regiments were held in reserve to support the five been on the field, and some plan of action arengaged, and to protect their retreat. RICHMOND "DISPATCH" ACCOUNT. CHARLESTON, June 20, 1862. The late battle in the vicinity of this city was a far more brilliant and important affair than at first supposed. The enemy were so badly beaten that they have not fired a shot from their gunboats or batteries since, though previous to the fight they kept up a constant cannonade, day and night. Considering the number of troops engaged on our side, and the length and fierceness of the combat, the battle is one of the most remarkable of the war. The rout of the invaders was complete. They abandoned their dead, and fled in wild confusion to their gunboats. Two of their regiments, the Seventy-ninth New-York (Highlanders,) and one from Michigan, fought well. One company of the former penetrated as far as our breastworks, and its captain was killed while mounting the ramparts. The enemy had five regiments in the fight. Our forces engaged consisted of three companies of South-Carolina artillery-the Charleston battalion, which numbered only one hundred and fifty men; the Eutaw battalion, four hundred strong, and Col. McEnery's Louisiana battalion. Other regiments came to the relief of these troops, but most of the fighting was already over. It will be seen, therefore, that the enemy outnumbered us two or three to one. Their greatest loss was occasioned in attempting to storm our intrenchments, behind which Col. Lamar's artillery was stationed. Col. Lamar was the hero of the battle. He was severely wounded. Col. McEnery also deserves great praise. He led his Louisianians fearlessly into the fight with the watch word: "Remember Butler." Two Every day's exploration of the surrounding woods reveals additional dead of the enemy. It has been ascertained that a body of the Federals attempted to cross a swamp, where many of them stuck fast in the mud, and were killed and wounded by our shells. Finally the tide came up, and drowned both dead and wounded. hundred and fifty of the enemy have already been buried by our troops, and fifty additional dead bodies were discovered yesterday. The total loss of the enemy in the battle cannot be far from--Killed and left on the field,..... Taken prisoners, . . . Wounded and dead carried off of the field, estimated at........ 300 130 700 Total loss of the enemy,........ 1430 The confederate loss in this glorious victory is: Killed,.. Wounded, Total confederate loss,..... 48 106 154 The enemy's attack was a surprise to our ranged, the whole of the enemy's attacking force might have been cut off. As it was, the greater part of the battle was fought by the rank and file 66 on their own hook." We have four confederate generals in this quarter, but not one was in command. To the rank and file, then, be the glory given of having achieved one of the most brilliant successes of the war. If the confederate government is looking for material for more brigadier-generals, let promotion fall upon the lionhearted Col. Lamar, who defended the intrenchments, and the gallant and chivalrous McEnery, who, like Blucher, came into the field just in the nick of time. Since the battle, the enemy have been intrenching themselves silently at the lower end of James Island. As their plan of assault has proved impracticable, it is presumed they will be contented hereafter to advance by regular approaches-that is, if they are permitted to do so. Prisoners state that there are nine Federal regiments on the island, and that Gen. Isaac I. Stevens, of Oregon, (the chairman of the Breckinridge National Committee in the last Presidential campaign,) is in command. This man Stevens professed to be an ardent pro-slavery man before the war, and was here in Charleston, enjoying its hospitalities, only two years ago. There is much dissatisfaction here with the military authorities of the department, and a strong wish expressed for a change in the commanding officers. The South-Carolina troops are anxious to defend Charleston, and will do so successfully if they are permitted to. A report that we were to have the great services of Beauregard spread universal joy omong the troops. If, however, we cannot have Beauregard, we would be glad to get Huger, Magruder, Hill of NorthCarolina, Whiting, Gregg, Joseph R. Anderson, or any other first-class general. A change of some kind is necessary to restore confidence to the troops and people. GENTLEMEN: My attention has just been called to the following despatch, (published in your issue of yesterday,) of Major-General Halleck, commanding enemy's forces, which, coming from such a source, is most remarkable in one respect: that it contains as many misrepresentations as lines: WASHINGTON, June 5, 1862. The following despatch was received this after troops. Had a competent confederate general noon at the War Department: HALLECK'S HEADQUARTERS June 4, 1862. Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: Gen. Pope, with forty thousand men, is thirty miles south of Corinth, pushing the enemy hard. He already reports ten thousand prisoners and deserters from the enemy, and fifteen thousand stand of arms captured. Thousands of the enemy are throwing away their arms. A farmer says that when Beauregard learned that Col. Elliott had cut the railroad on his line of retreat, he became frantic, and told his men to save themselves the best way they could. We have captured nine locomotives and a number of cars. One of the former is already repaired, and is running to-day. Several more will be in running order in two or three days. The result is all I could possibly desire. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General Commanding. Gen. Pope did not "push hard" upon me with forty thousand men, thirty miles from Corinth on the fourth instant; for my troops occupied a defensive line in the rear of Twenty-Mile Creek less than twenty-five miles from Corinth until the eighth instant, when the want of good water induced me to retire at my leisure to a better position; moreover, if Gen. Pope had attempted at any time during the retreat from Corinth, to push hard upon me, I would have given him a lesson that would have checked his ardor, but he was careful to advance only after my troops had retired from each successive position. The retreat was conducted with great order and precision, doing much credit to the officers and men under my orders, and must be looked upon in every respect by the country as equivalent to a brilliant victory. Gen. Pope must certainly have dreamed of having taken ten thousand prisoners and fifteen thousand stand of arms, for we positively never lost them; about one or two hundred stragglers would probably cover all the prisoners he took, and about five hundred damaged muskets all the arms he got; these belonged to a convalescent camp, (four miles south of Corinth,) evacuated during the night, and were overlooked on account of the darkness. The actual number of prisoners taken during the retreat was about equal on both sides, and they were but few. Major-General Halleck must be a very credulous man to believe the absurd story of "that farmer." He ought to know that the burning of two or more cars on a railroad is not sufficient to make "Beauregard frantic" and ridiculous, especially when I expected to hear every moment of the capture of his marauding party, whose departure from Farmington had been communicated to me the day before, and I had given in consequence all necessary orders; but a part of my forces passed Booneville an hour before the arrival of Col. Elliott's command, and the other part arrived just in time to drive it away, and liberate the convalescents captured; unfortunately, how ever, not in time to save four of the sick, who were barbarously consumed in the station-house. Let Col. Elliott's name descend to infamy as the author of such a revolting deed. Gen. Halleck did not capture nine locomotives. It was only by the accidental destruction of a bridge before some trains had passed that he got seven engines in a damaged condition, the cars having been burned by my orders. It is indeed lamentable to see how little our enemies respect truth and justice when speaking of their military operations, especially when, through inability or over-confidence, they meet with deserved failure. If the result be "all he desired," it can be said he is easily satisfied; it remains to be seen whether his government and people are of the like opinion. I attest that all we lost at Corinth, and during the retreat, would not amount to one day's expenses of his army. Respectfully, your obedient servant, Doc. 74. GEN. LONGSTREET'S PROCLAMATION. HEADQUARTERS RIGHT WING, ARMY BEFORE RICHMOND, June 17, 1862. SOLDIERS: You have marched out to fight the battles of your country, and by those battles must you be rescued from the shame of slavery. Your foes have declared their purpose of bringing you to beggary; and avarice, their national char acteristic, incites them to redoubled efforts for the conquest of the South, in order that they may seize their sunny fields and happy homes. Already has the hatred of one of their great leaders attempted to make the negro your equal by declaring his freedom. They care not for the blood of babes nor carnage of innocent women which servile insurrection thus stirred up may bring upon their heads. Worse than this, the North has sent forth another infamous chief, encourag ing the lust of his hirelings to the dishonor and violation of those Southern women who have so untiringly labored to clothe our soldiers in the field and nurse our sick and wounded. If ever men were called upon to defend the beloved daughters of their country, that now is our duty. Let such thoughts nerve you up to the most dreadful shock of battle, for were it certain death, death would be better than the fate that defeat would entail upon us all. But remember though the fiery noise of the battle is indeed most terri fying, and seems to threaten universal ruin, it is not so destructive as it seems, and few soldiers after all are slain. This the Commanding General desires particularly to impress upon the fresh and unexperienced troops who now constitute a part of this command. Let officers and men, even under the most formidable fire, preserve a quiet demeanor and self-possessed temper. Keep cool, obey orders and aim low. Remember while you are doing this, and driving the enemy before FOUGHT JUNE 17, 1862. COMMANDER DAVIS'S REPORTS. UNITED STATES FLAG STEAMER Benton, SIR: The Conestoga, Lieut. Commanding G. W. Blodgett, arrived here to-day from White River. She brings information of the capture of two batteries at St. Charles, eighty miles from the mouth; the first of which mounted four Parrott guns, and the second three forty-two-pounder rifled guns. Three guns, it is understood, were taken from the gunboat Mariposa, which, after being dismounted, was sunk. There is now but one gunboat remaining in White River, the Pontchartrain, mounting three or five guns, and having her machinery protected by iron and cotton. The enemy has attempted to block up the river by driving piles and by sinking boats, but no serious obstructions have yet been discovered. The Conestoga will return to White River tonight with reenforcements, accompanied by an additional transport laden with commissary stores. The victory at St. Charles, which has probably given us the command of White River, and secured our communication with Gen. Curtis, would be unalloyed with regret but for the fatal accident to the steam-drum and heater of the Mound City, mentioned in my telegraph despatch. Of the crew, consisting of one hundred and seventy-five officers and men, eighty-two have already died, forty-three were killed in the water or drowned, twenty-five are severely wounded, and are now on board the hospital-boat. Among the latter is Capt. Kilty. They promise to do well. Three officers and twenty-two men escaped uninjured. After the explosion took place the wounded men were shot by the enemy while in the water, and the boats of the Conestoga, Lexington and St. Louis, which went to the assistance of the scalded and drowning men of the Mound City, were fired into both with great guns and muskets, and were disabled-one of them forced on shore to prevent sinking. The forts were commanded by Lieut. Joseph Fry, late of the United States navy, who is now a prisoner and wounded. UNITED STATES FLAG STEAMER BENTON, SIR: The number of wounded men on board of the hospital boat Red Rover, is forty-one. The account given me yesterday was incorrect. I shall still wait for further knowledge before presenting a final report of the casualties attending the capture of the St. Charles forts. The Department will be gratified to learn that the patients are most of them doing well. The surgeon assures me that Capt. Kilty is out of danger, but he is severely crippled in his hands and feet, and suffers a great deal. Ile is a brave gentleman and a loyal officer. He has always been conspicuous in this squadron for acting his part in the best spirit of the profession. In the attack on the batteries at St. Charles he occupied the leading place, and received his wounds at the head of the line, in the zealous performance of his whole duty. Although himself wounded and helpless, he attended to the wants and comforts of his injured officers and men. I have gratefully to acknowledge our obligations to Major-Gen. Wallace and to Dr. Jessup, of the Twenty-fourth Indiana, and to Dr. McClellan, of the First Nebraska regiment, for their valuable assistance. Sister Angela, the Superior of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, (some of whom are performing their offices of mercy at the Mound City Hospi tal,) has kindly offered the services of the Sisters for the hospital-boat of this squadron when needed. I have written to Com. Pennock to make arrangements for their coming. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, CHARLES H. DAVIS, Flag-Officer Commanding Western Flotilla. SECRETARY WELLES'S LETTER. NAVY DEPARTMENT, June 27, 1862. SIR: Your despatch of the nineteenth instant, communicating information of the capture of two batteries at St. Charles, and the removal of obstructions which have probably given us the command of White River, has been received. The intelligence of the continued success of the navy is most gratifying; but the victory of St. Charles is mingled with regret for the lamented dead, and sympathy for the wounded, who were victims of the fatal accident to the Mound City, and of their barbarous opponents who fired upon them after that great calamity. The contrast between these great barbarities of a savage enemy at St. Charles, and the humane efforts of yourself and your command to rescue the wounded and disabled at Memphis is honorable to the gallant men of the flotilla, and will be gratefully remembered. The nation honoring the memory and sufferings of its heroes, sympathizes with the wounded survivors and the bereaved families of the gallant dead. Its noblest tributes are due to those who bleed for their country and die in its cause. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, GIDEON WELLES. To Flag-Officer CHARLES H. DAVIS, Commanding Western Flotilla, Memphis via Cairo. OFFICIAL REPORT OF COLONEL FITCH. ST. CHARLES, WHITE RIVER, ARK., June 17. To Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: On arriving eight miles below here last evening, we ascertained that the enemy had two batteries here, supported by a force-number unknown-of infantry. A combined attack was made at seven o'clock A.M. to-day. The regiment under my command (Forty-sixth Indiana) landed two and a half miles below the battery, and skirmishers were thrown out, who drove in the enemy's pickets. The gunboats then moved up and opened on their batteries. A rifled shot from one of the batteries penetrated the steam-drum of the Mound City, disabling, by scalding, most of her crew. Apprehensive that some similar accident might happen to the other gunboats, and thus leave my small force without their support, I signalled the gunboats to cease firing, and we would storm the battery. They ceased at exactly the right moment, and my men carried the battery gallantly. The infantry were driven from the support of the guns, the gunners shot at their posts, their commanding officer Freye (formerly of the United States navy) wounded and captured, and eight brass and iron guns, with ammunition, captured. The enemy's loss is unknown. We have buried seven or eight of their dead, and other dead and wounded are being brought in. The casualties among my own command are small, the only real loss being from the escaping steam in the Mound City. She will probably be repaired and ready to proceed with us up the I had better give you a full account of the expedition up this river since it left Memphis. We left Memphis last Friday at five A.M., the Mound City, Capt. A. H. Kilty, commanding the expedition, the St. Louis, Capt. W. McGunnegle, and the Lexington, Capt. James W. Shirk, with a coal-barge in tow. At three P.M. came in sight of Helena, and discovered a steamboat laying there. We kept on, but soon the steamboat, which we made out to be the Clara Dolsen, commenced backing out and rounding to to start down the river. The Mound City signalled us, but we could not make it out, so soon a small boat put off and came alongside with orders to give chase to the Clara Dolsen, we being faster than the iron-clad boats. We ran down to the St. Louis, cast off the coal-barge, and started after the rebel steamer. The tug Spiteful, which accompanied the Mound City as a tender, had already started in chase, but we passed her in about an hour, rounded to, her machinery having given way. The Mound City being nearest to the Dolsen by half a mile when she left Helena, fired several shots at her, but they all fell short. We continued the chase until about nine in the evening, when, having for some time lost sight of the Dolsen entirely, and knowing her to be one of the fastest boats on the river, we gave up the chase and came to anchor. Next morning, the iron-boats having caught up to us in the mean time, we took the barge in tow and started down the river and came to anchor at ten A.M., some ten miles up White River by a "cut-off" leading into Arkansas River. The tug Spiteful then went up the river on a "reconnoissance" and returned in the afternoon, followed by the Clara Dolsen, which she had captured some twenty miles up the river. She is a magnificent boat and worth about sixty thou sand dollars. We lay there all that night and the next day and night, tortured dreadfully by musquitoes. On Sunday Captain Kilty put the Dolsen in charge of the Third Master of the Lexington, James Fitzpatrick, and sent her up to Memphis. Next morning, (Monday, sixteenth,) at five, the gunboat Conestoga, Captain Blodget, and the transports New National and White Cloud, came up the river and we then all got under way and proceeded up White River. We anchored that night some fifty miles up the river, and sent the Spiteful on ahead to reconnoitre. She returned in about two hours with the information that the enemy had erected a battery at St. Charles, some four miles above. Next morning at six we all got under way, the Mound City leading the St. Louis, Lexington and Conestoga, and the transports White Cloud and New National, with some six hundred men under Col. Fitch. MY DEAR MOTHER: I have not had time to At eight o'clock we called to quarters and comwrite to you before about the battle that we had menced firing our No. One Parrott gun, and the up here last Tuesday, of which you have doubt-transports disembarked their troops, who marched less heard by this time. river to-morrow. A full report will be made as early as possible. ACCOUNT BY A PARTICIPANT. ST. CHARLES, WHITE RIVER, ARKANSAS, } When I went over the battle-field of Pittsburgh Landing, I thought I had seen as horrible a sight as it was possible to see, but the horrors of last Tuesday morning surpassed every thing. out to attack the enemy in the rear. At nine came in sight of three boats sunk in the channel of the river, one of them a gunboat, and at five minutes past nine the flag-ship signalled "Close action," the enemy opening fire on us at the same time. We could not see the rebel battery, it scalded; Paymaster Gunn, dying, (since dead;) being concealed from us by a bend in the river, Doctor Jones, dying; Mr. Young, pilot, the but their balls whistled freely over and around same; and Lieut. Fry, of the rebel navy, (danus, striking the water some twenty yards in front gerously shot through the back while running of us, and ricocheting some ten feet over our from his battery,) in Capt. Blodgett's cabin, and heads, with that peculiar whistling sound by the ward-room full of wounded men and officers. which a rifled ball can always be distinguished. The Musselman stopped on her way up and We advanced steadily all the time, the Mound buried twenty-seven, and by the time she got to City being only about five hundred yards from Memphis seven more were dead. We buried the battery, and in full view of it, and we some fifty-eight that same night, and the men who five hundred yards behind, when precisely at were not hurt came to take supper on our boat, three minutes past ten we suddenly saw steam and out of a crew which in the morning numbered rushing from all the port-holes of the Mound one hundred and eighty-five men, only twentyCity, soon enveloping her completely. I turned two were left. All the masters were scalded to away sick at heart, for I knew what an awful death except the First Master, Mr. Daniel, and he scene was being enacted on board of the ill-fated being upon the quarterdeck escaped. All the boat. When I looked again, a minute after-engineers were killed except the First Assistant, wards, the violence of the steam had already subsided, and the water was full of men struggling with the swift current which was sweeping them away to a speedy death, but far preferable to the torture which they afterwards endured. All the boats were immediately lowered and sent to pick them up, and soon the poor wretches were trying to crawl into the boats, while the rebels kept up a sharp fire of musketry and grape upon them, sending a shot through the launch of the Conestoga, which was filled with scalded men, killing and wounding several. Soon the ward-room of our boat was filled with men shrieking with agony. In such a case everybody is a doctor, so I got out my knife, and commenced cutting their clothes off, for wherever they were pulled off, the skin and flesh, which was literally boiled on their bones, came off with them. After getting their clothes off we deluged them with oil and flour, and covered them with raw cotton, they crying to us to shoot them and put them out of their pain. It made me so sick I was obliged to go on deck. When I got up the firing had ceased. An army officer had come down to the bank and told us that the land forces had surprised the enemy and taken their battery, just as they were about retreating from the fire of our boats. The Conestoga and the Spiteful in the mean time had towed the Mound City down-stream. I went on board of her in the afternoon, but I cannot describe the horrible scene which met my eye. The decks were covered with dead and dying men, here and there skin from men's hands and feet, with the nails yet attached; men crying for water! water! to quench the heat from the steam which was burning them inside. The Musselman, a small stern-wheel boat we had with us, went alongside of her to take on the wounded. I went into Capt. Kilty's room on the Mound City. A man lay on his bed gasping for water; I went to get him some; when I returned he was dead. We put some sixty-five scalded men on the Musselman, and a quarter of an hour afterwards we had to carry out seven of them which had died. The Musselman started for Memphis in the evening with fifty-eight scalded, accompanied by the Conestoga, with Captain Kilty dangerously VOL. V.-Doc. 15 Mr. Clemens, and he had gone up on the Clara Dolsen, also one of the pilots. One of the Master's Mates was killed, the other badly scalded. The ball that did all this mischief was a thirtytwo pound rifled, and entered upon the port side just above gun No. One, and killing two captains of guns, passed clear through the steam-drum and lodged in the forward officers' mess-room. In looking at that poor mess I thought that perhaps it was foreördained, but may God preserve me from such a fate. Your affectionate son, FRED. WISE. MISSOURI "DEMOCRAT" ACCOUNT. MEMPHIS, June 19, 1862. The The gunboat Conestoga and transport Jacob Musselman have just arrived from White River, and bring the news of the capture of Fort St. Charles, on that river, by the gunboats of the expedition which left here on Friday last. fleet consisted of the gunboats Mound City, (flagship,) St. Louis, Conestoga and Lexington, and the transports New National, White Cloud and Jacob Musselman, having on board the Fortysixth Indiana regiment, in command of Col. G. Ñ, Fitch. On Saturday last the fleet reached the mouth of White River, and on Monday, the eighteenth, began to ascend the stream. On Tuesday morning, at about seven o'clock, being within two miles of the supposed locality of the Fort, and the Mound City being in advance, Capt. Kilty began shelling the woods on each side of the river as they moved up, in order to cover the landing of Col. Fitch's troops from the transports. The landing was effected a little over a mile below the Fort, on the south-west bank of the river. The Fort, situated on a ridge of about seventyfive feet in height, which runs nearly parallel with and about two hundred feet back from the south-west bank of the river, was not completed, having only breastworks for the two batteries, but no works of defence for the rear. The upper battery of two forty-two-pounders was on the point of the ridge where it puts in close to the river. These two guns had been the armament of the gunboat Ponchartrain which the rebels had sunk so as to obstruct the channel of the river immediately abreast of the battery. Two trans |