a prisoner of war, but what will corroborate the brief statement I here make of our fight at Hartsville.

on the twelfth day of May last, I invited the ablebodied men of Alabama, not subject to conscription, to form volunteer companies. That invitaUpon my return, I shall prefer charges against tion did not receive the attention it merited. The Col. Taffle, of the Sixth Ohio, for cowardice, and Legislature has adopted no law for the improveevery officer here will sustain me in it. So con- ment of the militia organization of the State. The scious was Morgan himself that Taffle was a cow-impaired condition of that system leaves no means ard, he paroled him, and sent him home as he of making the remaining military strength of the would a private. State available for its protection and defence except by the formation of volunteer companies.

I have seen some extracts taken from Northern papers, condemning me for surrendering. They know nothing about it, and should at least withhold censure until they can get all the evidence in the case. The Louisville Journal notifies its readers that I made a speech in front of the Galt House, in Louisville, in which I said I wanted to - find Morgan. This is false in every respect. I never made a speech in Louisville of any kind. I never saw either editors of the Journal, to my knowledge; nor do I think that they ever saw me. I think Mr. Prentice will retract what he has published, for I do assure you he is entirely mistaken. I have always been at my post, and to this General Dumont will certainly testify. I have not been long in the service, and do not make any pretensions as a military man, and never did; but since being in the army I have tried to do my duty, and I have never disobeyed

an order.

I have been told by some of the Federal soldiers captured at Murfreesboro, that it was reported that a negro had came to my lines and notified me that the rebels were coming to attack me that night. That is also untrue. Nothing of the kind was communicated to me in any way whatever. If it was told to any of my pickets, it never reached me; others say it was a surprise. If it was a surprise, I was ready for them, and commenced the fight. The only surprise was the overwhelming force which was brought against us. Yet, I would have fought them to the last had there been one hundred thousand. Morgan said I was isolated from the main army, and he brought the overwhelming force, so as to take me before reënforcements would reach me, and that he intended to take me without a fight. I desire to try the rebels again, when I get released, and I want no better men than the One Hundred and Fourth. God bless them all! All the officers taken at Murfreesboro and Hartsville are in prison at Atlanta, except myself and A. D. C. Lieut. J. Dewald, who are in Libby Prison in Richmond, having been taken from Atlanta and sent here for exchange.

Your old friend,

A. B. MOORE,

The State is now threatened from several directions. Our unscrupulous foe has collected all his resources for one stupendous effort to subjugate and enslave us. He can never repeat the effort. He makes it the crisis of his cause. If foiled in this last desperate struggle, exhausted and disspirited, he must yield the contest. Our brave people may congratulate themselves upon the opportunity to hasten the achievement of peace and independence, by an exhibition of fortitude and courage necessary to defeat the enemy in this last great and convulsive effort. The ultimate triumph of our glorious cause is now clearer than it has ever been. There is no reason for desspondency. Our people will not shrink in this their final trial. The splendid victory at Fredericksburgh will be followed by still more decisive results upon other fields. By repeated shocks the enemy's vastly accumulated power will be broken. At no distant day we shall enjoy, in the blessings of peace and good govern ment, a reward for all our suffering. Alabama must be true to herself and do her duty in the emergency. She must be ready to meet and quell the domestic and social disturbances which may spring up as the tide of war approaches; to resist hostile raids; to protect her people and their property in any assailed quarter; to give death to every wanderer from the lines of our invading army, and if need be to increase the strength of the confederate forces fighting upon our soil in its defence. For the accomplishment of these objects she looks, and can only look, to the voluntary movement of a patriotic people, too brave to suffer their cities and towns to be sack ed, their homes to be desecrated, and their country to be desolated without striking a manly blow in their defence. I therefore call again upon the men and youths of the State, exempted from the service of the confederate States by reason of their age or other cause, who are capable of bearing arms, to speedily organize themselves into companies, to constitute a reserved force, subject to service in this State upon the call of the Executive. They will be called into service only

Colonel Commanding the Thirty-ninth Brigade, Army of the when necessity requires it. Their services may

Cumberland,

Doc. 84.

GOVERNOR SHORTER'S APPEAL

TO THE PEOPLE OF ALABAMA.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
MONTGOMERY, ALA., Dec. 22, 1862.

In view of the anticipated effect of the conscript law upon the militia system of the State,

never be needed; but it is the part of wisdom and manly courage to be ready. It is the part of folly and cowardice to wait until the enemy's foot is upon our soil, and his musket gleams in the hands of brutal soldiers at our doors. Shall I call in vain upon Alabamians to prepare to stand and fight upon their own soil in its defence? Alabama has given freely of her sons to our country's cause, but her warlike strength is not yet ex hausted. I send to her people my warning, and

time of surrender the highest officer present was a corporal of the Eighty-first Illinois infantry.

The loss of the enemy, from the best information we could obtain from themselves, was seventeen killed and fifty wounded. Our loss was one man killed, a private of the One Hundred and Twenty-second Illinois infantry-none wounded. The enemy burned the dépôts at Trenton and Humboldt, and all the stores on hand that they could not carry away.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JACOB FRY, Colonel Commanding.

most serviceable. Scouts, who were watching then surrendered. I am informed that at the the movement and approach of the enemy, reported them within a few miles, and that they would be upon us soon. At about three o'clock they made their appearance, and charged our position in two columns. When within one hundred yards of the sharp-shooters, a deadly fire was opened on them from the advance posts-the men in the stockade following the example. In a very short time both columns were repulsed, with considerable loss in killed and wounded. They then moved rapidly out of range of our guns, to the right and left, completely surrounding our position-we supposed for a charge on all sides at once, a manoeuvre for which we were fully prepared. Instead of this, they planted a battery of six guns on an elevated position southeast of the stockade-two of these guns were inside of our own earthworks, one howitzer on the south-west and one on the north-and commenced shelling our position. Sixteen shells were fired, one passing through the dépôt near a large quantity of ammunition, but did not explode. At this time they could have levelled the stockade, dépôt, and all, in thirty minutes, and probably killed and wounded a large portion of our men, while we could have done them no damage, being armed only with old guns, without bayonets, and therefore unable to make a charge.

Seeing that we were completely in their power, and had done all the damage to them we could, I called a council of officers. They were unanimous for surrender. Had there been the least chance, or had the cavalry continued the fight, we should have held out, but as we could do nothing, it was deemed prudent to surrender, and save the lives of the men. The question of surrender was one of time only; they would have had the place without the loss of another man in thirty minutes.

The terms of the surrender were unconditional; but General Forrest admitted us to our paroles, the next morning, sending the Tennessee troops immediately home, and others to Columbus under a flag of truce.

I would bear testimony to the efficiency and bearing of the following officers in preparing and conducting the defence: Col. Hawkins, Second West-Tennessee cavalry; Major Chapman, "although very much out of health," and Captain Cowan, of the One Hundred and Twenty-second Illinois infantry; Capt. Hawkins, Capt. Belew, Lieut. Allender, Lieut. Hawkins, and Lieut. Robinson, of the Second West-Tennessee cavalry, Lieut. Goodspeed, my Adjutant, and especially Lieut. Hanford, Post Quartermaster of the Fourth Illinois cavalry; as also the bravery of the men; and I can assure them that our humiliation was not produced from a want of vigilance or the necessary precaution on our part, but from causes entirely out of our control.

Of the taking of Humboldt, also under my command, I know but little; all the effective men were withdrawn to Jackson. The sick and convalescents blew up and burned the magazine, and

Doc. 81.

FIGHT AT DAVIS'S MILLS, MISS.

COLONEL MORGAN'S OFFICIAL REPORT.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT INDIANA
VOLUNTEERS, DAVIS'S MILLS, MISS.,
December 26, 1862.

Capt. A. J. Buchanan, Assistant Adjutant-Gen-
eral, District of Jackson:

CAPTAIN: The following brief report of the engagement between the forces of my command stationed at this place, composed of parts of companies A, F, D, I, C, and H, of the Twenty-fifth regiment Indiana volunteer infantry, with companies Band M, of the Fifth Ohio cavalry, and the rebels, under Major-General Van Dorn, on Saturday, the twenty-first inst., is respectfully submitted.

Information that a large rebel force was moving northward with the evident intention of capturing or otherwise disposing of the troops left as a guard along the line of the Mississippi Central Railway, as well as of destroying the Government stores and the road at various points, had been previously received.

I at once set to work to erect such defences as in my opinion would best protect my small force from injury or capture, prevent the trestle-work at this point from being destroyed, and at the same time inflict the greatest amount of damage upon the enemy.

I accordingly took possession of an old sawmill, which I converted into a block-house by means of railroad ties and cotton-bales. This is so situated as to command the entire trestle-work and the wagon-road leading to the mill from the south, crossing Wolf River by a bridge, distant only about seventy yards.

In this block-house I placed company H, of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, with a sufficient amount of ammunition and bread to last them a siege of at least forty-eight hours. Our work here was completed about dark Saturday evening, when with one half of my command, I erected an earthwork around the base of a mound, distant from the bridge over Wolf River about three hundred and fifty yards, and in such a direction as to cover the approach to, and, with the aid of the block-house, afford us a crossing on the bridge. Our circle was completed and sufficiently strong for an ordinary engagement by eleven P.M. the same night, and was then, with a sufficient amount of ammunition,

taken possession of by those of my men who had been up to that hour resting in camp.

At four o'clock the following morning, (Sunday the twenty-first,) all were in position prepared for an attack, but the enemy failing to make his appearance, we continued our labor on the earthwork, and were in this manner occupied until about noon.

they were unable to carry off the field in our hands. Those who had shielded themselves under the bridge, not being able to make their escape with the main force, exhibited the usual token of surrender, and were ordered to and took shelter within our works. Several attempts were made to fire the trestle-work by means of cotton-balls saturated with turpentine. The fire from the blockhouse was poured in upon them with such excellent precision and rapidity that they were compelled to abandon the enterprise. Some few shielded themselves from the fire by means of the trestlework, and when the retreat was ordered were unable to get out of their position without great danger, and very wisely hoisted the white flag and presented themselves as prisoners.

any officer or private of my command, although the enemy far outnumbered us. From the best information, I am of the opinion that the rebel force was not much less than six thousand, while my force numbered only two hundred infantry and fifty cavalry.

A few minutes after twelve м. my pickets were driven in, and information was received to the effect that the enemy (variously estimated at from five to ten thousand) was approaching from the south. The infantry were at once ordered into and took the positions assigned them, that of companies A, F, D, I, and C, of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, being in the fort or earthwork, and the cavalry (dismounted) were divided, and a part, under Shortly after the retreat, the bearer of a flag of the command of Capt. Henry, company M, sent truce appeared with a verbal message from the to the earthwork, another division to the block- General commanding, desiring to know if a surhouse as a reenforcement, and a third party under render on our part was in contemplation or had Lieut. Slade to guard the approach to the river been decided upon. about one fourth of a mile from and to the west gative was returned in reply. I am firmly imA respectful but decided neof our position. This disposition of my forces had pressed with the belief that such a thought had scarcely been completed when the rebels (as in-not even been entertained for a single moment by fantry and in large force) made their appearance, formed their line for a charge, and came rapidly forward with a loud cheer, evidently expecting to force us into a surrender with little if any resistance on our part. Their impetuosity was checked, however, by the uneven ground, the river, and the steady and destructive fire from our defences. For a time their ardor appeared to have diminished, but their numbers being largely increased, an effort was made to force a passage over the bridge; and for this purpose their forces were massed and a desperate attempt made to secure a footing on our side, but after a most obstinate attempt on their part, and an equally determined resistance on ours for some minutes' duration, they were compelled to fall back with consider-left in the care of a surgeon, and from him I learn able loss. During this time their forces had been that between two and three hundred wounded gradually and rapidly augmenting, and their line were taken off in ambulances and on horseback. extended from and even beyond the railroad on Our loss was but three slightly wounded and their left to a distance of three or four hundred none killed. yards to the right, from which they poured upon us an almost continuous shower of leaden hail. Efforts were also made at several points to effect a crossing over the river, but these were unsuccessful. In a short time indications of a second attempt to cross the bridge were apparent, and deep masses, with banners flying, urged on by their officers, advanced only to be again driven back in confusion and dismay. The firing was by this time very heavy along their whole line, and concentrated upon our little earthwork and block-house; but nothing daunted, and now firm in the belief that we could hold them at bay, my gallant little band poured in upon them volley after volley in rapid succession.

Soon a third and similar attempt to cross was made, but met with a like defeat. A few of them, however, succeeded in crossing, but these hastily took refuge under the bridge.

After a most incessant firing of three and a half hours' duration the enemy withdrew, leaving a part of their dead and such of the wounded as

With such discrepancies it cannot but be said that all are entitled to great credit for their gallant defence on that day, which will be ever bright in the memory of the Twenty-fifth Indiana. The enemy left in our hands twenty-two dead, thirty wounded, and twenty prisoners, together with one hundred stand of arms. Thirty wounded were deposited by them in a house near a church, about three quarters of a mile to the rear.

These were

The other four companies of the Twenty-fifth Indiana were at Lamar and along the line of the railroad, under the command of Capt. E. C. Hastings of company C. His line extended from Cold Water to within three miles south of this point, and was there joined by pickets from here. these last, sixteen men were captured and paroled, but not without a very creditable resistance.

Of

To Major Walker, Adjutant Walker, and Capt. Larkin, of the Twenty-fifth Indiana; Capt. Henry, company M, Sixth Ohio cavalry, and the other officers and men of both arms, am I much indebted for their skill and the assistance rendered me in preparing our defences; but to single out particular officers and men as being more worthy of an honorable mention than others who were present and took part in the engagement of the twentyfirst of December, 1862, would certainly be doing an injustice.

Our Senior Assistant-Surgeon, Dr. C. L. Thomas, for the skill displayed and the kind and hu

And whereas, the hostilities waged against this Confederacy by the forces of the United States, under the command of the said Benjamin F. But-officers upon their receipts, such of said property ler, have borne no resemblance to such warfare as is alone permissible by the rules of international law, or the usage of civilization, but have been characterized by repeated atrocities and outrages, among the large number of which the following may be cited as examples:

Peaceful and aged citizens, unresisting captives and non-combatants, have been confined at hard labor, with hard chains attached to their limbs, and are still so held in dungeons and fortresses. Others have been submitted to a like degrading punishment for selling medicines to the sick soldiers of the Confederacy.

The soldiers of the United States have been invited and encouraged in general orders to insult and outrage the wives, the mothers, and the sisters of our citizens.

Helpless women have been torn from their homes and subjected to solitary confinement, some in fortresses and prisons, and one especially on an island of barren sand under a tropical sun; have been fed with loathsome rations that had been condemned as unfit for soldiers, and have been exposed to the vilest insults.

Prisoners of war, who surrendered to the naval forces of the United States on agreement that