fantry, were ordered forward to hold the further end of the town and the approaches on that side. Col. Cluseret advanced, and drove one body of the enemy from their position, pursuing them for were suddenly discovered in front, drawn up, as usual, across the road, and extending into the woods on either side. It was impossible to determine their force, and there was no support within three or four miles. But Col. Windham a considerable distance, capturing their camp determined to attack, and without any attempt to discover by skirmishing the strength or position of his enemy, or whether any infantry were opposed to him, ordered a charge, and rashly led his own regiment, the First New-Jersey cavalry, straight up the hill. and some supplies, without loss on his side. The other wing was less fortunate. The Buck tail or Kane Rifles, numbering one hundred and twenty-five men, found themselves opposed by four regiments of infantry, supported by cavalry and artillery in position. Before they could be withdrawn, they suffered most severely, losing nearly one half their whole number, killed, wounded, and missing. Officers and men fought most gallantly. Lieut.-Colonel Kane, who commanded them, was severely wounded, and refusing to allow his men to carry him off the field, was left behind, and is undoubtedly a prisoner. Capt. Taylor, a brother of Bayard Taylor, was wounded and captured. The acting Adjutant of the regiment, Lieut. J. J. Swaine, is probably killed. The enemy had artillery, and used it with effect, continuing their fire after our troops were withdrawn, and after dark, while not a solitary gun could be brought up on our side. In the confusion and haste of last night, only the most fragmentary accounts could be obtained. The substance of such as could be collected and seemed most trustworthy I put into a despatch, to be forwarded to the nearest telegraph-station. This morning I write without other information, and momently expecting the mail to close. With the rapid advance of the army, mail facilities become more and more uncertain and irregular, but I hope to-morrow to be able to forward lists of killed and wounded. Whether to-day is to see a march or a battle, or whether we move at all, is still uncertain. On the left of the road was nothing but woods. On the right, for some distance before the rebel line was reached, was a field of wheat. In this field was concealed a strong body-not less than a regiment of rebel infantry. They were not completely screened from view by the tall grain, but were visible at least to the officers and men of the second squadron. Utterly unsuspicious of such a force on his flank, Col. Windham charged at speed up the hill. When the first squadron was fairly within the line of flanking fire, the rebels poured in a volley, which, coming so close at hand, and on the flank, threw the whole squadron into confusion. Col. Windham's horse was shot under him, and he was taken prisoner. Captain Shellmere, company A, bravely striving to rally his men, was killed by a rifle-shot. All the officers bravely but vainly endeavored to rally their men, and after one or two feeble efforts to hold their ground, the first battalion was driven down the hill. Capt. Janeway, company L, who was leading the second squadron, perceiving as he advanced up the hill that the wheat-field covered a force of infantry, as soon as the first squadron was thrown into disorder by the unexpected fire on the flank, endeavored to lead his men through the woods on the left of the road, in order both to shelter them from the infantry fire and to flank the cavalry on the hill. The move- Jackson's progress is undoubtedly delayed by ment was skilfully planned, but before it could the exhaustion of his troops and breaking down be wholly executed, part of the squadron was of trains, otherwise he would not have strengththrown into confusion by the retreat of the ad- ened and halted his rear-guard last night. Řidvance, which came down the hill in disorderly ing all day in advance, I heard, at every house flight, and nothing was left but to retire. The along the road, that his main column passed earthreatened attack on the flank prevented the re-ly Thursday morning, and the rear-guard some bels from pursuing, and the whole force fell back. Capt. Haines, company M, was either killed or severely wounded and taken prisoner. Captain Janeway escaped unhurt. The regiment lost /thirty-six killed and wounded. For the account given thus far, I am indebted to an officer who was engaged in the fight, no part of which I saw. When the reconnoissance was sent forward, I rode through the town with the cavalry, and thence to the field where the first halt was made, and beyond which Colonel Windham was ordered not to advance. No enemy being in sight, I supposed no further advance was intended, and returned to the camp on this side of the town. As soon as news of the repulse was received at headquarters, Gen. Bayard, with the Bucktail Rifles, four companies, and the First Pennsylvania cavalry, and Col. Cluseret with his brigade, comprising the Sixtieth Ohio and Eighth Virginia in hours later. Only a small body of cavalry, not more than a hundred in number, kept near our advance, showing themselves occasionally in line in favorable positions. Thursday night the rebels camped near Harrisonburgh. Friday, Jackson seems to have abandoned the main road and, turning to the left, endeavored to reach either a point on the river where it could be forded, or Miller's Bridge, twelve miles on the road to the left. The people of Harrisonburgh agree in stat ing that he did not expect Gen. Fremont to reach the town until to-night, and it is probable that when surprised by the appearance of the advanceguard, he determined to make an effort to check its further progress. The only other explanation is, that he has arrived at the place where he is obliged to make a final stand. Col. Windham's rash advance beyond the point where he was ordered, and his attack in such circumstances, still more rash than the advance, gave the enemy an opportunity which they improved, and came near bringing on a general engagement at the end of a long and exhausting day's march. After a short rest, in accordance with your order, my command was thrown forward to reconnoitre in ford. We found the enemy on the opposite side of the Tennessee River well intrenched behind earthworks close to the riverbank and on the top of the hill, preparing to dis Later. As the mail closes the official reports begin to come in, hurried and fragmentary. Gen. Bayard's report severely censures Colonel Windham, of First New-Jersey cavalry, for rash-pute our crossing the river at this point. ness and unskilful conduct in advance and attack. The charge was made after a harassing march when the horses were staggering in the ranks from exhaustion, and the men had been without other rations than beef for three days. The repulse is wholly attributable to Col. Windham's bad conduct, and neglect or disobedience | of orders. When the Kane Rifles-the Bucktails-were sent into the woods, a large force of the enemy was almost immediately unmasked, and orders were at once sent to the Rifles to withdraw. Before this could be effected, under the terrible fire to which they were exposed, they lost in killed, wounded, and missing, fifty-five men. The regiment exhausted its ammunition, and the Eighth Virginia, ordered up to support them, had also exhausted theirs. Doc. 64. EXPEDITION TO EAST-TENNESSEE. DESPATCH FROM GENERAL NEGLEY. To Governor Andrew Johnson : OUR expedition into East-Tennessee has proved successful. We are returning with eighty prisoners, including a number of prominent officers; also captured a drove of cattle and a large quantity of horses intended for the rebel army. The defeat of Gen. Adams's rebel forces in Sweeden's Cove was much more complete than reported. He escaped without sword, hat, or horse. We silenced the enemy's batteries at Chattanooga on the evening of the seventh, after a fierce cannon ading of three hours. We opened on the eighth at nine A.M., and continued six hours upon the town and rifle-pits, driving the enemy out and forcing him to abandon his works and evacuate the city. They burnt several railroad-bridges to prevent pursuit. The Union people in EastTennessee are wild with joy. They meet us along the road by hundreds. I shall send you a number of their principal persecutors from Sequatchie Valley. Yours, very truly, JAMES S. NEGLEY, REPORT OF COLONEL HAMBRIGHT. } Brig. Gen. J. S. Negley, Commanding Division The artillery under the command of Lieutenant Sypher, First Ohio, and Lieut. Nell, First Kentucky, was placed in position, also the Seventyninth regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, Major Melinger commanding, one company and a detachment of which were thrown forward to the river-bank, to act as sharp-shooters to pick off the enemy's gunners, the balance of the regiment being reserved for the support of the batteries. The Fifth Kentucky cavalry, Col. Haggard, and the Seventh Pennsylvania cavalry, Major Wynkoop, were thrown to the rear under cover, and out of range of the enemy's guns, to cover the flanks and to protect the rear. Our line being formed and our sharp-shooters being within four hundred yards of the enemy's intrenchments, but a very short time elapsed before the infantry of the enemy opened fire upon our advance; immediately afterward their batteries opened upon us with one twenty-fourpounder, one eighteen-pounder, and four small pieces of ordnance. Our batteries promptly returned their fire, and the cannonading was kept up briskly for five hours, silencing their batteries, causing them to beat a hasty retreat and to evacuate the town, taking with them their commissary stores, and destroying, in their flight, two railroad-bridges, etc. my's loss was one hundred killed and wounded, From sources which appear reliable, the eneand eighteen prisoners taken on this side of the river. Our shells did terrible execution in the town, others their commissary dépôt. completely destroying many buildings, among Seventy-ninth regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, I have to report one man wounded of the as the only casualty that occurred. We renewed the cannonading on the eighth, which was kept up for three hours, and not receiving a reply, I withdrew my forces. haved nobly, and I compliment them for their H. A. HAMBRIGHT, Colonel Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Acting Brigadier-General Commanding. M. H. LOCHER, A.A.A.G. A NATIONAL ACCOUNT. NASHVILLE, TENN., June 13, 1862. On Thursday, May twenty-ninth, Gen. Negley, who has been in command of the Seventh brigade-formerly in Gen. McCook's division, but now having a separate command-started from Columbia, Tenn., for the purpose of making an expedition into East-Tennessee, with the inten tior, of threatening Chattanooga and capturing or very abrupt descent through a thick forest the dispersing any of the rebel forces of cavalry hov-road suddenly opened out into a beautiful cove, ering around that portion of the country. It was authoritatively reported that the rebels had made a preconcerted movement for the purpose of recapturing Nashville; but that object was frustrated by the energy and intrepidity of General Negley and his troops, as will be seen by the following statement: General N. started from Columbia, on the day above named, with a sufficient force of troops. General N. reached Fayetteville on Saturday, May thirty-first, remained there until Monday morning following, and then resumed his march and proceeded to Salem, where he arrived the same day. The next day he reached Winchester. It had been reported that the rebels were in considerable force in that place, and the Seventh Pennsylvania cavalry made a dash into the town, but found the enemy had dispersed. They succeeded, however, in capturing Capt. Trimble and three of his men, belonging to Starn's cavalry. This Trimble is a clergyman, a bitter rebel, who has been emulating Morgan in capturing pickets and couriers, and denouncing Union men to the hangmen. He has been very enterprising in bringing up Union men, who were compelled to accept either one or the other of two alternatives, namely, to go into the confederate army or be hanged. He was also the principal of a large female seminary in Winchester, which seems to be still in full operation, educating the feminine youth of the locality in the arts, sciences, and philosophies of the heresy of secessionism. Trimble was subsequently sent to Gen. Mitchel, at Huntsville. Passing through Winchester, Gen. Negley encamped his forces at a place called Cowan, on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, and on a branch of a tributary of the Tennessee River. The trestle-work of the railroad bridge at this point was found to have been burned by the rebels, but the stream was easily fordable, and it was crossed on Wednesday morning, June fourth, and the line of march resumed toward Jasper, Marion County. Here Gen. Negley caused several of the most prominent secessionists to be arrested, and mulcted them in the sum of two hundred dollars each, which was appropriated to the relief of the Union people in Tennessee who had suffered injury at the hands of the rebels. This was the first practical illustration of the character and intention of Gov. Johnson's declaration that rich rebels should be made to pay for Union losses incurred by rebel predatory bands. Passing through Jasper, Gen. Negley encamped at the foot of the first ridge of the Cumberland mountains, early in the evening, at an old camping-ground of the rebels. The following morning he commenced crossing the mountain, over a steep and rocky road, one which most persons would pronounce impassable for artillery. Over this rugged road the artillery and provision-trains were passed with but trifling injury, owing to the efficiency of the equipments. Here Gen. Negley first obtained a glimpse of the enemy. After a about six hundred yards wide, and stretching off in an easterly direction towards the Sequatchie valley. The road crosses to the south side of the cove, and skirts along the foot of the mountain about half a mile eastwardly; then crossing the valley towards the north side, then eastwardly again towards the valley. At this point General Negley's advance, consisting of the Fifth Kentucky cavalry, Col. Haggard, and two companies of the Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania infantry, under command of Capt. Klein, encountered the pickets of the rebel Gen. Adams's brigade of cavalry, which was encamped on the opposite side of the cove, at a point where the road turns to cross the valley again. After a brisk firing-the Union troops acting with the coolness of veterans all the while-the rebel pickets fell back, and the main body of the rebel force, learning there was a Union force near, came forward up the road in a body and let down the fences, preparatory to a charge. They were then at least eight hundred strong. By this time Gen. Negley had placed two six-pounder field-pieces in position, and commenced firing on them with Shenkle shell. This was evidently more than the enemy expected; for at the first fire they turned in confusion and fled with dismay, hotly pursued by our cavalry, led by company A, of the Fifth Kentucky, commanded by Lieut. Wharton. The enemy were pursued for two miles before they were reached, their horses being fresh and ours jaded by their rough march over the mountain. Our men at last succeeded in overtaking them, and dashed in among them with the sabre, when much execution was done. A number of the rebels were killed and wounded, and about twenty taken prisoners, among whom was a lieutenant, named Jones, commanding a company. The rebels, in their flight, threw away every thing that could in the slightest degree impede their progress; the road for miles was strewn with sabres, pistols, shotguns, haversacks, any quantity of corn - bread, and all the other portions of the equipments of a rebel cavalry soldier. Some of the rebel cavalry were clothed in regulation uniforms, others in citizen's dress. The panic was complete. Gen. Adams lost his hat, sword, and horse, as he had to borrow a horse from a negro to escape on, and a hat from a sympathizing rebel. He had no sword when he left the field, according to the reports of citizens who saw him in his flight towards Chattanooga. Many of the rebels did not stop until they reached Chattanooga, a distance of over thirty miles. Major Adams, a brother of the General, is reported to be severely, probably fatally, wounded, by a sabre-cut in the head. Thirteen rebels were found dead on the road as far as our forces proceeded at this time. The action and pursuit were gallantly conducted on the part of the Union forces. After pursuing the rebels some three miles, the Federals returned to Sweeden's Cove, where they encamped for the night. They were followed into camp by large numbers of Union people who had been driven from their homes by rebel tyranny, and were electrified by the first sound of Union guns echoing through the Sequatchie valley. After a night's rest, Gen. Negley proceeded towards Chattanooga. He arrived opposite the place on the morning of the seventh of June, having in the mean time (the sixth) rested on the top of the Cumberland mountain. At two o'clock P.M., on the seventh, Gen. Negley, with a military force, proceeded to reconnoitre. He soon ascertained that there was a large force of the enemy on this (north) side of the river, having crossed evidently with the intention of attacking the Illinois regiment, Lieut.-Colonel Scott, which had arrived the day before the main body of Federals reached the point, they having crossed the mountains by a shorter route than the principal force. The rebels also showed a water-battery from the beach at the ferry-landing, near the town. The Illinois regiment, deployed as skirmishers, was sent down the hill to feel the enemy. The latter, finding our forces ready to meet them, recrossed the river. Gen. Negley placed his artillery in position commanding the town, and waited to see what the enemy would do. At a little after five P.M. the enemy's riflemen commenced firing on our skirmishers, and shortly after the rebels opened with shell on them from their water-battery, and from a battery on the mountain westward of the town. Then General Negley gave orders to his batteries to fire, and for two hours a brisk cannonading was kept up, during which time all of the enemy's guns were silenced, three of them having been dismantled. The accuracy of the Federal artillerymen drove the enemy entirely away from their pieces. Having silenced all the enemy's batteries, Gen. Negley retired to his camp for the night. a black flag. A man who displayed a black flag on the rebel intrenchments was killed by one of the Union sharp-shooters. A REBEL ACCOUNT. CHATTANOOGA, June 8, 1862. The shelling of Chattanooga by the enemy's forces, commenced yesterday afternoon about half-past five P.M. It was known that a portion of Gen. Mitchel's forces, under Gen. Lytle, was approaching this point from Winchester, Tennessee, where they had been committing all kinds of robbery and outrage. On Wednesday, the fourth inst., Col. Adams, who is in command of all the cavalry forces here, allowed himself to be surprised with three hundred and fifty men of the First Kentucky regiment, at Sweden's Cove, about thirty miles north-west of this place, on the road leading from Winchester to Jasper. He made his escape with the loss of only six men, instead of twenty, as reported. It is supposed that this force, estimated from one thousand five hundred to three thousand, under Gen. Lytle, came through Haley's Cut-off, a gorge in the mountain of Waldron's Ridge, already described, two miles this side of Kelly's Ferry, which is ten miles below this point, and reached the opposite side of the river yesterday morning. Their main body was concealed in the woods covering the ridges and heights, about one mile from the river. On Saturday morning some small parties of the enemy were seen at the head of the lane running down to the ferry, and our scouts fired upon them, killing, it is said, one officer. The enemy showed no force at this time; neither did they make any demonstration. It appears, however, they were busy making reconnoissances, and getting their light field-pieces and mortars in battery, The next morning (Sunday, June eighth) it when our battery, having injudiciously sent a few was ascertained that the enemy had been work-round shots where some parties were supposed ing all night; had increased the height of their water-battery; had thrown up new earthworks, and had evidently made extensive preparations of defence. Information was received from a prisoner that the enemy's force had been increased during the night from three to five thousand. At eight o'clock Gen. Negley resumed firing on the enemy, and continued for upwards of an hour and a half without receiving any response from their batteries; but their riflemen, protected by a stone wall and by their earthworks, kept up a continuous firing upon the Union skirmish ers. There were no other indications of there being any persons in Chattanooga in warlike array except occasional knots of officers and men, who dispersed with alacrity as our shells fell among them. The town was evacuated by the inhabitants during the night. Gen. Negley, having accomplished the object of his expedition, withdrew a portion of his force. The loss on either side is not ascertained, but we have the assertions of prisoners that the loss of the enemy is large. The only flags displayed by the rebels in town were the hospital flags and to be concealed, near an old barn at the head of the lane, the enemy opened fire, their sharp-shooters at the same time showing themselves in the woods near the bank of the river. The frightful whizzing of the shell, as they fell rapidly near the dwellings of some families residing near the vicinity of the ferry, produced the greatest consternation among the women and children, who were seen running in every direction, from the river to the centre of the town in the wildest terror, while the most heart-rending cries and screams of others in the houses frantically illustrated some of the horrors of war. Our batteries returned the enemy's fire, and one of the gunners of the Merrimac being here, did good execution at one of our guns, silencing two of the enemy's. Our sharp-shooters did good work at the same time, killing a number of the enemy. The firing ceased about half-past eight o'clock P.M., and I have already sent you the only casualties that occurred, by telegraph. A few buildings were injured, but no accidents occur. red. This morning the enemy commenced shelling the town again about ten o'clock, and continued the fire for about an hour and a half, a number handkerchief and collar were removed, and it was of the shell exploding in the streets and in the announced to him that it was time to die. Getground, one building only being hit; no other ting up, he walked firmly out on the scaffold, and damage done.. Our batteries did not reply. All stood in the bright sunlight with thousands of is now quiet, it being four P.M. eyes fixed upon him. Doc. 65. EXECUTION OF W. B. MUMFORD. The order of execution was then read amidst a breathless silence. Upon concluding it, he was asked if he had anything to say to the assembled multitude. He signified that he had. He then addressing the crowd, stated, in substance, that NEW-ORLEANS, June 7, 1862. he was a native of North-Carolina, but had been EARLY yesterday morning it was announced a citizen of New-Orleans for many years. That that William B. Mumford, a man sentenced to the offence for which he was condemned to die death for tearing down the United States flag, was committed under excitement, and that he did hoisted on the Mint by Commodore Farragut upon not consider that he was suffering justly. He conthe occupation of the city by the Union forces, jured all who heard him to act justly to all men, would expiate his offence on the gallows. Crowds to rear their children properly, and that when were soon wending their way toward the Mint, they met death they would meet it firmly. He where all doubts were dispelled by the ghastly was prepared to die; and as he had never wrongspectacle of a gallows projecting from a window ed any one he hoped to receive mercy. in the second story of that building, fronting on Esplanade street, directly under, as it were, the flag-staff that had borne the colors in question. In the mean time the unfortunate man was awaiting his fate in the Custom-House. On the evening of the fifth instant, three days ago, the order of execution was read to him by Deputy Provost-Marshal Stafford, he being charged with carrying into effect the details of the sentence in consequence of the illness of Provost-Marshal French. The document reads as follows: HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT of the Gulf, SPECIAL ORDer No 70. William B. Mumford, a citizen of New-Orleans, having been convicted before the military commission of treason and an overt act thereof in tearing down the United States flag from a public building of the United States, for the purpose of inciting other evil-minded persons to further resistance to the laws and arms of the United States, after said flag was placed there by Commodore Farragut, of the United States navy: At thirteen minutes before eleven A.M., after a moment's pause, that seemed an age to every one present, the signal was given, the platform, loaded with iron to accelerate its fall, swung heavily down with a sullen crash, and in a few minutes the soul of Wm. B. Mumford passed into the presence of his Maker. During all this time a vast crowd swayed to and fro in front of the Mint, and thronged the levee, every eye fixed upon the awful scene, while along the long line mounted men galloped, preserving order. Upon the consummation of the sentence the assemblage quietly dispersed to their homes. Black, Acting-Surgeon to Gen. Shepley's staff, It is ordered that he be executed, according to the sentence of the said military commission, on Saturday, June seventh instant, between the hours of eight A.M. and twelve M., under the direction of the Provost-Marshal of the district of New-Orleans; and for so doing this shall be his FIGHT AT THE WADDELL FARM, ARK. sufficient warrant. By command of Major-General BUTLER, Mumford exhibited little emotion, and comported himself with great coolness and self-possession. At a quarter before ten o'clock A.M., the prisoner arrived at the Mint and alighted. It was noticed his eye immediately sought out the scaffold. He gazed at it for a moment, and then, naturally turning away his head, entered the building through the portico and was immediately conveyed by two officers into a private apartment. Doc. 66. COLONEL BRACKETT'S REPORT. HEADQUARTERS NINTH REGIMENT ILL. CAVALRY, CAMP TUCKER, NEAR JUNCTION OF BLACK AND WHITE RIVERS, ARK., June 12. GENERAL: It gives me great pleasure to report to you that I have this afternoon had a most successful fight with the rebels. This morning I sent out a train of thirty-six wagons, for the purpose of getting corn and bacon at the Waddell farm, near Village Creek, Jackson County, Ark. I sent as an escort, parts of four companies of the Ninth regiment of Illinois cavalry, under Major Humphreys. The farm is about five miles from Jacksonport, and when the train In a few moments a large black cossack was was within about half a mile of it my men were brought in, and he was invested with it, his neck-suddenly attacked by a large force of the enemy. |