North Carolina Newspapers

THE tolma-ltiiiitarn WILLIAM -W. HOLDEN, XDirOR'AHD rKOPBIBTOB. TERMS OF THE STANDARD. - The terms of the Standard are aa follows: . Semi-Weekly. six months, ' 1 Weekly paper, six months, ' 6 AvertiajpnHits inserted at three dollar per square often liBes or leXTor 8rst insertion, and one dollar for each .ubwquent insertion. Th?very large circulation of tbe Snfcrd renders it a valuably medium for advertising. Money sent by Express at onr risk. ' "Raleigh : Friday, aug. 26. 1864. . The News. - We publish accounts to-day, from the Petersburg snd RichmM papers, of the recent conflict near Pekrsourg,resnlting in the capture and occupation by the enemy of tbe Wilmington and Weldon Boad. The loss of this Road at this time is much to be re CTHted. We may be sure, however, though all the details of the battles, have not yet been reoeived, that our troops contested every inch of ground with the most desperate valor. But we do not despair of its recovery. It may be retaken by slorm, snd the communication restored. But however this may be, the Danville Road is still left, and every effort will of course be directed to bold it as a main line of communication between Richmond and the South. The impression seems to be that the great battle of Petersburg will be fought by Gen. Lee for the recovery ef the Weldon Road. . Richmond papers of a late date express the appre hension that raiding parties had started from Grant's Army for the Southside and Danville Roads. But we learn that passengers have, come through on the Southside Road who left Petersburg on Wednesday morning last The daily papers of this City of Thursday morning last contain no dispatches from Richmond or Petersburg ; and we have no further news up to the time of going to press. We have no further-intelligence from Atlanta. The federal forces, it is stated, have retired from the Valley of Virginia towards the Potomac. No pitched battle has been fought in that quarter. The news is not as cheering as we cculd desire, but let us hope that the indomitable valor of our troops and the skill and energy of our Generals may very soon gain some signal advantages, and thus turn the tide which seems to be setting against us in the neighborhood of Petersburg. 44th Senatorial DistkIct. We are indebted to the Sheriff of Yadkin for the following official re turns, from which it will be seen that OoL W. H. A. Speer has been elected to the Senate from tbe 44th District CoL Speer is commander of the 28 th regiment N. C. troops, and is an intelligent, brave, and worthy man. His regiment is one of the best in tbe service, and its commander has ever been prompt in duty and foremost in danger. Speer. -Eortoi&J Yadkin, 631 175 . Surry, 471 17 Ashe, 181 428 Allegany, 77 212 Watauga, v ' 92 283 1422 -1195-1195 Speer' majority, 227 The votefcrisaeriffof Yadkin was S. T. Speer 705, B. a Myers 199. Probable "Change op Base." a Mark the pre diction" to use a favorite expression of the Ral eigh Standard that before another election is held in North-Carolina the Standard will be the most, ultra " Destructive" paper in the State. There are signs of such n intended change in every issjie of the Standard since the election. Tbe Standard may deny suoa an intention just as it denied last Fall an intention to. oppose Gov. Vance. But the signs now as then seem to us unmistakeabie. Fay. Obterver.- The Standard was a Democratic paper up to No vember, 186Q, and ithas since been a Conservative paper. Conservatism, as we understand it, means the right f the people to rule, and the eternal, un remitting force of the civiL law. We are the same Conservative w were-in Niovernber, 1860, when we assaited the disunion mess, age of Gov. Ellis ; and we are tbe same Conservative we were in 1861, when we were elected to the Convention on the same ticket wita 31. fladger, aid in 1882, when we sup ported Col. Vance for Governor. We not only ex pect, but wetntead to be la Conservative as long as we live. We were faithful to the Democratic party as-long as ifeskted, and we intend to adhere with the same fidelity to the Conservative party. The Obterver has sees no Bi'ga in tbe Standard which in the remotest sease justifies the insinuation that the Standard will ever Ije a Destructive paper. The sign the Ofoetver sees is this : During the late contest for Governor tbe Obntntr was. so complete ly controlled by selfish views, and so thoroughly under the influence of prejudice and passion, that it could see notiiiog in the Standard but disloyalty, treason and opposition to tbe government But now it sees in tfee same, paper, with its tone and principles precisely what they were, such evidences of loyalty and attachment to the government that it predicts that by the next ekotion, it will be a De structive journal 1 . But the Oiiereer gives us xetice-in advance that it Kill not credit our denial. lit first suspects us, then convicts cs, gives us no- kearine. and tells us beforehand that it will pay so respect to our an swer of not guilty. It says we- "denied last fall an intention to oppose Gov. Vanee . We had no more idea then of opposing Gov. Vance than the Editors of the Oltenxr had. Got. Vance was then a good Conservative, though we coa&sa we were a little concerned at the cordial supfcrt ne Was receiving from the OUerter and other Destructive Journals. "nvrucut, bd we say T Id one sense the word is the correct one, but the fwvis-BeUher strictly a Destructive nor a Conservative paper, it is m P'y in favor of a monarchy. Two years will not S1pse, it tbe war should last thablong, before the Oherter will take ground for a limited monarchy. Mark the prediction." Moaarahiscs are tbe worst traitors we have. They wouMS not only subvert and destroy our present form of government, but ey would put the great body our people for all 6erauoos under the feet of favored and titled . we call upon the Oltenon to say .whether it" Iu" confidence in the capacity of oar people to rw" memselvea. Let there be no quibbling, but k "e answer ha Tea nr nn T&.mli nnikkUo - ""y awaits a favorable ODnortanitv to avow hii ,,168 as such openly and boldly. Dr. Pride federate States' Marshal for th District ef t3woli,1V n place of Wesley Jones, Esq., llrnV ?T Dr J.one3 i& of course a Destructive. and aw veg ire denouneea as "seditious 4s 4 Vol. XXX. No. 25. . Tke ,Reeat Electloaa In this State. So far as we are personally concerned it is not' our WusbHo alluae to the .manner in waioh the re cent elections were conducted in this State ; but we owe a duty la this respect to onr readers, to oar 1 friends generally, and to the cause of civil liberty, and good government, which must be jter&rmed.- Wevdeclare with sadness, and we expect to prove what thousands' ojf- our people know, that the late elections in this State wero not free, but that the patronage' of the two governments and the power of the bayonet were used to shape and determine the result The Bill of Rights of this State de clares "that all political power is Vested in and de rived from the people "only." And the same Bill of Rights declares "that elections of members to serve as representatives in General Assembly, ought to be free." The Constitution of the State provides thattheGovernoraodmembersof theGeneralAssem-. bly shall be chosen by ballot; and in accordance . with this constitutional provision, and to prevent j the presence of armed troops at the ballot-boxes on the days of election, the following laws hare been passed by tbe General Assembly. Chapter 52, sec tion 9, Revised Code, provides that . "Every person qualified to vote shall give to the returning officer in presence of tbe inspectors, or, in the absence of such officer, to on of the inspec tors, a ticket rolled up, in which shall be written tbe name or names of the person or persons for whom he intends to otfi L and the names of all the persons for whom he votes in the commons' box shall be on the same ticket; which ticket shall be put in the proper boxj and, at the same time, two of the inspectors shall take down in separate lists the name of every person voting, distinguishing those who shall vote lor senators in one list, and those for members of the house of commons in a second ; and when the election shall be finished, the returning officer and inspectors, in presence of such of the electors as may choose to attend, shall open tbe boxes one after another, and number the ballots of one box before they shall open another, at tbe lame time reading aleud the names of the persons who shall appear each ticket; and if there shall be two, tickets rolled up together,-or any ticket shall contain tbe names of more persons than such elector has a Tight to vote for, in either of these cases, such ticket shall not be numbered in taking the ballots, but shall be void." ' Provision is heje made for voting by ballot, and the object of the above section is to protect those who may choose to. vote a folded ticket, and at the. sme time to prevent fraud, by providing that if two tickets shall be found rolled up together neith er of them shall be counted. But of what avail is this provision if one of tbe candidates shall provide tickets or ballots of certain color ? Is it not obvious that the object of the law is -defeated I is it not clear that its spirit, which is its life, is disregarded ? At a time like this, when all the patronage and all the power of government are wielded for one party to accomplish certain results, and when the citizen knows, or even fears that. he will be marked and punished if he votes in accordance with his real septiments, the secret ballot, as it is called, is greatly to be prised ; and to deprive the citizen of it, po mat ter by what means or what way, is to set at naught tbe Constitution and the law of the Stated Every citizen who votes a yellow ticket, for example, votes with and for the government; and every citizen who votes a white ticket votes against the govern ment This Ps the cry every where. The reader can imagine the result it produced. - Soldiers who feared their officers, detailed men who feared that if they voted for a certain person for -Governor they would be ordered at'once to camp, and government employees who knew that if they voted against Gov. Vance, oi did not vote at all, they would be dismissed from service and become conscripts, were thus forced to vote with a certain party and for cer tain persons, .against their will The election was not free. Tbe yellow ticket was fatal to all freedom of choice. It was foreseen- that it would be, and it was. The terror inspired by the fear of being sent . to camp as a conscript is very great "All that a man hatb win he give for his life," and to save his wife And his little ones from beggary and starva tion. The inventions of despotisms are cruel, and the yellow ticket was one of these inventions. To add to the terrors which this invention created, and to render it certain tbat the voter who rejected the yellow ticket, or who did not vote at all, would be singled .out and punished, detectives were every where, some f them acting as poll-holders, and others standing around the ballot-boxes and ming ing in the crowd, spotting their vietims and prepa ring their .lists for the inspection of those who bad employed them in their odious work. But in addi- tion to this there were "armed men" at hundreds of election grounds ' in this State, ostensibly to ar rest aeserters, but really to overawe the people and force them to vote for .certain persons. Chapter 52, section 21, Revised Code, provides that . "It shall not be lawful to call or direct any regi mental, baltalioq, or company muster on election days, or to, assemble armed men on the day of elec tion, at any place appointed by law to hold elections for electors, governor, members of Congress, or members of the General Assembly, under the pen alty of one thousand dollars,. to be recov ered -of any person who shall call such muster, or assemble such armed men, and applied one half to the use of the informer, and the other half to the use of the State." . "It shall not be lawful," says the statate,tto assemble armed men .on the-day of election at any plac appointed by law," &c Desertion is not merely unlawful, but criminal; yet eves tbe pre text of arresting deserters will not justify tbe "as sembling of armed men on the day of electees at any place appointed by law " to hold electioas. This law was passed in 1795, hyour Mvolntienary ancestors, who .had seen an felt the influence ex ercised by -"armed troops" on the freedom of the ballot-box, and who were determined that under no circumstances should a single sword or a single bayonet be seen, "on the day .of electiei, at any jtlavn sacred to the tight of suffrage. But what was the coarse adopted by our authorities in the recent elections in this State' Let the following faets, and facts which we shall lay before our read er. in future issues, give the answer. A xitiBen of Lenoir County, "whose word is as good as his bond," writes us as follows: " I feared tbat force would be used at tbe elec tion in Kinstod, bat the reality was worse than I expected. No freedom of speech or freedom of ballot was allowed. The form of a man represent ing yourself, with the word traitor marked on it, was suspended near the Courthouse all day of- the election. - Early in the morning tbe crew of the gunboat Neuse assembled at the Courthouse, and soon as the polls were opened these mentook possession of them, claiming to vote not only in the Governor's box, but for Senator and Commoner. RALEIGH N. C.;. WEI)NBS1)AT, AUG. . 31, 1864. Their votes were at first refused, bat they finally succeeded in getting in their votes. They crowded the polls and prevented many from voting. You got but one vote at Kinaton. I have been told that a number of your friends procured yellow tickets with your name, folded them, and were anxious to vote, but the presence of the military, the threats made, and the great-risk they felt they would run,' pre vented them from voting.. I feet sure that Mr. Patrick is elected to the Senate from Lenoir, and Greene by the legal vote of the citizens. ; Not only clid the crew of the gunboat referred to vote against him, but men from South Carolina, Tennes see, and other States voted against hia.' We trust Mr. Patrick will contest the election. If he has received a majority of tbe legal votes of tbe two Counties, he is entitled to the seat; and the manner in which the election was . conducted at Kinston will justify him, it seems to us, in contest ing the election.- . . We shall recur to-this subject in future issues. We repeat, so far aa we are personally concerned we have no wish to dwell upon the manner in which the late elections were conducted, but as the con-, ductor of a public press our duty is plain, and must be performed. We shall not go out of our way to assail any one in performing this duty, but we shall state factt, and then leave our readers to their own reflections and conclusions. Let the record be made up for the future. The right of tbe people to gov ern themselves depends absolutely on the freedom and the purity of the ballot-box. The ballot-box is the fountain of all free government' Let it be cor rupted, or let it be closed to one portion of nr citi zens and opened to another, no matter with what view or by what means, and free government at once becomes a nullity. Pkoclahatios bt the GovESNoa. It will be seen by the Proclamation of Gov. Vance, in our paper to-day, that that functionary, responding to the late appeal of Gen. Lee to deserters, and to the general public wish as expressed in tbe newspapers of the State, has issued an argent call to deserters and absentees from the army to return to their posts, and has enjoined it as a duty on the entire body of the militia to exercise the utmost vigilance in ridding the State of deserters. We trust this call will be heeded. We think it tore than proba ble that a majority of the deserters lurking in this State are soldiers from other States, who have made North-Carolina a sort of half-way house between Virginia and their homes ; and it is due to the char acter of the State, to the Confederate service, and to many of our citizens who have been injured by these deserters from other States as well as from our own State, that they should be banished from our midst and returned to their duty. Let those of our citizens who belong to the militia or home guard, and who have been thus far exempted from active service in the Confederate army in consideration of the important duties they are expected to perform at home, at once respond to this -Order of the Gov ernor, and execute it faithfully, and the evil com plained of will soon cease to exist We publish to day the Opinion of Chief Justice Pearson in the case of Russell against Whiting, and a portion of the. Argument of B. F. Moore, Esq., in the case. - The Opinion of the Chief Justice is marked by that clearness and thoroughness of anal ysis which characterize all his decisions ; and the. Argument of Mr. Moore is eminently worthy of one of the ablest and most profound lawyers of the Confed erate States. We shall conclude the Argument in our next, so as to present the whole case in our Weekly issue of the 31st August False Statement Corrected. An intelligent and truthful friend, writing ns from Wilkes County, says: ' " The story about the deserters takme possession of a box in this County, and voting 100 ballots for you, is iaise, and should be uemed instantly. I have no doubt, if the matter could be investigated. that it would appear that your opponent received as many illegal votes in this County as you did.". There is no doubt that our opponent received thousands of illegal votes both at home and in the' army. We have information in our possession which abundantly justifies the statement In addi tion to this, be received thousands of legal votes. cast by persons in the hope that' by so voting they would keep themselves out of camp as conscripts. . Every detailed man and" every soldier was free to vote as he pleased, but the distinct understanding was, as a general rule, that if he did not vote for Gov. Vance he would be punished. This was the understanding in France when the Bonapartes were elected Emperors. Armed troops were present at the qoIIs in France, as they ware at hundreds of precincts in this State at the late election, overaw ing the people and controlling their suffrages. 1TT i-1 - . W M. . "Br vHAMBBBBBU&u WAS BURST. XD1S SCt IS thus explained in a letter from Maryland to the Hew XorlsMe raid; r " Just before leaving Williamsport General Early made some imnnrtAnt. nuMii. ramai-Va the burning of Chambersburg which are of inter- An. Il I J .1 L 1 t J . . . cow no saiu mat ue uaa oruerea f lou.ooo in gold. m uo ueiusuucu oi me lown ; and tbat ir the de mand was not complied with in three hours the town was to be burned ; that the sum of money demanded was to reimburse Andrew Hunter, Wm. Lucas. K J. Lee and Hnn AW R fW.l... ft,. their tosses caused in the destruction of their' pro- peny Dy oruer ot ueneral Hunter, and tbat he felt r 1 : a- j . . . pet.cuujr jusunea in me course ne bad pursued. He CXDlained how OAnerl Hnt .rT house of his (Hunter's) cousin, in Jeffvrson county, Virginia, and tnkan thit 'Villain t &n)mav TTitVatsMpA off as a prisoner, and said that the act was a bgutal 1 - .-V.W MV. vuc. uecause taa inmates nr tn bmn. m nnt i. V towed time to save even portion of their clothing. iu vuuuumug, ne saia it wonia ne the future pol ler orthe rebel nemmit tu iuf.i;.. n tk. . c.coi, maimer lor au oaroariues practiced against them. He delivered these remarks in a calm, firm manner. In a private conversation he said that no man more than himself deprecated the necessity of such an .act ias the one commifted at Chambers-, burg, but that he sanctioned it, believing he was only doing his duty to these people who had suf fered by General Hunter's orders, and again, be- i cause M-oeiieved by retaliation such barbarous i v 'a i . ... iuwoi nvuiu wo suouer tusconiinuea man in any oiher way. - He was particularly severe on General Hunter, and said that if he should fall a prisoner into their bauds, bis fate "would be a hard one." Tbe Example or oub Chieftain. Getv. Deo crossed the James early in June, he called bis staff round him,' and kneeling under the shade of a spreading oak offered up a most fervent prayer for Divine guidance and strength, and success ia the -new stage of lbs campaign upon which, he was just entering. WARJVEW8. The following from the Petersburg Euprtu of Monday gives us some interesting particulars of the recent fighting around Petersburg: Th Battle t Friday Mort Fighting YetterZy vaptvro of mmm&nTnt Enemy itiU hold the Weldon RoaADfatk of Gen. Saundert. - , The engagement of Fridav afternoon' on the line ' of the Weldon Railroad was a .severe one. but re. suited in no material advantage to us, m far as po sition was concerned; The enemy having advanced his fines to some three quarters of a mile from the position occupied oy tnem on Thursday, were at tacked and. driven baek. . On Eriday night, there fore, the. position of the Yankee army was .un ohaoged on the immediate line of the Railroad. fn the engagement however, the enemy was se verely chastised, losing two thousand two hundred prisoners, and a large aumber of killed and wound ed.) Their loaa in killed and Wounded in renresenU . l'ob,ave J)aeo very heavy, and to have thickly covered me gronna over wnicb our troops charged and fought Vast quantities of knapsacks, oil cloths, small arms and- plunder of all kinds- were thrown away by the Yankees, much of which fell into the heads of ou r men. Our own loss was not inconsiderable. We lost some prisoners and a number of wounded, but a small proportion killed. We are gratified- to state that the Urge majority of tbe wound! are only slightly, injured, and will be able to return to their commands in a few days. We noticed many who bad received only slight flesh wounds. On Friday night pur forces again fell back on the line of the Railroad, and tbe enemy as soon as they discovered our withdrawal threw forward tfieir lines of skirmishers, and again occupied tbe fields beyond Davis house, east and west ot the road. They at once threw up their breastworks, and at the same time continued to strenghten their main line -of works on the hills beyond Davis' farm. Saturday- passed without any fighting between the armies save a little shelling and picket firing, but it was generally thought that yesterday would be an eventful day, and everybody was prepared to hear the opening thunders of battle at early dawn. A heavy fight did occur, but the battle for the pos session of the railroad is yet to be fought, and the signs are that it will be a bloody one. Eaily in the forenoon yesterday, our line of bat tle was formed east and west of the railroad, and an advance ordered. The troops, as Confederate troops, always do when going into battle, moved forward in beautiful order, and the finest of spiritsj to the work before them. Over ground on which they had twice fought before, they fought again and with like suc cess, driving the enemy out of their front lines of breastworks, back upon their main lice, and captu ring three hundred prisoners. The enemy did not retire without giving battle, and the ground was hotly contested for tbe space of an hour or two. be fore tbey were forced back. In the - meantime, the ' enemy s artillery was throwing shell and. canister at our ranks, and our batteries in the rear were re plying. . . We regret to learn that a number of our troops were killed and wounded by our own batte ries, on a portion of the line. Tbe enemy's main' works on tbe railroad were adjudged too strong to attack, and oar troops, therefore, held their second line of entrenchments. In the meantime, a more important movement was started towards the enemy's extreme- left . about one mile west of the railroad. A body of our troops, acting In conjunction with others, was tent down on the Vaughan Road, some three or four miles from tbe city, to reconnoitre the enemy's po sition in tbat direction and ascertain their strength there, with a view to further movements. The expedition was entrusted to a most Bkillful and gallant officer, with men upon whom he could depend. It was discovered that the Yankees had extended their lines west to the Vaughan Road, in tbe direction of Poplar Springs' church, and were rapidly fortifying. An effort, we learn, was made to turn their flank and dislodge them, whfch did not prove successful. The outer works were car ried, but. the inner were found to be of such great strength, and bo heavily armed with artillery as to render their capture a matter of doubt, without great loss of life. Some advantages were gained, we learn, at a considerable cost in killed, wounded and missing, which were subsequently yielded. The wss at this point will -probably reach several hundred. . The brave Gen. John 0. C. Saunders, of Alabama, was killed here while leading his men in a charge. He was one of the most promising officers of the ar my, and has been conspicuous for his gallantry on manv fields. - The position of the enemy, as nearly as we are able to judge, is about tnis. Their centre rests up on the Weldon railroad about three miles from the city, their right extending across the wooded coun try to the Jerusalem Plank Road on the east, and their left to the Vaughan Road on the west, Along this whole line they have strongly fortified them selves, and works of great strength have sprung up like magic. In their rear, on the line of the rail road and on both sides, they have thrown up heavy works to provide against flank movements. . At tbe Yellow Tavern, and tbe Gurley House, heavy bat teries of guns are planted. At every point open to stuck, tney are strongly tortiDeo. Warren's corps, which first occupied the railroad. have heen heavily reinforced within the last two nights. Hancock's (second) and Burnside's (ninth) corps have reached the road, and now confront our troops, numbering in the aggregate full thirty thou sand men. The Yankees have been busy, in destrovine the railroad, and reports say that the traek is torn up to and beyond Ream's Station a distance of ten miles from tbe city. Parties from tbe rear, who arrived in town yesterday, state that the Yankee cavalry under the notorious. Speer. were engaged in destroying tbe track one mile beyond Ream's yesterday morning. " later. We learn tbat in addition to the strong character of the fortifications on the .enemy's left, which, were assaulted by our flanking column, one of the main causes of the repulse was the eivinz way at a very critical moment of one of oar brigades, which caused considerable confusion and gave the enemy a great , advantage. Our; troops were compelled, to retire after capturing a line of 'the enemy's "sk'trmisbers and reaching their strongest works. Col. Lamar, of Florida, was mortally wounded. Demonstration oa the Left. About 11 o'clock yesterday morning the enemy made a strong demonstration on our left, on the City Point road, with a view to ascertain tbe strength of our forces at tbat point The firing ; of artillery and musketry was very rapid for half ari hour. At the same time a heavy sbelline was opened by the enemy all along; the lines in Prince George, but ; noinvflg was accomplished. ; Sabbath Coanda. There was a strange commingling of sounds in onf City on yesterday. The musks of tbe Church bells at 10 o'clock was. nearly drowned by the re verberations of the heavy artillery and field batteries. Thus on three sides of Petersburg, north, east and south, the deep-toned cannon were thundering, when in striking contrast with these fierce warlike demonstrations were tbe solemn scenes being en acted in the ohoreaes. The meiodioas organs, tbe bymns of praise, the prayers for tbe safety of our defenders and tbe preached word were-at times ren dered almost inaudible by "the roar of cannon, the fire of aussketry, and the rumbliiig of the ordnance wagons and ambulances without Buf nevertheless both exercises proceeded.. The clash of contending arms and the groans of the wounded aud dying, wereremovedsoareery araileand a half from the peals oi the organ and tbo ascriptions of praise. These were strange sounds, and such as few oT our people tudJnv bafcre. Whole Number 1528. " . Prisoners. Manv blne-eoafa'wBn timnafit Info ttui ftitv mm. in squads, some in regiments. But the people are growing familiar with the sight of Yankee prisoners and feel but little interest in tbe matter, save, the thrill of that pride which cheers the heart of tbe patriot. - . From the Dispateh of Monday Below Richmond. Nothing of importance has occurred on tbe north side of James River, below Richmond, since the reconnoiSance on Thursday. The two corps sent over by Grant, it is ascertained, have recrossed to tbe South Side, lesviner onlv the division command ed by Foster, which has been at Deep Bottom for some tune past Ana nrrag neard on Friday even ing was tbe enemy's gunboats shelling Howlett'a field, a position in which thev sunnosed th rehab bad erected a battery. It was without effect, save an aselessaexpenditcre of Yankee ammunition. -.Northern papers of the 17th assert tbat the ob ject of the movement on the North side of the James was to destroy the rebel pontoon bridges above Fort Darling, called Drewry's Bluff; while papers of the 18 th are quite as positive that it was vuijr sewuuuuMuuo w SQBriain toe sirengtu OI the Confederates in that quartet. We do not be lieve either of these stories. Itis much more likely that it was a feint to draw Gen. Lee's troops from the front of Petersburg. But whatever it was, it proved a miserable failure, and adds one more to the catalogue of Grant's "brilliant movements" (over me leiij iu una campaign. . One day last week, the Yankee Dickets in the neighborhood of Dutch Gap opened fire upon our picket une, wnen iwo oi our gunboats being in tbe . vicinity, concluded to take a band. - Consequently, they commenced throwing shell -promiscuously in the direction of the Yankees. One of the missiles Struck the enemy's pontoon bridge near Dutch Gao a A"t t .. na an it ou are, ourmng several ot tne boats, cf which it is composed. This Confederate salute' seemed to cause considerable consternation among iqe xanaees. The enemy is still eneaged in dieeine the canal across the neck of land known as Dutch Gap. To" wose wno are acquainted with its topography, this will appear a work of no .small magnitude, but Unless some plau can be devised to duI a aton to their operations, it will be accomplished. Front the Valley. At length we have some definite information from General Early's command, in the Valley of Virginia. Aa official dispatch, received at the War Depart ment, states tbat a portion of our forces in the Valley crossed the Shenandoah, at Front Royal on tne loin, and drove the enemy s cavalry, which retreated towards Winchester, burning tbe hay aud wheat stacks in their route. On the 17th, Sheridan f Z - Z I?h PTuedVand two divisions of the Sixth corps, with a large force of cavalry, were overtaken at Winchester and ; driven through tbe town, losing over two hundred ' prisoners, Tne enemy fell back towards Harper s lerry. It is stated (not officially) that Sheridan s entire force in the Valley amounts to 41,000 men. His retirement from our front to Harper's Ferry may be regarded as a prudential measure on his part It is reported that on Thursday, the 18th instant, General Early captured five hundred prisoners near Winchester, and was still in pursuit of tbe enemy. Later News.-Frem Petersburg.' pETEBSBuao, Aug.' 23. Since the fight on Sun day the enemy has been engaged extending his lines west of the Railroad towards the city. . The enemy now occupy the ground on which the battles of the last few days were fought, and their pickets are advanced some distance this side or tne vsughsn road. One mile west of the Railroad is also occu pied by the enemy who are strongly fortified. The country soutb ot tbe city is very level and tbe ene my's lines are ia Bight of the corporate limits. Both armies are strongly entrenching. There has been no offensive movement on either side- to-day. Everything consequently very quiet. Later from the North. Richmond, Aug. 22. The Baltimore Gazette of the 26th says Grant captured 800 prisoners on tbe north side of James river. The object -of the ex pedition was to prevent our forces from annoying the men cutting the canal across Dutch Gap. Sheridan in his retreat from the Valley, bad es caped. Alarm along the border, had spread in eon- sequence thereof, as oieny high hopes were based on the expedition, bnendan lost auu men near Strasburg and 72 wagons near Perry vilie. Telegrams from W heeler are lnud.lled. One re port that Stedman whipped bim at Dakon ; anoth er that Wheeler whipped Stedman in 8 miles of Chattanooga. . The pirate, Tallahassee, took 800 chaldrons of coal that she was forbidden by the English Admi ral to take. From the Richmond Dispatch of August 28d. The Fight at Petersburg. . Petersburg, Vibqinia, August 22, 1864 . To day, for the first time in the history of tbe campaign of the army ef Northern Virginia, tbe Confederate arms have suffered a check and re pulse. After the fight of Friday evening our forcse fell back again to the entrenchments just outside of the town. The enemy at once threw forward their picket and skirmish line, and occupied the ground which we had abandoned. All of Saturday passed, and, for reasons which it would be injudicious to state, no renewal of the fight was made. This morning, however, everything being in 'readiness, Major General Heth attacked the enemy vigorously in front ; i. e., those confronting him and facing up the railroad towards Petersburg, whilst Major-Gen-eral Mahone having passe. 1 down tbe Squirrel road .until his forces reached the Vaughan road, turned square to -he left, in order, as was supposed, to Btrike the enemy in flank and rear just back of the Davis House, The column attacking in front drove the enemy back some half a mile, taking his line of breastwork's and over three hundred prisoners. Here, however, they halted, owing to the Btrengtb of the enemy s next line or works, wnicn was literally lined with artillery. The column engaged in the flanking programme was, however, not so successful. The skirmishers having been deployed and started forward, bur line of battle Boon formed and moved on in support In a few momenta the enemy's skirmishers (a line as strong as our line of battle) is encountered, and our men dashing forward, press them back towards tbeir line of breastworks. And now the enemy, from a number of guns, pour a raking and destructive fire of round and grape shot and schrapneL For awhile our brave boys press boldly forward, but in an evil moment a brig ade of ours give back, and despite the Sorts of their gallant commander, refuse to rally. The contagion bpreads; other troops give away, and soon the whole mass co nes ruxhing back pell -melL exposed to as murderous a fire in retreat as that to which Ihey were, subjected whilst advancing. Hagood's (S. O.) brigade, however, nothing daunted, actually press on amid that heavy fire of shot and tthelL and Teach the enemy's works. When General H. reached the works he found that one of bis colonels had surrendered ik regiment, of his brigade, with out consulting hint. At once repudiating tne act of his subordiDat7 a ordered the men to fire and then to save themselves, his supports on the right and left having both long ajr.we fallen back.. Gen eral H. himself escaped, though two horses were killed under him whilst retreating. The engagement hulediajbokt two hours, eqdiag about 11 o'clock, aodi has not been renewed since tbat hour. . - ' It was sseertaineA beyond all doubt, by tbe at tack that the wbeW of the Kifrk and Nine corps were massed on the. railroad ad also two divisions of the Second. Priajftejf sev &a,t. Grant and Meade were both present at the fight The enemy veer doubtkea expecting an attack, and were advantage ously pasted on both sides of the raileoed,' with their . lines foemng a crescent with their ares fronting us : banco Mahone found no fiaok to strike.' . Some cavilling critics will doubtless take occasion, to animadvert upon this failure. In order that the failure may be perfectly aoderstood, I will give tbe reason which, in my 'judgment, led to it. In the first place, tbe enemy were present in overwhel mingly strong force when compared with oar num bers. In the second place, tbey were admirably posted and very strongly fortified artiBcially. In the third place, to-the eternal discredit of one of our brigades, be it said, that they broke and ran, and refused to be rallted by their gallant commander, . though he did all that a raw could do. Add finally, . if the enemy were not apprised of onr attack, it was not because the plan and time were not known, even to. the very urchins of Petersburg. Whose fault it was that these matters leaned out, I do not know ; but I do know that eighteen hours before the time, place and character of the fight were on the lips of all soldiers and citizens. Our loss will, I think, foot up about one thousand, . the greater part of . wnich was borne by Harris's Mississippi and Ha good's South-Carolina brigades, both of which acted witb conspicuous gallantry. . Among the names of the gallant officers who fell ta-dy are Brigadier General . Saunders, Alabama ; Captain Spain, Adjutant General of General Flana gan's brigade; Colonel Lamar, Florida. Colonels Council and Tbomas, and Major Bell, are missing, but are supposed to bo prisoners. ' Lieutenant Da vis, commanding sharpshooters, Saunder's Alabama brigade, one of the most gallant spirits in the Army of Northern Virginia, was killed. He had just been reccommended tor the Majority of his regiment, and wouldVdoubl'ets. have received tbe promotion bad he have lived. Other brave and gallant spirits with out rank, but full of patriotism and bravery, yielded up their lives on that ensanguined field; but, of them all, none more beloved, or will be more regretted han the gallant commander of of the Ala bama brigade, .?ohn C. C. Saunders, a thorough sol dier and an officer without a superior, he was yet a gentleman and u. patriot. Devoted to his duties, modest in deportment, of no unselfish disposition, it was literally true, that " none knew him but to love him", none -named him but to praise." He was just, twenty-four years of age when killed. Tbe enemy, fighting behind entrenchments, did not, I think, lose heavily. We captured near four hundred prisoners. Tbe enemy still hold the road, but it will avail them very little. It may, yet prove to them a very Pandora's box of evils. At least, so let us hope. Moxdat, August 22. To day all is quiet The fight of yesterday bas not been renewed. Both sides are resting on tbeir oars. X. Florida. In this State there is an abundance for man and beast to eat; the corn crops is very prolific, and it is now " fodder pulling timer and the servants in high glee. Meat is plentiful, and the stock of hogs abundant If the war last much longer, there will be game enough in this State to feed eve ry one in it Squirrels, wild turkies, ducks, deeis, old hares, and " possoms" are no longer afraid of the tread ef man. I can speak from experience of the healthfulness of the climate in this state, during the summer. I came here in the' winter, in such health that my friends appreherjded tbat I would be in my winding sheet before I reached the State. By a merciful l Providence, I am alive, and so far as'personal ap ui iV , k. u- kwi, pearances eo. "lone like to be." My bealtb is improving every day ; tbe wehther is as bearable as it is in Viginia iu very hot weathef, and we are generalfy refreshed with the sea breeze. Among the valuable resources of the State may be men tioned, "the salt' boilings," the coast-in many parts receiving. and deserving the name of "Salt City." . . , . I am now ia a beautiful anl agricultural region, on the Audita, a broad and biuggish stream, which affords as fine land as any in tbe State. The so ciety is refined, consisting of wealthy planters and their households, who disene the elegant hospi talities of tbe cultivated Southron. Among the products.of the soil, becoming very valuable, is the Pindar, knuv n as the ArichU hy jK0ao OT ground nut. They are offering ten dol lars pes bxuel for tbe growiiii; crop. Planters cul tivate it f r their hogs, and m .ke fire or ten thou sand bushels in many instances. It produces a Valuable ofi for machine purposes ; and I hve seen a very good substitute mitUc out of it for the olive oil. . If time and ci'curap tanoes allowed, it would be interesting and instructive to make a geological tour over the State. The sod rests on a very ex tensive bed of limestone. Near St Marks' river are strong Saucer and Chaly ate Springs. - The.old lovn St Mirks is ritu&ted at the junc tion of St ili-ks and VV'akaliu rivers. A singular feature iu the Wakalla river is that it crops out and wakes its appearance for t'ne first time in a large and deep spring, some e'n'.t or ten miles above its junction with tUo St, Marks, to which point it fljws J.ke the bluggisb Avar, di-scribed by Csesar, so slowly as ica-tely to indite its course, which is ivt'ue of all rivers in flat countries. The sudden appearance of Wakalla river is an anomaly in the. physical gsography of the earth. It does not im bibe the spirit of the fabled Aranthusa, and it is unlike the fieaks of several rivers in the old world, which bury themselves for a time in the bosom of mother earth from whence . they iminerge purified and strengther.ed. . Li the eastern part of this State the soil is but thinly apread over this limestone stratum, of which I have'spokfx Upon tbe removal of the soil, sometimes for half an acre or more, has been found numerous circular wells, cut with the regularity and smoothness of the hand of art, perforating limestone rosk for many feet, until it reaches fresh., freestone water. This vein of water bas. certainly descended from the mountains, but whence the ori gin of these wells, which vary from six inches to : two feet and upwards in diameter? Theory be comes bewildered in the mazes of speculative sug- -gestion, though nature has exhibited her bandy works. Theaters once covered this portion, of, the land, was it ar; eddying and circumfluent body which, washing tound and round bodies oi sand, cut out these wells by attrition ? Let some new. born Humboldt investigate and decide. Florida Correspondent Richmoiul Sentinel. ' What Might be dohb with the Mohit wasted . in Was. Give me the money that, has been spent in war, and I will purchase every foot of land up on tbe globe. I will clothe every man.woman, and child in an attire tbat kings and queens would be proud of ; I will build aschool;house upon everv hill side and in every valley over the whole habi table earth ; I will supply that Bcbool-bouse witb a competent teacher ; I will build -an academy in every town and endow it a college in every State, and fill H with able professors.; I will crown every bill with a church consecrated to the promulgation of the gospel of peace ; I will support-in its pulpit au able teacher of righteousness, so that on every Sabbath morning the chime on one nin snouia an swer the chime on another, around the earth's bt-oad circumference, and the voice of prayer, and the song of praise, should ascend like an universal holocaust to Heaven. SUbbin. .HARRIED, - . On tha i 1th mt.,at th re desee of 3 F Dennis, the b-ids's ancle, by Jonas Junto. Sq , Mr. Joscra Uavoaaa, member f company G, Tib (teorgia cavalry, to Miss Caaisrua Holt, of Onslow County, 8. C . OBITUARY NOTICES. Diea. of typhoid fver, ia tbs Wty of KaMteh, on Satur day, lb Hh day of Augnst, ,3 Mrs. Leer William, wife of W. T. Williams, and daughter ot 8terling Spikes, doc's , Hi tbe tfih year of nee- age. Mrs. Williams early dtivo-ed herself to the eteseof risi; nailed herself t the UtW.bi.diat Qtrnreh, of wbicii fcs remained an exemplary meesbsr up to bar daatb. Bh? bJS left manv ralativM an4 frieada and adsvoied husband tu moorn tbeir irreparabla ioss. Yei we sorrow not as t"vs who have aa kops. fav our Inss, no donbt, is her stored gain. , 9 Christisa AJfeaU pUA-"fJ. Di4MbsresideBeaf S V Koore.aq,M ttotieiar ity or rVettcviile, on ta 3D b inU , Major Joa T, wJa Hoaa,ag l about SSvaara. , '. Ia 18: -n. Major 6. roprosao'ed the County of Ra4ea m the Honso Comaxins of tse cjii-,l..tar of this Slate, aad was a Sesator 4tm lbs Count. ut CeonWlsiie' an Bar. eU-r'k of 1858 V JU ware man of decided bUt. of iffitbla.roannars. and nwsassld kind aad soeiat