TEl eiEOB OrtONDORDl&KT.
Obi of tk« moit reii»rkftble millUrf •'fenta reoorded
la kli orj is the ■^raggle for LoB*ond«rrj. ui Irish
Iowa, vhloh for 106 d»jg io th« tpring *.nd iaBm>r of
rosiittd tk« Freaeh and Irish ftrmie« enfsg«d in
tks ff irt to r« ostAblish iho gOTsmmsnt of King Jsmee,
■apwiodod in 1688 by Wjlliwa uid Mwy Th»t oar
poopls m»7 seo whU bravo men itragsting for f^odom
1b p%8t ogM h«To ondared, and by ondurwoe sosem-
pits'-«d, we 0 py the olosing ptg9« »f M*cwl»y‘a toooaitt
1b his third ▼slnme of Eaglsli history Th* siege be-
g»n in April The d-f«no9« were wesk; proTislcts
w9re«otQ*y; her amrnor wMo traitor; an inoeased
tyriBt and a great army ware at her gates Bat within
her W4iu we-e hrave rx»eo—7 f 00 in all capable of bear.
arai?; an1 those assisted by at brsTe womea fought
thr jagh April aad May with decided sdf antage over the
fo» Bji food WM soarw, and the besiegers kaowinr
It, olosaly blookaiei the town by land »nd by water,
abanioaedftghtiag. aulraaolrad to try the effaot of
hrncer. The HiitoriaB saj«;
Within the walU the dinreas had become ex
treine. So early as the eighth of Jono ho-sj-
flfsb was almost th« ooly meat which cculd be
pttrohased; and of horseflesh the supply was
■Mnty. It w*s Docessary to mike up the defi
cienoy with t»l ow; and even tallow was doled oat
With a parsimoDiou« hand.
On the fifteenth of June a gleam cf hore ap.
ptared. The sentinels on the top of the Cathe.
dral saw sails nine miles off in the bay cf Lough
Foyle Thirty twoIs of diffsreat sii s wer*
oountel. Signals wore m*de troip the itecplcs
Inrnodjrom iliejBMi bii|jr-f». ijgt
perfectly nnd ratood oi both sidea At last a
m^sseneer ft'om the flei t eluded the Irish sent!,
aels d ved under the boom, and informed the
gorrisoQ that Kirkn had arrived from England
wirh troops, arms, ammunition, and provisions, to
relieve the oity.
In Londonderry ezpeot^ti in was at tho hciirht;
but a few hour* of fi^vensh j >y were followed by
we> ks of misery. Ri'ke thous^ht it unsafe to
mike any atterop^, either bv laod or by water,
on the lines of the ors’Pjsr'rs, and retired to the
entrance of Lough Fo^le, v^h^re; during several
weeks, he Uy in«ot ve.
And now the presf-ure cf faojir.e bcoime every
day nj->re fcvefe A strict starch was made in
ail the of nil the bon828 of the oitv; aud
some pTOV'iio’s. ^fhic.i had oojoealed io cel
lars by people who hai siuco died or made thtir
e*o»pe, were Jiao w'red aui O-irricv. to the tuBga-
aiads. Thd ft ck of oar.con balls was aljQOS*'. eX'
hitus'ei; and th«'ir place wes supplied by brick-
bats oiited w th 1 »i Pe'tUenoa bogaa, as usaal,
to make its appeiraooc in the traiif of huni'er
Fifteen cffio'rs died of fever in one day. The
Governor, Bi^er, W4s am^nj; those who sank un
der the dideasa Ilis pUce was supplied by a Ool.
John Mi'o'ielbirrne.
M 'anw^iile it wjs koowo at Dublin that Kirke
and hi>4 squadron were oq the coa-it of Ulster.
The alirn was great as tha OiS^Ie. Evf^n before
th^S uewi arr-vv*d, A^a-ix had giren it as his opia-
ioD that Richari Hamilton was unequal to the
diflloil'ie?ot th*^ gitaation. It had therefore bean
resolved tha?- Rosen whould take the chief com
mand Ha Wis now sent dowa with all speed
0 1 the 19th of Jane he arrived at the head->
] urt?rs of the besieging army At fir^t he at-
teuiy^ed to and:rmine the waU?; but his pl»n was
dieoovered, and he was compelled to abandon i*:
after a sharp fl^ht, in which more than a hundred
of his men were slain Then bis frry rose to a
strange pitch. flb old soldier, a Marshal of
France in expeotaaoy, trained in the sohool of the
greatest generals, aoaas''orned, daring miny years,
lieatifio war, to be baffled by a mob of country
minea, farmers, ahop.keepers, who were pro-*
‘ only by a wall whioi any good eofnn^er
onoe have pronounced untenable! He
nved, he !>lasptiemedj in a language of bis own,
D ad-i Up of B spoken from tha Bal
tio to the Atlantio B t would rasa the ciry to
the ground: ho would spara no living thingj no,
not the young girls; not tha babies at the breasl:.
to thd leaders, death was too li(;ht a punish
ment fo^ th&m: he would rack them: he would
roast them alivo In hia rage he ordered a shell
10 be flsDg into the town with a letter containing
c iioiTibl« menace. He would, he said, gather
into one body all the Protestants who had remain,
ed at their homes between Charlemoat and the
tea, old men, women, ohildron, many ot them near
in b’ood and affiction to tl'o defenders of London*
derry. No projection, whatever might be the
authority by which it bad been given, should be
respeoted. The multitude thus brought together
should be driven under the walls of L^'udonderry,
and should there he starved t« death in the sight
of their countrymen, their friend.^, their kin.raen.
This was no idle threat. Parties were instantly
sent out in all directions to oollcct victims At
dawn, on the morning of the 21 of July, hundreds
of Protestants, who were oharg=‘d with no crime,
who were incapable of bearing arms, acd many of
whom had proteolions araated by Jam's, W're
dragged to the g»tes of the oity Itvras im*pined
that the piteom si^ht would qu-'ll t^e Sfirit of
th? ool'^nists Bat the only effect was to r>use
that spirit to still great r energy An order wa
imaae>^iately piS tor h tiiit no mai shooed utter
the word Surreodf^r ®.i piin ot dea hj aod no mm
a tered tnat word ' Severil pr’sooe.'S of hi^h
rank were in tho town Hitherto they hid b«en
11 treat d, an i hid reonv>d as goid ratio' s aa
be permitted to depart armed and in military *r-1 population was there to welcome them. A screen
nj, by Und or water at their choice. They de- made of ca-ks filled with earth was hastily throw
wsre measured ou‘- to the garrison. They were
now closely o>nfi ed. A galiows was err?cied o^
Oie^f the bastioas; and a m'^.^saga was conveyed
to Rosen, r‘qa‘s iog him to sen ! a confa^sor in
StaDtiy to propsro hit» Ix.oacs for *le%th Th«
prisoners in great di!>7:x»y w ota to the savage Li
vonian, but received no answer They then ad
dressed t'^emselves to th>ir countryman, Richard
Hamilton. They were wiliiog, they said, to shed
thiir blood for their Kiog; but they thought it
hard to die the ignominioa^ death cf thieves in
• cons^qaenoo of the barbarity of their own eom
panioos in arm^ Hamilton, thoagh a man of lax
principles, was not cruel He had been disgUited
by the iohumaaity of Rosen, but, being only se^
e^nd in oommio'^, oouid not venture to express
puohcly all th>.t he thought. He however remoa
strated strongly, done Irish officers f h on this
ocoaiion ai it w^s natural th)t brave m.-n should
feel, and d’c’ared, weepicg with pity and indigna'
tion, that they should never cease to have in their
ean the cies of the poor women and children who
had been driven at the point of the pike to die of
famine between tha c^mp and the city. Rosen
pers'sted during fbrty.eight hours. In that timi
many rnhappy crcatures perished; but London
derry held out as resolutely as ever; and he siw
that his crime wcs likely to p'oduca notbing bu
hatred and obloquy. He at I tnarth gave way, and
suffered the survivors to withdraw. The garri
son then took down the gallows which had been
elected on the bastion
* * * Rosen was recalled to Dublin;, and
Richard Hamilton was again left in the chief
command. He tried gentler means than those
which had brought so much reproach on his pro'
‘ deceasor. No tricky no lie, which was thought
likely to discourago the starving garrison was
spared One day a great shout was raised by the
whole Irish camp. The defenders of London
Jerry were soon informed that the army of James
was rejoicing on account of the fall of EaniskiU
Ion. They were told that they had now no chance
of being relieved, and were exhorted to save their
lives by capitulating. They consented to nego^
tiftte. Bat what they asked wis, that they sheald
manded EosUges for the exact fulfilment of these
conditions, aod insisted that the hostages should
be sent on board of the fleet which lay in Lough
Foyle. Such terms Hamilton dmrst not grant:
the Governors would abate nothing: the treaty was
broken off, and the conflidt recommenced.
By this time July was fa^ advanced; and tho
state of the oity was’, hour by hour, becoming
more frightlul. The number of the inhabitants
had been thinned more by famine and disease
than by th^ fire of the enemy. Yet that fire was
sharper and more constant than ever. One ot the
gates was beaten is: one of the bastions was laid
in ruin®; but the breaches made by day were rco
paired by night with indefatigable activity. Every
atti>ck was still repelled. But tbe fighting men
of the garrison were so much exhausted thatthfy
could scarcely keep their le^s. Several of them,
in the act of striking at the enemy, f^ll dovc>
fiom mere weakness. A very small q'lantity of
grain remsiced, and wes doled cut Dy mouthiu1>
The stock of salted hides was consideraDle, and
by goawirg them the garrison appealed ihe rsgt
of hun^cer Dogs, fattened on the blood oi the
iftlain who lay unburied around the town, were
luxuries which few could afford to purchase
The price of a whelp’s paw was five shillings aud
sixpence. Nine horses were still alive, and but
bnrely alive. They were so lean that little meat
was likely to be found upon them. It was, howa
ever, determined to slaughter them for food The
people perished so fast that it was impo:inble for
SSmrOfl^ f9ri9fSB sepulture.
There was scarcely a cellar in which some corpse
was not decaying. Such was the extremity ol
dbtress, that the rats who came to feast in those
hideous dens were eagerly hunted and greedi.y
devoured. A small fish caught in thp river wa.
not to be purchased with money The only piioe
for which such a treasure' could bu chtained
was some handfuls of oatmeal. Leprosies, such
as strange and unwhol'‘tome diet engenders
made existecee a oonstrnt torment. The whole
oity was poinoned by the stenc’i exhaled froiu
th' bodies ot the dead and of the hall dead
That ;h' re should be firs of disoontfnt aud in
subordination amjcg men onduriog such misery
WHS i i'’vitabb. At one moment it was su.~pected
tnat Waiicer had laid np somewhere a secret stor’
of fcoH, ard was reveMng in private, while-he ex
horted o*^Hers to s’lffer re« lurely f r the goid
cause. U s hoase was strictly examined; hir
ioQCCfnue was fully proved: he regained his pop
uiarit ; and the garrison, with death io iiea.
prospect, thronged to the cathedral to hear li.nj
Pi each, drank in his earncit ekquence with de
I ght, aud went forth from the house of God wiiJi
ha^gtrd faoes and tottsring steps, bat w>th spirit
S'ill uj-ubdued There were, indeed, (:ome secret
plottings A very few cbdcure t'aiforj opened
communicatioDS with the enemy. But it wait
oco^sdary that all su h d alings should ba caretullv
cdDcealed None d^red to utter publioly any
words save wjrds of defianct and stubborn reso
lution Eren in that extremi y the goicral or;
was “N."> surrender.” Aud there were not wanting
voices ^hich, in low tones added, * Fir^t tbe hor
ses aod hideo; and then the prisoners; and then
each other.” It was afterwards related, half in
jest, yetno*' without a horr’ble mixt’ure of earnest,
that a corpulent cit'ie'i, whose bulk presented i
strange contrast to the skeletons which surround
ed him, thought it expedient Vi conceal himself
from tho numerous eyes which followed him with
cannibal loaks whenever he appeared in the
streets.
It was no slight aggravation of the sufferings
of tho garrivoi th^t allthis tim« the Eaglish bhips
wer« ac«* io L.ouuih Fusi*. Ca^maoioati n
between iho t et «nd tte cuy was aTnost impo -
sibl'i One diver who bad at empted to pass the
boom was drowaed. Anothfrwas hangel. Tbe
langua'e ot signals was hardk intrlligib’o. Oo
ho"l3th of Ju y, however, a pi^oj of paper sowed
up in a OiOth button oamo to Walkei’s hands. I'
wa-) a letter from Kirke, ard contained asdurance«>
of ap3edy relief. But more than a fortnight of
intcQse misery had since elapsed; and the heart
of the most sanguine were sick with deferred
hope. By no art could the provisions which were
left be made to ho'd out two days more.
JuU a^ this time Kirke received a- despatoh
from Eaglaod, wh'oh oootainod pontive orders
that Londonderry should bfe relieved He accord*
ingly d t:rminsd to mike an attempt which, as
far as (p i^ar^, he might have made, with at lea^'t
an equally fair prorpect of kuojess, six weeks
es’^lier.
Among the merchant ships whi^h had come to
Liugh Fojla under his convoy was one c Ihd the
.Mointjoy. Th? majter, Miiejah Browning, a
native ol L jndond-. rry, had br“ught from England
a large cargo of rrovisions. Uj bad, it is said,
repr-atedlv remonstrated against tha ira tioi (f
tho a'mam nt. II i new l a’erly v ilunteeijed to
tako t ‘e fir t ri^k of ^ucc ring his fj)law citiz^nc-;
and his offjr wai acc.ptei. Andrew Doug'as,
master ol thn Phoea x, who h»d o*» board a gr at
qutTtity of m al from Sootla d, was willi g to
tha danger and th« ho or. Th^ two m r
o^a-itm'n rj to ba escort d by the Diitmouth
f ig‘ti of 3(3 ftuns, c.'mminded by Ciptain John
Le*ke, aftjrwa'da ao admiral of great tama.
It was the thirtieth of Juiy The sua hid jut
set: tae eveoing sermon in thecithedr.l was ove>;
and the heartbruken oonsregaion had separated,
when the sentin>-ls on the tower saw the sails oi
three vessels coming up the F>yle. S'K)u there
waa a stir in the Iri^h camp. The besiegers were
oa tbe ale^fc for miles alo^g both shores The
ships were in extreme peril: for the river wa-*
low; ana tho only navigable obanoei rw very near
to tbe left b.^nk, where the head quarters of the
enemy had been fixed, and where the batterieo
were most numeroas Leake performed bis du'y
with a skill and spirit worthy of his noble pro*
fession, exposed his frigate to cover the.merchant
men, and ns'd hia guns with great effect. At
length the littlo squadron came to the place of
p-'ril Then tho Mountj >y took the lead, aod went
right at the boom. Tbe huge barricade cracked
and g«ve way: but the shook was such that the
Mountj ay rebounded, and stuck in the mud A
veil of triumph rose from the banks: the Irish
rushed to their boats, and were preparing to
board; but the Dartmouth poured on them a well
directed broadside, which threw them into disi
order. Just then the Phoenix dashed at the
breach which the Mountjoy had made, and was
in a moment within the fence Meantime the
tide was rising fast. The Mountjoy began to
move, and soon pasied safe through the broken
stakes aod floating spars. Bit her brave master
was no more. A shot from one of the batteries
had strnek him; and he died by the most envia
bla o^ all deaths, in sight of the oity which was
his birth plaoe, which was hb home, and ^ioh
had just been saved by his courage and selt de-
votion from the most frightful form of destruc-
tion. The night had closed in beforb the eonfliet
at the boom began; but the flash of the guns- wss
seen, and the noise heard, by the loan and ghasL
ly maltitude which covered the wdls of the oity.
When the Mountjoy grounded, and when the
%hout of triamph rose from the Irish on both sides
of the river, the hearts of the besieged died with
in them. One who endured the unutterable an
guish of that moment has told as that they loo& ^d
fearfully livid in each other's eyes. Even i^er
the barricade had been passed, ^ere was a tei ri
hie half hour of suspense. It was ten o'clock be
fore the ships arriTod at the qa»y. The wb.ole
up to protect the landing piece from the batteries
on tf^c other side of the river; and then the work
of tinloading began. First were rolled on shore
barrels containing six thousand husheb oi meal.
Then came great .checses, casks of beef, flitches
of bacon, kegs cf butter, sacks of peas and bis
cuit, ankers of brandy.
Not many hours before, half a pound of tallow
and three quarters of a pound of salted hide had
been weighed out with niggardly oaro fo every
fighting man. The ration which each now re»
ce'ved was three pounds of flour, two pounds of
beef and a pint of peas. It is easy to imagine
with what tears grace was said over the sup"
pers of that eveniog There was little sL.p
on either side ot the wall. The bfcfires shone
bright along the whole circuit of the ramp&rts.
Tho Irish guns continued to rear all night;
nd all night th bells of the rescued oi'^y made
arswer to^ tbe trieh guns with a paal of joyotis
'^.fiar.os Through the whole of the thirty'fiist
ol July the batt-.Tit's cf the enemy contitusd to
pUy. But Foon after the sun bad again gone
down, flames were seen arising Ircm the camp;
and, when the first of August dawned, a line ol
smoking ruins marked the site lately o)oupied by
the huts of the besiegers; and fhe citizens saw
far off the long column of pikes and standards
retreating up the left bank oi the Foyle towards
Strabane.
Se ended this great siege, the most memorable
in the annals of the British islos. It had lasted l u,
a huadrod «nd..fiv« The ^rdeon had td4||K^
7,0UU effective men to abow ^
reduced from about
1,000. The loss of the besiegers eannot be pro*
cisely ascertained. Walker estimated it at 8,0C0.
TSB NEW CAMPAIGN.
From the Eiobm‘>nd Examiner.
The onainy is now gathering all the available
iV>ioes from all yankce armies and gerrisoos, and
vir'0'iag them to one combioed movtment^g'tin^t
H^ehmond. Sherman advaaoing through South
Carolina while Beauregard sluwlv rctreatb before
him toffardd Charlotte—Foster, or sjme other^
oommsn iirg Fo&t r’s troops, making deminstra^
fious V ith heavy force cn the Roanoke aLd Nea;c
rivers tan'waid, .while rumor says ihbt the y»nkee
f();Od in E^t Ttnae S;ie is, at tha i^ame time, t-
'iross the Alleghany and come dowo into North
('a olit.a by tha w>'St. thus, adv»ncin^ bo.^h by
way if Wtldon and ly way f Sali bury, attempt
int; to take Beaurrgatd in fla k, or evtn to cut
i'jQ vfi by uniting m tiis rear; wtitlc Grant w>i &
vati*ntly within bis fortifications for ShermanV
appearance on tbe line of tt^e Danvilla rai.road;
i&at so the whole aoonmu^a'ed pow^ of the FeJo
oral boEts ii.ay o'.ose ia cn Richmond, cut off id*
supplies and oompsl its suriendcr.
It is all extremely floe, but not new; we have
heard of scmahing of this sort before; nod even
more tf an onoe It is one of those magnificent
combinntionn, extending over a vast space, which
now form the well known oharac^er'stic cf yan-
kes warfare. These superhuman combiuation^
satisfy and exalt the imasination; but tliey bav’
the disadvantage oi always faiiiog in actae one es
ential part. In a newspnpfr programme, on the
map, and, we dare s»y, in the general orders ao-
signing Co each army and commander hia special
duty, all to be accomplished by a given day—th?
ort of campaign undoubtedly looks majestic; only
when rot a goine and brought into oollision with
hard facts, it somehow becomes dislooatcd. Thus
^he contemplation of those many armies approach
ing from all points of the compass, a&d botiud to
keep time, has lost a good deal of its intimMatiog
eff:30t What is this oimpaigu buta repcti ion ol
:tiat of la'tXfiU? Then, also. Butler with fittj
trtuasmua mefa Wmo tw ..{...a. j ^
the Sonth, Grant with a hundrrd and fifty tbom
sand from the North, Hunter with fifteen thousand
men from the West, taking Lynchburg on his way,
and destroying the railroads both beyond and or
this side of that ci^y. Of course our anpplica
were to be cut off; and of course Richmond w
to surrender; and Butler was to have been reign
ing over OS some tima in July last, at the latest
vVbat has beooms of those mighty armies? Nine
months have barely pa^eed—acd tho -broken
and wearied remnants of them are scareely suf
ficient to provoke an ocoasiona) skirmish at some
point upon our lines, which no longer causes an
alarm bell torioK in Richmond. Grant demands
a hundred thousand men; and as for Butler, now
“planting his oabbagcj” et native )..owell, no Con
federate names him without a laugh. Yet tho.e
FEW LAWS OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES. |
The following “bill to regulate the business of |
conscription” has passed both houses of Congress:
^he Congress of tho Confederate States of A-
merica do enact, That for tho purpose of conduct
ing the business of conscription, there shall be
assigned to each State, by the President, a Gen
eral officer, who shall report to the Scoretiry of
War through an Assistant Adjutant General, to
bo assigned in the office of the Adjutant and in
spector General, to the duty of receiving returns
aod reports and issuing all orders in relation to
conscription.
Seo 2. All applications for e^enr p';ion and do-
tfiil, except as hereinafter provided, shall bo do-
oidr.d by the General officers having charge of the
businesi of consoriptim in the several States.
A ppeals may be taken from their deoi.»iond to the
Secretary ot War, but during tbe pendency of
(uch appeals, the applicants shall be liablo to
military service.
Sec. 3. There shall bo assigned* from the In
valid Corpp, or from officers certified by the pro*
per medical boards to be UEflt for active service
in the fie'd, a sufficient number of enrolling offi
cers who shall report to and bo under the 4mme-
diate direction ard oontrul cf tha General cfficers
conducticg the business' of conscription in th«
several States.
^ Sep. 4 All conscripts shall bs examined by
the medical beards of the army, after joining tbe
commands in the field to which they may be re-'
spectirely assigned, and Tvery discharge gr>nted
y an army medical baa’d shall be filial and shall
lieve the party from all military scrvioe in tho
uture, when the disability ia peiroanent, and tbe
an.»ugh to us nine manths a^o; espeoj^l^ por
trayod to us in the eloquent and manacing para
graphs of yankoe war corre^’odents, wfio are
really learning to write «;p''^t^igns in a military
slang quite imposing top?raons in civil life. Ac
oordio^ly, in May and Juna last, many weak
aiinied oitis’us wore preparing to quit Riohirond
and Mr. M'-mming^r, over mindful of the safety
of Lis inttres'inj? Treasury employees, packed
h-»m off to ' nlumbia. “Now am 1 in Arden
q iotb Tononstonj “More fool I. When I was
home I w s in a bef^er place” That ww ii
deed one of the great fiaauojal strokes of Mr
Memminger
Now there is not at this moment so mueh to
alarm us io reality as there was last May. It is
ro#*, we have not so many troops; but noither boo
our en*my by a great deal. On that occasion,
to.i. General Butler could and did land his foroes
at City Poin% without any effort or loss; bet this
year Sherman has to figtit his way through many
a swamp, and take or turn many a fatter y, and
leave many a blue coated corpse beKInd him tfrc
be can hope to see a Tirgioia railroad. Birring
some enormous blunder or crime, it seems otiira
that Sherman has before him a much more diffi
oult and perilous part of the grand campaign thim
Butler had last year. And in tho meantime his
devastating march through South Carolina io bo
more conquering that State than his great raid
through Georgia has converted Georgians to tlte
“Union ”
In the meantime, let it not enter the thoughts
of any citisen of Richmond that the ci'^y is in any
greater danger this spring than it was tbe spring
before. There is tho strongest probability, too —
all the omens indicate—that this will be the lost
campaign against the cipital of Virginia
Chathim Railroad—We know of nothing of
more importance co the Confederate Government,
at this time, than the early completion of the
Chatham Railroad. If any portion of our army
should be transferred to this vicinity, its value as
a line of communication would be incalculable.
We all know what would have been the-situation
of affairs but for the completion of the Piedmont
load, and it may be that tbe Chatham read will
be of inestimable value to oar Government. The
work should be pushed forward with increased
energy. The road is all graded, and the iron can,
we think, be easily obtained from some of the
roads now seriously threatened by the enemy.
Fayetteville Tflegraph.
Sherman'» Force.—A Nashville letter to the
Chicago Journal says that Sherman’s army (int
eluding Foster^s coast foroes) numbers 103,000.
The force under Sherman's immediate command
has been variously stated at from 32,000 to 60,000.
To exhort to saicrfioo—to stimulate to oxer,
tion—to shame despondency-—to divert from un
timely oonoeesions—are stern bat needful datiea
Io be difohargad in gloomy timef.”—jBwr^.
oanso of it is set fcrth in ttie discharge
Seo. 5. If any conscript shall furnish to the
enrolling cfficer of his county a cerkifioato, under
oath, from a respretable pbysioian or from any
army Surgeon, thnt he is unable to travel to the
command to which he may be assigned without
serious prrjudioe to his health, a furlough shall
bo gr»Dted him until the next meeting ** **•''
medical boprd, hereinafter provided for.
Seo fi. There shall be assigned to each Con-
"restional District a medical board, consisting of
hreo army Surgeons, who, after due notice of tbe
time and place of their meeting, shall visit each
county of tho district at least ocoe in two months,
ind fihall examine for ditioharge or reoommenda-
ion for light duty, all coi.scripts who bavo been
furloughed under the prcvisioas of tbe preoeding
dcction Every discharge grai:ted by the said
mcdical brard ^hall be final and shall relieve the
arfy from all military servio‘ in the future, when
the disability is pern'anent ai3d the cause of it is
aCt forth in the certificates
Seo 7 It shill be tho ddty of all officers and
others employed in the military service of the
Confedciate Scates, aud not actually in the field
nor attached to aiy army in tho field, inoluding
quartermaste’s and oommis-arics, commanders cf
posts, provost marshals, rfficers of the ordnance
aitre and minine and medical bureaus, and others
to make certified monthly returns to tbe nearest
conscript officer, of the names, ages and physical
eondition of all persons employed in the perviee,
rhioh returns shall he forwarded to t^e General
oflcer controlling conscription ia the State.
Seo. 8. For the enforocment of the duties im
posed by this not upoa the general cfficers control
ing conscription in tha several States, such de
tacbments oP the reserve foroes a^ they may deem
ntoessiry, shall b* placed at their disposal. ^
Sec 9. In order to secure the production of
i?rain and provisions necef>=ary for tbe use of tbe
■irmy and tbe famili£3 cf soldiers, suoh overseers
farmers or planters as were not enrolled in tbe
military service on the 17th day of February
1804, and who will bo more useful to the country
ia (ba pUXBUitS O# •ericalkw^ tbmn in tk* mililAry
service, shall bo detailed upon fbe terms to be
resoribed by the Secretary of War, und^r the
direot'oa of tho President And ia order to as-
’ert%in what persons should be detailed under
this act, f r the p*;r' jses aforesaid, there sbali be
'ppoinfoi by the President in each county, dis
trict or parLsh, an agricuHural b.iard, oonsi^iting
f three farmers or planters over the »ge of forty
live years, to whom shall be addressed every «p
plication for the uetail of oversee**.
farmer or planter, in their respectivo^S^'*^®'
districts or parishes, and whoa^ duf**
to enquire and report upon ap
plication. And it I —
approve the sa»^ shalllorw.rd it, together
ith the —appoval, to the gene.
Jr cootrolling consorip»ion in the State,
l^llCIAvC UsUiCO AAiMi fflbAIvUW • ACV —q — ~
oommanders and their hosts seemed formijl^'M^ and if he aj'prove su^h application, tho detail
shall be allowid. If th-' G^eneral offiocr of coa.
cription shall disapprove suah npplioatiori, the
applicant shall have tho right cf appeal to the
Secretary cf War, and if the said board shall
disapprove such application, their decision shall
be fioal, and no right of appeal s jall exist
Seo 10. The bureau cf cansoriptiaa, the camps
cf instruction, and tbe offijo of commandant cf
consoriptd, are hereby aboliibed, and all rules
and regulations of the War D apartment inconsistent
with this act, are hereby repealed.
The following bill “to dimmish the nnmber of
exempts and details” has passed Coagrcsa.
The Ccneress of the Confelerata States of
America do enact. That so much cf tho aot to
orgaciB") forces to serve during tho war, approved
February 17, 18G4, as exempts one person ss
overseer or agrioulturist on each farm or planta
tion upon which there are, at specified times, fif
teen able bodied field hands, between the ages of
sixteen and fifty, upon certain coaditions, is here
by repealed; Provide*!, That exemptions of per*
sons over fortyfive years of age may be granted
under the' provisions of the aotafofesaid,"and said
persons shall be liablo to military service upon
the expiration ot the time Tor wBich they received
exemption by reasen of having executed bonds
Tor one year from the date thereof.
Sec. 2. No exem^ion or detail shall be granted
by the Psesident or Secretary of War, by virtue
ot said act, except of persons lawfully reported by
a board of surgeons unable to perform active ser
vice in the field, persona over the age of forty
years, and of laborers, artizans, mechanics, and of
perEons of sotentifio skill employed by, or working
for, the Government, State or Confederate, and
shown by proper testimony to bo such laborers,
aiflsans, mechanics or persons of scientific skill,
and with the same exceptions, all exemptions and
d?tail8 heretofcro granted by tho President or
Secretary of the War, by virtue of said act mc
hereby revoked.
Seo 3- That all skilled artizans and mechanics
who arc engaged in the employment of the Gov-
ommcnt of the Confederate States are hereby
exempt from all military service during the time
they are so employed: Provided, That persons
whose gervioes, labor or skill may be more use
fully employed fof the public good at home than
in tbe field, to be determined by the Seoretary of
War, on the sworn testimony of disinterested
witnesses, under auoh rale‘s and regalati3ns as he
may prescribe, and names of all persons so exempt
ed or detailed, together with tho reason for the
detail, shall be submitted to Congess at the be
ginning of each session.
Yankee VonjUcalion of Rebel Proper
kee papers of the 24th say that one house of Con
gress has passed by 1 majority the bill repealing
that portion of the confiscation act providing for
the forfeiture oi rebel land titles beyond the life
of the present owners.
YANKEE SPEClTLiTI0N3.
The New York World of the 20th has tho fol
lowing view of “the situation,’' upon wbich Leo,
Johnston and Beauregard arc likely to put anotb
er face:
^‘Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, ha*
fallen into tho hands of the most enterprising of
our generals, without a contest. The easy ad'
vance northward from this poi^t will render
Charleston, the cradle of the rebellion, untenable;
and the Confederate troops will be immediately
(if they have not been already) withdrawn from il;
for the rebels cannot afford to sacrifice a garrison.
Gen. Sherman’9 bloodies.? march thro]^gb Georgia
was not so surpiisiog, considering the miscalcu
lation made by the rebels sending Hood to threaten
Nashville. They supposed this movement would
drawSbermsnin thatdirPOtion,andtbeconntry be
tween At'anta and Savannah was left undcfend.
ed. Bat that Sherman’s advance northward from
Savannah is also unopposed is a fact of another
color. View it how we will, it is a striking
demonstration of the military weakness oi the
rebels. They have, of course, known, ever 8it»ce
Christmas, that Sherman would not keep his pow
erful army unemployed, for any length of time,
as a mere garrison of Savannah It was certain
that he would soon resume offensive operations;
it was improbable that ho would retrace his step*^;
and next to certain, therefore, that he would
move in a northwardly direction. Why, then,
thus forewarned, and with so much time for prepa>
ratirn, did not the rebels confronit and oppose
him? But the intoDigible answer can be given;
and that is, they have not men enough to form
two coneiderable armies; that they cinnot dppose
Sherman, at that distance, without abandoning
Richmond.
“We are more and more confirmed in the opin
ion which we expressed on Saturday, that tbe
immediate policy of the rebels is conoentration
with a view to deliver a great battle. It is out
of the question, with the number of troops they
have, for them ^o attempt to bold several distant,
scattered towns and strategic positions. They
would thereby expoeo themselveR to be annihi
lated in detail by ineffective reaistance to sup;
rior numbers. It is a noccssity of th^ir reduced
oondition tliat they gather in all their aTailahle
fjrccs for one tremendous battle, on which they
will stake their whole existence as an organized
military power.
“Including Beauregard’s army, the garrisons
of CharIc?toD, Wiltnington, and Lynohburg, and
the troops in the Valley, Lee must have at least
125,00U veteran soldiers-—a formidable aimy
Against Sherman alone, or against Grsnt alone
this army, fighting in one body with advantages
of ground, might render tho result of a hotly
contested battle doubtful.
“But can suoh a battle be so fought? Beaurc
gard, as we judge from the imperfect accounts
that have reached us, is retreating upon Rich-
mond by the interior line of railro^ by tho way
ot Greensboro’ and Danville. We suppose there
can be no doubt of bis ability to reach tbe rl
cinity of Richmond by this route without moles
tation. He could not safely take a route nearer
the seaboard, as he would thereby expose him
self to au attack by Schofield, advancing against
him from Wilmington. The rebels suppote that
Shcrmcn will advance next on Charlott^ and
should ho go thenoa to Salisbury, and thence to
Gre-nsboro’, tbe rebel army would bo cooped up
in Virginia and completely isolated. But wc
judge it more than probable that Shermsa will
keep near tbe coast, and effect a junctijur with
Sobofiold, as he marches past Wilmington This
would evince more caution ia looking to the safety
of his armj; but, on the other h«"''^ it would
leave a way of retreat open to Lee,
torioua, by which ha could withdraw
EDoad into tho interior of the Sou:
ever may be the line of march se»ec
man in hia northward advance, bo
upon a Battle some days before he
junction, with Grant. It ig
tbe rebcjs will act atteron**»-*gDt one of our two
great armies wbiUufh^f^her is yet too far off to
be within distance Lee will more
prob»uy elect to attack Sherman, and for this
,*lrpc8c will be likely to withdraw his army from
Richmond and unite with Beauregard, as the lat
ter falls back. As soon as this movement is at
tempted, Grant will, of course, avail himself of
the opportunity to fall upon L'e’s rear and har-
rass bis retreat. If Lee then, Sherman being
still distant, makes a skillful selection of ground
aod gives Grant battle, he attains tbe main object
of bis present strategy, which is to measure >>is
whole ooncentrated foioe aj^ainst cue of our ar
mies not supported by the ether
‘‘The present military policy is on both sidea,
concentration. We have a great preponderance
in numbers and no infciicrity in Ekill. We can
be beatea only by being outgen^rsled; which is
not within the range of probability. Sherman,
unaed with Sohofie.d, would be probably more
than & match for L?e s whole army; and if Grant
should remain behind his intrenchmsnts and
give Lee the advantage of a day or two’s march,
be might still come up in time to be a trouble
some neighbor on the day of battle. The pros’*
peot ia in the highest degree hopeful and encour
aging; but a terribly despcrata battle is not far in
the uture.”
THE EVACUATION OF
roa TOB 0!
Bitouao 8th N
Duplin County, N. C.)
Messra. Editors:—As the
evening I have concluded to
t'cot sketch of the evacuation ^
he 19th eighteen gnu boats i
tuovea up and opened fire on F
small earthwork on the west side
and nearly opposite the Sugar
was kept up all day and at ti
severe. The Fort replied at inter
evident that the disparity in forces
for the gallant little Fort to stand
the night ehots were fired from the
vals ot half an hour The yankee I
also advanced near the Fort, and early
morning tbe 20th inst, the Fort was
a or vic-
, .m Bicb-
J5at wbat-
iv. by 8ber-
mav
oiake a
:ivable that
/SAcrman’a Route —From the facts that Gen’l
Schofield has been sent to the coast of North
Carolina with his corps; that General Grant has
receatly been a visitor to the headquarters of the
c'rps operating against Wilmington, aud that
there are movtmants in all the armies, inclcdiog
Meade’s and Schofield’s, all tending toward tbe
dismemberment of the grand lino of rebel railroad
communication commencing »t Richmond, passing
through Goldsboro’, Wilmington, Fioreoco, and
Columbia, we think that the purpose of General
Sherman is clear, and that his intention ia to oc
cupy and possess every point upon the grand line
of raoiroad oommunioation which may be proper
ly termed the “Atlantio coast route "
N.'Y. WorU,2m.
Radical Chnnges in Fashiont.—A Paris cor
respondett of tho Index gives notice of some curi
ous, and, as she says, “radical" changes in ladies’
dress in tho most fashionable circles of uie centre
of fashion. Her descriptions will be sare to in
terest many of our lady readers. She writes:
“In ladi^’ evening toilets it is imponsible not
to perceive a decided tendency toward a radical
change. This change, or reform, is as yet con
fined to the very elite of fashionable society, but
by a welLknpwn and invariable law will doubtless
extend^ iu another season or two to all classes
that pretend to dress,' and not merely to be
clothed. At Compiegna this winter one might
have farcied one’s self at the court of the Empress
Josephine, so close was the imitation to the iash-
ion of tho first empire. Crinolines were discarded,
the skirts being narrow, almost tight; the waists
very short, out in the shape of a heart in front,
and supported by broad waistbands with fancy
clasps; the materials worn were dotted with gold
stars or bees; the hair, much raised behind, was
artistically disposed in a mass of tiny ringlets
upon tho forehead, and encircled by a diadem of
massive gold or of preoiotis stones. Rich neck
laces, extremely long ear-rings, and gloves, com
ing ^r over the wrist, completed the ilIu«ion of
a rctarn to the taste of Malmaison."
on account of being no longer tenable,
course compelled the lines on the Sugar
upied by Hoke’s division, to be evacu
which was done on the 20th. We fell
within five miles of 'Wilmingtoa, stop
threw up works and waited for the af ~
tho yankees. On the 21st they came
(binkine tbe discomfited ^ebs bad tak
final flight, did not wish to stop for our
tine, but run it in, when lol to their s
Battery of Artillery opens on them and
crack of rifles from our line of battle oa
to halt, or rather perform the feat o la sk
Next day, the 22d, the yankees on the west
f Cape Fear moved on Gen. Hagood, and
umbering him greatly, sacoeeded in forcing
back, oapturing some prisoners from him.
morning, tbe 22il, we toek up.the^'
we started about 8 A. M , and as we passed i
the town nothing could exeeed the
stillness that reigned around. Lights
seen from but few wi-:dows, and these
to bo the last rays of departing hope; whil
other side of the river could be seen the re
and glare of some buildicgs which had b«
the light before. On the north side of t|
arose a dense black smoke, so black and
as to appear to come from the infernal
Chanticleer crowed in hi'* usual voice to .
the beautiful day, which alas was to be
ginning of sorrows to the people of this
city. T^e watch dog howled piieously, ai.
he knew his rights were to be encroach!
a Northern invader. We pursued -our^
march toward North East river. We ha|_
crossed when the yankees appeared on t5l opt
site bank Skirmishing ensued. Tbe Railro-
bridgo was burned, the pontoons destroyed, won
thrown up, and we waited for them to croeo t|
river if they could, where wo could at last m«
ilcm on equal footing . Next morning we ega
took up our line of mareh towards QoldsboV s|
inarched 15 miles without molestation, wh
tired and foot sore, we stop for the night. Nd
morning, 24th, we get up, the raia descendicL
torrents, and put on Jeff’s gear and march J
□Giles further, in mud and water knee dJ
Abcut 8 P M. wo arrived at tJ»»8 place, wet]
the ckin and shivering with #old. Fires
soon made, such fires as solders only know h|w
to make, and our miseries iorgottoa |>y
memories ot the past.
I suppose the lall of ^iimington will naase^«
spiiit discoQtsnt to^l^J^iog tip, but its heuld
be S''. No, let us i»oV. to the bright sid»; let
oroaker and subiKi^ionist pass ti.roagh Virginia,
Eistern Nqt*^ Carolina, Georgia, or '^hermufL/ir^
the ranlc«eB have been; let them lOok at
salstion that now reigns around; th^V^
hou£e, tbe poor man’s cot^^«ja^. even the
Churches, razed to th* The neat little
fwood.
. , --
nwd, nor the meny voice of the moeking
bird; fcuk the blackened chimneyg, standing u
lone sentinels to tell the wo»ry passer by that the
hand ef the invaucr has been there. The owl
keeps up his uaeaithly hoot to hasten fho travel
er on. Lat those wLo wish to eabmit look at
scenes like these, and il he has the spirit of man
he will leave off this miserable spirit oi «roakins
Let him remember it is belter to uria than to
growl; and if our people at home check
the tide of invasion they must help t^soldien
Let tbe deserters be sent back the a^.
those who are not exempt or are exeaip^^^gy
false pretenccs are no better than d^^erten.
the ranks be filled, let us nerve oo^ hearts
strengthen our arms, and determine
free. Let us lay our hands on the hoi^oi tho
ship of state, and though the waves may
riously without, we lear them not, for we ak«
nited within. Yours, &o.,
Makcus Bbptpb.
Exchange of Pri*onera.—Col. Hatch, the Oon»
federate agent of exchange, had oommunioatioa
with the yankee authorities at Wilmington en
Friday last, and we are glad to learn an agreement
was ma'ie ibr the delivery of all the yankee pris.
oners in our hands in this State, at that point, at
the earliest practicable moment.
Some thres or four thousand were paroled in
Galdsb rough on Saturday, and were to be sent
yesterday morhing to the enemy’s lines. Seven
or fight bundled passed this place from Salisbury,
on Sunday morning, for the same point; and we
eaib that all that are here are to be sent through
as soon as transportation can be furnish^. 8ot»
eral hundred were sent off yesterday.
Raleigh I'onfederate.
cottage on the biK" ®“‘03nea with it gru
bine, where *be forest hrtij
IB b#; prattle cf feet is
Kenfuckjf follou>$ Z>e2aioare.~Kentucky has
ntuaed to xa^y the anti-glvrery amendmeiit
founter/eit.—The Editor of the Register has
been shown, by Col. Taylor, commandant oi the
post at Mobile, a oounter/eit Confederate note of
the new issue, of the denomination of f 100. It
is lettered *‘D,” datel ViAA.,
and signed “T. L. Grayson, for Registw,*' and
“J. D. Walford, for Treasurer." The wanter-
feit is easily detected; the whole bill being fallj
an eighth of an inch smaller than the genuine,
and the letters and fieares being necessarily con-j
tracked. The impression on the spnrioiu note '
also much heavier and blacker.
Virginia and Negro 'Troops.—RiCHMOI
Fdb'y 27.—It is nnderstod that the Virgt
Legislature has passed a resolation instruct
the Senators from that Stats in the Confede
Congress to vote for the bill patting negro
the army.
Tbe following orders are pabliahed for those 1
the OQuntry whom it may oonoem:
UEAD’QRS BAIT. BETAILED MEN CUSfB’l
Farottovilie, Feb’y 24, If
OsxiEAi. Oaoiaa, \
Ho. 1. /
I. In obedienoe to the following telea
to tho Offioer Oomd’g Battalion Detaliea Mea,
land conoty:
‘‘Bauiqb, Feb’y 24,1866.
"Call out jour Battalion and report to Lt Col GkiUo.
“Bv order Llent O n Holme*.
“G. 8 8TKINGFELL0W, A A «.*>
Ccmpany offioero will at onoe aaseBblo their taUto
foreo at Company Hoadq'rs, in o^erj way pio|iavod fbe
eamp, and report to thoee Headq’' for ftirther ordon.
II All Det^ied Mm and LiKi>( t'Uty Mon in thio
oonatj not al'Oady mastered into a eowfpany gf
Battalion are ccnridered tssiita^d to Co. B, and wU
report to the Comd’g Offiaer at Fayoctovillo
III Disobedienoe to above jrdew will insnro not —ly
disgraee but puniihment by ^ that aaa wka
wo^d refose to psrform hia duty ja the defbaee of hfe
own towa and oonnty. It ^ »«■—
are none snob ia
Mai«h2.
ai