The new South. (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, September 20, 1862, Image 3
per's Ferry is of course cut of}' by the rebels, but
there is no danger of the National force there being
starved out, as has been feared, so long as they
can receive supplies from the "West over the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, which the recent skirmish
at Martinsburg indicates is still in our possession
in that direction. It appears to be doubtful
whether the rebels intend to make a movement
on Harper's Ferry. With the Maryland Heights
in our possession, such a mo\ emeut could hardly
be successful, unless in overwhelming numbers.
It appears more probable that they contemplate a
bai/1 i Vv ? ?tf a?v /\f uaffnikitaufn a
lam iiuu i CiiiiMitauii uj may ui uaguaiunu, a
direct march upon Washington, or an attack upon
Bal.imore. At any r to, there is no doubt ol taeir
presence in the State in heavy force. The re!<el
lorce on the Upper Pot .mac is said to consist of
Jackson's, Longstreet'g, E well's and Walker's Divisions.
No force, it is reported, has been left In
front of Washington but cavalry. If this be so,
the rebels are risking all upon a single chance, and
if surrounded and defeated in Maryland or Pennsylvania,
their army will be annihilated. With
respect to the position of our own troops, who, under
Gen. McClell n, are iollowing up the rebels,
we have no information, except that they are moving
rapidly forward in large force and confident
spirits.
The Baltimore American of Wednesday, the
10th, says that the enemy are scouting in the neighborhood
of Frederick for horses, cattle, &c., and
that they will probably enter Pennsylvania, if sufficient
time is afforded them, 'jhe National Intelligeucer
announces that tfiey have fallen back before
Gen. McClelkn's advance, which had on Tuesday
afternoon, the 9th, reached within six miles of
Poolesvi.le. A dispatch from Harrisburg states
that the rebels, under Jackson, entered Hagerstown
in force on the afternoou of Wednesday, the
10th. The telearaDh ODe ator is stated to have
left as the rebels were entering the town. Accounts
reLtive to the pres. nee of the rebels before
Washington are conflicting, and the opinion
prevails to a considerable extent that the move*
ment into Maryland and toward Pennsylvania is
only a feint to cover an advance upon the Capital.
A short time w:ll probably develop the true condition
of affairs.
Major-Gen. Pope has, at his own request, been
relieved from the command of the Army of Virginia,
and has been assigned to the command of
the Department of the Northwest, which erab;aces
Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Dakota.
His headquarters will be at St. Paul, Minn.
A late dispatch from Cincinnati, announced that
Gen. Buell has ordered the City of Nashville tote
evacuated.
We have various rumors of rebel movements in
the West, looking to operations on the Hue of the
Ohio, but nothing of a very definite character. A
reconnoissance was made from Cincinnati on the
nvor thfc Ifpnfup.kv Crfntral Ra lroad. to anoint
,ten miles north of Cynthiana, where evidences of
the enemy were found; and a dispatch from Falmouth,
dated at one o'clock the next morning,
states that the National scouts had discovered the
rebels within four miles of that place, with artillery.
It is also said that Spencer, in Western Virginia,
has surrendered to a rebel force under Jen&08,
and that a part of Jenkins' force had actually
made a raid across the O.iio at Buffington's Island.
Gen. Le;v. Wallace has been relieved from duty
At .Cincinnati, and ia to repair to Covington, Ky.,
where he will make his headquarters for the present.
His duty will be to organize and brigade troops.
The rebel Gen. Heath is reported to be at WilJLiamatown
with 15,000 men.
POSTSCRIPT !
Cheering Hews?The Bebels Driven ant
of Maryland?Capture of a large Snpply
Train by our Cavalry?Hard Fighting
at Harper's Ferry?Buraside and
McClellan pressing close on the En
emy'fl Retreat?Cincinnati Safe?
Kirby Smith Retires to Florence,
Xy.?Brisk Skirmishing
in Western Virginia, &c.
The U. S- gunboat Mtrcidiia ai rived at this port
yesterday ixom New York, bringing dates to the
loth inst. Her news is gratifying in every aspect.
We take the following abstract of its leading features
from tbe New York Herald :
A serious battle was in progress all day on Sunday,
the 14th, in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry,
and very probably on both sides of the Potomac.
Such, indeed, is the presumption based upon all
the news which has reached us. Heavy "firing
.commenced in the direction of Harper's Ferry,
<ec Saturday afternoon, and was kept up until a
late hour on Sunday. It was distinctly beard at
Greencastle and Chambersburg, in Pennsylvania,
as well as at Frederick, Maryland. There can be
/
little doubt that the conflict was between the rebels
and General Miles, who commands at Harper's
Ferry. Gen Miles, though having only a small
force, is splendidly protected on the heights of
Bolivar, and it is said sent word to Gen. McClellan
that he could hold out uut.il reinforcements arrived.
These must have reached him on Sunday night
It was stated by parties who arrived in Washing
ton on the 14th, thata general order of Gen. Lee's,
found at Frederick, laid down the plans for the
rebels as follows :?Two columns were to proceed
by way of Middletown?one destined for Greencastle,
and the otlu r to proceed by Williamsport
or Sbeppardstown to engage oar troops at Harper's
Ferry. Gen. Longstre* t, it is said, was intercepted
by some Union forces at Middletown yesterday.
No official reports have been received.
There seems to be no doubt of the fact that
Jackson, with a large portion of the rebel army,
has crossed into Virginia. Two railroad employees
arrived in Baltimore, who had been
captured by Jackson and were taken acr ss the
river on Friday, the lith, to Williamsport and
there released. Their testimony, if true, is conclusive
of the fact that Jackson is on the Virginia
side of the Potomac.
On Frid y, the 12th. oar advance cavalry, under
Gen. Pleasanton, drove a portion of the rebel
cavalry, who were protecting the rear of their
army, from the city of Frederick, Md., after a
brief skirmish in the streets. Oh Saturday morning,
the 13th, Gen. Bumside passed through the
city and was wildly welcomed, and vw&n Gen.
McClellan arrived later on the same da^ihe enthusiasm
of the people knew no UfcundsJ^It was
with difficulty that he cou d make his way^hrougb
the surging crowd to his headquarters^^Gen.
Burnside pushed on after the rebels with his whole
force, occupying every road, and even crossing
the fields to come up with them. The three stone
bridges across the Monocacy were found uninjured,
kni 4k n flrtA Smn voilrAaH kriH nrn urn a H ootvAwnrl
UUl iuw uuv iiuu 1 Mill vau wi tugw n uo uvoiiv/j vu?
The rebels devoured all the provisions in Frederick
before they left, and even robbed the
hospital of all the medical stores, although they
left 450 of their sick behind. General Franklin
has captured a rebel train'of a hundred ammuniron
and subsistence wagons, fend sent back 150 prisoners
to Frederick.
On Friday afternoon the 8th Illinois cavalry,
Col Farnsworth, charged on two rebel regiments
of cavalry and three guas, a short distance above
Middietown, on the road to Hagerstown. Three
of our men were wounded, but we took forty
prisoners. Later in the Afternoon four squadrons
of the Second Indiana cavalry charged on a regiment
of cavalry supported by artillery, on the
same road. It was a desuerate affair. We lost
80 men kilted and wounaed, but the loss of the
enemy doubled ours. Our cavalry so pushed the
enemy's wagon trains that they were forced to
burn half a mile of wagons to prevent them falling
into our hands.
Prnm thfl Wpat tho npws rnnMnnpa phpprfnl.
Cincinnati is qniet and secure. The rebels are
lying back in some force south of Florence, Ky.
On Sunday morning a desperate fight took place at
Mumfordsville, on the Green River, between a
large force of the rebels and our troops under
Col. Wilder, of the 17th Indiana, in which, after
a contest continuing from 3 o'clock in the morning
until 11, the rebels were totally repulsed with
heavy loss. They sent in a flag of truce, asking
permission to bury their dead.
A brisk succession of fights took place last week
in Western Virginia, commencing on Wednesday.
The Union fortes under Col. Siber, were attacked
by the rebels, five thousand strong, between Fayette
and Gauly and foughttill dark. Our men cut
their way through gallantly to Gauly, with a loss
of 100 killed and wounded. Another rebel force,
. -A 1 1 M.l T
meantime, auacaeu v.ut. jjigmuuru, m vtbuij
Bridge, compelling him to retire down the Kamwha-fighting
every inch of ground?and still
farther to the Elk Kiver, where he made a grand
stand on Friday. At last accounts?Saturday, t?
P. M.?he was holding hia ground, and had
shelled the town of Charleston and destroyed all
the salt works in the vicinity.
LOCAL HEWS.
Axo>rHB& Flag or Tauci.?On Friday last the
rebels sent a Mrs. Gilbert and servant down from
Savannan to f ort ruiasKi, wun tne request mat
they should be sent North. Considering that the
lady's papers were irregular, Col Barton laid the
matter befqre Gen. Braunan, then commanding the
Department, who also thought the case required
further explanation. Therefore at noon on Saturday
Lieut. Cristopher Hale was sent from the fort
with a dispatch to the Commanding Officer at Savannah.
He was detained on this mission nearly
36 hours, during which time neither himself nor
his boat's eraw were provided with food. Lieut.
Hale is of opinion that the supplies at the picket
station were limited, and thus accounts for the
<
%
rebel lack of hospitality. The explanation made
with reference to Mrs. Gilbert proved satisfactory
and she will be permitted to leave on the Jrago.
Promotions im the Fobty-Skvrkth.?The
Jrago brought commissions granted by the Governor
of the State of New York to the following
named officers of the Forty-Sever th New York
Kegiment: Lt. Col. James L. Fraser to be Colonel
vice Henry Moore re. igned. Major Pierre C.
kane to do Lit. uoionei vice ju. u. r raser proraoted.
(.'apt. Geo. B. Van Brunt to be Major
vice Pierre V. Kane promoted. It is understood
that Major Van Brunt's well-deserved promotion
will not relieve him from the responsible position
of Provost Marshal which he so ably and satisfactorily
tills.
Appointed Colonel.?Lieut. P. II. O'Rourke.
of the U. S. Engineer Corps, has been appointed
Colonel of the 140th Regiment of New
j York Volunteers, lately organized at Rochester,
and is to leave Hilton Head in the jirago. Lieut.
O'Rourke graduated from the Military Academy
with the first honors of his class. His services in
this Department date from the capture of Hilton
Head, and in planning and executing the bombard- meat
and fall of Pulaski were proved invaluable.
tWlile we are happy to chronicle his promotion, we
nevertheless regret the necessity which takes
from ourmidst so gallant an officer and so genial a
friend.
The Express ?Heavy has been the disappointment
of our expectant friends who have read upon
door of the express office, after each arrival
during the month past, the bulletin: "No express
}?r last steamer.'' To such an extent has
freight accumulated in New York th.?t it has been
found impossible to procure transportation for it
upon the Government transports. A schooner has
accordingly been chartered by the company in
iN ew ? grk tor its conveyance, ana its arrival may
be looked Lor within the coming week.
^False Rumor.?The New York papers of the
12m instant contained a groundless and absurd report
of the loss of the gunboat South Carolina
She was at that date at anchor in this port, and is
now on duty with the blockading squadron ott
Charleston. The story of her loss was evidently
concocted at the Navy Yard, and for no other purpose
than to iqjure the Navy.
Wbereaboctsof the Nashville ?This Aunous
craft is now quietly moored in the Ogeechie River,
behind a powerful shore battery. She is
watching her chances, and will perhaps try to elude
the vigilance of our blockadere again. We trust
that any attempt of the kind may be foiled, and that
we shall ere long have the gratification of giving
to the pduntry the intelligence of her capture.
The Iaox Clads.?We hear that Lieutenants
Rhind, of the Crusader, Acumen, of the Seneca, and
Bankhead, of the Pembina, all formerly of the
South Atlantic squadron, are to be placed m command
of three of the new iron-clads now nearly
completed. They are gallant officers, and we hope
soon again to welcome them to service in this
department. <
Q^The crowded condition of our columns
compels us to omit the weekly record of deaths
from this number of Ths New South. We shall
pubhsh it in our next.
Almanac, Port Royal, S. C., Sept 20, '62*
sun rises .5 47 I moon risks 2 29
sun set.* 6 02 | high water .4 48
- itaptrtr trrws
ARRIVED.
Sept. 14?Bark John Jay Philbrick, Real, Key
West; 16?SteamshipArago, Gadsden,New York ;
16?Sckr. John Guyant, Smith, Philadelphia; 17?
Brig Intended, White, Philadelphia; Schr. Trojan,
Shourds, Philadelphia; 18?Schr. Free Wind,
Robinson, New York.
CLEARED.
Sept. 12?Schr. Euphemia, Lee, New York?
Schr. Jesse A. Woodhouse, Thomas, New York?
16?Bark John Jay Philbrick, Reid, New York?
17?Steamer Delaware, Faircloth, New York ?L8?
Julia A. HaQeck, Sinclair, New York.
SAILED.
Sept. 1??Schr. Chrysolite; U. S. Ship lno?;
16?Schr. J. A.Woodhouse; 17-Schr. F. P. Simpson
; Schr. Euphemia; Steamer Delaware; U.S.
Ship Dale, New York; U. S. Ship O&ward, N?w
York; 19?Schr. Julia A. Halleck.