTRESS MONROE, May 28, 1862. Stones were ordered to proceed up the AppomatYESTERDAY the Cœur de Lion and Stepping tox River towards the city of Petersburgh, which is built on its banks. They proceeded up this stream for a distance of ten miles above its mouth without molestation, but just at this point there is what is called the "Seven Mile Reach." On one side the ground was low and marshy, but on bluff, upon which there appeared to be an earththe other (northern) side there was a sort of work; but on close examination, it was observed that no guns were mounted upon its parapet. Our Moving up a little further, the enemy's troops were discovered, composed of infantry and cavalry, in some force. They were skulking around under cover of houses and clumps of trees. gunboats moved up close under shore, when they were saluted with a heavy volley of musketry. Capt. Hamilton, of the Cœur de Lion, ordered his crew to man the broadside howitzer and rifled guns, and sent a dozen or more loads of shrapnel and shell into the body of the enemy, accompanied by a steady volley from his relief black crew, armed with rifles. A shell from the Stepping Stones burst in a large house, about a mile * See page 100, Diary of Events, Vol. IV. from shore, creating great havoc among a com -Philadelphia Enquirer. Doc. 49. COLONEL ELLIOTT'S EXPEDITION. GENERAL POPE'S DESPATCH. HALLECK'S HEAdquarters, DeP'T OF THE MISSISSIPPI, tion of this army to advance with hot haste on the fleeing rebels. The battery over the swamp of Tuscumbia has been evacuated during the night. Our men sawed down trees above the road, out of range of the battery, and would have captured the whole crew at daylight. Perhaps they will get them between this and night. We had half a dozen wounded yesterday among the sharp-shooters. Our men are on a little rest now from their fatiguing duties of the last two weeks, and are eager for a consummation of their work. The labors of the Army of the Mississippi, for the last ten days, have been herculean. You would not believe that as many men could make such splendid intrenchments, make as many bridges, and build as much corduroy road -fighting over every foot of the ground-as our little army has done. We have not taken a camp, or built a bridge, or occupied a field or wood, for ten days, without fighting for it. Gradually intrenching each day nearer and nearer, until we planted our Parrott shells in the rebel camps two miles in the rear of Corinth. But in this letter I wish to give you a history of the It gives me pleasure to report the brilliant sucdoings of Col. Elliott's cavalry, which Gen. Pope cess of the expedition sent out on the twenty-sent, two days before the evacuation of Corinth, to eighth inst., under Col. Elliott, with the Second cut the Mobile Railroad, and cut off communicaIowa cavalry. After forced marches, day and tion southward. His mission was eminently sucnight, through a very difficult country, and ob- cessful, and he returned to us last night without structed by the enemy, he finally succeeded in losing a single man. reaching the Mobile and Ohio Railroad at Boones- fable, but the history I give you is true, as taken ville, Miss., at two o'clock A.M. on the thirtieth. from his report, and the officers who were with He destroyed the track in many places, both him. He left at midnight on the twenty-eighth, with nine hundred chosen horsemen, splendidly south and north of the town, blew up one culvert, destroyed the switch and track, burned up talions were composed of the Second Michigan equipped for fighting or running. The two batthe depot and locomotives and a train of twenty- and Second Iowa. His first point, by a very cirsix cars, loaded with supplies of every kind, de-cuitous route, was Iuka-a beautiful town, lookstroyed ten thousand stand of small-arms, three pieces of artillery, and a great quantity of clothing "like a New-England village," containing one ing and ammunition, and paroled two thousand thousand inhabitants, and is a resort for invalids, prisoners, whom he could not keep with his cav- From Iuka he crossed to Eastport and Fulton, on account of its splendid chalybeate springs. Cartersville, to Padens, and from there struck thence by the Tuscumbia and Jacinto road to the head-waters of the Tombigbee River, and crossed to Boonville, on the Mobile Railroad. His movements were made with such boldness and celerity, that they were supposed by the people to be rebel cavalry. Upon approaching the place, a large train of cars containing three onel wisely kept in the bushes until they moved thousand infantry were on the track. The Col alry. The enemy had heard of his movements, and had a train of box-cars and flat cars, with flying artillery and five thousand infantry, running up and down the road to prevent him from reaching it. The whole road was lined with pickets for several days. Col. Elliott's command subsisted upon meat alone, such as they could find in the country. It will almost read like a For daring and despatch, this expedition has been successful in the highest degree, and entitles Col. Elliott and his command to high dis-off-only sent his men above and clipped the teletinction. Its results will be embarrassing to the enemy and contribute greatly to their loss and demoralization. He reports the road full of small parties of the retreating enemy, scattering in all directions. (Signed) JOHN POPE, H. W. HALLECK, Major-General Commanding. A NATIONAL ACCOUNT. Major-General. ON THE TUSCUMBIA, MISS., June 1, 1862. Col. Elliott, with his cavalry, has returned, and given us such news as to justify a large por graph-wires, that "tell tales." As soon as the each battalion as skirmishers above and below soldiery had moved on, he deployed one half of the town, took possession of a train of twentysix cars and locomotive. Five were loaded with small-arms in boxes, five were heavily laden with ammunition for artillery and small-arms, one platform-car with one brass and two iron field-pieces. The rest of the train was filled with provisions and clothing in boxes belonging to quartermaster's stores. Not far distant was a large depot stored with provisions and quartermaster's goods. While his men were taking possession of the town, his skirmishers were tearing up the track both above and below the town. He found in the place two thousand five hundred convalescent sick, and the town guarded by two hundred and fifty rebel cavalry. The sick were said to be in a most deplorable and loathsome condition. Two thousand had been brought down on the cars the night before, and dumped out without medicine or help. They were scattered in houses, under trees, and every where; many of them had erysipelas in its worst form. Col. Elliott immediately ordered the sick removed to a safe distance, and run the train down opposite the depot, and set fire to it and every car. The explosions soon began, and from six o'clock until ten they were continuous as a bombardment. While the Colonel was making these arrangements for the destruction of army-stores, the rebel cavalry had returned, dismounted, and drawn up in line to make a charge on our men. Captain Campbell, who was in command of the skirmishers, saw the movements of these gentlemen, and dismounting his men, had approached them upon the flank; and as the order was given to the rebels to charge cavalry, Capt. Campbell sent a bullet at them from behind every tree, speedily following it with a second from their revolving rifles, and so they didn't "charge cavalry" much-but charged in a different direction. The Colonel will do full justice to the brave officers and men who accompanied him, in his official report. There is a good joke attached to the rebel cavalry who ran from the Colonel at Boonville. They left behind a splendid silk flag, which showed them to be the "Forest Cavalry." Now about one week ago our cavalry moved their camp to the rear of the army, and this same Forest cavalry came into their deserted camp. The commanding officer wrote a note to his Yankee friends, boasting that he had visited their camp, and that in a few days he would call again and perform several little things. These same Iowa and Michigan boys found him, and captured his colors, away down where he was looking as much for Gabriel as for them; and I may add, solemnly, that several of them heard the horn, and went to their final settlement. bringing them off. Many amusing incidents occurred on the trip. While destroying some rebel quartermaster's stores at one place a Texan came up, and said: "My friend, what are you destroying this property for? are the Yankees coming?" He was answered they were, by Col. Hatch. Says he: "How near?" "Very close; t you see them?" "Heavens! an't you confederates?" "Not much." Before they arrived at Boonville, the advanced guard met two lieutenants of Tennessee rebel cavalry. They rode up to our boys, most happy to see them, until they awoke to a realizing sense of their huge sell. Going on, they came upon a lot of rebel deserters being escorted back to Corinth by rebel cavalry, bagged both, dismounted the cavalry, and let the deserters ride. Then it was the joke on the cavalry, who had been pushing the poor fleeing conscripts hard, and they made use of the opportunity to twit their walking friends upon the sudden changes that sometimes occur in this lower world. is not much wonder that they were taken for seOur boys lost hats and caps and coats, and it cesh. We hardly would have known them ourselves, as they had gathered hats and coats of confederate stock, and looked the rebel all over. I consider this feat of the cavalry as a feather in the cap of every man in the army that rides a for heretofore I have never seen any very remarkably brave and daring movements from this arm of the service. horse; Col. Elliott did not know Corinth was evacuated until he was a long way on his journey back. A large force was sent out by Beauregard to intercept and cut him off; but General Pope looked ahead, and ordered him to return by a widely different route. So winding our forces through woods and deep ravines, or daringly dashing through villages and over hedges of astonished planters, by the black harems of massa and massa's sons, the people generally, and the astonished negroes particularly, looked on, and saw and wondered, and rubbed their eyes, and as the horsemen vanished, believed it almost a dream. Col. Elliott, not having any wagons with him Now, to the readers of the Commercial (who for provisions, had difficulty in getting food and are, no doubt, friends) I bid a kind adieu. For forage. Found a few sheep, which were of ne- the year past I have often appeared before you, cessity confiscated, but poor and tough; found a at the earnest request of many of you, who lookfew hogs, the breed was so bad and the running-ed anxiously for news from "a reliable gentlegears so finely developed, that they were allowed to live. No fat cattle or lean left, except a few for milk. Provision of every kind very scarce. Corn was hoarded like silver. The Southern Confederacy, I tell you, will beg bread before six months. The wheat is ready for the sickle here now; but there will not be three bushels to the acre in any field I have seen. Oats in the same condition. The corn looks better. The Colonel took a large number of prisoners; but as they were infantry, disarmed them, destroyed their guns, and told them to go home. Most of them were glad to obey. He had no time to lose in man," of the fathers and sons and brothers whose lives you have offered upon the altar of our common country. If my hurried letters have quieted the anxiety of wife or friend, or bettered the condition of our sometimes neglected soldiers, I am repaid, and ask no other reward. O. W. N. P. S. Since writing the above, I find a little error. Col. Elliott informs me that he lost one sergeant killed, two wounded, and six prisoners. They got on a car, and ran up the road to cut a water-tank, and were ambushed. Captain George E. Flynt, Assist. Adjt.-Gen. to Major-Gen. Thomas: SIR: On the nineteenth instant, I reported the operations of this division in taking from the enemy the position at Russell's. After driving the enemy away, we found it one of great natural strength, and proceeded to fortify it. Lines were laid off by the engineers, Captain Kossak, and a very excellent parapet was constructed by the men in a style that elicited the approval of Gen. Halleck. Men worked day and night, and as soon as it was done and the dense trees and undergrowth cleared away in front, to give range to our batteries, I directed our pickets to drive the enemy further back behind a large open field to our front and right. This was handsomely executed by the regular detail of picket-guard under the direction of the field-officer of the day, Lieut. Col. Loudon, of the Seventieth Ohio. We remained in that intrenched camp at Russell's until the night of the twenty-seventh, when I received from Major-Gen. Halleck an order by telegraph "to send a force the next day to drive the rebels from the house in our front on the Corinth road, to drive in their pickets as far as possible, and to make strong demonstration on Corinth itself," authorizing me to call on any adjacent divisions for assistance; I asked General McClernand for one brigade and General Hurlbut for another to cooperate with two brigades of my own division. Col. John A. Logan's brigade of Gen. Judah's division of McClernand's reserve corps, and General Veatch's brigade of Hurlbut's division were placed subject to my orders, and took part with my own division in the operations of the two following days, and I now thank the officers and men of these brigades for the zeal and enthusiasm they manifested, and the alacrity they displayed in the execution of every order given. The house referred to by Gen. Halleck was a double log building, standing on a high ridge on the upper or southern end of the large field before referred to as the one to which we had advanced our pickets. The enemy had taken out the chinks and removed the roof, making it an excellent block-house from which, with perfect security, he could annoy our pickets. The large field was perfectly overlooked by this house, as well as by the ridge along its southern line of defence, which was covered by a dense grove of heavy oaks and underbrush. The main Corinth road runs along the eastern fence, whilst the field itself, about three hundred yards wide by about five hundred yards long, extended far to the right into the low land of Phillips's Creek, so densely wooded as to be impassable to troops or artillery. On the eastern side of the field the woods were more open. The enemy could be seen at all times in and about the house and the ridge beyond, and our pickets could not show themselves on our side of the field without attracting a shot. The problem was to clear the house and ridge of the enemy with as little loss as possible. To accomplish this, I ordered General J. W. Denver, with his brigade (Third) and the Morton battery of four guns to march in perfect silence from our lines at eight A.M., keeping well under cover as he approached the field; Gen. Morgan L. Smith's brigade, (First,) with Barrett's and Waterhouse's batteries, to move along the main road, keeping his force well masked in the woods to the left; Brig.-Gen. Veatch's brigade to move from Gen. Hurlbut's lines through the woods on the left of and connecting with General M. L. Smith's, and Gen. John A. Logan's brigade to move down to Bowie Hill Cut of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and thence forward to the left, so as to connect with Gen. Denver's brigade on the extreme right; all to march at eight A.M., with skirmishers well to the front, to keep well concealed, and, at a signal, to rush quickly on to the ridge, thus avoiding as much as possible the danger of crossing the open field exposed to the fire of a concealed enemy. It was impossible for me beforehand to ascertain the force of the enemy, and nothing is more embarrassing than to make dispositions against a concealed foe, occupying, as this was, a strong natural position. then supposed and still think, this position was held by a small brigade of the enemy. My preliminary arrangements having thus been made, two twenty-pound Parrot rifle-guns of Silfversparre's battery, under the immediate supervision of Major Taylor, Chief of Artillery, were moved silently through the forest to a point behind a hill, from the top of which could be seen the house and ground to be contested. The guns were unlimbered, loaded with shell and moved by hand to the crest. At the proper time I gave the order to Major Taylor to commence firing and demolish the house, or render it decidedly uncomfortable to its occupants. About a dozen shells well directed soon accomplished this; then designating a single shot of the twenty-pound Parrott gun of Silfversparre as a signal for the brigades to advance, I waited till all were in position, and ordered the signal, when the troops (Gen. Logan,) who, during the two days he served under me, held the critical ground on my right, extending down to the railroad. All the time he had in his front a large force of the enemy, but so dense was the foliage that he could not reckon their strength, save from what he could see in the railroad track. He will, doubtless, make his own report, and give the names of the wounded among his pickets. I had then my whole division in a slightly curved line, facing south, my right resting on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, near a deep cut known as Bowie Hill Cut, and left resting on the main Corinth road, at the crest of the ridge, there connecting with Gen. Hurlbut, who, in turn, on his dashed forward in fine style, crossed the field, drove the enemy across the ridge and field beyond into another dense and seemingly impenetrable forest. The enemy was evidently surprised, and only killed two of our men, and wounded nine. After he had reached the ridge, he opened on us with a two-gun battery on the right and another from the front and left, doing my brigades but little harm, but killing three of Gen. Veatch's men. With our artillery we soon silenced his, and by ten A.M. we were masters of the position. Generals Grant and Thomas were present during the affair, and witnessed the movement, which was admirably executed, all the officers and men keeping their places like real soldiers. Immediately throwing forward a line of skir-left, connected with Gen. Davies, and so on down mishers in front of each brigade, we found the enemy reenforcing his front skirmishers; but the woods were so dense as to completely mask his operations. An irregular piece of cleared land lay immediately in front of Gen. Denver's position, and extended obliquely to the left, in front of and across Morgan Smith's and Veatch's brigades, which were posted on the right and left of the main Corinth road, leading directly south. For some time I was in doubt whether the artillery fire we had sustained had come from the enemy's fixed or field-batteries, and intended to move forward at great hazard to ascertain the fact, when, about three P.M., we were startled by the quick rattle of musketry along our whole picket-line, followed by the cheers and yells of an attacking column of the enemy. Our artillery and Mann's battery of Veatch's brigade, had been judiciously posted by Major Taylor, and before the yell of the enemy had died away arose our reply in the cannon's mouth. The firing was very good, rapid, well-directed, and the shells burst in the right place. Our pickets were at first driven in a little, but soon recovered their ground and held it, and the enemy retreated in utter confusion. On further examination of the ground, with its connection on the left with Gen. Hurlbut, and right resting on the railroad near Bowie Hill Cut, it was determined to intrench. The lines were laid out after dark, and the work substantially finished by morning. All this time we were within one thousand three hundred yards of the enemy's main intrenchments, which were absolutely concealed from us by the dense foliage of the oak forest, and without a real battle, which at that time was to be avoided, we could not push out our skirmishers more than two hundred yards to the front. For our own security I had to destroy two farmhouses, both of which had been loopholed and occupied by the enemy. By nine A.M. of yesterday, (twenty-ninth,) our works were substantially done, and our artillery in position, and at four P.M. the siege-train was brought forward, and Col. McDowell's brigade, (second,) of my division, had come from our former lines at Russell's, and had relieved Gen. John A. Logan's brigade. I feel under special obligations to this officer, the whole line to its extremity. So near was the enemy that we could hear the sound of his drums and sometimes of voices in command, and the railroad cars arriving and departing at Corinth were easily distinguished. For some days and nights cars haye been arriving and departing very frequently, especially in the night; but last night (twenty-ninth) more so than usual, and my suspicions were aroused. Before daybreak I instructed the brigade commanders and the field-officer of the day to feel forward as far as possible, but all reported the enemy's pickets still in force in the dense woods to our front. But about six A.M. a curious explosion, sounding like a volley of large siegepieces, followed by others singly, and in twos and threes, arrested our attention, and soon after a large smoke arose from the direction of Corinth, when I telegraphed to Gen. Halleck to ascertain the cause. He answered that he could not explain it, but ordered me "to advance my division and feel the enemy, if still in my front." I immediately put in motion two regiments of each brigade, by different roads, and soon after followed with the whole division, infantry, artillery, and cavalry. Somewhat to our surprise, the enemy's chief redoubt was found within thirteen hundred yards of our line of intrenchments, but completely masked by the dense forest and undergrowth. Instead of having, as we supposed, a continuous line of intrenchments encircling Corinth, his defences consisted of separate redoubts, connected in part by a parapet and ditch, and in part by shallow rifle-pits, the trees being felled so as to give a good field of fire to and beyond the main road. General M. L. Smith's brigade moved rapidly down the main road, entering the first redoubt of the enemy at seven A.M. It was completely evacuated, and he pushed on into Corinth and beyond, to College Hill, there awaiting my orders and arrival. Gen. Denver entered the enemy's lines at the same time, seven A.M., at a point midway between the wagon and railroads, and proceeded on to Corinth, about three miles from our camp, and Col. McDowell kept further to the right, near the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. eight A.M. all my division was at Corinth, and beyond. By |