to go home-" stay not on the order of his going, but go at once." Such a person came here without our invitation, he will be parted with without our regrets.

But he must not have committed crimes against our laws and then expect to be allowed to go home to escape the punishment of those crimes. I must beg, gentlemen, that no more argumen

If a foreigner desires the privileges which the military government of this department accords to American citizens, let him take the oath of allegiance; but that does not naturalize him. If he does not wish to do so, but chooses to be an honest neutral, then let him not take the oath of allegiance, but the other oath set forth in the order. If he chooses to do neither, but simply to re-tative protests against my orders be sent to me by main here with protection from personal violence, a privilege he has not enjoyed in this city for many years until now, let him be quiet, live on, keep away from his consul, and be happy. For honest alien neutrals another oath was provided, which, in my judgment, contains nothing but what an honest and honorable neutral will do and maintain, and, of course, only that which he will promise to do.

But it is said that this oath compels every "foreigner to descend to the level of spies and denunciators for the benefit of the United States." There is no possible just construction of language which will give any such interpretation to the order. This mistake arises from a misconception of the meaning of the word "conceal," so false, so gross, so unjust and illiterate, that in the Englishman who penned the protest sent to me it must have been intentional, but an error into which those not born and reared in the idioms of our language might easily have fallen. The oath requires him who takes it not to "conceal" any wrong that has been, or is about to be done, in aid or comfort of the enemies of the United States.

you as a body. If any consul has anything to
offer for my consideration, he will easily learn
the proper mode of presenting it. It is no part
of your duties or your rights.

I have, gentlemen, the honor to be your ob't
servant,
BENJ. F. BUTLER,
Major-General Commanding,

Messrs. Ch. Mejan, French Consul; Juan Callejon, Consul de Espana; Jos. Deynoodt, Consul of Belgium; M. W. Benachi, Greek Consul; Joseph Lanata, Consul of Italy; B. Teryaghi, viceConsul; Ad. Piaget, Swiss Consul.

Doc. 69.

THE MASSACRE OF THE NEGROES

IN SOUTH-CAROLINA, June 13, 1862.
THE following is the official report concerning
the massacre of negroes on Hutchinson Island
by the rebels:

U. S. SHIP DALE, ST. HELENA SOUND,
SOUTH-CAROLINA, June 13, 1862.

It has been read and translated to you as if it SIR: This morning, at four o'clock, it was rerequired you to reveal all such acts. "Conceal" ported to me that there was a large fire on is a verb active in our language; "concealment" Hutchinson Island. Shortly after a preconcertis an act done, not a thing suffered by, the "con-ed signal that the enemy were in the vicinity had cealers."

been made from the house of our pilot, I immediately started in the gig, accompanied by the tender Wild Cat, Boatswain Downs, Sen. Acting Midshipman Terry; first cutter, Acting Master Billings; second cutter, Acting Master Hawkins, and cutter, Coxswain Shatluff, up Horn or Big River Creek, in the direction of the fire.

Let me illustrate this difference of meaning: If I am passing about and see a thief picking the pocket of my neighbor, and I say nothing about it unless called upon by a proper tribunal, that is not "concealment" of the theft; but if I throw my cloak over the thief, to screen him from the police-officer while he does it, I then "con- Soon after leaving the ship a canoe containing ceal" the theft. Again, if I know that my neigh-three negroes was met, who stated that the rebels, bor is about to join the rebel army, and I go about my usual business, I do not "conceal" the fact; but if, upon being inquired of by the proper authority as to where my neighbor is about to go, I say that he is going to sea, I then "conceal" his acts and intentions.

Now, if any citizen or foreigner means to "conceal" rebellious or traitorous acts against the United States, in the sense above given, it will be much more for his personal comfort that he gets out of this department at once.

Indeed, gentlemen, if any subject of a foreign state does not like our laws, or the administration of them, he has an immediate, effectual, and appropriate remedy in his own hands, alike pleasant to him and to us; and that is, not to annoy his consul with complaints of those laws or the administration of them, or his consul wearying the authorities with verbose protests, but simply

three hundred strong, were at Mrs. Mardis's plantation, killing all the negroes. As we advanced up the creek we were constantly met by canoes with two or three negroes in them, panicstricken, and making their way to the ship, while white flags were to be seen flying from every inhabited point, around which were clustered groups of frightened fugitives.

When about two and a half miles from Mrs. Mardis's, I was obliged to anchor the Wild Cat, from the want of sufficient water in the channel, with orders to cover our retreat if necessary. On arriving at Mrs. Mardis's the scene was most painful. Her dwelling and a chapel in ruins, and the air heavy with smoke, while at the landing were assembled one hundred souls, mostly women and children, in the utmost distress.

Throwing out a picket-guard, and taking every proper measure against a surprise, I satisfied my

It appears that the negro who had guided the At ten minutes past one P.M., passed the mouth party had returned to them after the evacuation of the St. Francis River. At fifteen minutes past of the place, told them all the troops had been one P.M. the flag-ship made a general signal; anwithdrawn, and that the islands were entirely swered it, rounded too, and stood up the river, unprotected except by this ship. I am therefore and at forty-five minutes past one came to off at a loss to account for their extreme barbarity the St. Francis River. The tug Spitfire then to negroes, most of whom were living on the went a short distance up that stream, and return plantation where they had been born, peacefully ing at fifteen minutes past two, the Mound City tilling the ground for their support which their rounded to, followed by the St. Louis and Lex

Doc. 71.

ington, when the fleet stood down the river again.

CAPTAIN HYNER'S REPORT.

FORTRESS MONROE, VA., June 15, 1862. Col. D. T. Van Buren, Assistant Adjutant-General:

At three P.M., discovered the large rebel trans- OPENING OF NANSEMOND RIVER, VA. port steamer Clara Dolsen lying at Helena, Ark. At twenty minutes past three a small boat from the Mound City came alongside, with orders to give a coal-barge we have in tow to the St. Louis, and give chase to the Dolsen, which had started down the Mississippi. The flag-ship Mound City fired several shots at the Dolsen, but they all fell short. At fifty minutes past three we passed the flag-ship, being in pursuit of the Dolsen, together with the Spitfire, which was some distance ahead. At a quarter-past eight P.M. we came to anchor off the foot of Island No. Sixty-nine, to await the arrival of the other boats. At half-past twelve P.M. we weighed anchor and stood up the Mississippi, arriving where the Mound City and St. Louis were anchored at four A.M. this Saturday. We took our coal-barge in tow again, and stood down the Mississippi. At half-past four P.M. the flag-ship signalled to follow her motions. At forty minutes past eight A.M. our fleet arrived off and ascended the mouth of White River. At ten A.M. we came to off the Arkansas River cut off, in company with the other boats. In the mean time the tug Spitfire was sent up the river to reconnoitre. At two P.M. the tug returned to where we all lay anchored, from up White River, followed by the Clara Dolsen, which she found hid in a slough, all but the tops of her chimneys being out of sight.

The Clara Dolsen is a capital prize, being one of the largest and best business steamers on our waters. She was built at Cincinnati, fifteen months ago, and has capacity for over sixteen hundred tons. She is worth forty thousand dollars, being in excellent condition. Her officers state that the Clara had been detained at Helena -the authorities fearing that her crew intended to run her to Memphis and there deliver her to the Federal authorities. She had been secreted up White River, but was on her way to a new hiding-place up St. Francis River-so her officers

state.

Capt. J. Riley Jones, who purchased the A. W. Quarrier and Gen. Pike in Cincinnati, before the rebellion, is in command of the Clara Dolsen. A man named Nixon (who has a brother piloting one of our gunboats) is one of the Clara's pilots. Rees Townsend, of St. Louis, who run the blockade from that city, is the chief engineer. The Dolsen is partially owned in Cincinnati, where the bulk of her building bills, we understand, remain unpaid.

The Clara now lies alongside of us. She has a large supply of wood on board, a portion of which is being transferred to our gunboats. She will be sent to Commodore Davis, at Memphis, this evening, or to-morrow morning. The gunboat Conestoga is expected down from Memphis with the mail, and will convey back the prize.

The Mississippi and White Rivers are in fine navigable order, more particularly the latter stream. Two hundred bales of cotton were found on the Clara Dolsen.

COLONEL: According to instructions, I proceeded on the eleventh inst. on board the steam-tug C. P. Smith, Capt. H. C. Fuller. Got, at six P.M., the armaments of two rifled three-inch Parrot guns and one mountain-howitzer on board, and started at once for Fort Wool, to take Capt. Lee, Ninety-ninth New-York volunteers, and his command on board. As part of the men and stores were at Sewell's Point barracks, the tug was made fast for the night, it being not thought advisable to venture further in the darkness. On the twelfth, at four A.M., we got under way; arrived at five P.M. at Sewell's Point, got the men and stores on board, and had to return to Fortress Monroe to take an additional quantity of coal, also some shells for the rifled guns. At ten P.M. we got under way for the mouth of the Nansemond; passed Pig Point battery at seven o'clock P.M.; ran up the river about four miles; got aground on a sand bank at low-tide, and had to wait till return of high-water. I tried to collect all the information I could from some negroes dredging for oysters, and some contrabands coming down the James River, in a large boat, with their families. Two of them volunteered to stay with me, and, after having supplied the remainder with water, of which they were short, I directed them to report at Fortress Monroe. The two remaining on board volunteered all the information they had to give, assisted the boat's crew, and conducted themselves very well.

Waiting for the tide, I got the cutter and the small boat under way, and reconnoitred the first row of stakes, about five miles from Pig Point battery, also both shores for about a mile above it. On the eastern shore I found three batteries, respectively of two, one and five guns, commanding the stockade, but all abandoned, with the guns removed.

The exact location will be shown in the map. As soon as the steamer was afloat, I attacked the stockade, and succeeded in opening a gap about one hundred feet wide, when darkness made further work impossible, which, however, was resumed at daylight, and the gap enlarged to about one hundred and fifty feet or more.

We then proceeded up the river, guided by William, (colored and free,) who had joined the boat voluntarily the previous night. This man, being a resident of this neighborhood, had a thorough knowledge of the river, the location and the nature of the obstructions in it, and subse quently his services became very valuable.

About twelve or thirteen miles from Pig Point, at the mouth of the western branch, we found a second obstruction, consisting of a row of piles driven in clumps of twos and threes across the chan acted by heavy chains. Be

hind these logs the hulls of small vessels, loaded with heavy materials, were sunk; also, in the channels below. The tops of the piles were cut off, so as to be visible at low-water. At hightide vessels drawing from six to seven feet of water can be forced around the edges near the east shore, the bottom being soft mud.

Above the mouth of the western branch, was a masked battery for five guns, which, however, had been hidden or removed.

enemy's troops had visited the place a week previous, but that four residents of the village were very active as spies, and in other nefarious practices. Their names are Henry L. Tynes or Tyner, Richard Denton, George Crum, a miller, and George Willis Duder, also a resident of the western shore, and Mr. Lewis, who lives about five miles above Barrell Point. The road from Chucatuck village to Petersburgh is a good turnpike, and, I was told, for a distance of at least twentyfive miles unobstructed. Everett's bridge is still unburned; probably also the county bridge across Black River, where the enemy's scouts

Being unable to do anything in this place as long as high-water lasted, I proceeded up the river to Suffolk, and reported my arrival verbally to Gen. Mansfield, and per telegraph to Major-pass in and out of their lines. Gen. Dix.

At noon as the tide had fallen sufficiently, I returned to the obstruction near the mouth of West Branch, and removed of it as much as possible, till the return of high-water forced me to abandon the work.

making a forced march during the greater part of the night.

The detachment of the Third New-York volunteers behaved likewise splendidly, showing the highest state of discipline and the most soldierlike conduct during the whole time they were with me.

Major Abel Smith made all the disposition of his command on the march in the ablest and most thorough manner, showing all the skill and discretion which are absolutely necessary for the success of secret reconnoissances.

As daylight approached I returned on board, where the column arrived at five o'clock A.M. I can hardly speak in terms of sufficient commendation of the services of Capt. Lee, Ninety-ninth New-York volunteers, whose practical experience was of the greatest value in sounding and reAt five P.M. I returned to Suffolk, and embark- moving the obstacles. Also the men under his ed companies K, Capt. J. E. Mulford, and F, command, who were indefatigable, having workCapt. W. A. S. Sanders, of the Third New-Yorked hard from daylight till dark, and after that volunteers, all under command of Major Abel Smith; for I wished to make a reconnoissance up the west bank of the river. I left at nine o'clock P.M. At Halloway's Point, about half-way between Suffolk and Pig Point, a large, substantially-built pier afforded accommodation for landing to a steamer. Accordingly, at half-past ten o'clock I disembarked the whole force, with the exception of ten men and a corporal of the Third New-York volunteers, and six men and a corporal of the Ninty-ninth New-York volunteers, to serve as artillery. The road to Chucatuck village, distant about five and a half miles, is a country road, but in good condition, and if only the first quarter of a mile is a little improved, artillery and transportation of the heaviest kind can be passed over it without any difficulty. Proceeding on, I took the necessary precaution to prevent intelligence of our approach being sent to the enemy, who, as I was informed, was in the habit of sending at night mounted scouts to the Hoping soon to be able to report the entire revillage. The people were for the most part some-moval of all obstructions, I remain, very respectwhat violent in their expression of rebel senti- fully, your most obedient servant, ment; but reasonable arguments and kind treatment had a good effect on them, and when I left there next morning I felt convinced that a considerable revulsion in their ideas had taken place, for they certainly could not help to admire the good discipline of the troops, and the gentlemanly, soldier-like conduct of the officers. At about one o'clock A. M. the column reached Chucatuck village, at the head of Chucatuck River. I posted detachments on all the roads leading to and from it, and surrounded the village with a chain of sentinels.

Capt. Fuller, of the steam-tug C. P. Smith, was indefatigable in the performance of his duty, and handled his boat with the greatest skill and dexterity in steering her through the obstructions.

The colored pilot, William, rendered the most valuable service on the river and as a guide on the march to Chucatuck village; also, in collecting information.

H. HYNER,

Captain Volunteer Topographical Engineers.

Doc. 72.

BATTLE AT JAMES ISLAND, S. C.*

GENERAL WRIGHT'S REPORT.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVIS,

1962;}

JAMES ISLAND, S. C., June 18, 1862. MAJOR: I have the honor to present the following report of my division in the action of the

sixteenth inst.:

The whole was done so quietly that even no dog barked. After posting the necessary pickets, as also the reserve, in convenient positions, I directed my colored guide, Before proceeding to describe the part taken and also one negro whom I found sleeping in the by the troops under my immediate command, it porch of a house, to collect all the negroes in the is important, and indeed indispensable, that the village, for I believed them the only ones willing plan of operations, as determined upon by Gen. to give reliable information. Benham, and distinctly laid down by him, regard

From them I learned that the last scout of the
VOL. V.-Doc. 14

* See Gen. Benham's narrative, SUP. REBELLION Record.

ing the entire force brought into the field, should be explained. This is essential to the complete understanding of the part taken by and the disposition made of the various commands in the action.

According to this plan, the division of General Stevens was to form the assaulting column against the enemy's works at Secessionville, and being formed in the utmost silence at his outer pickets, was to move forward at the first break of day upon the enemy's batteries, while the remainder of the troops, comprising Willliams's brigade and a part of my division, moving together from the camp at Grimball's, were to act as a support to Gen. Stevens, protecting his left and rear from an attack of the enemy's forces from that direction. So important was the duty assigned to this covering force deemed, and so convinced was Gen. Benham of the probability of an attack in that direction, that he ordered in the event of the repulse of Stevens, that the covering troops should not resume the assault.

be clearly discovered to any considerable distance. I should remark here that just after or about the time I gave the order for the advance from camp, I was joined by General Benham, who assumed the command of the column, and who retained it during the action, leaving me responsible for my division only.

Moving rapidly to the front, I formed my command partly behind a hedge-row parallel to the front of the enemy's works, partly a little in rear, and brought up two pieces of artillery to open upon the enemy, and then proceeded to the front, to ascertain exactly the condition of affairs there.

I should have stated that soon after the column was put in motion from the wood where it had been halted, a messenger came from General Stevens to say that he was advancing; and before we had reached our position, a message from Gen. Stevens asking immediate support was answered by an order from Gen. Benham to Acting Brig.-Gen. Williams to report to General Stevens with his command. This was a change in the original programme, by taking from the covering column the brigade under Williams, and adding it to the assaulting column. On reaching the front, I found that the command of Gen. Stevens was falling back; that a portion had been formed behind the advance hedge-row; that the Ninetyseventh Pennsylvania was behind the same hedge on the left of Gen. Stevens, and that the Third New-Hampshire and Third Rhode Island, which had been pushed well up to our left of the enemy's works and on the left of the marsh, were hotly engaged, and under a cross fire from the works and ACTING BRIG.-GEN. WILLIAMS'S BRIGADE.-1- from a force of the enemy's artillery and infantry Third Rhode Island, five companies; 2-Third on our left, in a low growth of bushes which covNew-Hampshire, ten companies; 3-Ninety-severed them from view. The performances of these enth Pennsylvania, six companies; 4-company regiments and their gallant bearing under a most E, Third artillery, one section.

The parts to be performed by the two columns were therefore well defined and distinctly understood. That of Gen. Stevens was to assault and carry the works at Secessionville: that composed of the troops of Gen. Williams's brigade and my division were to cover the assault, and protect it from attack on the left and rear. The organization of the left column having been left to me, I added to the brigade of Williams the Ninetyseventh Pennsylvania regiment and one section of Hamilton's battery, and arranged the force as follows:

COL. CHATFIELD'S BRIGADE.-5-Sixth Connecticut, two companies; 7-Forty-seventh NewYork, eight companies.

COL. WELSH'S BRIGADE.-8-Forty-fifth Pennsylvania, six companies; 9-First New-York volunteer engineers, three companies; 10-artillery, two sections; 11-cavalry, two squadrons. The remaining troops were left in camp and on picket duty, from which they could not be withdrawn without compromising the safety of the camps and depot.

Orders were issued to call the men at two A.M., and to have them in line for marching at three

A.M.

All this was accomplished, and at the appointed time the column was in motion, and proceeded to and formed under cover of the woods about one mile in advance of our camp, to await information of the advance of Gen. Stevens's column, as had been agreed upon.

Prior to receiving such intelligence, however, a few stray shots on our right and to our front indicated that Gen. Stevens's command was advancing, and without waiting farther, the column was at once pushed forward.

By this time daylight was upon us, but as the morning was dark and cloudy, objects could not

destructive fire, will be detailed by their immediate commander, Gen. Williams, and I refer to them at all only with a view to their connection with the movements of the rest.

To silence the fire on our left, just referred to, and to be able to resist more promptly any attack from that point, a section of Hamilton's battery was brought into the field to the left of the marsh, and opened on the enemy; and the Forty-seventh regiment, of Col. Chatfield's brigade, was also brought forward, and formed in line of battle to the left, in face of the low growth of bushes to which I have alluded-a measure which was executed with the most admirable coolness and in perfect order. The fire of our battery soon silenced that of the enemy, which was not resumed. The other troops of my command maintained their original position through the entire engagement, except the volunteer engineers, who, by my direction, changed front forward to the left, to cover the approach in that direction.

Although not actually engaged with the enemy, the troops of my command were constantly under the fire of the enemy's artillery, which was at times very warm, and which was borne most unflinchingly by officers and men, who were anxious to be brou to face with the enemy.