rifle-pit. The whole constitutes a more glorious and magnificent result than has attended the victories of entire armies in this war. And this result was obtained by a brigade whose numerical strength was but one thousand five hundred and forty-nine, officers and men, assisted by two regiments only of another brigade, and opposed to a force of more than double their number.

The success of this operation is entirely at tributable to the personal bravery, labor, and supervision of the commanding General, David A. Russell. No more modest, unassuming man serves in this army, and for himself he claims and asks no credit. Only for his regiments here, as in camp, is he solicitous; and for those regiments, the Fifth Wisconsin and Sixth Maine, composing the party that stormed the redoubt, and the Forty-ninth and One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania, who so promptly and bravely supported the storming column, is he jealous. Yet his post, as a division commander, was well to the rear of his troops. In place of that position, he accompanied the skirmish line, was with them in the assault, rode over every inch of the battle-field, did the business of a dozen aids, rode fearless and triumphant amid the storm of bullets, provided for every contingency, and when, finally, the day was ours, was perhaps the least exultant man upon that

hill.

held this road, during the latter part of the sum-
mer, he had thrown up a line of breastworks
from a point a short distance below the end of
the railroad bridge, on the other side, which
works faced from the river and extended some
distance up, and diverging from the river. The
Louisianians occupied the lower part of these
works; the pontoon-bridge, the only place of
crossing for infantry, being upon their left, and
about one hundred yards above where the rail-
road bridge had been burned. At half-past two
o'clock P.M., the long-rol! was beat in our en-
campment, and every man fit for duty called
upon to fall in-we knew not why, as we had
no artillery, the day being quite windy, and our
camp being about six miles from the river. The
whole of Early's division was marched rapidly
to the river. Brigadier-General Hoke's brigade
of three regiments, the Sixth, Fifty-fourth, and
Fifty-seventh, now commanded by Colonel A. C.
Godwin, formerly first provost-marshal of Rich-
mond, was ordered over the river to occupy the
extreme left of the breastworks. This brigade
crossed the river under a heavy fire of artillery,
(for the Louisianians were already sustaining a
furious fire from several batteries.) This fire
from the artillery and sharp-shooters was kept up
until after sunset. The other two brigades of
General Early's division, commanded by Briga-
dier-Generals Gordon and Pegram, were held in
position on this side the river. By sunset the
enemy had extended his lines, in the form of a
half-moon, so as to envelop our forces entirely,
his right and left resting on the river above and
below. At the same time he had formed three
lines of attack, one behind the other, to assault
the works held by General Hayes and the right
of Hoke's brigade. The sun had gone down
when this terrible onset was made. Although
the odds were greatly against us, and we had
only four pieces of artillery on that side of the
river, our men received the shock as brave men
The Louisianians fought with a des-

Too much praise cannot be given to any regiments engaged in this fight; but the meed of honor is more especially due to the men and officers of the Fifth Wisconsin and Sixth Maine. The help rendered by our artillery must not be forgotten. A battery of the Fifth corps, planted in a piece of woods to the left of the railway, (I am informed the battery was formerly Griffin's and afterward Hazlett's,) made some splendid shooting. On a hill running to the right of the storming party, from which hill the enemy's skirmishers were driven by Howe's skirmishers of the Second division, were planted Martin's only do. and Waterman's batteries, and four twenty-peration. The enemy's front line was torn to pound Parrott guns from the reserve artillery. pieces, and scattered in confusion. Being reënThe rebels say that the shells from all these forced by the second and third lines, the enemy guns were dropped directly over their works, again advanced upon the works, and, by overand were thrown with more precision than they powering numbers, leaped the works into the ever before witnessed. ditch, and came to a hand-to-hand fight.

TANDEM.

Our brave men, being thus so greatly outnum

A REBEL NARRATIVE-CAPTURE OF HOKE'S BRIGADE. bered, were compelled to yield. Some surren

AT OUR OLD CAMPS ON THE RAPIDAN,
November 10, 1863.

To the Editor of the Examiner:
A history of the misfortune which befel our
brigade on the afternoon of Saturday, the seventh
instant, is due to the friends of the unfortunate
officers and soldiers at home. I therefore beg
leave to offer, for the information of such, only
such information as I have been able to gather
from the officers who escaped. On Friday the
Louisiana brigade, under Brigadier-General
Hayes, was sent across the Rappahannock to
act as a picket-guard at the point where the rail-
road from Culpeper Court-House to Manassas
crosses the Rappahannock. Whilst the enemy

dered, others rushed to the pontoon and escaped, some others, being cut off from that, plunged into the river below and swam across, a few being drowned; General Hayes escaped after he had surrendered; Colonels Monaghan and Peck swam the river. More than half this brigade are missing. The extreme right of General Hoke's brigade fought with equal valor, and shared a similar fate. The possession of the works held by the Louisianians gave the enemy possession of the pontoon-bridge, and thus cut off General Hoke's brigade from any escape, except by swimming. Our extreme right being thrown back, the brave Colonel Godwin, although surrounded on all sides, except on the river-side,

still fought on, and when compelled to yield ground to overwhelming odds, fell back with a force of about seventy-five men, still returning the enemy's fire, and refused to surrender until fighting was useless.

Lieutenant-Colonel Tate and Major York, Captains McPherson and Ray, and Lieutenant Mebane, of the Sixth, with Captain Adams, of the staff, broke away, and escaped over the bridge in the darkness. Lieutenants Williams, Smith, and Fitzgerald, of the Fifty-fourth; Brown, of the Sixth, with a few others, plunged into the river and swam safely over; but, unfortunately, some others were drowned. Lieutenant-Colonel H. Jones, Jr., of the Fifty-seventh, and Captain White, of the Sixth, plunged in to swim, but the coldness of the water compelled them to put back.

larly to the storming party under Brigadier-General Russell, his thanks are due. The gallantry displayed in the assault on the enemy's intrenched position of Rapahannock Station, resulting in the capture of four guns, two thousand small arms, eight battle-flags, one bridge train, and one thousand six hundred prisoners. To MajorGeneral French and the officers and men of the Third corps engaged, particularly to the leading column, commanded by Colonel De Trobriand, his thanks are due for the gallantry displayed in the crossing at Kelly's Ford, and the seizure of the enemy's intrenchments, and the capture of over four hundred prisoners. The Commanding General takes great pleasure in announcing to the army that the President has expressed his satisfaction with its recent operations.

By command of Major-General MEADE. S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL RUSSELL'S CONGRATULATORY ORder.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE,
MONDAY, Nov. 9, 1863.

GENERAL ORDERS, No. 51.

The casualties of our brigade are small in killed and wounded. Adjutant Mebane, of the Sixth, wounded in arm and side; William Johnston, Captain White's company, wounded in thigh severely, though not mortally; Sergeant Crisman, Captain Hooper's company, killed. The brigade is almost annihilated. The Fifty-fourth OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS: Your gallant deeds regiment has only one captain (Paschall) left, with five lieutenants, and about fifteen men re- of the seventh of November will live in the anmaining. The fragments of the brigade are now nals of your country, and will be not the least collected under the command of Lieutenant-Col-glorious of the exploits of the Army of the Poonel Tate, of the Sixth, and attached to the Louisiana brigade. These fragments now number about two hundred and seventy-five men. This is a serious disaster, so far as our feelings are concerned, but it does not shake our hopes as to success. This sad affair took place in the presence of General Lee and Major-General Early,

who had arrived on this side the river.

tomac.

But your General cannot but express to you himself his congratulations upon your success, and his appreciation of your daring and gallanTo have carried by storm, with a mere try. skirmish line and a feeble support in numbers, powerful earthworks, a strong natural position, manned by the flower of the rebel army, and The loss of the enemy has been serious, as strengthened by artillery, would be an achievethe ground in front of our works was literally ment that a division of our forces might well covered with his dead. At midnight on Satur- feel pride in; but it was not too much for the day night, General Lee began to fall back. On gallant sons of Maine and Wisconsin. Sunday morning, he formed the line of battle beyond Culpeper; but although the enemy had forced the guard at Kelly's Ford, and compelled General Rhodes to fall back with a loss of two hundred men killed, wounded, and missing, yet Your General felt confident that soldiers, who no attack was made on us by the infantry. In the afternoon, the enemy's cavalry attacked Gen-in camp observe all the strict rules of military eral Wilcox's brigade, and were badly cut up. life with fidelity, would prove equally reliable in During Sunday night General Lee fell back to the field; and in this, the first essay of your his old position south of the Rapidan. prowess, you exceeded his most sanguine expecP. S.-Lieutenants Morrison, Lefler, and May- tations. nard, of the Fifty-seventh, are all safe. JOHN PARIS,

Chaplain Fifty-fourth Regiment N. C. T.
GENERAL MEADE'S CONGRATULATORY ORDER.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
November 9.

GENERAL ORDER No. 101.
The Commanding General congratulates the
army upon the recent successful passage of the
Rappahannock in the face of the enemy, com-
pelling him to withdraw to his intrenchments
behind the Rapidan. To Major-General Sedg-
wick and the officers and men of the Fifth and
Sixth corps participating in the attack, particu-

The hearty, generous, and glorious support of Pennsylvania in the strife should serve to bind yet closer together the East, the Middle States, and the West, and to her troops belongs no small share of our victory.*.

With the actual results of your engagement you are all too familiar to render any recapitulation necessary; but there is the further reflection to offset the saddening influence of the loss of your well-tried and courageous brothers-inarms, that any subsequent attack upon your opponents, better prepared and strengthened as they would have been, must have been attended with a yet sadder and, it may be, a less success

ful result.

And it is just and fitting here to acknowledge the soldierly conduct and valuable assistance of

This brigade consisted of the Sixth Maine, Fifth Wisconsin,

Forty-ninth and One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania.

167

Colonel Upton and his gallant regiments, the produced on our tonnage; and, without troub-
Fifth Maine and the One Hundred and Twenty-ling you with the great loss which our ship-own-
first New-York. Prompt in their support, they
deserve our heartiest thanks, as by their bravery
they won a large share of the honors of the
day.

66

The banners of this brigade shall bear the name, Rappahannock," to perpetuate, so long as those banners shall endure, dropping and shredding away though they may be for generations, the proud triumph won by you on the seventh of November, 1863.

By command of Brigadier-General D. A. Rus-
C. A. HURD,

SELL.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Doc. 11.

REBEL PRIVATEERS.
LETTER OF NEW-YORK MERCHANTS.

Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, D. C.:

SIR: The continued depredations of the rebel cruisers on the mercantile marine of the country have not only destroyed a large amount of the active capital of the merchants, but seriously threaten the very existence of that valuable part of our commerce.

ers sustain in the almost total loss of foreign commerce, it is only necessary to call your attention to the inclosed table, prepared and published by one of the best informed commercial journals of this city, showing the loss of the carrying trade on the imports and exports of this city alone, by which you will perceive, that while during the quarter ending June thirtieth, 1860, we imported and exported over sixty-two million dollars in American vessels, and but thirty million dollars in foreign vessels; we have in the corresponding quarter of this year only twentythree million dollars by our own ships, while we have sixty-five million dollars by foreign vessels. The intermediate periods show a most painful decadence of our shipping interest and tonnage by transfer and sale to foreign flags, which, at this time of considerable commercial activity, does not so much indicate a want of enterprise in this field of occupation as a want of confidence in the national protection of our flag on the ocean. The national pride of many of our patriotic ship-owners has subjected them to heavy sacrifices in difference of insurance against capture, of two per cent to ten per cent, while the underwriters of the country have been compelled to make great concessions in favor of American shipping, Apart from the loss of so much individual yet without materially affecting the result, and wealth and the destruction of so valuable a source many of them encountering heavy losses by capof material power and enterprise, it is humiliat- ture, in quarters where they had every reason to ing to our pride as citizens of the first naval believe our commerce would be protected by napower on the earth that a couple of indifferently tional vessels of efficiency and power. Indeed, equipped rebel cruisers should for so long a pe- the almost total absence of efficient naval force riod threaten our commerce with annihilation. in many of the great highways of commerce has It is a painful source of mortification to every had a damaging influence on our prospects, by American, at home and abroad, that the great producing a great degree of temerity on the part highways of our commerce have hitherto been of the rebel cruisers, and corresponding misgiv left so unprotected by the almost total absence ings on the part of underwriters and others in of national armed vessels as to induce rebel inso-interest as to whether Government protection lence to attack our flag almost at the entrance of would be afforded to our ships laden with valuour harbors, and to actually blockade our mer-able cargoes. The want of adequate armed veschantmen at the Cape of Good Hope recently- sels on prominent naval stations for protection of an account of which you have here inclosed, be- our ships has become so notorious, that undering a copy of a letter recently received from a writers have no longer speculated on the chance captain of one of the blockaded ships, having a of the capture of these rebel cruisers by any of valuable cargo. We are conscious that it is no our national ships, but calculate only the chance easy matter to capture a couple of cruisers on of escape of our merchantmen, or the possible the boundless waters of the ocean, aided and destruction of the piratical craft from reported abetted as they too often have been at ports unseaworthiness or mutiny. These statements where international comity, if not international are made with all candor and in no spirit of caplaw, has been set at defiance, and we have wit- tiousness, but with a desire to concede that the nessed with satisfaction the patriotic zeal and embarrassment of the Department, which it may energy of your Department and the glorious suc- not be prudent or practicable to explain to the cesses of our navy in subduing the rebellion public, may fully justify the unfortunate position Still we which the want of naval protection has placed which threatens our national Union. think that the loyal merchants and ship-owners our commerce in. Yet, it is respectfully urged of the country, whose zeal and patriotic co- that you will give the subject the benefit of the operation have generously furnished the funds same energy and ability which have so creditably to sustain the Government, are entitled to have a marked the administration of your Department more energetic protection of their interests than in all other channels of your official duties. No Your very one can better comprehend than one in your pohas been hitherto extended to them. arduous official duties have, no doubt, prevented sition the value of successful commerce at this you from investigating the serious inroads which time of great national expenditure, and a paralythe unprotected state of our carrying trade has sis of so important an interest cannot be contem

plated without horror at this period of our national struggle. We beg leave, also, to inclose an extract from the Commercial Advertiser, of the twenty-sixth instant, and to request your attention to the paragraph marked.

We are, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servants,

Doc. 12.

GENERAL HALLECK'S REPORT
OF OPERATIONS IN 1863.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
WASHINGTON, D. C., November 15, 1863.
SIR: In compliance with your orders, I sub-
since my last annual report:

RICHARD LATHERS, President Great Western Insurance Commit the following summary of military operations

pany.

J. P. TAPPAN, President Neptune Insurance Company.

F. S. LATHROP, President Union Mutual Insurance Company.
M. H. GRINNELL, President Sun Mutual Insurance Company.
ROBT. L. TAYLOR, Merchant Ship-Owner.

C. H. MARSHALL, Merchant Ship-Owner.

A. A. Low & BRO., Merchant Ship-Owners.

GRINNELL, MINTURN & Co., Merchant Ship-Owners.

WILSON G. HUNT, Merchant.

CHAS. NEWCOMB, Vice-President Merchants' Mutual Insurance Company.

BROWN BROS. & Co., Bankers.

W. T. FROST, Merchant Ship-Owner.
BOGERT & KNEELAND, Merchants.
DUNCAN, SHERMAN & Co., Bankers.

BUCKLIN & CRANE, Merchant Ship-Owners.

E. E. MORGAN, Merchant Ship-Owner.

WM. WHITLOCK, Jr., Merchant Ship-Owner.

GEO. OPDYKE, Mayor of New-York City.

AUGUST BELMONT & Co., Bankers.

JAS. G. KING'S SONS, Bankers.

ARCHIBALD GRACIE, Merchant.

HOWLAND & FROTHINGHAM, Merchant Ship-Owners.

WILLIAMS & GUION, Merchant Ship-Owners.

DEPARTMENT OF WEST-VIRGINIA AND ARMY OF THE
POTOMAC.

When General Burnside relieved General McClellan from his command on the seventh of November of last year, the army of the Potomac was on the south side of the Potomac, under instructions to pursue Lee by a flank march on the interior line to Richmond, hugging closely to the Blue Ridge, so as to observe its passes and to give battle to the enemy whenever an opportunity occurred.

On reaching Warrenton, however, General Burnside proposed to give up this pursuit of Lee's army toward Richmond, and to move down the north side of the Rappahannock to Fal

JOHN H. EARLE, President New-York Mutual Insurance Com- mouth, and establish a new base of supplies at

pany.

ISAAC SHERMAN, Merchant Ship-Owner.

W. A. SALE & Co., Merchant Ship-Owners.
THOMAS DUNHAM, Merchant Ship-Owner.

SPOFFORD, TILESTON & CO., Merchant Ship-Owners.
BABCOCK BROS. & Co., Bankers.

J. P. MORGAN & Co., Bankers.

E. D. MORGAN, United States Senator. NEW-YORK, October 28, 1863.

SECRETARY WELLES'S REPLY.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, November 14, 1863.

GENTLEMEN: The Department duly received your communication of the twenty-eighth ultimo, in reference to the depredations committed upon American commerce by the Alabama and other rebel cruisers. The pursuit and capture of these vessels is a matter that the Department has constantly in view, and swift steamers have been constantly in search of them, and at times very close on to them. They are under orders to follow them wherever they may go. The only vessel that had the impudence to attack our flag at the entrance of our harbors-the Tacony-was promptly pursued and her career was soon terminated. The Department had about thirty ves

sels after her.

Acquia Creek or Belle Plain. This proposed change of base was not approved by me, and in a personal interview at Warrenton I strongly urged him to retain his present base, and to continue his march toward Richmond in a manner pointed out in the President's letter of October thirteenth, 1862, to General McClellan.

General Burnside did not fully concur in the President's view, but finally consented to so modify his plan as to cross his army by the fords of the upper Rappahannock, and then move down and seize the heights south of Fredericksburgh, while a small force was to be sent north of the river to enable General Haupt to reopen the railroad and to rebuild the bridges, the materials for which were nearly ready in Alexandria. I, however, refused to give any official approval of this deviation from the President's instructions until his assent was obtained. On my return to Washington, on the thirteenth, I submitted to him this proposed change in the plan of campaign, and, on its receiving his assent rather than approval, I telegraphed, on the fourteenth, authority to General Burnside to adopt it. I here refer not to General Burnside's written plan to go to Falmouth, but to that of crossing the Rappahannock above its junction with the Rapidan.

I thank you for your expression that energy and ability have creditably marked the administration of the Department in all other channels of official duties. A rigid blockade of the coast has been demanded, and its accomplishment has It has been inferred, from the testimony of required all the available force that the Depart- General Burnside before the Congressional Comment could bring to bear. To do this, it could mittee on the Conduct of the War, that his plan not well despatch a larger force than it has in of marching his whole army on the north of the search of piratical rovers. It will continue to give Rappahannock from Warrenton to Falmouth, had this subject its attention, and hopes, as the av-been approved by the authorities in Washington, enues to the insurrectionary region are becoming closed and the navy is enlarging, to be able to have a larger force to pursue the pirates and secure the safety of our commerce abroad.

Very respectfully, GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy. TO RICHARD LAthers, Esq., and others.

and that he expected, on his arrival there, to find supplies and pontoons, with gunboats to cover his crossing. In the first place, that plan was never approved, nor was he ever authorized to adopt it. In the second place, he could not possibly have expected supplies and pontoons to be landed at points then occupied in force by the

enemy. Again, he was repeatedly informed that gunboats could not at that time ascend the Rappahannock to Fredericksburgh.

General Burnside did not commence his movement from Warrenton till the fifteenth, and then, instead of crossing the Rappahannock by the fords, as he was expected to do, he marched his whole army down on the north bank of the river, his advance reaching Falmouth on the twentieth. Lee's army, in the mean time, moved down the south side of the river, but had not occupied Fredericksburgh on the twenty-first. The river was at this time fordable a few miles above the town, and General Sumner asked permission to cross and occupy the heights, but it was refused, and no attempt was made to effect the passage till the eleventh of December, by which time Lee's army had been concentrated and strongly entrenched. This passage, however, was effected without serious opposition, with the right wing and centre, under Sumner and Hooker, at Fredericksburgh, and the left wing, under Franklin, on the bridges established some miles below. It was intended that Franklin's grand division, consisting of the corps of Reynolds and Smith, should attack the enemy's right, and turn his position on the heights in the rear of Fredericksburgh, while Sumner and Hooker attacked him in front. But by some alleged misunderstanding of orders, Franklin's operations were limited to a mere reconnoissance, and the direct attacks of Sumner and Hooker were unsupported. The contest on the right wing, during the thirteenth, was continued till half-past five P.M., when our men were forced to fall back, after suffering terrible losses.

Both armies remained in position till the night of the sixteenth of October, when General Burnside withdrew his forces to the north side of the Rappahannock. General Burnside has been frequently requested to make an official report of these operations, but has furnished no information beyond that contained in his brief telegrams, sent from the battle-field, in one of which he uses the following language: "The fact that I decided to move from Warrenton to this line, rather against the opinion of the President, the Secretary of War, and yourself, and that you have left the whole movement in my hands, without giving me orders, makes me the more responsible."

The loss of the rebels in this battle is not known. As they were sheltered by their fortifications, it was probably less than ours, which, as officially reported, was one thousand one hundred and thirty-eight killed, nine hundred and fifteen wounded, and two thousand six hundred and seventy-eight missing. Most of the missing and many of the slightly wounded soon rejoined the regiments and reported for duty.

It was alleged at the time that the loss of this battle resulted from the neglect to order forward the pontoon train from Washington. This order was transmitted from Warrenton to BrigadierGeneral Woodbury, then in Washington, on the twelfth of November, and was promptly acted on

by him. General Burnside had supposed that the pontoon train was then in Washington or Alexandria, while it was still on the Potomac, at Berlin and Harper's Ferry, General Burnside's order to send it to Washington not having been received by the officer left in charge there. General Burnside had only allowed time for transporting pontoons from Alexandria, when they had to be first transported to that place from Berlin. Delay was therefore entirely unavoidable, and, on investigation of the matter by General Burnside, General Woodbury was exonerated from all blame.

General Hooker relieved General Burnside from his command on the twenty-fifth of January, but no advance movement was attempted till near the end of April, when a large cavalry force, under General Stoneman, was sent across the upper Rappahannock, toward Richmond, to destroy the enemy's communications, while General Hooker, with his main army, crossed the Rappahannock and the Rapidan above their junction, and took position at Chancellorsville, at the same time General Sedgwick crossed near Fredericksburgh, and stormed and carried the heights.

A severe battle took place on the second and third of May, and on the fifth our army was again withdrawn to the north side of the river. For want of official data, I am unable to give any detailed accounts of these operations or of our losses.

It is also proper to remark in this place, that from the time he was placed in the command of the army of the Potomac till he reached Fairfax Station, on the sixteenth of June, a few days before he was relieved from the command, General Hooker reported directly to the President, and received instructions directly from him.

I received no official information of his plans or of their execution.

In the early part of June, Lee's army moved up the south bank of the Rappahannock, occupied the gaps of the Blue Ridge, and threatened the valley of the Shenandoah. General Hooker followed on at interior lines, by Warrenton Junc、 tion, Thoroughfare Gap, and Leesburgh. But the operations of both armies were so masked by the intervening mountains, that neither could obtain positive information of the force and movements of the other. Winchester and Martinsburgh were at this time occupied by us simply as outposts. Neither place was susceptible of a good defence. Directions were therefore given, on the eleventh June, to withdraw their garrisons to Harper's Ferry, but these orders were not obeyed, and on the thirteenth Winchester was attacked, and its armament and a part of the garrison captured. Lee now crossed the Potomac near Williamsport, and directed his march upon Harrisburgh. General Hooker followed on his right flank, covering Washington and Baltimore. On reaching Frederick, Md., on the twenty-eighth June, he was, at his own request, relieved from the command, and Major-General Meade appointed in his place. During these movements, cavalry skirmishes took place at