Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 237, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1912 — The CIVIL WAR FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK [ARTICLE]

The CIVIL WAR FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

September 16, 1862. Maj.-Gen. O. M. Mitchell arrived at Port Royal, South Carolina, and assumed command of the department A grand Union demonstration took place In Jefferson City, Louisiana. Paynesville, Minnesota, was attacked by a party of Indians, who were driven off after burning one house and committing other depredations. September 17, 1862. The Richmond Despatch, comment?. Ing on Lee’s invasion of Maryland, set forth as its objects a general retribution against the people of Pennsylvania for the acts of General Pope’s army in the Piedmont, and a specific purpose of cutting the railroad communication of Washington and Baltimore. ' t Colonel Dunham, in command of the national fotces at Munfordsvllle, Kentucky, surrendered to the Confederates undefr General Bragg. There was a skirmish between Union and Confederate detachments thirty miles east of Fort Pillow In which the Federate were reported to have retained the advantage.

i Col. George W. Berry escaped capture at the hands of a party of Texas Rangers only by the most desperate fighting. He had gone with a small party to Falmouth, Kentucky, on a reconnoissance from Covington; had found the town unoccupied, and was about to return when the Rangers appeared and attacked. They were finally driven dff. Brig.-Gen. L. F. Ross, U. S. A., commanding at Bolivar, Tennessee, Issued a general order commanding all slave holders within ten miles to send in three-fourths of their able-bodied male slaves between 16 and 45, to be employed on the fortifications. __ Poindexter, famous partisan fighter In Missouri, whose capture gave great relief and joy to hundreds of loyal citizens,, escaped from his federal guards. The ship Virginia, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was captured and burned by the Confederate privateer Alabama, Captain Semmes. General McClellan hastily placed in command of the Union armies to repel Lee’s Invasion, reluctantly joined battle with the Confederate forces at Antietam. The battle was savagely contested and resulted In a drawn fight, which was equivalent to a de* feat for the invaders. September 18, 1862. Louisville, Kentucky, was excited again 'over the reported approach of Gen. E. Kirby Smith with a Confederate force. Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, was evacuated' by the National forces under General Morgan. The whale ship Elisha Dunbar of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was captured and burned by the Confederate privateer Alabama. Charles S. Olden, governor of New Jersey, issued a proclamation calling on the young men of the state to enroll themselves in the uniformed companies and be ready to repel the _ invasion of their state by the enemy. The bridge on the Hatchie river, four miles north of Memphis, Tennessee, was burned by a party of Confederate irregulars. The Confederates evacuatetd Harper’s Ferry in a retrograde movement from Maryland, following their failure to smash the Federal army at Antietam. ( The Confederate General Bragg Issued a proclamation to the people of Kentucky informing them that he had brought the Confederate army to free them from the tyranny of a despotic ruler, and not to conquer or despoil; that he would restore to ‘ them the liberties of which they had been deprived by a cruel and relentless foe; guarantee to all the sanctity of the home and altar; punish with a rod of Iron the despollers of their peace, and avenge the cowardly insults to their women. September 19, 1862.

The Confederate army under Lee was In full retreat from Maryland, having been stopped effectually at Antietam. For nearly two days the armies had lain watching each other, McClellan too timid to move, and Lee too fatigued. On the night of the 18th Lee began slowly to withdraw. General McClellan, from bis headquarters near Antietam, sent the following reports to the war department at Washington: (8:30) “But little occurred yesterday except skirmishing. Last night the enemy abandoned his position, leaving his dead and wounded on the field. We are again in punsuit. I do not know whether he is falling back to an interior position or crossing the “river (Potomac). We may safely claim a victory.” “General Pleasanton is driving the enemy's across the river. Our victory is complete. The enemy is driven back into Virginia. Maryland and Virginia are now safe.” The following resolution was offered in the Confederate house of representatives by Mr. Foote: “That the signal success with which the Divine Providence has so continuously blessed our arms for several months past, would fully justify the Confederate government in despatching a commissioner or commissioners to Washington City, empowered to pro-

pose the terms of * just and honor able peace " General Halleck Issued a circular stating that a New York paper had published the number and disposition of General Foster’s Union troops in North Carolina, and asked that newspapers refrain from furnishing the information publically to their enemy. “Such publications have done immense Injury to our cause,” the circular concludes. < The battle of luka, Mtes., was fought between the National forces under Rosecrans and the Confederates under General Price. Price was defeated, and luka taken by the National force. - , September 20, 1862. The correspondence between General Butler and General Phelps relative to the contraband negro question In Louisiana was made public by General Phelps. Owensboro, Ky., for two days was the scene of desultory fighting. It was occupied on the 19th by a force of Confederate partisans, who drove out the Federal garrison, killing Colonel Netter, In command. They were driven out in turn the following day by a large detachment of the Spencer, Ind., Home Guards. An Indiana regiment under Colonel Ritchie stood off an attack by Confederate Irregulars and Cherokee Indians near Shirley’s Ford, Spring river, Missouri. Stuart’s Confederate cavalry crossed the Potomac at Williamsport, Md., and occupied the town, but retreated on learning of the approach of a heavy Union column under General Couch. General Syke’s Union command was defeated by Confederates at Blackford’s Ford, and driven across the Potomac.

The United States ram Queen of the West, Lieutenant Colonel Lippincott commanding, with two transports laden with troops, while on a reconnoitering expedition on the Mississippi, was fired Into at Prentiss, Mtes., by Confederate partisans. Colonel Lippincott Immediately landed and burned the town. September 21, 1862.

Munfordsvllle, Ky., was occupied by a Union forec under Col. Edward McCook, after a sharp struggle with the Confederates holding the town. The U. S. ram Queen of the West, convoying two transports loaded with Union troops, Colonel Lippincott commanding the expedition, was fired on by Confederate Irregulars near Bolivar, Miss. The irregulars had cannon, and fired with grape and cannister, pursuing the boats along the banks for two miles. Col. Lippincott did pot land and burn any towns. Cassville, Mo., was taken from the guarding force of Confederate Irregulars by the First Arkansas cavalry. Colonel Gllstray, after a brisk fight The officiate of the U. S. sanitary commission received word from San Francisco that the citizens of that place had contributed SIOO,OOO for the relief of sick and wounded soldiers and seamen. The Union force at Shepherdsville, Ky., under Colonel Granger, commander of the post, were attached by a body of Confederate cavalry. The attacking force was repulsed, after a short but brisk struggle. September 22, 1862. g Gen. E. Kirby Smith, with a Confederate force, continued to threaten Louisville, Ky. Governor Robinson issued a call upon the citizens, urging them to rally to the defence of the town and join the military command of General Nelson with what arms they had. \ A skirmish took place near Sturgdon, Mo., between a small Union force and a band of partisans, in which the regular soldiers maintained an advantage. A.National reconnoissance column under Col. R. B. Price encountered a Confederate force near Ashby’s Gap, in Virginia, and punished It severely, taking captive Lieutenant Colonel' Green, commanding, and two lieutenants.

President Lincoln Issued notice of the Emancipation Proclamation, announcing that “on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtythree, all persons held as slaves within any state, or any designated part of a state, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever, free.” The notification was accompanied by a declaration that the war, thenceforth, as theretofore, would be prosecuted for -the ol ject of practically restoring the Union, which implied that the freeing of the slaves was purely a war measure. (Copyright, 1911, by W. G. Chapman.)