DOCUMENTS. them formed by the dams built to obtain a head When we moved in, of water to run the mills. Quimby's division had passed through, ascended one of the zigzag roads, and were encamped on the eastern hill summits, McArthur's on the south side of the valley. General Ross's command soon commenced winding its way serpentlike up the hills, and bivouacked on the north side of the basin, so that the three divisions of Gen. Hamilton's column surrounded the valley. No more picturesque scene could be imagined than that of yesterday evening-the little lakes, deep set like mirrors in the bosom of the hills, the thousands of soldiers filling their canteens, the thousands of horses led down to drink and splashing in the margin of the water, the smoke of the innumerable camp-fires on the hill-tops, the whole drawn on a background of a few long streaks of fiery cloud that the sun left as he went down, formed a picture that few who saw it will forget. Just before we came to the camping ground yesterday evening, we passed the spot on the road where Colonel Lee, who is in the advance, had four hours previous had a skirmish with the enemy's cavalry. On one side of the road was the newly made grave of one of the Seventh Kansas cavalry, killed in the fight; and on the other side, the baggage of the artillerymen, of the two guns of the Second Iowa battery that are with Lee, was thrown just as they threw it down when the enemy was first The rebels soon retreated with a loss of six killed, and the artillery and cavalry were far ahead of us in pursuit. During the evening, until quite dark, we could occasionally hear the faint report of their guns as they continued to drive the enemy back along the road toward the Tallahatchie River. seen. Colonel Lee, with his brigade of cavalry and two ten-pound Parrott guns, was far in the advance ever since we left Holly Springs, and his advance was one continued skirmish along the whole distance from Holly Springs to where he now is, within two miles of the Tallahatchie. The country through which the road runs to this place is of the same character that it is in Tennessee, long, undulating swells of land, densely wooded, with beech and oak. From the summit of each of these swells of land the rebels would stop and fire their one piece of artillery, (the only one they had,) without much effect though, as they only killed one of our men in all their yesterday's firing. This morning firing was heard again in the front, and as we had learned yesterday, while we were at Holly Springs, that Gen. Sherman, with the army from Memphis, was at "Chulahoma," only eight miles west of us, we were at first in doubt as to whether he had not reached the Tallahatchie and was attacking the enemy at Wyatt's Ford, which is five miles west of Abbeyville. This afternoon, however, when I rode down the road toward the Tallahatchie, I met Lee's cavalry coming back to camp about four miles this side of the river. One of their two guns had They all report the enemy strongly fortified This evening, after Colonel Lee's forces and the distant firing was heard in the south-west, which two Ohio regiments had withdrawn to camp, some must have been Sherman attacking the enemy at Wyatt's Ford. The sky was lowering and the air was thick with mist, and the distant discharges of the guns do not come to us in sharp reports. The sound is like rolls of distant, mutIf the attack is deferred tering thunder, premonitions of a storm that will burst against the rebel fortifications very soon, perhaps to-morrow. longer than that, it is my humble opinion that the enemy will not wait to receive it. Doc. 56. W. L. F. -Missouri Democrat. SECOND MINNESOTA VOLUNTEERS. To James George, Colonel Commanding Second for these four months, is probably more varied by stirring events, severe toil, great endurance, unflinching devotion to duty, and general health will be, for the same length of time, while we are and vigor of nerve, than it ever has been, or ever in the service. This period commences with that melancholy event, the cowardly murder by guerrillas, upon the sixth day of August, of our much-beloved Brig.-General Robert L. McCook. As a military officer, he was universally and deservedly respected and beloved by his brigade; and by His murder cast a deep gloom over this reginone more so than by the Second Minnesota. ment; and his death, even to this day, is referred to among us only with deep emotions of sorrow. We shall ever cherish his memory with chasten ed and hallowed delight, and hand his name down to posterity as a true patriot and a brave commander. After spending twelve days near Dechard, Tennessee, at the great springs, we left that place, August twentieth, for Pelham, twelve miles east. Here we bivouacked upon a dreary, rocky bluffside for six days, challenging in every honorable way the rebel Bragg to fight us, who was, with a powerful army exceeding ours in number, passing north within a few miles east of us. But all to no purpose. He would not accept the challenge. September fourth and fifth found us at Murfreesboro, where our train, after a hazardous trip from Dechard, rejoined us, and we were again in tents, after having been without them for ten days. From September seventh to the fourteenth, we were in Nashville, engaged in guarding the city, and in fatigue duties upon the extensive fortifications then being erected. On Sabbath afternoon, September fourteenth, by the approbation of Gen. Stedman, I secured one of the principal churches in Nashville, for the special use of our brigade, where we could have preaching every Sabbath, in a place dedicated to the worship of God, instead of being exposed to all the inconveniences of field-preaching. While thus dreaming, in common with the whole regiment, that we should spend many months in Nashville, the order came at three o'clock P.M. on that day, that we must march for Louisville, Ky., in one hour, with five days' rations in our haversacks, leaving our tents all standing. that city as we came, with thousands of others in pursuit of the enemy. We cannot forbear mentioning two or three incidents, which occurred in that pursuit, that are especially associated with this regiment, here of a similar character might have occurred, had it not been for our reserved position. Our division was the reserve of our corps, and our brigade was the reserve of our division. Monday, October 6th.-Not anticipating an attack, we left our camp at sunrise. That day our regiment will not soon forget. Our brigade led the division, and our regiment the brigade. Thus we were thrown on that day in front of all our forces, upon that route. At Springfield we were unceremoniously met by a spirited and ra pid cannonading in our front, while round shot and shell were dealt out to us more bountifully than was for our convenience. At five different times during that day, upon our march, we were in like manner fiercely attacked, and at each time, though the enemy had a chance to choose their own positions, by the skilful and masterly movement of our able colonel, and the spirited and undaunted energy of our men in skirmishing, flanking and charging, the rebels were driven back each time by our regiment alone. In one of these skirmishes we left eight of the enemy upon the field. How many of them fell in the other four we have no means of knowing, as we were making a rapid march and clearing the track for the thousands of forces coming in our rear. In all these running fights not one of our men received a wound, though some of us had narrow escapes, especially from the bursting shells. This order came like a thunderbolt upon us. In the bloody battle of Perryville, October But such a folding of blankets, filling knapsacks ninth, on account of our reserved position, we and haversacks, saddling horses and harnessing were not ordered up until late in the afternoon. mules, leaping of men from tent to tent, and A part of McCook's corps, after a fierce resistrushing of teams to and fro, I am sure are sel- ance, were falling back before the enemy. Our dom seen. But when that hour had passed, all whole brigade were brought up to arrest their were in line for that long and never-to-be-forgot-progress, and that, too, under a terrific fire from ten march, which we had in no sense anticipated their artillery. Our battery-Loder's-one of at the beginning of that hour. The weather was warm, the roads excessively dusty, the springs were low, many of the streams were entirely dried up, and for days constantly marching in a thick cloud of dust, nothing but stagnant water in sink-holes could be obtained to slake our thirst. At the same time we had nothing but hard bread and pork, and very light rations of these, without coffee or sugar. At Bowling Green we drew flour, but had no means of baking it but by throwing it into hot ashes. But all this was endured with that patriotic, soldierly bearing which is the pride of our American army. September 27th.-In thirteen days we arrived at Louisville. When actually marching-for we made a few halts for a part or all of a day-we varied from twenty to thirty miles per day in making the two hundred miles from one city to the other. After spending three days in Louisville, in receiving rations, clothing, and a payment, we left the most powerful in the service, replied with such skill and energy that soon disabled and silenced the strongest battery in Bragg's army. But while this murderous duel of batteries was raging, our brigade was exposed to their cross fire, and the bursting of the shells from each. A hotter and more dangerous place in this world no man has a right to anticipate as a test of his valor. The going in of our brigade at that critical moment saved that portion of our army there engaged from a perfect rout. By a kind Providence, not a man of us was in the least degree injured. God's hand seemed in a wonderful manner to protect each and all. The darkness of night soon put an end to this murderous fray, and our whole brigade, like herds of tigers crouching for a last murderous pounce upon their prey, laid down upon their arms in line of battle, to await, as they supposed, an appalling strife at the dawn of the morning. But when that morning came the enemy had fled, and we had nothing to do but to take our breakfast of hard bread, pork, and coffee, in quiet possession of the field. In a few days after, stung with disappointed hope that the enemy, who should have been ours, had escaped from our grasp, we found ourselves retracing our weary steps to Tennessee, where we now are watching the movements of our subtle, traitorous foe. In the four months embraced in this report we have been without tents sixty-six days, during which has occurred the severest snow storm this regiment has seen the past year. In all we have now in the regiment,... Total upon the sick list,. Absent in different hospitals,. 709 556 54 12 $69 642 3166 69 Total number of deaths in the same time,. In company D, there have died, Leonard Town, Doc. 57. ACTION NEAR FRANKLIN, VA. IN THE FIELD OF ALBERT JOHNSON, TWO MILES FROM CARSVILLE, VA., December 2, 1862. YESTERDAY afternoon, a force of three thousand, including one section of Howard's battery, two sections of the Seventh Massachusetts battery, the Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, and five regiments of infantry—the Ohio Sixty-second, Illinois Thirty-ninth, Pennsylvania One Hundred and Third, New-York One Hundred and Thirtieth, and Massachusetts Sixth-all under command of Col. Spear, Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, left 66 Suffolk, with two days' rations, for a little business excursion toward Franklin. Indications of rebel forces were seen during the day on our side of the Blackwater, and their pickets were chased by the scouts of the Eleventh. Soon after sunrise, this morning, the whole force reached Beaver Dam Church, two miles beyond Carsville, and three miles short of Franklin, when the videttes brought in the exciting news that a squad of our pickets, some dozen in number, had boldly charged on a large rebel force of cavalry and a battery, at a point a mile or so beyond, toward Franklin. These tidings raised the ardor of the Eleventh, and under the lead of Col. Spear, its commander, and Major Stratton, who headed the charge, the force, consisting of companies A, B, G, and I, made a most dashing and brilliant charge on the rebel corps, which proved to be four companies of the Second Georgia regiment of cavalry and two pieces of the far-famed rocket battery, presented to Gen. McClellan in Europe, and captured from him by the rebels. As soon as our force made its appearance, a most ignominious skedaddle ensued. It commenced a mile from Franklin, and was followed by the dash and abandon that have made "Spear's cavalry" the crack corps of Peck's division, until the force reached the floating bridge at Franklin, and the retreat was covered by the batteries across the Blackwater. The boys returned from their charge with twenty rebel prisoners from the rocket battery, and the Second Georgia cavalry, Col. Joel R. Griffin, thirty-five guns, seven horses, a quantity of accoutrements and equipments, and, best achievement of all, two of twelve pieces of the rocket battery. This arm, with its noisy projectile, full of sound and fury, is regarded as most formidable by the cavalry, as it introduces great consternation among horses. We captured caissons, two guns, and a quantity of rockets, four large horses, and all the men who worked the guns. Nearly all the captured prisoners were wounded, mostly by sabre-cuts, some of which were severe, but none fatal. In company F, there have been two deaths: Oliver N. Keyes and Marquis D. Mitchell. In company I, one has died: De Loss Eustice. The health of our regiment amidst such severe exposures and toil calls for special gratitude to God. As we have literally here no continuing city or abiding-place, and much of the time have been in hourly expectation of skirmishes and battle with the enemy, while this service has been so active, full of toil, fatigue, and anxiety, and when a few hours have been spent in camp, there has been such a demand for rest, that few and far between have been the opportunities for public worship. Still we have had religious services occasionally during the last four months. We have such a vast number in our hospitals who can be reached by religious instruction under highly favorable circumstances, while the services of the field are so active, leaving no time upon the Sabbath as upon other days, for any thing but strictly military duties, it is a serious question whether most of our chaplains should not confine much or all of their time to the afflicted in hospitals instead of remaining in the field, where their opportunities for doing good are by necessity, exceedingly small, whatever may be their devotion to their work. With sentiments of high regard, I remain, dear T. R. CRESSY, The prisoners were a sorry set, most of whom expressed joy at being captured, and at the promise of food, and exemption from a forced military service. "Butternut," and the coarsest gray, constituted their clothing, and they received food, especially coffee, with ravenous appetites, assuring us that only "hard tack"-ten crackers a day-formed their regular rations, and that they On the day of my arrival at Harrison's Landing were the victims of a conscription, from which Gen. McClellan was of opinion that he would rethey were glad to escape by the oath of allegiance. quire at least fifty thousand additional troops. I Conversations with the prisoners inform us informed him that this number could not possithat there are about three thousand troops in bly be sent, that I was not authorized to promise and near Franklin, and that they are strongly him over twenty thousand, and that I could not fortified with fifteen pieces of artillery, two pieces well see how even that number could be safely of which, at least, are very large siege-guns, pro- withdrawn from other places. He took the night cured since the recent set-to we had with them, for considering the matter, and informed me the of which I lately advised you. These forces are next morning that he would make the attempt all under the command of General Robinson and upon Richmond with the additional twenty thou General French. If those we have captured are sand, but immediately on my return to Washingspecimens of the rest, the artillery constitutes all ton he telegraphed that he would require thirtythe formidable force the enemy has. The cav-five thousand, a force which it was impossible to alry were mounted on but tolerable horses, with send him without leaving Washington and Baltirifles and fowling-pieces that can only be loaded more almost defenceless. The only alternative when the men are dismounted, without sabre or now left was to withdraw the army of the Potopistol. One regiment of our boys would be good mac to some position where it could unite with for three such. that of Gen. Pope, and cover Washington at the same time that it operated against the enemy. After full consultation with my officers, I determined to attempt this junction on the Rappahannock, by bringing McClellan's forces to Acquia Creek. Accordingly, on the thirtieth July, I telegraphed to him to send away his sick as quickly as possible, preparatory to a movement of his troops. This was preliminary to the withdrawal of his entire army, which was ordered by telegraph on the third of August. In order that the transfer to Acquia Creek might be made as rapidly as possible, I authorized Gen. McClellan to assume control of all the vessels in the James River and Chesapeake Bay, of which there was then a vast fleet. The Quartermaster-General was also requested to send to that point all the transports that could be procured. On the fifth, I received a protest from Gen. McClellan, dated the fourth, against the removal of the army from Harrison's Landing, a copy of which is annexed, marked Exhibit No. 1, with my reply on the sixth, marked Exhibit No. 2. On the first of August I ordered Gen. Burnside to immediately embark his troops at Newport News, transfer them to Acquia Creek, and take position oppo site Fredericksburgh. This officer moved with great promptness, and reached Acquia Creek on the night of the third. His troops were immedi ately landed, and the transports sent back to General McClellan. Col. Spear, with characteristic courage, asked leave to follow up his advantage, feeling sure that he could wipe out Franklin with the force under his command, but, for reasons that are doubtless sufficient, a despatch from headquarters-fifteen miles distant-orders us to return at sunrise in the morning, and accordingly we are bivouacked in this place for the night, having accomplished this really brilliant success without the slightest loss or injury, with the exception of one or two slight bruises received by the falling of horses. It is really one of the neatest little affairs of the season, and our entire force award all the praise to the Pennsylvania Eleventh; the only regret of the rest of us being that we were not able to participate in the achievement any further than to be at hand to support, in case our services were needed. Doc. 58. -New-York Tribune. GENERAL HALLECK'S REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ARMIES. SIR In compliance with your orders, I have the honor to submit the following report of military operations since the twenty-third of July last, when, in compliance with the President's order, I assumed the command of the army as General-in-Chief. The first thing to which my attention was called on my arrival here was the condition of the army at Harrison's Landing, on the James River. I immediately visited General McClellan's headquarters for consultation. I left Washington on the twenty-fourth and returned on the twenty-seventh. The main object of this consultation was to ascertain if there was a possibility of an advance upon Richmond from Harrison's Landing, and if not, to favor some plan of uniting the armies of Gen. McClellan and Gen. Pope on some other line. Not being familiar with the position and numbers of the troops in Virginia, and on the coast, I took the President's estimate of the largest number of reenforcements that could be sent to the army of the Potomac. About this time I received information that the enemy was preparing a large force to drive back Gen. Pope, and attack either Washington or Baltimore. The information was so direct and trustworthy that I could not doubt its correctness. This gave me serious uneasiness for the safety of the capital and Maryland, and I repeatedly urged upon Gen. McClellan the necessity of promptly moving his army so as to form a junction with that of Gen. Pope. The evacuation of Harrison's Landing, however, was not commenced till the fourteenth, eleven days after it was ordered. Greatly discouraged at the prospect of timely aid from that quarter, I authorized Gen. Pope to order the main forces of General Cox, in Western Virginia, with all possible despatch by railroad, to join him via Washington. To facilitate the withdrawal of the army of the Potomac from the Peninsula, and to gain time by a demonstration against the enemy, Gen. Pope pushed his forces across the Rappahannock, occupied Culpeper and threatened Gordonsville. Jackson's and Ewell's forces were hurried to the Rapidan, and on the ninth of August encountered Banks's corps at Cedar Mountain. A hard-fought battle ensued, and on the arrival of reënforcements from the corps of Gens. McDowell and Sigel, the enemy fell back upon the Rapidan and Gordonsville. cut at Kettle Run by a part of Jackson's corps under Ewell, which had marched around Pope's right and attacked his rear, Finding it doubtful whether we could hold Rappahannock long enough to effect this junction of the two armies, I had directed a part of the Peninsula forces to land at Alexandria, and move out by railroad as rapidly as possible. As soon as I had heard that the enemy had turned Gen. Pope's right flank and forced him to change his front, I ordered the remainder of the army of the Potomac to Alexandria, and directed Gen. Burnside to prepare to evacuate Fredericksburgh and Acquia Creek. I determined, however, to hold this position as long as possible for a base of future operations. Gen. Pope's dispositions at this juncture were well planned. The corps of McDowell and Sigel, and the Pennsylvania reserves, under Reynolds, were pushed forward to Gainesville; Reno and Kearny were directed upon Greenwich, while Hooker's division was sent against Ewell along the railroad. Unfortunately, however, the movement was too late, as a large detachment of Lee's army was already east of Thoroughfare Gap. Hooker encountered the enemy near Kettle Run, and a sharp engagement ensued. This gallant division drove Ewell a distance of five miles, the enemy leaving their dead, and many of their wounded, on the field. As McDowell, Sigel, and Reynolds had reached their positions, there was now every prospect that Jackson would be destroyed before reënforcements could come to his relief. On the fifteenth, our cavalry surprised a party of the enemy near Louisa Court-House, and captured important despatches, showing that Lee was moving by forced marches the main body of the rebel army to attack Pope, before a junction could be formed between him and the army of the Potomac. On the sixteenth, I telegraphed to General Pope not to cross the Rapidan, and advised him to take position in rear of the Rappahannock, where he could be more easily reenforced. He commenced this movement on the seventeenth, and by the morning of the eighteenth had most of his forces behind that river, prepared to hold its passes as long as possible. He had been reënforced by King's division and a part of Burnside's corps, under Gen. Reno, from Fredericksburgh. I also directed Gen. Burnside to occupy Richard's and Barnett's Fords, which were between him and Gen. Pope's main army. The enemy made several attempts to cross at different points on the Rappahannock, but was always repulsed, and our troops succeeded in holding the line of this river for eight days. It was hoped that during this time sufficient forces On the evening of the twenty-seventh, General from the army of the Potomac would reach Pope ordered Gen. Porter to be at Bristow's StaAcquia Creek to enable us to prevent any fur- tion by daylight on the morning of the twentyther advance of Lee, and eventually, with the eighth, with Morell's, and also directed him to combined armies, to drive him back upon Rich-communicate to Banks the order to move forward mond. On the twenty-fourth, he made a flank movement, and crossed a portion of his forces at Waterloo Bridge, about twelve miles above the Rappahannock railroad station. Pope directed an attack upon the forces which had crossed the river, hoping to cut them off, but the enemy escaped with no great loss. The annexed telegram from General Pope, marked Exhibit No. 3, and dated the twenty-fifth, gives his views of the condition of affairs at that date. The enemy, however, had not fallen back, as he supposed, but on being repulsed at Waterloo Bridge, had moved further up the river and entered the valley which lies between the Blue Ridge and Bull Run Mountains. The object of this movement was evidently to get in Pope's rear, and cut off his supplies from Washington. to Warrenton Junction. All trains were ordered this side of Cedar Run, and to be protected by a regiment of infantry, and a section of artillery. For some unexplained reasons Porter did not comply with this order, and his corps was not in the battles of the twenty-eighth and twentyninth. Heintzelman's corps pressed forward to Manassas on the morning of the twenty-eighth, and forced Jackson to retreat across Bull Run by the Centreville turnpike. McDowell had succeeded in checking Lee at Thoroughfare Gap, but the latter took the road from Hopeville to Newmarket and hastened to the relief of Jackson, who was already in rapid retreat. A portion of McDowell's corps encountered the retreating column on the afternoon of the twenty-eighth, near WarrenAnticipating this danger, I had telegraphed to ton turnpike, and a severe but successful engageGen. Pope on the twenty-third: "By no means ment ensued. Jackson was again attacked on expose your railroad communication with Alex- the twenty-ninth, near the old battle-ground of andria. It is of the utmost importance in send- July, 1861. Knowing that Longstreet was not ing your supplies and reënforcements." On the distant, he made a most desperate stand. The twenty-sixth I telegraphed: "If possible to at- fight continued nearly all day, and was termitack the enemy in flank do so, but the main ob-nated only by darkness. We had gained conject now is to ascertain his position." From siderable ground, but nothing was decided when this time till the thirtieth I had no communica- the battle closed. It was renewed the next morntion with General Pope, the telegraph-lines being ing, and after another day's hard fighting, our |