by the name of Lynch both made a rush for the colors, but Vollmer's bayonet first pierced the breast of the color-bearer, and, grasping the flag, he waved it over his head in triumph. At this moment he and Lynch were both shot dead, and as Vollmer fell, emulating the ardor of these chivalrous young men, Captain J. Welby Armstrong stepped forth to capture the colors, when he also fell, grasping the flagstaff. These colors are now at General Pillow's office. The loss of Russell's brigade is as follows:Second regiment, 18 killed, 64 wounded, 33 missing. Thirteenth regiment, 28 killed, 70 wounded, 48 missing. Fifteenth regiment, 10 killed, 10 wounded, and 4 missing-making a total of 56 killed, 147 wounded, and 85 missing. A steamer, bearing a flag of truce, came to Columbus to-day, (Nov. 8,) bearing Mrs. Dougherty and other ladies, who came down to see their husbands, who are prisoners in our hands. We have one hundred prisoners in our possession who are uninjured, and about the same number of wounded are in our hospitals. The enemy are reported to have one hundred and two of our men at Cairo, a large number taken from our hospital on the other side.

The loss in the others has not yet been announced, but if upon the same ratio it must have been over a thousand.

MEMPHIS "AVALANCHE" ACCOUNT.

We have received from our highly intelligent military friend, Major Bledsoe Harmon, who has just returned from a visit to Columbus, the following particulars of the late engagement:

From ten to twelve regiments of the enemy effected a landing on the Missouri side, about five miles above Columbus by land. Information of it was immediately brought in by the pickets of Tappan's regiment, encamped opposite Columbus, and communicated to General Polk, who immediately began preparations to send reinforcements to Tappan, steam having to be raised for the transportation of the troops across the river. In the mean time the enemy came down at double-quick, and attacked Tappan's regiment, which had to fall back; when Pillow arrived with Pickett's, Wright's, Knox's, Walker's, and Freeman's regiments, and gave the enemy battle in an open square of about 700 acres, on which the trees had been felled, the Federals being concealed in the surrounding woods and brushes.

Our troops fought here at a great disadvantage, being exposed to the fire of the skulking Federals without having a fair chance at them, but yet they made a gallant struggle, until, their ammunition running out, they were compelled to return to the river. The Federals then fell upon Tappan's camp, plundering and burning, and turned Watson's battery, which they had taken from us and posted below them, on the steamers which were transporting our troops across. But a battery on the Kentucky side silenced its fire while the one hundred and twenty-eight-pounder on the hill above Columbus, sending a few shots among the main body of the Federals, sent them howling back to the woods. These shots, it is said, were found sev

Two gentlemen, residents of Austin, Texas,
passed through Columbus to-day, who were
taken prisoners in New York on landing from a
vessel from South America. After being held
for some time, they were released, and after
making their way through Canada came down
through St. Louis, and were at Cairo on the 6th
-the day of the battle. They report that
transports were continually plying between this
point and Cairo on that day, full of dead and
wounded, who were received and borne away
from the boats at Cairo by the citizens. They
further report that there are two gunboats fin-
ished at St. Louis, and six on the stocks. They
bring a Chicago Tribune, which has the candor
to say the battle on the 6th was terrible on
both sides. In the midst of the battle our bat-
teries were turned upon the gunboats, when-
ever they showed themselves around the benderal miles distant.
above. It was plain that several of our balls
from Major Stewart's battery struck the boat,
but the amount of damage was not known at
the time. These gentlemen now bring the re-
port, which is confirmed, that the gunboat Lex-
ington has since sunk from the effects of her
injuries.

OFFICIAL REPORT OF KILLED.-GEN. RUSSELL'S BRIGADE.
Killed. W'nded. Miss'g. Total.
Second Tennessee . . 18 64 33
Thirteenth Tennessee. 28
Fifteenth Tennessee 10 10

70

48

4

115 146

24

285

79

364

The above is the loss in four of our regiments as officially announced.

In the meanwhile, General Cheatham brought over Marks', Russell's, and Carroll's regiments, and, with Pillow, renewed the fight. A flank movement was executed by Cheatham, in which Marks' Louisiana regiment did good service, which threw the enemy into disorder, and a disorderly rout ensued, the Federals flying to their boats, four or five miles distant.

Colonel Smith's regiment, with Col. Blythe's, having also gotten over, the former was despatched in pursuit of the enemy, while Blythe's was afterward to follow to support it. Captains Taylor's and White's companies of cavalry, of Logwood's battalion, also joined in the pursuit, which was led by Generals Polk, Pillow, and Cheatham, the slaughter of the flying Federals being great.

But it was when they reached their boats and embarked on the L. M. Kennett, supported by their gunboats, that the butchery was most terrific. Packed together on the boat, lying at:

the shore, in dense masses, Smith's regiment poured on them for half an hour, from a distance of only eighty yards, an incessant fire. An immense number were killed and wounded, the gutters around the boat filled with torrents of blood, which crimsoned the river around for a considerable distance, and the decks so slippery that the men could scarcely stand. Those who approached the wheel were shot down as fast as they appeared, so that they were compelled to move the boat into the stream without guidance.

The guns of the gunboats, lying close to the shore, shooting too high, were inefficient, until they got into the river, when Col. Smith withdrew his men. So hasty was the retreat of the boats that all the cables were cut, leaving us a full supply of them.

guns threw over the boats, and the enemy's balls did not reach us. Adjutant Hammond and I were with Captain Stewart, and helped the men to place the guns in position a number of times. They were just going to fire one of the guns, when Hammond and I retired some ten or twelve yards. The gun was fired--the explosion was terrific and some one yelled out "Two men killed!" I rushed up immediately and saw at once that they were killed. The gun had exploded into a thousand atoms. One of the men had his right arm torn to pieces, and the ribs on that side pulpified, though the skin was not broken. He breathed half an hour. The other poor fellow received a piece of iron under the chin, which passed up into the brain-the blood gushing from his nose and ears. He never breathed afterward. A third man received a slight wound of the arm. The fragments of the gun flew in every direction, and I can only wonder that more of us were not killed. A horse hitched near mine received a glancing wound from a piece of the

The battle throughout was exceedingly fierce. The fire on Pillow's force in the first instance was tremendous. The Federals fought with unusual bravery. They were picked men-the very flower of the forces on the Mississippitheir best marksmen. Only our superior gen-gun. eralship and the desperate courage of our men gave us the victory.

Captain John Morgan estimates the loss of our entire army at about one hundred killed and less than two hundred wounded. The enemy lost about four hundred killed and seven hundred wounded. We have ninety-one prisoners and over one hundred of their wounded in our hands. He says that McClernand's haversack was found upon the battle-field, and his nice snack eaten by our men. It was weil understood that the plan of the enemy was to take the Missouri side and erect fortifications, while seventeen regiments were to move upon Columbus from the other side, and, making a simultaneous attack, take the place and capture the Confederate army. From some cause the enemy did not approach from the Kentucky side, and to this fact the enemy attribute their discomfiture.

L. P. YANDELL'S ACCOUNT.

COLUMBUS, November 10. MY DEAR FATHER: I know you have been impatient to hear from me since news reached you of the battle, but I have not had time till this morning. Thursday morning two gunboats, with five steamboats, landed six or eight miles above us on the Missouri shore, and were seen to disembark infantry, artillery, and cavalry in large numbers. Troops were thrown across from our side of the river about eight or nine o'clock, and about eleven o'clock the battle commenced and raged till three or four o'clock P. M. The gunboats came down within range of our camp and commenced throwing shot and shell about eight o'clock. One or two shots fell inside our line-one piece near my tent. Hamilton's artillery replied to the boats, and they soon moved out of range, when Captain Stewart, with his Parrott guns, went two miles up the bluff and opened on the boats. Most of his

Our brigade was ordered under arms about noon or rather, it was kept under arms all the morning, but I was ordered across the river about noon. Our men were previously anxious to be led over soon in the morning; but Gen. Polk would not allow it, as he expected an attack from this side of the river-which was certainly the plan of the enemy, but it was not carried out.

We did not get on the ground till the enemy were in full retreat, and we never got near them; in fact, only one regiment of our brigade pursued them at all, and they only for a mile or two. I went with Col. Scott's regiment, belonging to Col. Neeley's brigade. When about two miles out we were ordered back, as the enemy had reached his boats. I had fifty or eighty men detailed from Scott's regiment to scour the woods with me to pick up the wounded. We found none but Federals, but they were in such numbers we could only take back a few and return for the others. In one cornfield they were lying, dead and wounded, as thick as stumps in a new field. I saw sixty or seventy, and others report as many as two hundred in this field. They were mostly of the Sixth Iowa regiment, and some of the Twentyseventh Illinois. The Lieutenant-Colonel and three captains I know to have been killed, or wounded and taken prisoners. The Seventh Iowa was almost annihilated. The scene upon the battle-field was awful.

The wounded men groaned and moaned, yelled and shrieked with pain. I had opium, brandy, and water, with which I alleviated their torture, and, poor creatures, they were exceedingly grateful. I was out until two o'clock that night with Col. Neeley and a battalion of the Fourth regiment picking up the wounded. In the woods and in the field the dead were so thick that it required careful riding to keep from tramping their bodies. The

only means I had of knowing the road that | For several miles the trees are torn and barked night was by the corpses I had noticed in the by balls, and many horses lie upon the ground, afternoon. In one place there were eleven some torn open by shells and others riddled by bodies lying side by side; further on were five; balls. You can see innumerable stains of blood in another place were fifteen near together. upon the ground. Where poor, gallant ArmThese were the only groups that I noticed, but strong was killed, there were eleven dead boI sometimes found six or eight within a space dies. At the time of his death, he had a cap of twenty yards. Some of the poor creatures upon his sword waving it, rallying his men. had crawled to the foot of trees, and laid their My friend Captain Billy Jackson was shot in heads upon the roots and crossed their arms; the hip while leading a portion of Russell's others lay upon their backs with arms and legs brigade. I think he will recover. I am afraid outstretched; some were doubled up, and, in Jimmy Walker (James' son) will not recover. fact, they were in every imaginable position. I think he is shot through the rectum. As to the variety of expression depicted upon The day before the battle, Jackson, Major the faces of the corpses, of which I heard so Butler, of the Eleventh Louisiana regiment, much, I saw nothing of it. They all looked Wilson, of Watson's battery, Lieut. Ball, of pretty much alike-as much alike as dead men same regiment, and Major Gus. Henry, and myfrom any other cause. Some had their eyes self dined at Gen. Pillow's. Butler was shot open, some closed; some had their mouths open, through and died yesterday. Lieut. Ball was and others had them closed. There is a terri- dangerously injured, and Henry had two horses ble sameness in the appearance of all the dead shot under him. Jackson I have spoken of. men I have ever seen. The only faces which I have given you but a poor account of what I were disfigured were those that were burned, saw, but I have not time to go more into details or shot, or blackened with powder. now, and I am out of kelter besides. You will see a full account in the papers of the fight. I wish the war would close. Such scenes as that of Thursday are sickening; and this destruction of life is so useless. I believe we shall have some terrible fighting very soon on the coast, in Virginia and in Kentucky. Much love to mother and sister when you see them. Mr. Law gave me the letter.

There were not many wounds from cannon balls or shells, but I saw almost every variety of wounds from musket and rifle balls. I saw almost all the battle from our camp, which is on top of the high bluff. The Missouri side is low and flat, and much of the battle-ground is open. The battle swayed back and forth many times. Once our men were driven clear under the river bank, having got out of cartridges. For several hours General Pillow held the enemy in check with two thousand men, the enemy having seven thousand infantry, four hundred and fifty cavalry, and I don't recollect their artillery. Pillow acted with great bravery. So did Polk and Cheatham, but they were not in the fight for several hours after Pillow. Pillow's escape is miraculous. Every one of his staff officers had his horse shot under him. One of them, Gus. Henry, had two shot under him. One of his aids was shot through the hip, and his horse was riddled with balls. Pillow wore a splendid uniform, very conspicuous, and rode the handsomest gray mare in the army. As we watched the fighting from the bluff, and saw our men advance and retreat, waver and fall back, and then saw the Arkansas troops' tents on fire, and the Stars and Stripes advancing toward the river, and some of our men crowding down to the very water's edge, I tell you my feelings were indescribable. The scene was grand, but it was terrible, and when I closed my eyes about four o'clock next morning, I could see regiments charging and retreatingmen falling and yelling-horses and men torn and mangled-and myriads of horrid spectacles. It was a bloody enjoyment, but we do not know the loss on either side yet.

It is roughly estimated that we lost two hundred and fifty in killed, wounded, and missing, and the enemy five hundred in killed and wounded. An immense number of horses were killed. I rode over the battle-field yesterday.

I am your devoted son,

LUNSFORD P. YANDELL.

Doc. 134.

THE FREMONT-PRICE TREATY.
GENERAL HUNTER'S REPUDIATION OF IT.

GEN. HUNTER TO GEN. PRICE.
HEAD-QUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Nov. 7, 1861.
General Sterling Price, commanding forces at
Cassville, Mo.:

GENERAL: Referring to an agreement purporting to have been made between MajorGenerals Fremont and Price, respectively, commanding antagonistic forces in the State of Missouri, to the effect that, in future, arrests or forcible interference, by armed or unarmed parties of citizens within the limits of said State, for the mere entertainment or expression of political opinions, shall hereafter cease; that families now broken up for such causes may be reunited; and that the war now progressing shall be exclusively confined to armies in the field-I have to state:

That, as General commanding the forces of the United States in this Department, I can in no manner recognize the agreement aforesaid, or any of its provisions, whether implied or direct; and that I can neither issue, nor allow to be issued, the "joint proclamation" purporting to have been signed by yourself and Major

General John C. Fremont, on the first day of | be drawn, that citizens of the United States November, A. D. 1861.

Third. To insure that "the war now progressing shall be confined exclusively to armies RESOLUTION OF THE NEW YORK CHAMBER OF in the field; " and,

him flocked instantly thousands and tens of thousands of our countrymen.

And now, when the sublime uprising of the people has averted the danger, the glorious veteran, broken with the trials of war, asks permission to remit to young and able hands the chief command, and gracefully retires, crowned with every honor that a grateful country can bestow-faithful in all the past to one flag, one Constitution, one country, and the one great name of America.

The Chamber of Commerce deems it a privilege to express its sense of such eminent services, and to place upon its records this memorial of grateful appreciation.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions, duly authenticated, be presented to LieutenantGeneral Scott by a committee of this body.

Doc. 136.

SIEGE OF COTTON HILL, VA.,

OCTOBER 30 TO NOVEMBER 7, 1861.
A CORRESPONDENT at the camp of the Second
Kentucky regiment, in Western Virginia, gives
the following account of the siege :

CAMP TOMPKINS, WESTERN VIRGINIA,

mountains extend down to the water's edge, and tower above to an immense height.

Our

On Wednesday, October 30, the rebels could be seen gathering in large numbers on the mountains, and were apparently working hard, throwing up breastworks, &c. During that night the hills were alive with them; here and there were large fires, and lights were constantly moving around among the trees; the rumbling of wagon and cannon wheels could be distinctly heard, and ever and anon a command spoken too loud was borne to our ears. camp was all excitement, and General Rosecrans was at a serious loss to know what Floyd & Co. intended. We finally worried the night through, and daylight relieved our suspense. On the mountain ridges they had planted their cannon during the night, and closer down toward the river their riflemen and sharpshooters filled the woods the entire distance from our camp to Gauley Bridge. The ferryboat was making its usual trips, running day and night, and the road had become nearly filled with wagons passing to and fro, when, bang, whizz went a cannon, and the ball commenced, the riflemen pouring in their deadly tillery shelling the ferry-boat and the camp of volleys on our wagons and teams, and the arthe Eleventh Ohio below the bridge. General Rosecrans immediately ordered a battery of mountain howitzers to the top of the hills on our side of the river, and in a brief space of time they engaged the artillery of the rebels on the opposite hills, and then commenced one of the most exciting artillery duels that was ever witnessed. The shells flew fast and thick from one side to the other, shot answered shot, and soon the entire scene was enveloped in a dense curtain of smoke; naught was to be seen on either hand but the fire belching from the enemy's artillery, and in a second more their shells burst around and about us, scattering dirt, twigs, and bark in every direction. Meanwhile, some two hundred men of the Second Kentucky had worked their way behind trees and rocks along the road below, and were soon busy returning the fire of the rebel sharpshooters; and so general did it soon become that each side of the river seemed one vast sheet of flame. For hours was this exciting scene kept up, each side seeming loth to give up; our men were worked down, but still stuck to their guns; finally, the fire on the rebel side slackened, our gunners stopped a few moments to breathe and wipe the perspiration from their powder-begrimed visages, and then reopened with renewed vigor. Soon the rebel guns ceased entirely, the smoke cleared away, and we discovered that night had drawn her sable curtain

For the past eight days the roar of artillery and musketry has been the only music we have danced to, and even while I write the booming of cannon still falls on my weary ear. The camp of our Second Kentucky regiment and the head-quarters of Generals Rosecrans and Cox are situated on top of Gauley Mount, on the farm of Colonel Tompkins, now in the rebel army, a gentleman of strong Southern proclivities, a graduate of West Point, and formerly in the United States army. This farm is his summer residence, he and his wife being residents of Richmond; she now occupies the house with her family, while he is somewhere in the neighborhood, assisting Floyd in "driving the invaders from the soil." From our camp the road descends abruptly to the river bank, and runs directly along the bank to Gauley Bridge, a distance of three miles; at this point Gauley and New rivers empty into and form the Kanawha; and across Gauley River is where the bridge was, but by some means or other, after Wise had crossed it, whilst he was retreating before our advance column, the bridge was burned; and now the massive stone piers alone remain, a monument to the disgrace of as vile a miscreant as ever deserved a hempen cord. At this place are all the depots for quartermaster and commissary stores for supplying the en-round the scene, and gladly did we relinquish tire army of Western Virginia, and the only means of crossing the stream is by a flat-boat pulled by hand; on this cross all the wagons and supplies for our troops above New River. On the opposite side of the river from our camp, and all along, down to the bridge, the VOL. III.-Doc. 25

the contest. From nine o'clock in the morning until seven at night had the battle raged without intermission, and all who were engaged in it were ready to drop with exhaustion. Supper was unthought of in camp that night; the gunners dropped down alongside of their pieces.