The Abingdon Virginian from Abingdon, Virginia • Page 2

Jpitigbflit firgiufeit BY COALE BARR Friday, Oct. 3, 186 S. We have nothing definite or exciting from the armies tbis-week. Our army is now massed on this side of the Potomac, and it is confidently stated that Gen. Lee has 20,000 more men under his command, than at any former period.

Harper's Ferry was evacuated by our army immediately after the battle of Sharpsburg, and the enemy now occupy that place and Williamsport. A portion of our army is at Winchester. An important movement is hourly expected. Mr. Crocker, Chief of the Army Intelligence Office, has returned to Richmond with full lists of our casualties in the recent battles.

In the battles at and near Manassas, our losses did not exceed 5,000, and in Maryland less than 7,000. We have good news from East Tennessee. We learn from good authority that the people are volunteering by hundreds. Lincoln's last proclamation will give us an army of 50,000 men. The rumor that Gen.

Marshall has blockaded the Ohio below Cincinnati, is not to be relied on, tho' he is probably not very far from the river. Kentucky will soon be swept of the Yankees. Lincoln's emancipation proclamation has created great dissatisfaction at Washington, and the rumor is that several Federal Congressmen have resigned. Altogether, our cause is growing brighter, and desperation characterizes every move and every act of the euemy. The Salt Bill.

We give in another column, the Bill passed in the Lower House of the Legislature conferring upon the Governor and a joint Committee of both Houses, authority to take possession of the Saltworks in this county and Smyth, either by impressment or otherwise. As will be seen by the yeas and nays, this bill passed by a large majority. It has probably passed the Senate by this time, as a majority of that body, on Friday last, voted down several amendments modifying the power of the Governor matter. We have believed all the still believe, that the State should have purchased the Works long ago, but wo cannot believe that the Legislature has the right to impress the works, or take possession of them in any other way, without the consent of the owners. If it has, it has the right to take their negroes, their grain, their stock, the furniture out of their houses, or any personal or real property they may possess.

Tho measure is, in our opinidn, a great usurpation of power, and a precedent fraught with incalculable mischief and danger. Nor do we believe the scheme will work with any advantage to the community at large. The proprietors, by increasing the manufacture at tho Works, and by disposing of the water to parties at other points, will perhaps, in a short time, if unmolested, disseminate a larger amount of salt than the State would if it had possession of the wells. The Thirty-seventh. We insert in another column.a list of the casualties in the37tb Regiment at the battle of Sharpsburg, but it is very inaccurate.

We hear of several killed and wounded who are not mentioned in the list. Lt. John N. -Humes was wounded, and perhaps is among the miss-' ing. Alfred A.

McDaniel is reported killed. We have heard that others were killed or Wounded, but have not "heard their names, Br. Butler, Surgeon of the 37th, writes that the-Regiment went into the fight with but 88 men, all.of whom were either killed or wounded except 20. The Goodson Company had but 22 men in th'p fight, of whom were killed and 1G wounded. We have nqt heard the casualties in the 48th Regiment, though we learn it was badly cut up.

Lincoln's Proclamation. Old Abe's last proclamation, freeing the negroes of rebel masters after the first of January next, is the coolest, and yet the shallowest piece of impudence we have seen. It is done for the purpose frightning the people of Kentucky into loyalty to the Federal Government, but will only have the effect to disgust them, and show them the real motive of the Yankee-invasion. Lincoln and his Cabinet have all the time professed that they have waged this war to save or restore the Union, but the present proclamation shows what we have all the time known, that it is waged to free the negroes. What ridiculous nonsense, to talk about freeing the negroes after the Ist of January next when they from tho beginning of the for years before, stolen and freed every negro they could lay their thievish hands upon.

1 Exchanged Prisoners. We saw in Richmond a few days ago, John and Samuel Bowers, and Wm. F. Barker, all of this place, who were captured at the late battle of Manassas, and were exchanged at Aiken's Landing on Thursday of last week, and have, we believe, returned to their commands. A Gallant Basil.

Capt. Frank. Findlay, with his little company of Partisan Rangers from this county, nearly all of whom are youths under 18 years of age, and attached to the State Line service, made a dash into Wyoming county a few days ago, and cuptured Capt. Godfrey, a noted leader of a Union company, and ten of his men. They brought them into camp at Abb's Valley, where they are in limbo for the present.

Volunteers. Mr. James Clark, of this vicinity, is now engaged in trying to get up a company of infantry for the State Line service. This is, perhaps, the last chance that some ofour patriotic citizens will have to form a new company, and the faster they fall in the sooner they will be on the field where glory is to he won. Mr.

Clark will remain in the neighborhood until Monday evening. From Suffolk. The Yankees are concentrating a considerable force at Suffolk, on the Petersburg and Norfolk Railroad. At last accounts, they numbered 25,000. Their object is not known, but the probability is that the movement is a mere feint to coax a portion of our army from the Potomac.

Congress. The Confederate Congress passed a resolution to adjourn on Tuesday last, but it was subsequently and the adjournment postponed till Monday next. Special Term. The Special Term of the Circuit Cou-t of this county, will be held by Judge Fulton, on the 2d Monday in November. The Sliarpsuiarg Railie.

As it is rumored here that the first and second Brigades gave way at the battle of Sharpsburg, we deem it proper to extract the following paragraph from a letter from Lieut, John Roberts, in command of a company in the second Brigade, to his father in this county Wo had a very hard battle near Sharpsburg on the 17th. We lay in line of battle all the night before. The Yankees gate us a good bombing while wo were lying in the line. The line was formed some time before night, when the Yankees commenced firing on and continued the fire long after dark the bombs bursting all around us. After night we could see them coming for a mile.

They described a beautiful curve with the fire of the burning fuse streaming out behind. The scene was very grand, but not altogether-pleasant to as the pieces of bombs, dust and brush were flying all aroond us. Next morning the Yankees threw forward a heavy column of infantry and a battery that made the grape-shot rain around us. The Stonewall and our Brigade was ordered to fall We were turned more to the right to flank, which we did, driving the enemy before ue. then passed on some half a mile and had a long and severe fight with a'heavy force.

We were reinforced just in time to save ns from falling back again. The enemy were then routed, and thus ended the fight. So far as we were engaged, we fought on the left and beat the Yankees back some distance, they held their ground on the right. Every thing remained quiet the next "day, and 1 that night we recrossed the river. The enemy tried to follow us but failed.

Our loes Jwas heavy, and so was the enemy's. I JE6T The following is a list of casualties in the 37th Rcgt, Va. in the action of the I 17th near Sharpsburg, Md. if Field and Wounded, Lt. J.

F. Terary in wrist, severe. A KWcd Ta Sergt. J. W.

Kelly, Corp. B. 11. Green, Wm. Rhea, 11.

Grubb. Wounded, Lt. J. A Rhea mortally in side, D. Malone, Wm.

Pryde, B. Booher arm slight, Wm. Barker hand severe, E. Coaly lwad slight, h. Jones slight, Hortenstine Wounded, Lt.

C. M. Knott slightly, Wm II bultz severe in shoulder, Jessee Wise severe in temmlder, J. A. Billiard slight, Ce.

Barman leg amputated. Co. Lt. Wallin. Wounded, Lieut.

Duncan slight, Pendleton Campbell, Taylor, Riggs in hand severe, Snodgrass, Jewell, Wood, deck, Snodgrass. Co. Lt. Orr arm amputated, Uo.use, Bishop, Grosscloso, Waddle Co. Lt.

Reed slight, Wm. leg amputated, Dcbusk, Love, Lt. Wm. KMc. Hagy missing, supposed killed.

wiv' Wounded, Lt, Kindrick, Geo. W. Williams. Co. Lt.

Berry, N. Duff shoulder severe, W. Wilson hand severe Und James slight. Und Lt Bowie slight, Jacob Forrest, Wm. S.

Minnick, Jo. JohnsoA in head severe, lgg A. R. Kiscr in shoulder se- Reported George "Rifles." A letter was received in thie city yesterday in the Army of the Potomac, announcing in very positive terms that every man of the Prince George -Rifles," except. Cant.

AlleV. who and of course absent at the time, had been captured by tho'enemy-on Saturday last, near Shepherdstown. No particulars of the unfortunate affair are given, but from the well known responsibility of the author of tfm letter, we are constrained to place some credit in the Pcterzlrwg Express, of Sept. 27. SALT.

The bill, providing for the production, distribution and sale of salt, in this Coranionwealth was next-taken up on motion of Mr. BARBOUR. Messrs. ROBERTSON, of Richmond, and GREEN, of Jefferson, opposed the bill on the ground that its provisions were in violation of the Constitution. The question beipg upon the passage of the bill, it was decided in the affirmative, yeas 66, nays follows: Ambers, John T.

Anderson, Baker, Barbour, Bigger, Blue, Booton, Buford, Cazenove, Ooffman, Coleman, Crockett, Custis, Dabney, John Dudley Davis, Dice, Edmunds, Eggleston, Evans, Ewing, Flood, Franklin, patewood, George, Gillespie, John 11. Hopkins, Henry L. Hopkins, Huatt, J.amcs, Johnson, Jimhjm, Kaufman, Kyle, Lively, Lockridgo, Lynn, Magruder, Mallory, Mayo, Jsaac E. McDonald, Robert E. Nelson, Wm.

G. T. Nelson, Orgain, Pitman, Prince, Reid, Riddick, Roves, Rowan, Sherrard, Snady, FrancisG. Taylor, R. F.

Taylor, Thrash, Treadway, Vaden, Ward, West, James L. Wilson, Woodhouse, Woolfolk, Worsham, Wright-r-66. Francis T. Anderson, Bass, Bradford, Carter, Cecil, Clark, Robert J. Davis, Fleming, Forbes, Garrison, Gilmer, Green, Jones, Laidfey, A.

W. McDonald, Minor, Newton, Robertson, Robinson, Rutherfoord, Robert C. Sanders, Shannon, Staples, Tate, Vermillion, Samuel Wilson, Wooten, Mr. On motion, the House adjourned. The following is.

the Salt Bill: A Bill to the production, tribution and sale of Salt in this Commonwealth. 1. Bo it enacted General Assembly, that the Governor of tljis Commonwealth, by and vyith the advice and consent of the committee of advice hereinafter directed to be constituted, may adept every such measure and do every such act as in his judgment may be necessary to be "done, in order to secure the possesion, production or distribution to convenient places, of such Quantity of salt as will da his judgment be sufficient to supply tlm people of this Commonwealth; and to the advice and consent aforesaid, bind the faith of the Commonwealth, for the performance of such contracts and engagements as he may determine to be necessary and proper, and may exercise full authority and control over the property and franchises of any person, firm, or company in thkCommonwealth, whenever ho shall judge necessary and proper j'to exercise the same Tib order to secure the possession, production or distribution of the quantity of salt aforesaid. 2. If, in the opinion! of the Governor, in order to obtain a speedy and supply of salt, itshall be expedient to do he may, by and with the advice and of the said committee of advice, seize, take possession of and hold, and- exercise full authority and control over the property, real and personal, of any persontfinn or company, and any engines, machinery or fixtures, and other property or thing necessary for the production of salt, in this Commonwealth, whenever he shall judge it to be necessary to exercise the power hereby conferred, in order to secure the production and distribution of the quantity of salt aforesaid.

by the exercise of the power sonferredliy the second section of this act, any property should be in relation to which there may be existingcontracts -with the Confederate States, or any of the States of the Confederate shall be respected, and the supply of. salt or salt water so contracted for shall be furnished. 4. The Governor may, with the advice and consent aforesaid, tafee-eontrol of any railroad or canal in this State, if necessary for the transportation of salt for distribution, or for the transportation of fuel or other thine necessary for the production of salt. But the power conferred by this section shall not be so exercised a3 to interfere with the transporta- dion of troops, munitions of war, and army supplies by the Confederate Government.

5. The Governor shall, by and with the advice and consent aforesaid, designate places in the Commonwealth from which the sale I and distribution may be made to citizens of this Commonwealth, and prescribe rules and regulations for the sale of the same, and the prices af "which it shalTbe sold. When such prices shall be so prescribed and published for two weeks in some newspaper published in tho city of Richmond, the sale at any bigher price than the price so prescribed shall be a misdemeanor, and the sale of each bashel, or any part of a bushel, at a rate higher than tho price so prescribed, shall be a separate offence. Any violation of tho rules and regulations so prescribed shall be a misdemeanor. Upon conviction of any person under this act, he shall pay a fine of not less than $100 or more than 2,000.

6. If the Governor shall find it necessary to employ agents to receive money for the sale of salt, he shall require them to give bond, with such penalty as the Governor may require, with good security to.be approved by the Governor, payable to the Commonwealth, with condition to pay all money rectived from the sale of salt into the Treasury to the credit of the Commonwealth, at the end of each month. 7. The sum of is hereby appropriated, to be paid out of the Treasury upon warrants to be issued by the Auditor of Public Accounts, upon the Orders of the Governor in writing, to be given only in payment of liabilities incurred for the purposes of this act. The Advice hereinbefore referred to shall be composed of two senators, be chosen by the Senate, and three members of the House of Delegates, to be chosen by the House of Delegates, who- shall be paid I all expenses incurred in the performance of their duties; and said committee are empowered to sit during a recess of the General Assembly or after its adjournment.

9. For the use of any of the property, real or personal, belonging to any person, firm or company owning or possessing the sources of salt water which may be occupied, possessed or controlled by the said Committee of Advice shall assess reasonable compensation, which shall be paid on the written order of the Governor, whenever the said compensation shall be accepted by the party entitled to receive tho same. Any party not satisfied with such assessment may appeal to the General Assembly for such new assessment as may be just and reasonable. 10. This act shall be in force from its pas- Vote of Thanks- In the Legislature, on the 24th Mr.

Anderson, of Botetourt; from tho Committee on Military Affairs, reported a series of resolutions returning thanks to Gens. Lee, Johnston and Jackson, and the officers and men under their respective commands, which were adopted. The following are the resolutions: Resolved by the General Assembly of Virginia, 1. That this General Assembly commemorates, with grateful admiration, the victorious operations of the Confederate armies in Virginia during the present campaign, resulting in the deliverance of the Capital from seizure and the State from invasion. 2.

That the achievements of the army near Richmond, first under command of Gen. Jos. E. Johnston, and afterwards under command of Gen. Robert E.

Lee, in driving from the environs of the Capital a disciplined army, superior in numbers and ecpiipments, occupying formidable and fortified positions, and confident of victory, rank with the most memorable triumph of skill and valor in the annals of war. 3. That the army of the Valley, under the command of Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, by a rapid succession of brilliant victories in the Valley of Virginia, and afterwards by effective action as a part of the combined army under Gen.

Lee, has the conspicious privilege of having wm the first triumphs, and having honorably participated in the successes of the present illustrious campaign in this State. 4 That the recent operations of the combined army under Gen. Lee, illustrated by a second decisive victory at Manassas, by the expulsion of the invaders from Virginia, by the passage of the Potomac, by the capture of Harper's Ferry, by the victories near Shepherdstown and Sharpsburg, and by other triumphant proofs of genius, fortitude and patriotism, entitle the officers and men of that army to the profound and perpetual gratitude of their country. 5. That, while rejoicing in our victories, and in the valor of our armies, and in the sure guarantee which they furnish of the successful vindication of-our liberties and maintenance of our independence, we yet mourn over our heroic sons who have faflen in the sacred cause: and offer to their families oar warmest sympathies, and commend them to the kindness and generosity of their countrymen.

6. That these resolutions be communicated hy the Governor to Gen. Lee, Gen. Johnston, and Major General Jackson, the distinguished commanders of the Confederate armies in Virginia, as a memorial of the admiration and thanks of this Commonwealth for their eminent ability, and for the skill and gallantry of the officers and men of their respective commands. thelew Conscription Act.

The following is a copy of the Conscription Act passed by both Houses of Congress, on the 26th of September. An Act to amend an act, entitled, i( An Act to provide further for the public approved 10th April, 1862. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the President be, and he is hereby authorized, to call out and place in. the military service of the Confederate States, for three years, unless the war shall have been sooner ended, all white men who are residents of the Confederate States, between the ages of thirty-five and forty-five years, at the time the call or calls may be made, and who are not at such time or times legally exempted from military service; or such parts thereof as, in his judgment, may be necessary to the public defence, such call or calls to be made under the provisions and according to the terms of the act to which this (is an amendment; and such authority shall exist in the President, during the present as to all persons who now are, or may hereafter become eighteen years of age; and, when b-ncc enrolled, all persons between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years shall serve their full provided, that if the President, in calling out troops into the service of the Confederate States, shall first call for only a part of the persons, between the ages hereinbefore stated, he shall call for those between the age of thirty-five, and any other age less than forty-five; prodded, that nothing herein contained shall be understood as repealing or modifying any part of the act to which this is amendatory, except as herein expressly stated; and provided further, that those called out under this act, and the act to which this is an amendment, shall be first and immediately ordered to fill to their maximum number the companies, battalions, squadrons and regiments from the respective States at the time the act to further provido for the public defence, approved 16th A pill, 1862, was passed; and the surplus, if any, shall be assigned to organizations formed from each State since the passage of that act', or placed organizations, to be officered by the State having such residue, according to the laws thereof, or disposed of as now provided by law; provided, that the President is authorized to suspend the execution of this, or the act to which this is an amendment, in. any locality where he may find it impracticable to execute the same; and that in such localities, and during such suspension, the President is authorized I to receive troops into the "Confederate sorvice 1 under any of the acts passed by the CbnfedJ crate Congress prior to the passage of the act' to further provide for the public defence, ap; proved 16th of April, 1862.

A Skirmish tn Southampton. We learn from a gentleman whofwas pre: sent, that our cavalry pickets in'lsle of Wight county, wore driven across Blackwater river at Southampton, Tuesday last, by the enemy, who advanced in Col. Marshall was in command of the Confederates on this side of the river, and the bridge Was guarded by.a 32 pounder attached to Capt? R'chardson's James' City Artillery, opened in reply to the enemy's artillery. The" fire from our gun was remarkably accurate rd aim, and the shell falling amongst the enemy; caused them to beat a very hasty Upon crossing the railroad, a shell from other 32-pounder of the James City stationed at the depot, and commanded by eut, Slater, fell in the very midst of flying foe, and emptied several saddles. enemy lost three killed and several wounded, as our men were afterwards informed by vilians residing in the vicinity, all of whom they carried off.

The enemy in his flight burnt a bridge to prevent pursuit. They are" supposed to have numbered 1500. Come when they may, we are prepared for them in that section. It is supposed that they have ft hankering after the railroad between this city" and Petersburg Express, Sept. 27.

In his interesting letters of the late battles on the Plains of Manassas, sonnel" records the following incident: A HAND-TO-HAND CONFLICT. 1 The Eighteenth Georgia, Fifth Texas, anal the Hampton Legion, encountered the teenth, Twenty second, Twenty-fourth and Forty-fourth Now York regiments, who concealed from view by a deep ravine, and 1 before they were aware of it, the antagonists were within twenty steps of each other. Oijr' i men secured the advantage of the first fire; however, and rushing forward with a yell after their volley, were in a moment upon the 5 Yankee ranks. Adjutant Patton, of the Eighteenth Georgia, made a dash for the color of the Twenty-fourth New York, but the bearer refusing to give it up, one of the Georgians named Sergeant O'Neil, hopped upon him io true Irish style and knocked him down with his fist. Dm ing this hand to-hand conflict, Smith, also of the Fifteenth, was attacked with a bayonet, which htr caught with big left hand-, and with the other brought his'ojw- ponent to the ground, Lt, Thomas, of the Hampton Legion, had a similar fightwith color bearer of the Twentfsecond'New.

Jovkf in which he secured the Hair of that regiment; For the first time in its history the demand was made in this fight for the surrender'of the Hampton Legion by the Cidonel of the i Twenty-second N. "Surrender thundered Col. Grey, "if you- don't deliver' sword up I'll blow your brains out, sir. These fire South Catf 1 prudent Yankee gave tip his sword handed over a prisoner of war. Fa-oui the Army.

A soldier who is just from the Potomac re-' I gion says that ths parties of the enemy who have been committing raids in undoiin and I Fauquier have disapj eared. Daring their adventures they visited Middloburg and Up- I perville, and paroled all tho sick soldiers stragglers whom they found there. They made a dash towards Parrs for the nurposeof capturing General Mahono and other officers whom they learped were in that Their-effort rrf this respect was a failure. If is reported that they captured Col. Wm.

i Smith, who was on his Way to his home in Fauquier wounded, from the battle field of 1 Sharpsburg. But though he had to be driven so rapidly as greatly to increase his fort he escaped capture. Ho has two pain. ful flesh wounds in his arm, but no bones are 1 broken. arc happy to understand that the anticfr of the enemy in that quarter have been stop, ped.

if indeed they have not been severely punished, as is probable. I Gen. Lee's army was-still near the positiorr reported for the last few Richnwnd Enquirer, Sept. 27. Bragg and Snail ft advancing on i Louisville.

GEN. MARSHALL ENCAMPED ON THE 1 BANKS OF THE TJie River KentvcXy I Regiments in the Confederate Service Murfrhesboho', Sept. gentleman, from Gen. Bragg's army reports that Bragg. and Smith have formed a junction, and within twenty miles of Louisville.

Gen. Marshall was at Rising Sun, on flic River twenty miles below and had stopped the navigation of the Ohio. Buell was on the Green river. The fifty-third Kentucky Regiment "hadU i been mustered into the Confederate service. The enemy's force at Louisville is said to be sixty thousand new levies.

The New York Tribune states that by the surrender of Harper's Ferry, the Confederates, took 14,500 men, rations for 14,000 men for twenty days, one hundred tons of ammunition, fifty-seven guns, (some of which were tflV best Parrot's) 14,000 stand of arms, and four batteries. Forney's Philadelphia Press is the only Yankee paper we have seen that favors Lincoln's emancipation proclamation. Only 181 men were recruited in Philadelphia during the first four days of last week. The New York World makes the following comments on Yankee management: "Considering the available means, and the actual results, it is the most disgraceful failure recorded against any government in modern history..