The Daily Dispatch: January 2, 1862., [Electronic resource]

Latest from Kentucky.
the Confederate cause onward.
official report of the Woodsonville fight.
&c., &c., &c.

The Blue Grass in arms — Uprising of the people.

‘ We have received some information from a gentleman just from Bourbon county, Ky., confirmatory to the accounts we have had of the progress of the Southern cause in the Blue Grass section. He reports that Unionism is dead in that section, killed off by Lincoln and Cameron's abolition scheme. Except among some designing Lincolnites in the towns, no one is heard to speak a word in favor of Lincoln; but the feeling is unanimous for the South. From every county men are constantly going out in squads to join Gen. Humphrey Marshall's army, whose men have become so bold that they come down into the counties so recently overrun by the Hessians and openly recruit for the Confederate service. The road from Paris to Prestonsburg, which our informant travelled, he says is entirely unobstructed by the Lincolnites, and there is uninterrupted communication with Marshall's army. The people are nearly unanimous in having the approach of Gen. Marshall, and as he advances will continue to swell his forces.

’ The mountaineers of Eastern Kentucky have been kindled into a blaze of indignation by the outrages committed by the Hessians before their retreat from the country. They attacked the residence of Judge Brown, of the Criminal Court, in West Liberty, Morgan county, stealing all they could lay their hands upon, breaking open the bureau drawers, and making horse troughs of them and committing a variety of enormities of like character. The Judge, who is a citizen of wide influence, is himself collecting an army of his mountain fellow-citizens to protect their homes against these worse than vandals, and they are rushing en masse to the Confederate standard. As Gen. Marshall advances into the blue grass, the hardy mountaineers join him in hundreds at every cross road.

The Woodsonville affair — official report.

Headquarters Advance Guard, C. A.,
Ky., Care City, Dec. 19, 1861.
Sir:

--At 8 o'clock, A. M., on the 17th inst., I moved towards Woodsonville for the purpose of breaking up the railroad from the vicinity of that place Southward. My force consisted of 1,100 infantry and four pieces of artillery.

When within two and a half miles of Woodsonville, concealed from the enemy's view, I halted the column and ordered forward Colonel Terry's Rangers, to occupy the heights of my right, left and front; and Major Phifer's cavalry to watch the crossings of Green River still further to my left.

These orders having been executed, and no force of the enemy or pickets seen, I advanced the column till the right reached the railroad. This brought me within three quarters of a mile of the river and the enemy, but still concealed, except a small body of cavalry upon the extreme left. Here a company of rangers was detached to observe the enemy from Rowlett's Knob, which was to my right, across the railroad. A strip of timber-bordered the river parallel to the line held by my cavalry. Fields were between a body of the enemy's infantry, as skirmishers moved through the timber, by their right, on my left. They were fired upon by a small body of my cavalry, and retired.--The firing ceased for about half an hour, and I went in person to select a suitable place for camp, leaving Col. Terry in command, with instructions to decoy the enemy up the hill where I could use my infantry and artillery with effect, and be out of the range of the enemy's batteries.

Before returning to the column, the fire from the skirmishers re-commenced. The enemy appeared in force upon my right and centre. Col. Terry, at the head of 75 Rangers, charged about 300, routed and drove them back, but fell mortally wounded. A body of the enemy, of about the same size, attacked the Rangers, under Capt. Ferrell, upon the right of the turnpike, and were repulsed with heavy loss. The enemy now began crossing by regiments, and moving about on my right and left flanks. Three companies of Col. Marmaduke's (1st Ark.) battalion were thrown out as skirmishers on my left, engaged the enemy's right, and drove them to the river. I now ordered forward Capt. Switt's battery and the 2d Arkansas regiment to support it, holding the 6th Arkansas regiment in reserve. The artillery opened fire upon the enemy in the field adjacent to the railroad, and drove them to the bank of the river.

Firing now ceased on both sides. The enemy made no further attempt to advance, but knowing that he had already crossed the river in force more than double my own, and had the means of crossing additional forces, I withdrew my command, by way of the turnpike, two miles and a half, and took position to meet the enemy, if disposed to advance.--There being no indications of such an intention, I returned to my camp here, reaching this place at 8 o'clock, P. M.

My loss in this affair was as follows:

‘ Killed--Col. Terry and three men of his regiment.

’ Dangerously wounded--Lieut. Morris and three men, (Texas Rangers.)

Slightly wounded--Capt. Walker and three men (Texas Rangers,) and two men of the 1st Arkansas battalion.

I estimated the enemy's loss at 75 killed and left on the ground; wounded, unknown. I have eight prisoners--others taken were too badly wounded to be moved, and were left at citizens' houses.

The troops under my command who were engaged, displayed courage in excess. The others were as steady as veterans.

Respectfully,

T. C. Hindman,
Brigadier General.
To Lieut. D. C. White, Act's Ass't Adj't Gen., 1st Division Central Army of Kentucky.

---

Kentucky Legislature — the election of Garrett Davis in the place of Gen. Breckinridge, &c.

‘ I informed you by telegraph last night of the election of Hon. Garrett Davis, of Bourbon county, to supply the vacancy in the United States Senate, caused by the expulsion of John C. Breckinridge for treason. The thirteen secessionists in the Legislature, true to their sympathies for treason, cast their votes for men who desire the success of the Southern Confederacy, the dissolution of the Union, and the destruction of the Federal Government. In announcing the result in the Senate, Speaker Fiske declared ‘"Garrett Davis elected to fill the unexpired term of John C. Breckinridge, expelled for treason;"’ while in the House, Mr. Speaker Buckner, with a tenderness which could well have been waived, declared ‘"Garrett Davis duly elected to fill the unexpired term of the Hon. John C. Breckinridge, resigned,"’ Breckinridge had not resigned. The only evidence which the country has of his resignation is in his villainous address published in the Bowling Green Courier, where he says that he ‘"intends to exchange six years in the United States Senate for the musket of the soldier."’ The resolution of the Legislature fixing the day for the election of Senator, was predicated upon his expulsion.

’ In the House, Mr. Thomas offered the following resolution:

‘ "Resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That the thanks of this General Assembly are hereby tendered to the loyal and brave men of Kentucky who have volunteered to aid and assist the Government of the United States in expelling the invaders from our soil."

’ This resolution was adopted — yeas 69, nays 11--Messrs. Ash, Burns, Bush, Chambers, Edmunds, Gardner, Garrett, Hampton, Johnson, Lindsey, and Murphy voting in the negative. These gentlemen have steadily voted upon every proposition as if they were the representatives of the Southern Confederacy. This evidence of sympathy for treason created astonishment and indignation. Richard T. Jacob, the bold and fearless member from Oldham county, offered the following resolution, which, under the rules of the House, was referred to the appropriate committee:

‘ "Resolved, That a select committee be instructed to inquire why gentlemen in this House give aid and comfort in the invaders of our soil, by voting no to a vote of thanks to our noble defenders, and to inquire why they should not be expelled from this House."

’ In presenting this resolution Mr. Jacob said: ‘"I offered the resolution for this reason — our State has been invaded, our soil desecrated, our citizens plundered and driven from their homes. A resolution is offered to tender our thanks to the brave men who have voluntarily left their homes and families to defend our State, our soil, and our citizens; but there is of men here amongst us who refuse poor coon. I want a committee why they thus give aid and enemy. I want to show these they dare not do is in this impunity, and that, if there are amongst us, to drive them hence."’

The Dick Jacob so applauded by the Abolitionist of the Commercial is a chap who, until he was bought by Lincoln, was so intensely Southern that he could find no fire-eater sufficiently intense for him. He and Fremont married sisters, and his present position is no doubt due to the exertion and management of Fremont. Now he is always ready to do Lincoln's dirty work, and in the bogus Legislature he is the most abject and contemptible of all the Lincolnites there.

Mr. Speed, of Louisville, is perfecting a bill for the confiscating of the estates of all who are engaged in the invasion of Kentucky, and it ought to pass. It will have many supporters, but its passage is not secured, as too many of our Union men feel inclined to postpone, the consideration of subjects of that character.

The following bill has pasted the House, and will pass the Senate:

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That whenever any Sheriff, Clerk of a Circuit Court, County Court, or Chancery Court, or other ministerial officer in this Commonwealth, who shall be absent from the county of his residence sixty days, or who shall have taken service, either civil or military, in the so-called Confederate States, or Government, or who shall have entered voluntarily within the lines of the military forces of said Confederates, with a view to favor or assist them, directly or indirectly, the office of such Sheriff, Clerk, or ministerial officer, the term of which is unexpired, shall be deemed and held to be vacant, without direct proceeding, and shall be filed as provided by law.

Sec. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage.

Arrests of Southern men in Kentucky.

‘ We learn from the Cincinnati papers that Deputy U. S. Marshal C. B. Pettit, of Bourbon county, arrived at Covington on Tuesday, having in custody C. C. Rogers, of Paris, and John Higgins, of Magoffin county, both noted rebels, who have for a length of time been giving aid and comfort to the rebels. Higgins was taken prisoner in Montgomery county, a few days since, by Capt. G. N. Hall, of Col. Epperson's regiment — He has been supplying the rebels with provisions and other means of sustenance.--Rogers had a number of letters in his possession, from parties of the State, to friends and relatives in the Southern army.

’ One of the letters is from Frank Trontman, of Paris, law partner of Wm. E. Simms, now a Captain in the rebel army, and it details the condition of Simms's property and affairs, and conveys other information quite interesting to the rebel Captain, Rogers has been carrying on this private mail system for a long time, and was a most valuable ally of the rebels. He was arrested at Paris, and the twain were sent down to the United States authorities in Covington for imprisonment. After remaining in jail for a short time, the news of the arrest got abroad, and some secession sympathizers in the city made an effort to procure the release of the prisoners on a writ of habeas corpus, but Deputy U. S. Surveyor E. H. Samuels, who had the matter in hand, had anticipated the movement by taking them over to Cincinnati, where they were placed in the custody of U. S. Marshal A. C. Sands, and the probability is that the prisoners are far on their way to a place of perfect security.

The Prospect of a fight.

‘ As I ventured to predict several days back, there will be no fight between Zollicoffer and Schoepf until the latter is strong enough to make the attack. One of Z.'s objects is to hold quiet possession of the river until the coal, provisions, and produce have been boated out to Nashville, and this would be defeated by bringing on a fight. If two or three more regiments are given to Schoepf, he can and will drive the rebels out; or if a force of six thousand will move down from Columbia and get in his rear, the whole party can be captured. This is the opinion of those at Somerset, and of gentlemen of intelligence now in this city, who know every foot of the territory.

’

The Negro question — the Hason-Slidell affair.

‘ If the agitation of the negro question is kept up by the radicals in Congress, I fear that we will lose strength in this State. Although it is no just reason for opposing the Government and its policy, I fear that if radical councils prevail, much moral, if not physical support, will be withdrawn from the cause of the Union. Men who have ever been unconditionally Union, can hardly bear the idea that Lovejoy, Thaddeus Stevens, Sumner, and Jim Lane are to be the rulers of the destiny of this people.

’ As I have heretofore said, the sentiment of our people is unanimous that the President should refuse the demand, of England for a release of Slidell and Mason, and if war ensue, our State would furnish more troops for such a war than are now in the field.

A Singular character--Federal distrust of Kentuckians, &c.

‘ There is a soldier in one of the companies at Hopkinsville who never wore a hat. Acting upon the maxim of Franklin, he seems determined to keep his head cool.--He is certainly an acentric character, but he has fire in his eye and strength in his arm.

’ A gentleman informs us that while near Crittenden's camp at Calhoun, the other day, he learned that the distrust of Kentuckians is so great that none are permitted to do picket duty for fear they will desert. It must be very comfortable to the Kentuckians to be treated in this way by their "brethren" of the North. It is a notable fact that they are nowhere sent in advance.

Blowing up of a grist Mill.

‘ About 2 o'clock on Christmas morning, a steam grist mill, while being used by the 5th Kentucky regiment, blew up, dangerously wounding H. Garr, of Capt. Boschay's company of Portland Rangers. A correspondent says:

’ The accident occurred about midnight, and the escape of the rest of the detail is truly wonderful. The explosion was very loud, and one or two regiments beyond us and more remote from the mill turned out and were drawn up in line under arms. The boiler was in miserable order, for a careful and experienced engineer had charge of the engine.--Garr is better and will recover.

Political prisoners.

‘ The following is a list of the names of persons who have been confined in the prison at the corner of Fifth and Green streets, in this city, for political offences, together with the time of their arrest and the date of the discharge of such as have been releases:

The above list does not include the names of those who have been indicted for treasonable conduct, such parsons having been consigned to the county jail.

’