continued to fight with unabated vigor. The order to retire was at last given to this devoted band, who reluctantly left their position. That closed the fighting for the day. We retired from the field, not knowing that the enemy was at the same time also retreating, baffled and discouraged, in fact beaten. So the bloody field was left unoccupied that the troops on the left actually broke, and were thrown into some disorder. But it is also true that when the desired point was gained the troops were readily halted and rallied with but little difficulty. Once, the One Hundred and Fifteenth Illinois - which did exceedingly well that day-seemed unable to rally; but General Steedman was near at hand, and, seizing the colors from the standard-bearer, advanced to-night. No, not wholly unoccupied; for James ward the enemy, saying to the men: "Boys, I'll T. Gruppy, a private of company D, Ninetycarry your flag if you'll defend it." They rallied sixth Illinois, not knowing that our troops had around him and did noble deeds. There was not fallen back, slept upon the battle-field, and next one instance of failure to rally the troops, though morning, as he awoke, found a rebel surgeon near the leaden hail fell so thick and fast among them him, looking for rebel dead, and who advised that nothing but their native heroism and the him, if he ever wished to see his regiment again, animating courage of their officers could have to hurry on to Chattanooga. kept them up to the work. Let it not be forgot- The fight was over, and while the Union army ten that on that afternoon there was but little was sad, the rebels were not exultant. The fight fighting, except upon Thomas's lines, whose right was over, and Steedman's division had made its Steedman held, and on the right the fiercest record. It had done more than that. Said Genfighting apparently was done. There was noth-eral Thomas to General Steedman: "You have ing to prevent the enemy from sending almost saved my corps!" overwhelming forces against us, and we learn from prisoners, and we judge from the incidents and character of the contest, that they were fighting Steedman with the odds of at least three to one in their favor. Thomas was holding their whole army in check, saving from irretrievable disaster the army of the Cumberland; and there was nothing akin to a holiday parade in the terrible momentum of their assaults to break through that bulwark, or the heroic endurance with which our soldiers met and repulsed them. More depended upon the individuality of the soldier than upon the harmonious movements of regiments and brigades. This was felt by our officers and soldiers. There was little manoeuvring, but there was a great deal of fighting. There was no waiting for commands in detail-no fir-gagement, has endured a greater loss in killed ing of volleys by platoons and companies. When we had gained a position in advance, and the line was halted in view of the enemy, the men fired at will, each intent only on doing his own duty well. After that repulse another assault was made, and with the same result. The rebels advanced, were checked; we drove and followed them until fresh troops were arrayed against us, and we in turn were forced to retire. But this time we drove them further, and kept them at bay longer, than before. One of our regiments-the Ninetysixth Illinois-pursued them nearly half a mile, and held that advanced position until it began to receive an enfilading fire from some of our own troops. Thus the contest continued until dark, and all the time we held the ridge. Sometimes a regiment or more would fall back beyond the ridge, but enough always remained to hold it. At last General Thomas gave the order to retire; but it failed to reach a portion of the Ninety-sixth Illinois, and a remnant of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio, who at the time occupied a position on the right, somewhat advanced beyond the line, and there for a considerable time they That was a deed worthy to be proud of; for from what disaster did not that corps save our army and our cause! But there was little feeling of pride that night among the troops of the First division of the reserve. We were busy in reckoning up our losses, and they were appalling! The long list of killed and wounded is a sad proof of the trial by fire to which, that afternoon, our division was subjected. Was ever such havoc made with a staff as that which General Whittaker's suffered ? There were eight of them, including the General. Three were killed, three wounded, one captured or killed, and only one escaped. How often has it happened that a regiment, in one afternoon's en and wounded than the Ninety-sixth Illinois? It took into battle four hundred and fifteen men. It lost forty-two killed and one hundred twentyone wounded-considerably more than one third. Of its twenty-three field, staff, and line-officers engaged, eleven were killed and wounded. It happened that that regiment, during the fight, was always in the front line, and was greatly exposed to the enemy's artillery; but, under the cool and able leadership of Colonel Champion, it maintained its place, and, with the One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio, was the last to leave the field. Whittaker's brigade of six regiments lost nearly one thousand men, killed and wounded, and Colonel Mitchell's brigade of four regiments lost nearly four hundred. There were many noble men who fell on that hard-fought field-many who deserve special mention. I know but few of the many, yet let me speak of two or three. Captain S. B. Espy, Assistant Commissary on General Whittaker's staff, was a very lion that day. He was advised to remain with his trains; but, too noble-spirited for that, he remained on the field, fearless of danger, doing wonders in cheering and rallying the men under the destruc- tieth, Ninety-eighth, and Eighty-ninth Ohio, and tive fire of the enemy. He was one of Illinois's the Seventy-eighth Illinois-all of Steedman's dinoble sons, and his loss is severely felt. And there was a Quartermaster-SergeantWilliam S. Bean-who, like Captain Espy, chose the field of danger rather than the post of safety. He might have remained in the rear, and the breath of censure could not have touched him; but he was right where the bullets flew thickest and fastest, and did the work almost of a general in encouraging the bold and animating the timid. He was a genuine hero. Captain Wells, of the One Hundred and Thirteenth Ohio, and Lieutenant-Colonel Kinman, of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Illinois, were two of the best men, and bravest soldiers, who yielded up their lives on the twentieth, on their country's altar. And the scores of privates, corporals, and ser geants, men of families, who had left all-wife, children, home-for their country-from a pure sense of duty; young men, who left college walls, and the merchant's desk, and the plough and the anvil, all because their country called them, to face death on a battle-field; darling sons, the hope and stay of widowed mothers, whose early death will break more than one sorrowing heart-what of these? Alas! too many such there are-as brave, as heroic, as truly martyrs as ever died in the cause of Humanity-to mention here by name. Would you know them? Read the list of the killed! We will not, in our sorrow for the heroes dead, forget the surviving brave. These, thanks to a merciful Providence, are even more numerous than the dead. Among the many who did well, General Steedman, and Major Smith and Captain Moe, of his staff, merit special praise. And General Whittaker and Colonel Mitchell, and their staff-officers, and the regimental commanders, are most highly honored by the soldiers, for they were brave and unflinching leaders. Let me refer to two men in humbler positions. One is Lieutenant C. W. Earle, commanding the color company of the Ninety-sixth. He stood by the colors throughout the fight, and, though all but two of the color-guard were killed and wound ed, and the colors were cut to pieces by the bullets and grape and canister that pierced its folds, he faltered not one instant. He is a Second Lieutenant, and but a boy; yet few full-grown men, in much more exalted positions, excelled him in cool, cheerful courage. The other is Captain Clason, of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio, who, with the little remnant of the regiment, fought so stubbornly and unyieldingly to the very last, preserving their colors and keeping them afloat proudly in the face of the enemy, until the last shot was fired. vision-has each its list of heroes. Enough that, at that critical hour, the reserve failed not. And it could have done more had it been necessary, for Colonel McCook's brigade was not engaged. As to our division, it has confidence in its officers, while they are proud of their men ; and it is now ready to test its metal again with a rebel foe. It is with not a little of pride that I can write of such a division, and its fight on the twentieth, parva pars fui. MILES. Doc. 44. THE BATTLE OF TEBB'S BEND, KY. LEBANON, KY., July 12, 1863. A FEW of the particulars of the battle of Tebb's Bend, on the Green River, between General John Morgan, with his entire division, and Colonel O. H. Moore, Twenty-fifth Michigan infantry, with two hundred of his men, may be interesting. The battalion of the Twenty-fifth Michigan infantry, stationed at or near Green River bridge, occupied a position of much importance-all forces in front were drawn off and no reënforcements within thirty-five miles. For some days before the fight it was currently reported that Duke and Johnson, under the direction of Morgan, were crossing the Cumberland at Berksville and Creelsboro with a force of ten regiments of cavalry and several pieces of artillery. On the second instant, information was received that the enemy was advancing on our position; Colonel Moore mounted his horse, and, riding over the surrounding country, chose his ground and planted his men for a fight, determined that the first opportunity of engaging the enemy should not go untried. Men were that night set at work with spades and axes, and when the morning dawned a fine rifle-pit was to be seen, while in the rear a barricade of fallen trees was thrown to check all cavalry charges. Seventy-five men were kept in the trenches during the day, and in the evening, after the enemy's spies had visited our lines, found our exact position, and made their reports, we began a movement of our force, with all our stores and camp and garrison equipage. While we were thus engaged, the enemy was by no means neglectful-the sound of preparation on our front proclaimed that they were busy. Our lines were visited at about one o'clock A.M., and all seemed in order. Companies D, E, F, and K occupied the earth-works, while company I was held as a reserve. The scene was exciting and beautiful-the men, wakeful with the thoughts of the And Colonel Le Fevre, who led his Twenty- coming struggle, were jovial and happy, the brightsecond Michigan on a bayonet-charge, after they ened barrels of the arms glittering in the moonhad expended all their ammunition, should not light rendered the view soul-inspiring. Thus all be forgotten when the roll of honor is made out. continued, and as the first bright rays of morning But time and space would fail to name every streamed up the eastern sky, our last wagon man who flinched not from his duty on that mem-crossed the ford, and the sharp-shooters of the orable day. The Eighty-fourth Indiana, the For-enemy opened the ball. Thus the engagement brigade he wishes to command is the Twentyfifth Michigan infantry. Our loss was six killed and twenty-three wound began and thus it continued for nearly an hour, when the enemy, having their artillery in position, sent a shell plunging into our earth-works, disabling two of our men. Before we had an op-ed. I send inclosed the official report. The enportunity of clearing the enemy away from their emy acknowledged a loss of seventy-three killed, guns, Major Elliot, of Morgan's staff, approached and over two hundred wounded. with a flag of truce, with the following despatch: About a mile in our rear was a dilapidated stockade which Morgan had on a previous raid endeavored to destroy; we, however, did not think enough of such pens to refit it, and accordingly engaged the enemy in a fair field-fight. After the battle, as we paid our last honors to the brave men that had fallen, the Colonel issued the following order: HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIFTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY, SPECIAL ORDERS No. 42. Colonel Moore replied: "Present my compliments to General Morgan, and say to him that this being the Fourth of July, I cannot entertain the proposition." Shaking hands, the Colonel and Major parted, and the Colonel regaining our lines said: "Now, my men, rise up, take good aim, and pick those gunners." The words were sufficient; but ere the deadly fire was poured in upon them, the old Parrott gun of the enemy The engagement was long and bloody; charge boomed forth again in its tones of thunder. The after charge was successfully repelled, and after volley from our fortification did splendid execu- three and a half hours' hard fighting, the enemy tion, for not a man was left to tell the story. The was defeated and victory crowned our efforts. enemy charged upon us, and we fell back to the Our brave companions who fell, fell gallantly timber. The fight now became terrible. The fighting for their country, and in defence of the men fought with a desperation I never saw equal- starry flag; their names, deeply inscribed on the led. They seemed to feel that the enemy was pages of memory, will be wreathed ever in bright yet to be organized that was to whip them. All laurels of fame, and though 'tis hard to part with possible chance of retreat was cut off, and no sup- our noble dead, we know 'tis sweet in the cause port within thirty-five miles. The enemy occu- of our country to die. Although no marble slab pied one side of the tree-tops while we held the have we placed o'er their heads to mark their last other. The case was indeed one that called forth resting-place; although no monumental pile have the exertions of every member of the little band. we erected o'er their graves; yet, in the hearts 'Twas life or death, and all were determined ra- of the people of our own Peninsula State will be ther to die nobly and manfully fighting than erected a monument that will perpetuate their cowardly surrendering without a struggle; seven names to all eternity. charges followed the first, but the advancing foe fell dead before us. The firing continued for nearly four hours, when the enemy retreated, leaving their dead on the field. Their loss in killed and wounded was very severe, being much greater than our entire numbers, and among the former many of Morgan's ablest officers. There cannot be too much said in praise of the men. In a fair field-fight they defeated John Morgan, the rebel raider, the terrifier of Kentucky. The officers were ever where needed, and deserve credit for their coolness and bravery. Colonel Moore's courage, coolness, daring, and will must call forth the admiration of all. His conduct on the field of battle cheered his men to strenuous efforts, for in every post of danger he was in their I did not move my command from where it was midst. He was ever where the bullets fell the encamped, on the north side of the river, until thickest, and by his good generalship won the Morgan's advance had entered Columbia. I then day. General Morgan admired his generalship moved forward to occupy the ground I had preso much that he promoted him to a Brigadier-viously selected, and had the night before preGeneral, but the Colonel says that the largest pared for the fight, which was one and a half By order of Colonel O. H. MOORE. ED. M. PRUTZMAN, Lieutenant and Adjutant. Thus the fourth day of July, made memorable COLONEL MOORE'S REPORT. miles in advance, on the Columbia road, south side of the river. I did not at any time occupy the stockade, which was far in my rear, but battle on the narrows entering the bend. gave I engaged the enemy's force this morning at half-past three o'clock; early in the engagement he opened on our breastworks with a battery, and after firing a shot, disabling two of my men, he sent a flag of truce with the following despatch: HEADQUARTERS MORGAN'S DIVISION, IN FIELD IN FRONT GREEN RIVER STOCKADE, To the Officer Commanding the Federal Forces at SIR: In the name of the confederate States government, I demand an immediate and unconditional surrender of the entire force under your command, together with the stockade. I am, very respectfully, sir, JOHN H. MORGAN, Commanding Division Cavalry C. S. A. I sent a reply to General John Morgan that the Fourth day of July was no day for me to entertain such a proposition. After receiving the reply, he opened fire with his artillery and musketry. My force, which occupied the open field, were withdrawn to the woods where they engaged the enemy with a determination not to be defeated. The battle raged for three and a half (3) hours, when the enemy retreated with a loss of over fifty (50) killed and two hundred (200) wounded. Among the killed were Colonel Chenault, Major Brent, another major, and five (5) captains, and six (6) lieutenants, as near as can be estimated. The conflict was fierce and bloody. At times the enemy occupied one side of the fallen timber, while my men held the other, in almost a handto-hand fight. The enemy's force consisted of the greater part of Morgan's division. My force was a fraction of my regiment, consisting of two hundred (200) men, who fought gallantly. I cannot say too much in their praise. Our loss was six (6) killed and twenty-three (23) wounded. Áfter the battle, I received, under a flag of truce, a despatch asking permission to bury their dead, which request I granted, proposing to deliver them in front of our lines. The detachment of forty men, under command of Lieutenant M. A. Hogan, Eighth Michigan infantry, held the river at the ford, near the bridge, and repulsed a cavalry charge made by the enemy in a very creditable and gallant manner. The gallantry of my officers and men in the action was such that I cannot individualize; they all did their duty nobly, and the wounded were treated with the greatest care and attention by Assistant Surgeon J. N. Greggs, of my regiment, whose fine abilities as a surgeon are highly appreciated. I am, Colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ORLANDO H. MOORE, Colonel Twenty-fifth Mich. Inf. Lieutenant-Col. Geo. B. DRAKE, Assistant Adjutant-General, Lexington, Ky. HEADQUARTERS THINGTON, July 17, 1968. GENERAL ORDER No. 12. The General commanding the corps hereby extends his thanks to the two hundred officers and soldiers of the Twenty-fifth Michigan regiment, under Colonel O. H. Moore, who so successfully resisted, by their gallant and heroic bravery, the attack of a vastly superior force of the enemy, under the rebel General, John Morgan, at Tebb's Bend, on Green River, on the fourth of July, 1863, in which they killed one fourth as many of the enemy as their own little band amounted to, and wounded a number equal to their own. By command of Major-Gen. HARTSUFF. Official. GEO. B. DRAKE, A. A. G. Official Report of killed and wounded at the battle of Tebb's Bend, Green River, Ky., July fourth, 1863: Company D, killed, Rosewell Beebe, Third Corporal, Morgan Wallace, Sixth Corporal, Southard Perrin, private; wounded, Harvey C. Lambert, First Sergeant, Simon Young, Corporal; privates Gillespie Parson, Samuel Stecker, Bruce Beebe, Henry Beebe, Jonathan Walbert. Company E, wounded, Joseph Gault, Sergeant; privates George W. Hicks, since died, Orin D. White, Richard W. Baxter, Thomas W. Preston. Company F, killed, Peter G. Cuddeback, Second Corporal; wounded, Arthur M. Twombly, Second Lieutenant, Irving Paddock, Second Sergeant, Henry Bond, Third Sergeant, Henry F. Garmon, First Corporal, Julius C. Webb, Seventh Corporal, George Bennet, Eighth Corporal; privates Marcus Tuttle, Thomas Wood, Arbutt M. Nott, Isaac Smith. Company I, killed, Peter Van Schure, private. Company K, killed, James L. Slater, Fourth Sergeant; wounded, Hiram H. Dunham, private. Six (6) killed and twenty-three (23) wounded. Doc. 45. BRITISH CONSUL AT RICHMOND.* No. 24. CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, RICHMOND, June 6, 1863. SIR: Herewith you will receive copies of the following papers: A.-Letter of George Moore, Esq., Her Britannic Majesty's Consul in Richmond to this department, dated February sixteenth, 1863. B.-Letter from the Secretary of State to Consul Moore, February twentieth, 1863. C.-Letters patent by the President, revoking the exequatur of Consul Moore, June fifth, 1863. D.-Letter inclosing to Consul Moore a copy of the letters patent revoking his exequatur. It is deemed proper to inform you that this action of the President was influenced in no small degree by the communication to him of an unofficial letter of Consul Moore, to which I shall presently refer. See Doc. 6, page 9, ante. the government to extort, by enforcing the withdrawal of national protection from neutral residents, such inferential recognition of its independence as might be supposed to be implied in the request of an exequatur. The consuls of foreign nations, therefore, established within the Confederacy, who were in possession of an exequatur prior to the formation of the Confederacy, have been maintained and respected in the exercise of their legitimate functions, and the same protection and respect will be accorded to them in future, so long as they confine themselves to the sphere of their duties, and seek neither to evade or defy the legitimate authority of this government within its own jurisdiction. It appears that two persons, named Molony and Farrell, who were enrolled as conscripts in our service, claimed exemption on the ground that they were British subjects, and Consul Moore, in order to avoid the difficulty which prevented his corresponding with this department as set forth in the paper B, addressed himself directly to the Secretary of War, who was ignorant of the re-issued by the Government of the United States quest made by this department for the production of the Consul's commission. The Secretary of War ordered an investigation of the facts, when it became apparent that the two men had exercised the right of suffrage in this State, thus debarring themselves of all pretext for denying their citizenship; that both had resided here for eight years, and had settled on and were cultivating farms owned by themselves. You will find annexed the report of Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar, marked E, and it is difficult to conceive a case presenting stronger proofs of the renunciation of native allegiance, and of the acquisition of de facto citizenship, than are found in that report. It is in relation to such a case that it has seemed proper to Consul Moore to denounce the government of the confederate States to one of its own citi-priety of that refusal, now that the British Minzens as being indifferent "to cases of the most atrocious cruelty." A copy of his letter to the counsel of the two men is annexed, marked F. There has grown up an abuse, however, the result of this tolerance on the part of the President, which is too serious to be longer allowed. Great Britain has deemed it for her interest to refuse acknowledging the patent fact of the existence of this Confederacy as an independent nation. It can scarcely be expected that we should, by our own conduct, imply assent to the justice or pro ister accredited to the government of our enemies assumes the power to issue instructions and exercise authority over the consuls of Great Britain The earnest desire of this government is to en- residing within this country; nay, even of aptertain amicable relations with all nations, and pointing agents to supervise British interest in with none do its interests invite the formation of the confederate States. This course of conduct closer ties than with Great Britain. Although plainly ignores the existence of this government, feeling aggrieved that the government of her Ma- and implies the continuance of the relations bejesty has pursued a policy which, according to tween that Minister and the consuls of her Mathe confessions of Earl Russell himself, has in- jesty resident within the Confederacy which excreased the disparity of strength which he consid- isted prior to the withdrawal of these States from ers to exist between the belligerents, and has con- the Union. It is further the assertion of a right ferred signal advantage on our enemies in a war on the part of Lord Lyons, by virtue of his crein which Great Britain announces herself to be dentials as her Majesty's Minister at Washington, really and not nominally neutral, the President to exercise the power and authority of a minister has not deemed it necessary to interpose any ob- accredited to Richmond, and officially received stacle to the continued residence of British con- as such by the President. Under these circumsuls within the Confederacy by virtue of exequa- stances, and because of similar action by other turs granted by the former government. His ministers, the President has felt it his duty to course has been consistently guided by the prin- order that no direct communication be permitted ciples which underlie the whole structure of our between the consuls of neutral nations in the government. The State of Virginia having dele- Confederacy and the functionaries of those nagated to the Government of the United States, tions residing within the enemy's country. All by the Constitution of 1787, the power of con- communications, therefore, between her Majesty's trolling its foreign relations, became bound by the consuls or consular agents in the Confederacy and action of that Government in its grant of an exe- foreign countries, whether neutral or hostile, will quatur to Consul Moore. When Virginia seced- hereafter be restricted to vessels arriving from or ed, withdrew the powers delegated to the Govern- despatched for neutral points. The President has ment of the United States, and conferred them on the less reluctance in imposing this restriction this government, the exequatur granted to Con- because of the ample facilities for correspondence sul Moore was not thereby invalidated. An act which are now afforded by the fleets of confederdone by an agent while duly authorized contin- ate and neutral steamships engaged in regular ues to bind the principal after the revocation of trade between neutral countries and the confedthe agent's authority. On these grounds the Pre-erate ports. This trade is daily increasing, in spite sident has hitherto steadily resisted all influences of the paper blockade, which is upheld by her which have been exerted to induce him to exact Majesty's government in disregard, as the Presiof foreign consuls that they should ask for an dent conceives, of the rights of this Confederacy, exequatur from this government as a condition of the dictates of public law, and of the duties of of the continued exercise of their functions. It impartial neutrality. was not deemed compatible with the dignity of You are instructed by the President to furnish |