News of the War.
We made up the following summary from into Southern papers received at this office!
The affair on James Island.
The Charleston Courier obtains the subjoined particulars of the recent fight on James Island, from Col. Williams, of the Forty-seventh Georgia regiment:The advance of the Forty-seventh Georgia was intended more as a reconnoitering movement for the purpose of ascertaining the strength and position of the enemy, and what they were doing. Being ignorant of these particulars, and of the nature of the ground, and not expecting to meet the enemy where they did, three companies were thrown out as skirmishers, and the balance of the regiment, under Col. Williams, held in supporting distance.
The first scouts came out of the woods and reported no Yankees to be seen. The entire woods was then ordered to be searched. On returning the party reported finding a camp and several spades, and evidence of the commencement of a well in the woods. From the appearance of the work it was supposed about twenty men had been engaged in digging the well, had overheard our advanced party and retreated.
The order was again given to scour the entire woods, and our men again moved forward. A few moments after entering the woods the fire of musketry became general, and Col. Williams quickly moved up with the balance of his regiment. The skirmishers had engaged the enemy, and were firing at a considerable disadvantage. They had gained the field on the enemy, however, on the left flank, and were pouring into them volley after volley. Col. Williams fearing their being cut off, drew his men back into the woods and arranged them in line of battle, throwing but his own flankers to prevent surprise and the flanking of his right. It was then determined to discover the enemy's location, and strength by a bold movement, and endeavor to drive them off. As our men advanced they discovered the foe behind a breastwork of fallen trees.--They had made a clearing before this work of some thirty-five or forty yards, over which our men had to advance, and were exposed to a most deadly fire. Our men moved on, however, and a desperate struggle ensued, which resulted in driving the enemy from their fortification. The Georgians were all good marksmen, and every volley told with terrible effect upon the enemy's compact column.
Their artillery was next brought into play, and on a signal from their ranks the gunboats also opened upon the little band of Georgians, and they in turn were compelled to evacuate the breastworks they had taken. Upon our troops leaving the works another signal went up, and the gunboats ceased firing, and the enemy's troops again took possession.
Our men were eager for another charge, but the darkness rendered it difficult to distinguish friend from foe, and a retreat was ordered. They picked up as many of the wounded as possible under the circumstances, and withdrew. In the attack they were charged also by the enemy's cavalry. It was therefore found impossible to cut off any portion of their troops. Colonel Williams and his Adjutant were the last to leave the field, and not until every man that could possibly get away was brought off. There was no confusion among the men, every order being implicitly obeyed, even while under the most galling fire.
Memphis.
Our readers have already been advised that the Yankees have taken possession of Memphis. We learn from the Avalanche, of the 7th inst., that six gunboats were frowning upon the city, and the Stars and Stripes floated from the Post-Office. It was supposed that the immediate command of the city would devolve upon Col. Fitch. now acting Brigadier. The strong friends of the Confederacy, who were able, as well as many business men who took no part, had left, fearing to trust their business in the hands of the Yankees; also all the banking institutions and their officers, Confederate soldiers, and commandant of the post, Provost Marshal, Postmaster, telegraph operators, many of the best physicians, its most able, most admired men and women had left. Not only is Memphis extra civilian in its population now, but also in its possessions. All arms, all munitions of war, the very sinews of war — the banks — all down to the last pound of commissary bacon, and the last pint of commissary flour, have been removed, and the leavings in civilian possessions themselves, are also of the meanest. But two papers are left, the Appeal having been moved to Grenada, Mississippi where it will be continued.
Foreign Intervention.
The Columbia Guardian has the following sensible editorial:‘ The rumors of foreign intervention in American affairs are becoming quite numerous. We have from the North, by a gentleman who arrived in Memphis, that France had already recognized the Confederacy, and a similar report comes from Havana. A passenger at Mobile, from New Orleans, reports that rumors were rife in that city that England and France had actually intervened in American affairs, and Lincoln was given to the 5th of June to make answer to the propositions.
We place but little confidence in these reports, and little attention should be paid to them. We fear that many of our people still cling to the idea of foreign aid in our struggle, in the face of the facts that reach us from abroad.
Should mediation be proposed, it may be upon terms as would be sufficient cause of rejection by our Government; and any delay, through an armistice or temporary cessation of hostilities, would assuredly be made good use of by our enemies, without any corresponding benefit to us. After all, our true reliance is on ourselves, and we are convinced that it would be preferable to any peace that would lay us under obligations to foreign powers, which thus far have shown but little sympathy or friendship for our cause.
’
Pensacola.
Two lads, who successfully made their escape from the thraldom of the Yankees at Pensacola, have arrived at Greenville, Ala., and the Observer gets from them the following information:They represent the dwellings of Hon. S. R. Mallory, (Secretary of the C. S. Navy,) Mrs. Dalles, and our own, as seized and polluted by occupation by these miscreant invaders. Major Chase's residence is their headquarters. They have also taken possession of our printing office, and say that they are going to commence the publication of a Federal sheet soon.
We regret exceedingly to learn that which was seriously feared when we left Pensacola; that some of those who had been so clamorous in their exultation for the secession of the South have turned their coats and become base and damnable traitors. Some of them were even volunteers in the beginning of the war, and may well remember that the day of retribution and wrath will surely come.--Their fortunes and their homes are in Pensacola, and when the South shall be redeemed from her present difficulties, and the glorious Stars and Bars float triumphantly and independently in a Southern breeze, (a day not far distant,) these snakes in the grass, these Judas Iscariot, these worse than Arnold traitors, will have to flee to a Northern den for safety, or the wrath of a noble, independent, and outraged people will apply the hemp to their traitorous necks.
From the West--a New Merrimac upon the Father of waters — Beauregard's present position.
A correspondent of the Savannah Republican, writing from Mobile on the 9th inst., says:‘ The evacuation of Fort Pillow, though commenced at the time indicated in a former letter, was not completed as soon as I had supposed. We had no force at Memphis, except a few detached companies, whose business it was to execute the orders of the Provost Marshal. The Federal fleet did not appear before the place until last Friday, when it was hotly, but ineffectually, engaged by Capt. Montgomery's cotton boats. The particulars of the engagement, except such as were sent you on by telegraph, have not been received. The same may be said of the evacuation of Fort Pillow.
It is stated that the Confederate ram Arkansas has been completed and sent down to Vicksburg, and sanguine hopes are indulged that she will prove to be a second Merrimac. If she be the gunboat I saw launched at Memphis, and which was subsequently removed to — upon the fall of Island 10, there is good ground for these expectations. She is provided with a more formidable ram than that of the Merrimac, and was built to mount eight guns--three on each side, one in the bow, and one in the stern. Her sides and deck were clad with railroad T iron bars, and her machinery and wood work were of the strongest and most approved kind.
It is reported that a portion of the army has fallen down to Sallillo, the next station below Guntown, on the Mobile and Ohio road. The supply of water is scant for seventy-five miles below Corinth, though much better and more abundant than of the latter place, and it may be that Gen. Beauregard has extended his encampment with a view to relieving the pressure upon the points first occupied. Indeed, it is doubtful whether Halleck can advance further South in the direction taken by Beauregard, unless he first organize and send forward a corps of well- borers. The wells opened by the Confederates can be easily destroyed, in case of a further retrograde movement, in which event it would be almost, if not quite, impossible for an invading force to advance. We can ask nothing better than that Hallock should remain at Corinth for two months. It would be equivalent to a loss to him of 30,000 men.
’
The South Carolina coast — Handsome exploit.
The Charleston Courier makes the following extract from a private letter in relation to an exploit of the Marion Artillery, in an affair with the ‘"invincible gunboats,"’ dated Warring's Place, Young's Island, June 13:We had some excitement in camp yesterday. The sentinel reported a gunboat (supposed to be the Planter) coming up. In a few minutes the battery was ready, and Capt. Parker determined not to let her pass, if possible. Two places (6 pounders) were placed in a blind battery at Shannon's Bluff, under Lieutenant Strehecker, and the other two places (howitzers) were kept ready at this place as a reserve. The gunboat came up beautifully into the trap, within eight hundred yards of Lieutenant Strehecker. He opened on her, when the boat responded with shell and grape. The howitzers were then brought into play, and commenced a flank attack from an open field at a distance of about six hundred to seven hundred yards. The attack from the howitzers was evidently unexpected, and she found it too hot, as she immediately came about and put down the at a very rapid rate.
The whole affair was handsomely arranged, and the behavior of the officers and men very creditable. She was undoubtedly hit several times, and if she had continued the fight, I have no doubt that we should have bugged her. Some of the places were struck by the grape, but no one injured. Dr. Holmes was slightly grazed by a grape shot.
We kept up a very rapid fire until she got beyond the range of our guns. I would not be at all surprised if we were attacked again to-day. We have plenty of ammunition, and I think in case of their attempting it again we will be able to give a good account of ourselves.
The men are in fine spirits and in a fighting humor.
The attack upon Chattanooga.
A correspondent of the Knoxville Register, writing from Chattanooga, Tenn., June 9th, gives some interesting details of the bombardment of that place, from which we extract the following:Vague rumors of the advance of the enemy were afloat all day Friday, but we had concluded that they were all mistakes. Late that evening, however, one of our pickets was wounded and brought in. Everything remained quiet until Saturday afternoon, when a brisk fire between our pickets and the enemy's commenced, and was kept up in a very spirited manner until five o'clock, when our batteries opened upon those of the enemy planted on the opposite side of the river. For two hours and ten minutes the fire continued with great animation on both sides, the Yankees not firing at or in the direction of our guns, but throwing shot and shell indiscriminately into every part of town. A number of shots fell in the vicinity of the jail, and also several in close proximity to one of our hospitals, from which three yellow flags were at the time floating. The affair seemed to be entirely unexpected, and the families of the citizens were quietly resting at their homes in fancied security.
The saddest sight I ever saw was the processions of old and decrepit men and women and children, as they wended their way slowly and sorrowfully through every street leading from town. Being on police and picket duty that night, I saw them from the time the shelling commenced until daylight next morning. Our regiment passed through town early next morning, and it was the most desolate looking place I ever beheld. Not a woman or child was to be seen. Everything that could not be carried off was left to the mercy of whoever was disposed to appropriate it.
During the engagement Saturday evening, a part of one of our batteries, located nearest the river, was for a time silenced, being exposed to the enemy's fire from three different directions. It was soon, however, brought into a better protected position, and took an active part in the engagement.--Saturday night our boys slept on their arms, thinking that the real work would commence on Sunday morning. The hours from daylight till nine o'clock each seemed double, when, about half-past 9, the quiet stillness of a beautiful Sabbath morning was broken by the sombre tones of one of the enemy's guns, immediately followed by the unearthly whistling of an 18-pound shell, which fell right in the centre of town.
This morning citizens began to come in, and confirm the reports brought by our scouts late yesterday evening, that the main body of the vandal force withdrew in the morning, and that the cannonading was to cover the movement.
