ious solicitude for their safety, it is meet that the
whole people should turn imploringly to their
Almighty Father and beseech his all-powerf il
protection.
To this end, therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, Pres
ident of the confederate States of America, do
issue my proclamation, inviting all the people to
unite at their several places of worship, on Fri
day, the sixteenth day of the present month of
May, in humble supplication to Almighty God
that he will vouchsafe his blessings on our be
loved country ; that he will strengthen and pro
tect our armies ; that he will watch over and
protect our people from the machinations of their
enemies ; and that he will, in his own good time,
restore to us the blessing of peace and security
under his sheltering care.
Given under my hand and the seal of the con
federate States, at Richmond, on the third day of
May, A.D. 1862.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
DOCUMENTS.
137
Doc. 40.
THE DESTRUCTION OF COTTON.
THE RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS.
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, DEPARTMENT
OF STATE, RICHMOND, VA., May 16, 1862.
SIR : In answer to your communication of this
morning, I have the honor to state that the gov
ernment has no desire to destroy any cotton be
longing to neutrals ; but, on the contrary, is will
ing to extend to it full protection while in its
power, provided the like protection can be made
effective when the cotton may fall into the pi
session of the enemy. The past conduct of the
Government of the United States, and passive at
titude of neutral nations whose rights have been
violated by the United States, have satisfied us
that, if cotton belonging to neutrals be allowed to
fall into the hands of the enemy, it will be seized
and appropriated by them regardless of neutral
rights, and that neutral powers will fail to afford
any protection to the rights of their subjects
when thus violated.
If, however, as you suggest, any official assur
ance shall be formally communicated by the gov
ernment of any neutral nation to this nation, of
a nature to satisfy us that cotton belonging to
the subjects of such neutral nation shall be ef
fectually protected against seizure and appropria
tion by the enemy, if allowed to fall into his pos
session, this Government will have no hesitation
in issuing instructions to refrain from the de
struction of such cotton, even when exposed to
seizure by the enemy.
I am your obedient servant,
J. P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of State.
To C. G. BAYLOR, Esq.
Doc. 41.
BATTLE AT RUSSELL S HOUSE,
NEAR CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI, MAY 17.
REPORT OP GEN. W. T. SHERMAN.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH DIVISION ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, )
CAMP BEFORE CORINTH, May 19, 1862. f
Capt. Geo. E. Flynt, Assistant Adjutant- Gen
eral, Chief of Gen. Thomas s Staff:
SIK : I have the honor to report that, in com
pliance with the purpose of Major-Gen. Halleck,
as explained at the interview of the eleventh in
stant, Gen. Thomas being present, I made all
possible inquiry as to the topography of the
ground in my front, with its water - courses,
fields, and roads, and on the seventeenth made
dispositions to drive the enemy from his position
at Russell s house.
I requested Gen. Hurlbut to put in motion two
regiments and a battery of artillery, at three
o clock P.M., on the road which passes the front
of his line and runs to Russell s house. I or
dered Gen. Denver to take a right-hand road with
two regiments of his brigade and one battery of
light artillery, namety, the Seventieth and Sev
enty-second Ohio, and Barrett s battery, and
gave him a guide so to conduct his march as to
arrive on the left of the enemy s position by the
time he was engaged in front ; and I ordered
Gen. Morgan L. Smith s brigade, with Bouton s
battery, to follow the main road, drive back a
brigade of the enemy s forces that held the pos.i-
tion at Russell s, with their skirmishers and
pickets, down to the causeway and bridge across
a small stream about eight hundred yards this
side of Russell s house, supposed to be a branch
of Bridge Creek.
All these forces were put in motion at three
P.M., Gen. Denver s forces taking the right-hand
road, and Gen. Smith s the direct main road. On
reaching the causeway, Gen. Smith deployed his
skirmishers forward, and sent out his advance-
guard. The column advanced, and the skirmish
ers became engaged at once. The firing was very
brisk, but the enemy s pickets were driven steadi
ly back till they reached the position of their bri
gade at Russell s house, where their resistance
was obstinate.
The ground was unfavorable to artillery till the
skirmishers had cleared the hill beyond the
causeway, when Major Taylor, Chief of Artillery,
advanced first one of Bouton s guns, and very
soon after the remaining three guns of the batte
ry. These, upon reaching the hill-top, com
menced firing at Russell s house and outhouses,
in which the enemy had taken shelter, when
their whole force retreated, and full possession
was obtained of Russell s house and the ground
for three hundred yards in advance, where the
roads meet. This was the limit to which I had
ordered the brigade to go, and there it was halted.
The head of Gen. Denver s column reached its
position as the enemy was beginning to retreat.
Gen. Morgan L. Smith conducted the advance
of his brigade handsomely, and the chief work
and loss fell upon his two leading regiments, the
Eighth Missouri and Fifty-fifth Illinois. I leave
to him the full credit of conducting the advance,
and of carrying the position at Russell s. He
held the ground till about daylight next morning,
when, by my order, he left a strong picket there,
and placed his brigade back a short distance in
easy support, where it remained until relieved b3 r
another brigade.
From Russell s we could hear distinctly the
drums beating in Corinth. The house is nearly
two miles from me, and about one and a quarter
miles from the enemy s outer intrenchments, and
the position, though important, is too exposed for
a single brigade, with our line disposed as at pre
sent. Gen. Hurlbut has two companies at Rus
sell s and two regiments along the edge of a field
which lies to the east of Russell s house. This
house is now the advance picket-station in our
front, and I have a chain of sentinels round by
the right to a point on the Purdy and Corinth
road, where it joins on to the pickets of Gen. Me-
lernand.
There was no loss sustained by Gens. Hurlbut
or Denver s commands in their flank movements
on Russell s ; but the loss in Gen. Morgan L".
Smith s brigade was pretty heavy ten killed and
138
REBELLION RECORD, 1862.
thirty-one wounded, a list of whom will accompa
ny this report. The confederates left twelve
dead on the ground, whom we buried. They re
moved their wounded, of which many traces
were on the ground and in the house. Among
their dead was one captain and two lieutenants.
We took only one prisoner, whom I sent to the
Provost-Marshal.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
W. T. SHERMAN,
Brig.-Gen. Commanding Division.
Headquarters Department Mississippi, Camp Corinth. Iloads,
Mississippi, May 22, 1662.
Doc. 42.
PRESIDENT LINCOLN S PROCLAMATION.
BY TUB PEESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, There appears in the public prints
what purports to be a proclamation of Major-
General Hunter, in the words and figures follow
ing, to wit :
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, |
HILTON HEAD, S. C., May 9, 1862. f
GENERAL ORDERS No. 11.
The three States of Georgia, Florida, and South-
Carolina, comprising the Military Department of
the South, having deliberately declared them
selves no longer under the protection of the United
States of America, and having taken up arms
against the said United States, it becomes a mili
tary necessity to declare th^m under martial law.
This was accordingly done on the twenty-fifth
day of April, 18G2. Slavery and martial law in
a free country are altogether incompatible. The
persons in these three States, Georgia, Florida,
and South-Carolina, heretofore held as slaves, are
therefore declared forever free.
DAVID HUNTER,
Major-General Commanding.
Official: ED. W. SMITH,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
And whereas, The same is producing some ex
citement and misunderstanding,
Therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of
the United States, proclaim and declare that the
government of the United States had no know
ledge or belief of an intention, on the part of Gen.
Hunter, to issue such a proclamation, nor has it
yet any authentic information that the document
is genuine ; and further, that neither Gen. Hunter
nor any other commander or person has been au
thorized by the government of the United States
to make proclamation declaring the slaves of any
State free, and that the supposed proclamation
now in question, whether genuine or false, is al
together void, so far as respects such declara
tion.
I further make known, that whether it be com
petent for me as commander-in-chief of the army
and navy to declare the slaves of any State or
States free, and whether at any time, or in any
case, it shall have become a necessity indispen
sable to the maintenance of the government to
exercise such suppose^ power, are questions
which, under my responsibility, I reserve to my
self, and which I cannot feel justified in leaving
to the decision of commanders in the field. These
are totally different questions from those of police
regulations in armies and camps.
On the sixth clay of March last, by a special
message, I recommended to Congress the adoption
of a joint resolution, to be substantially as fol
lows :
" Resolved, That the United States ought to
cooperate with any State which may adopt a
gradual abolishment of slavery, giving to such
State in its discretion to compensate for the in
conveniences, public and private, produced by
such change of system."
The resolution, in the language above quoted,
was adopted by large majorities in both branches
of Congress, and now stands an authentic, defi
nite and solemn proposal of the nation to the
States and people most immediate!} 7 interested in
the subject matter. To the peopfe of these States
I now earnestly appeal. I do not argue ; I be
seech you to make the arguments for j ourselves.
You cannot, if you would, be blind to the signs
of the times. I beg of you a calm and enlarged
consideration of them, ranging, if it may be, far
above personal and partisan politics. This pro
posal makes common cause for a common object,
casting no reproaches upon any. It acts not the
Pharisee. The change it contemplates would
come gently as the dews of Heaven, not rending
or wrecking anything. Will you not embrace
it ? So much good has not been done by one
effort in all past time, as in the Providence of
God it is now your high privilege to do. May
the vast future not have to lament that you have
neglected it.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal of the United States to
be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington this nineteenth
day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two, and of the indepen
dence of the United States the eighty-sixth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President :
WM. H. SEWARD,
Secretary of State.
Doc. 43.
THE BATTLE AT FRONT ROYAL, VA.*
OFFICIAL REPORT OF GENERAL BANKS.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SHENAXDOAH, j
May 31, 1802. f
Hon. Edwin 3f. Stanton, Secretary of War :
SIR : In pursuance of orders from the War De
partment, Col. John R. Kenly, commanding First
Maryland volunteers, was sent on the sixteenth
day of May from Strasburgh to Front Royal, with
instructions to retain the troops under Major
Tyndale, attached to Gen. Geary s command, and
* See Banks s Retreat, page 52, cmi*.
DOCUMENTS.
13P
to protect the town of Front Royal and the rail
road and bridges between that town and Stras-
burgh.
The forces under his command consisted of his
own regiment, (seven hundred and seventy-five
available men,) two companies from the Twen
tieth Pennsylvania volunteers, Lieut-Col. Perham
commanding ; the Pioneer Corps, Capt. Mapes,
engaged in constructing bridges ; two companies
of the Fifth New- York cavalry, and a section of
Knapp s battery, Lieut. Atwell commanding.
Thqre were three companies of infantry stationed
on the road near Strasburgh ; the Second Massa
chusetts, Capt. Russell, at the bridge ; one com
pany of the Third Wisconsin, Capt. Hubbard,
and one company of the Twenty-seventh Indiana,
about five miles from Strasburgh.
This force was intended as a guard for the pro
tection of the town, and partly against local
guerrilla parties that infested that locality, and
replaced two. companies of infantry with cavalry
and artillery, which had occupied the town for
some weeks, under Major Tyndale, of the Twenty-
eighth Pennsylvania volunteers, for the same pur
pose. It had never been contemplated as a de
fence against the combined forces of the enemy
in the Valley of Virginia.
Front Royal is in itself an indefensible position.
Two mountain valleys debouch suddenly upon the
town from the south, commanding it by almost
inaccessible hills, and is at the same time exposed
to flank movements by other mountain valleys,
via Strasburgh on the west and Chester Gap on
the east.
The only practicable defence of this town would
be by a force sufficiently strong to hold these
mountain passes some miles in advance. Such
forces were not at my disposal, and no such ex
pectations were entertained from the slender com
mand of Col. Kenly. It was a guerrilla force, and
not an organized and well-appointed army that
he was prepared to meet.
On the twenty-third of May, it was discovered
that the whole force of the enemy was in move
ment down the Valley of the Shenandoah, be
tween the Marsanutten Mountain and the Blue
Ridge, and in close proximity to the town. Their
cavalry had captured a considerable number of
our pickets before the alarm w^as given. The lit
tle band which was charged with the protection
of the railroad and bridges, found itself instanta
neously compelled to choose between an imme
diate retreat or a contest with the enemy, against
overwhelming numbers. Col. Kenly was not the
man to avoid a contest, at whatever odds.
He immediately drew up his troops in the order
he had contemplated in case of an attack of less
importance. The disposition of his forces had
been wisely made to resist a force equal to his
own, and the best, perhaps, that could have been
devised in his more pressing emergency.
About one o clock P.M. the alarm was given
that the enemy was advancing on the town in
force. The infantry companies were drawn up
in line of battle about one half of a mile in the
tear of the town. Five companies were detailed
to support the artillery, which was placed on the
crest of a hill commanding a meadow of some ex
tent, over which the enemy must pass to reach
the bridge one company guarding the regimental
camp, nearer to the river, on the right of the
line.
The companies, three in number, left to guard
the town, were soon compelled to fall back upon
the main force. There were then four companies
on the right of the battery near the camp, under
Lieut. -Col. Dushane, and five companies on the
left under Col. Kenly. The battery, Lieut. At
well commanding, opened fire upon the enemy
advancing from tbe hills on the right and left,
well supported by the infantry, doing much dam
age. A detachment of the Fifth New-York cav
alry was ordered to advance upon the road, which
was attempted, but did not succeed.
They held this position for an hour, when they
were compelled to retreat across the river, which
was done in good order, their camp and stores
having been first destroyed.
On the opposite side their lines were again
formed, and the battery, in position, opened its
fire upon the enemy while fording the river.
They were again ordered to move, left in front,
on the Winchester road, and had proceeded about
two miles when they were overtaken by the ene
my s cavalry, and a fearful fight ensued, which
ended in the complete destruction of the com
mand. Col. Kenly, at the head of his column,
was wounded in this action. The train and one
gun were captured.
One gun was brought within five miles of Win
chester, and abandoned by Lieut. Atwell only
when his horses were broken down. The ene
my s force is estimated at eight thousand. The
fighting was mostly done by the cavalry on the
side of the rebels, with active support from the
infantry and artillery. Our own force did not
exceed nine hundred men. They held their
ground manfully, yielding only to the irresistible
power of overwhelming numbers. Prisoners cap
tured since the affair represent that our troops
fought with great valor, and that the losses of tho
enemy were large.
A prisoner, captured near Martinsburgh, who
was in the Front Royal army, states that twent} r -
five men were killed in the charge on the Bucktou
station. Six companies of cavalry charged upon
our troops at that place. The killed and wounded
numbered forty odd. Among the killed were
Capt. Sheets and Capt. Fletcher. The name of
the prisoner is John Seyer. It is impossible at
this time to give a detailed account of our losses.
Reports from the officers of the regiment repre
sent that but eight commissioned officers and one
hundred and twenty-five men have reported. Of
these officers, five were in the engagement, two
absent on detached service, and one on furlough.
All the regimental officers were captured. Col.
Kenly, who was represented to have been killed,
is no\ understood to be held a prisoner. He is
severely wounded. Lieut. Atwell reports that of
thirty-eight men attached to his battery, but
twelve have reported. The cavalry was* more
140
REBELLION RECORD, 1862.
fortunate, and suffered comparatively little loss.
Undoubtedly large numbers of the command will
yet return, but it is impossible to speculate upon
the number.
I have the honor to ask attention to the reports
of the remaining officers of the First Maryland
regiment who participated in the engagement,
giving their account of the same, and that of
Lieut. Atwell, commanding the battery. Other
reports will doubtless be made by officers having
a more perfect knowledge of the aifair and a more
exact statement of the losses, but are not at this
time available.
I have the honor to be, with great respect,
your obedient servant,
N. P. BANKS,
Major-General Commanding.
LIEUTENANT THOMPSON S ACCOUNT.
HAGERSTOWN, May 29, 1862.
Messrs. Editors of the Baltimore American :
According to promise I give you a brief account
of the battle of Friday, the twenty-third day of
May.
Having been relieved from picket duty on the
morning of the battle, I was lounging about in
my tent, between two and three o clock P.M.,
when a negro man came riding into camp much
excited, stating that the rebels had taken th e
town " Front Royal." Our camp was about a
mile and a quarter from the town. I went out to
see the negro and commenced making fun of him,
for he was frightened nearly to death. Thinking
it to be only a skirmish with a party of guerrillas,
whom we knew to be in the mountain, Lieut. -Col.
Dushane and Dr. Mitchell mounted their horses
and rode out towards town. They had been gone
but a short time when they came dashing back to
Colonel Kenly, the " long roll" was beat, and we
were immediately drawn up in line prepared for
a fight. Our force was small, there being four
companies detached from the regiment, one at a
town called Linden, about eight miles from camp,
two doing picket duty a short distance from Front
Royal, and one on provost duty in the town of
Front Royal. A number of our men in this com
pany were killed by the citizens of the town of
Front Royal, by shooting from their dwellings.
This left us but six companies in camp, five of the
six were ordered to support a section of Knapp s
batteiy, on the left of our camp, leaving one com
pany to guard the camp. The three companies
in town fell back to camp, when the four com
panies then in camp were deployed as skirmish
ers by Lieut. -Col. Dushane, on the right with the
battery, and five companies on the left. We had
scarcely been placed in position, when the rebels
were seen advancing in great force. A brisk fire
was opened by our men and the battery, doing
great damage to their rank and file, and throwing
them into confusion, but they again rallied in such
numbers that our Colonel ordered us to fall back,
which we did in good order, the men showing a
coolness that was truly remarkable. Before we
left our camp, we succeeded in burning all our
camp equipments and stores.
We continued to retreat until we had crossed
the two branches of the Shenandoah river, when
we were halted and again thrown in line of bat
tle, after burning the bridge over the north branch.
At this time the battery was placed on our right
and again commenced throwing shells into The
lines of the rebels. The rebel artillery had been
placed in position opposite to us on the banks of
the south branch and threw a number of shell
into our midst. While this was going on, I
noticed the rebel infantry corning up the railroad
and were fording the north branch. I remarked
to Major Wilson who, at this time, had not
noticed it, that if we did not look out they would
flank us on the left. He rode down the line and
we were brought to a right face, with our left in
front, and ordered to march up the turnpike,
allowing the battery to. get in front. We had
marched but a short distance when the New-York
cavalry, who were covering our retreat, were over
powered and driven into our lines by about two
thousand rebel cavalry, on a bold charge, flank
ing us right and left. They closed in upon us,
literally cutting us to pieces, our men fighting
desperately. Colonel Kenly, seeing our position,
called our men to rally around their colors, which
was the last order I heard from him. He was
fighting hand to hand with the rebels, receiving a
sabre-wound in the head, which was the last I
saw of our beloved Colonel. I then ordered what
men I had left to take to the wheat-field, but the
men could do nothing with their muskets, as they
had become so gummed up as to render it im
possible to get a cartridge down to its proper
place. Seeing this, we took to the woods near by,
I getting off with a slight sabre-cut, which nearly
I severed the sleeve from my coat. With several
of my men I remained in the woods all night, in
sight of the battle-ground, and made Winchester
in the morning. We lost everything we had, ex
cept one wagon and eight horses, which Quarter
master Lyeth succeeded in getting to Winchester,
where he found Lieut. Taylor, of company B, who
had been on detached service, and was to join his
company the next morning. He assisted Quarter
master Lyeth in getting the horses from Win
chester.
Our little band of patriots only numbered a
little over seven hundred, while the rebels had
near eight thousand.
Your obedient servant,
GEORGE W. THOMPSON,
Second Lieutenant Co. D, First Md. Regt.
A REBEL ACCOUNT.
IN CAMP, JACKSON S DIVISION, )
VALLEY OF THE SHENANUOAH, May 27, 1862. f
We got to Front Royal, where we met the First
Maryland regiment, and after a fight and a charge
we captured every man of them save fifteen. Our
cavalry then dashed ahead and took two hundred
more prisoners, at a little town between Front
Royal and Strasburgh, on the railroad. In all we
took nine hundred prisoners at Front Royal, in
cluding one colonel, one lieut.-colonel, one ma
jor, two pieces of cannon ; horses, arms, etc., IP
DOCUMENTS.
141
abundance, and $300,000 worth of quartermaster
and commissary stores ; also, two locomotives and
three passenger and fifty tonnage cars.
These facts are reliable, and you may rest as
sured thereof, as I will write you nothing but
what I know to be true. We slept on the bare
ground that night, and the next morning, very
early, were off at a tangent for somewhere on the
Winchester road. On our way to Middletown
the road was often crowded with prisoners, wagons
and horses, which our cavalry had captured, and
were conveying to the rear. When last heard
from we had fifteen hundred prisoners at Front
Royal. Banks, who was at Strasburgh when he
heard of our doings, cut stick and broke for Win
chester in hot haste ; but we cut his force in twain
at Middletown, sending Taylor s brigade (Ewell s
division) after the Strasburgh wing, who captured
many of them and demoralized the rest, and we
hurried on swiftly after Banks down the valley.