Northern war News.
the great naval expedition.--Secretary Cameron's order Concerning Slave Deserters--General Butler on the Recruiting service — controversy between the friends of Baker and Stone,&c.
Below will be found news from the North which did not come to hand for publication yesterday morning:
The great naval expedition — important General order.
The New York Times, of October 29th, says. the following General Order was issued on Saturday, and read on board each ship comprising the fleet:
Headq'rs, E. C., Steamer Atlantic, October, 25, 1861.
Special Order, No. 10.--I. This command will sail for its destination in a very few days, under convoy of a naval squadron, commanded by Commodore Dupont.
The transports will move in three columns, and in rear of the main body of the squadron.
The transports belonging to the 1st brigade will compose the right column; those of the 2d brigade and third Rhode Island Regiment the centre; and those of the 3d brigade and the battalion of Volunteer Engineers the left column.
2. Each vessel will retain its order in column, and the columns will move in parallel lines equidistant, regulating from the right. The sail vessels and other transports, inadequate to the task of sailing with the fleet, will be towed by such steamers as the Chief Quartermaster may designate. Commander Dupont, in co-operation with the land forces, has kindly made such an arrangement of his fleet as will secure the transports from unnecessary diffusion, and all senior officers on transports and masters of vessels will enter into the spirit of, and conform to, those arrangements, a plan of which will be duly given.
The General Commanding announces to the Expeditionary corps that it is intended to make a descent upon the enemy's coast, and probably under circumstances which will demand the utmost vigilance, coolness, and intrepidity on the part of every officer and man of his command. In consideration of the justness and holiness of our cause, of the ardent patriotism which has prompted the virtuous and industrious citizens of our land to fly to their country's standard in the moment of her peril, he most confidently believes that he will be effectually and efficiently supported in his efforts to over throw a zealous, active, and wily foe, whose cause is unholy, and principles untenable.
3. On the approach of the transports to the place of disembarkation, each Brigade Commander will anchor his transports as near each other as practicable, and will at the proper time superintend the disembarkation of his brigade. The surf boats, and other means of disembarkation at hand, are believed to be capable of landing at once from three to four thousand men. The surf boats are of different sizes; two of the largest may take the officers and men of a company of 100 men; two of the next size a company of 70 men, and so on in proportion. The other means of transportation may take the remainder of a brigade, with probably one or two sections of field artillery.
4. The disembarkation will be made in three lines. The first line will be the brigade of Gen. Wright, flanked by two sections of Hamilton's Light Battery, accompanied by the squad of regular Suppers and Miners and two companies of Serrell's Volunteer Engineers, with a sufficient supply of entrenching tools and sand-bags. The second line will be the brig de of Gen. Stevens, and, if necessary, accompanied by a section of Hamilton's Battery and two field pieces, to be manned by a company of the 3d Rhode Island regiment. The reserve will be composed of Gen. Viele's brigade, the remaining portions of Serrell's Volunteer Engineers and the 3d Rhode Island regiment, and will be disposed of according to circumstances.
5. The boats of not only each company, but of each regiment and brigade, will land abreast, as far as practicable, and in order of battle. The utmost effort will be made to effect the landing in that order. Should it be found impracticable to land immediately from the lighters, then the surf-boats, when emptied, will immediately proceed to the rapid landing of the men from the lighters; and as soon as the whole line is landed, all the boats will return and bring forward in like manner the troops of the second line, and so with the reserve.
6. The general officers and commanders of battalions, &c., will be furnished in time with the plan of descent and the particular order of battle. It is probable that the first line will have to conquer the ground on which to establish itself, and if opposed by greatly superior numbers, to manœuvre and probably momentarily entrench. If not seriously opposed, the first line, after overcoming immediate difficulties, will continue to drive backward the enemy, but will not venture beyond supporting distance from the shore, before the landing of the General Commanding, or without his special order.
7. The commanding officer of the naval squadron has kindly consented to furnish 300 sailors to assist in launching and manning the surf-boats, and he appeals to the patriotism of the masters, mates, and sailors of the several transports, to furnish an additional number of coxswains and oarsmen. Any deficiency of carsmen in surf boats will be supplied from the platoons on board of these respectively, so that each boat, when ready, may be rapidly rowed ashore. The soldier oarsmen will land and form with their platoons.
8. General and field officers, with their respective staffs, will endeavor to obtain landing- boats for themselves, and the necessary coxswains and oarsmen from the transports and other hired vessels of the fleet.
9. The senior officers of the troops on board each transport will arrange with the master for voluntary helps of this kind, which may be needed and can be given, and will make a special report to headquarters, as early as practicable, of the assistance thus rendered.
10. As soon as the landing shall have been effected, the surf and other landing boats will revert to the chief quartermaster for immediate supplies.
11. The sick and non-effective men will remain on board the several transports until provision can be made for them on shore. The non-effectives will be especially charged with the care of the sick, under directions to be left by the respective medical officers.
12. Medical officers, excepting one from each brigade, to be designated by the respective brigade commanders, will land with the troops. The three medical officers left afloat will, under the direction of the Medical Director, divide the duty by visiting all the sick on board, including the 3d Rhode Island Regiment and the battalion of Volunteer Engineers.
[Signed] Brig. Gen. T. W. Sherman.
Louis H. Peiouze, Capt. 15th Infantry,
Assistant Adjutant General.
Secretary Cameron's order Concerning Slave Deserters.
The following order was sent out with the commanders of the forces accompanying the great expedition:
War Department, Oct. 14, 1861.
Sir:
In conducting military operations within States declared by the proclamation of the President to be in a state of insurrection, you will govern yourself, so far as persons held to service under the laws of such States are concerned, by the principles of the letters addressed by me to Major-General Butler on the 30th of May and the 8th of August, copies of which are herewith furnished to you. As special directions, adapted to special circumstances, cannot be given, much must be referred to your own discretion, as Commanding-General of the expedition.--You will, however, in general, avail yourself of the services of any persons, whether fugitives from labor or not, who may offer them to the National Government; you will employ such persons in such services as they may be fitted for; either as ordinary employees, or, it special circumstances seem to require it, in any other capacity, with such organization, in squads, companies, or otherwise, as you deem most beneficial to the service.--This, however, not to mean a general arming of them for military service.
You will assure all loyal masters that Congress will provide just commendation to them for the loss of the services of the persons so employed, It is believed that the course thus indicated will best secure the substantial rights of loyal masters, and the benefit to the United States of the services of all disposed to support the Government, while it avoids all interference with the social system of local institutions of every State beyond that whish insurrection makes unavoidable, and which a restoration of peaceful relations to the Union, under the Constitution, will immediately remove.
Sir:
Simon Cameron,
Secretary of War,
Brig., Gen. T. W. Sherman, commanding expedition to the Southern coast.
Controversy between the friends of Banker and Stone.
We copy the following from the Washington special dispatches to the New York TimesA bitter controversy is springing up between the friends of General Baker and the friends of General Stone, under whose orders General Baker advanced upon Leesburg, It is attempted on the one side in show that
General Baker acted without orders, or in violation to his instructions, and on the other that he was sacrificed through the ignorance or incompetency of Stone. The friends of Baker will demand a court of inquiry to determine the real facts. In the meantime, both sides are being supported and attacked in the local papers. As is getting to be the case in almost every instance, the officers of the regular army and those of the volunteer forces are arrayed against each other, and there is more crimination and recrimination than is beneficial to the service. In the one instance, the regulars intimate that nothing but a defeat could have been expected when a movement was entrusted to volunteers, while the volunteers say that every movement is so hampered and embarrassed by the regulars that nothing but disaster can follow. The extent to which this feeling runs is almost incredible.
It is said that the matter has attracted the attention of the Administration, having been presented by senators now in this city, and in such a way as to involve the necessity of some action that will give the volunteer forces fair consideration, and such a voice in the determination of matters in which they have an interest as their numbers and their personal sacrifices entitle them to. In this connection the closing sentence of the order issued by General McClellan attracts much attention. In declaring that the troops comprising Gen. Stone's division will, when they next meet the enemy, retrieve the check ‘"for which they are not accountable,"’ he implies a blunder, and a responsibility somewhere, and one that requires more to be said and ‘"by authority"’--too.
The trial of the Confederate privateers in New York.
The New York correspondent of the Philadelphia Ledger, under date of the 28th ult, has the following interesting item in regard to the trial of Confederate privateers in the Empire city:‘ There is scarcely room for a pin to stand in the U. S. Circuit Court room this afternoon, so eager is the desire of the public to hear the closing argument for the defence of the privateersmen, by Hon. James T. Brady. Previous to Mr. Brady, however, Mr. Duke, one of the associate counsel, reviewed the law of nations as applied to the distinctions between privateering and piracy. The prisoners, he contended, could not be convicted. The Confederate Government, under which these men acted, had been recognized as a belligerent by the most civilized nations of Europe. It would not do for this Government to put its head under its wing, like the ostrich, and suppose that other countries were not watching its actions and the course of events.
Mr. Sullivan followed on the same side. He appealed to the jury to meet the issue like men, no matter what pressure might be brought to bear upon them from political causes, and to do justice by discharging the prisoners. They must bear in mind that the Government of the Confederate States had the same right to issue letters of marque that our Revolutionary forefathers had, and if these men were wrong, so were their predecessors.
Mr. Brady then took the floor and addressed the jury. He regretted that the trial had been called on at this juncture, when the public mind was so prone to excitement; yet the city of New York was showing by it that free speech and freedom of opinion were not yet extinct. He then went on at great length to review the cause of the war — which was not one for the abolition of slavery — and passed to a careful analysis of the testimony that had been submitted. He also referred to the law governing the case of the Joseph, recently tried in Philadelphia. In the course of his argument, the learned gentleman spoke very plainly in regard to Mr. Lincoln, and other members of the Government, so much so, that, at times, his friends were apprehensive he was making a special plea for Jeff. Davis as well as his clients. Nevertheless, his eloquence frequently elicited bursts of applause from the audience, which the Court, how ever, promptly repressed. The argument will be continued till to-morrow.
The Philadelphia Ledger, of the 29th ult., says that there are five vessels lying there, captured while trying to run the blockade.
’
General Butler on the Recruiting service.
A large meeting was held at the Institute Hall, Roxbury, Massachusetts, on Thursday evening, to hear an address from Major General Butler, in aid of a company being recruited for his New England Regiment, Butter made a patriotic appeal to the people to rally for the defence of the country. He said:‘ "In my judgment, unless this rebellion can be quelled, and that within a short period, we shall be involved in a war such as this world never yet has seen, not only with the South, but with those powers who, by lust of gain, will be induced to take part with it. Therefore it becomes every man at the North with care to examine, with candor and determination to judge and act upon the state of facts this crisis presents; and I trust we may soon fight, not only on the banks of the Potomac or on the shores of North Carolina, but even on the shores of and in South Carolina, lighted by the smoking and rebellious cities.
’
From the upper Potomac--Gen. Lander.
The question has been asked why General Lander was absent from his brigade at the battle of Ball's Bluff, in which one of his regiments, the 20th Massachusetts, participated. He was in Washington at the time under special orders from the Government, and, on hearing of the engagement, he immediately proceeded to Poolesville, and took part in the action next day at Edward's Ferry, where he did good service, for which he has been complimented by the Commanding General. He now lies wounded at his quarters in Washington.
The outside Pressure upon Gen. M'Clellan.
The Washington correspondent of the New York Tribune, says:‘ Senator Chandler of Michigan, Ben Wade of Ohio, Trumbull of Illinois, and Wilkinson of Minnesota, are here, representing to the Administration that the popular demand of their constituents is, that General McClellan or somebody else shall right off whip the Confederates on the south-side of the Potomac in a pitched battle, and as near Bull Run as is possible, and from thence roll the tide of war steadily southward till it meets the waters of the Gulf.
’
Arrival of prisoners in Washington.
The Washington Star, of the 29th ult., has following paragraph:‘ Last evening, J. Owens Berry, late Government employee in the Patent Office here; Wm. Davis, of East Tennessee, and Samuel E. Varden, of Richmond, Va., --prisoners taken in the battle of Ball's Bluff, reached Washington under guard, and were duly placed in the military prison. Berry, if we are not mistaken, is a Georgetown man, and professes to have been a lieutenant in the 8th Virginia regiment.
’
