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ing the "John Brown song," the emotions and memories the scene excited crowded thickly on the mind of an old Kansas man like your correspondent, and were far too deep to be painted by words. As the song rang out, and the escort came to meet the new comers, cheering lustily, there was something in the scene which will render it ineffaceable to my mind.

Stirring as was the reception of the company, it was surpassed by the scene which took place in camp after supper. The company came to the Colonel's quarters, and formed a semicircle in front. The field officers came out, and then the "John Brown's song" by them was sung with glorious spirit. Afterward cheers were given for the Colonel and officers generally. The bugler of the company then sang a new and very appropriate version of "Dixie," which I will send hereafter. Colonel Jennison was called out, and made a characteristic speech. I cannot give you more than a short synopsis thereof. It was as forcible, and couched in as strong Anglo-Saxon, as the proclamation I forwarded you yesterday. Colonel Jennison said: "Gentlemen and fellow-soldiers: I am not in the habit of public speaking, but will say that I never felt more like fighting than I have in the last fifteen minutes. Proud to welcome here Captain Brown's New York company, he would say that old John Brown was the only man in the United States in whom he took stock.

"He first took arms under him, and, when doing so, determined never to lay them down again until the last slave in the United States was free. The time for that was now come. This regiment was organized, not for political effect, but for fighting purposes and freedom. He meant to do for treason and to kill Slavery at the same time. Here he would say, that if at any time the Government did not approve of such action, they could have his commission. But if that occurred, they would be likely to find him on his own hook, though, as at first, he should have but six men with him. He felt that Captain Brown's company had honored him, his officers and regiment, by so unitedly voting to come into it. In his own name, and that of his officers and men, he returned them thanks. He believed that every thing would be done to insure mutual cofidence, and wanted them to understand the programme. It was a standing order that any man bringing a rebel into camp should be put into irons. If the Colonel ever did so foolish a thing, he trusted the regiment would enforce the order. He meant to bring them out of their holes by necessitating their attendance on their families. He was ordered to guard through a Government train, and, in doing so, proposed to make this country so safe that a lone widow might travel in safety. He wanted the rights of Union men respected.

"For rebels and their sympathizers, no temporizing. Be sure they are disloyal men, and then meet them promptly. For the half-way

trash we have no room, and my test of loyalty is a willingness to fight for the Union. There can be no peace until the thing is settled, justice done on traitors, and freedom established. He had told General Fremont that he would do no fighting if he thought Slavery would exist when the fight was done. The slaves of rebels can always find a protection in this camp, and they will be defended to the last man and bullet. He wanted no men who were not Abolitionists-had no room for such, and trusted he had none, for all know now that Slavery is at the bottom, middle, and summit of this hellish war. Nor was he or his men too good to fight by darker-skinned men than themselves. He meant to make 'contrabands useful,' and did not know what better use to put secesh guns to than to place them in the hands of the slaves of rebels. No excesses will be committed by his men, and he doubted not our new companions will cheerfully obey all legitimate commands. Again he thanked them."

Doc. 161.

CONFEDERATE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

THE subjoined is taken from the Richmond Examiner, of November 14th:

We publish below, as general information, and to gratify our numerous readers belonging to that communion, "The Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America," as proposed by the General Convention of that church, lately held at Columbia, South Carolina.

The Convention, we learn, was well attended, all the bishops of that church in the Confederate States being present, except Bishop Polk, of Louisiana, together with a full attendance of clerical and lay deputies. The venerable Bishop Meade, of Virginia, as senior bishop, presided over the body. The general tone of its deliberations, though entirely free from asperity toward the church of the North, gave evidence of a deep and settled conviction, on every hand, that the separation in church organization, like that in civil government, was, and ought to be, complete and perpetual.

In taking the necessary steps to form an independent church organization for the Confederate States, every thing was done with harmony and good feeling, and but one important change from the old constitution was made-namely, that which permits a State to divide herself into two or more dioceses (jurisdiction of a bishop) without the consent of the General Council. The several State councils are required each for itself to ratify this constitution.

The missionary fund and work of this church in the South, it was found, had suffered no decline since the separation from the North, but both were on the increase, even under a provisional arrangement.

CONSTITUTION
EPISCOPAL

STATES OF AMERICA.

PROPOSED FOR THE PROTESTANT If any diocese should omit or decline to elect CHURCH IN THE CONFEDERATE clerical deputies to the General Council, or should omit or decline to elect lay delegates, or if any of those of either order elected, should fail to attend, such diocese shall, nevertheless, be considered as duly represented by such deputy or deputies as may attend, whether lay or clerical. And if, through the neglect of any diocese which shall have adopted this constitution, no deputy therefrom, either lay or clerical, should attend the Council, the church in such diocese shall, nevertheless, be bound by the acts of such Council.

ARTICLE I. This church, retaining the name of Protestant Episcopal, shall be known as the "Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America."

ART. II. There shall be in this church a General Council. There may be also provincial councils and diocesan councils.

ART. III. The General Council of this church shall meet on the second Wednesday in November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, at Augusta, Ga., and on the same day in every third year thereafter, in such place as shall be determined by the Council.

ART. IV. Whenever any one of the Confederate States shall contain more than one diocese, said State may, with the consent of all the dioceses thereof, constitute an Ecclesiastical Province, in which a Provincial Council may be held at least once in three years, which council shall be made

In case there shall be an epidemic disease, or other good cause to render it necessary to alter the place appointed for such meeting, the pre-up of all the bishops having jurisdiction within siding bishop may designate another convenient place for holding of such Council; and special meetings may be called at other times in the manner hereafter to be determined.

The General Council shall consist of two houses the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies.

The House of Bishops shall be composed of all bishops of this church having jurisdiction within the Confederate States or the territories thereof.

the province, and of such representatives, clerical and lay, from the dioceses within the province as may be determined upon by the Diocesan Council thereof. If there be more than one bishop within the province, the senior bishop by consecration shall preside in the Provincial Council, and when there shall be three, or more than three bishops, they shall form a separate house.

Whenever such council shall legislate, its acts shall be of force within all the dioceses embraced within the province.

of a lay and clerical representation from each parish of the diocese. This council shall legislate for only diocesan purposes.

Each diocese shall be entitled to an equal representation, clerical and lay, in the House of ART. V. There shall be held annually, in Deputies. Such representation shall consist of each diocese, a Diocesan Council, to be comnot more than three clergymen and three lay-posed of the bishop or bishops of the diocese, and men, communicants in this church, resident in the diocese and elected by the Council thereof. Before they shall proceed to business, a majority of the dioceses which shall have adopted this constitution, shall be represented in the Council. The representations from two dioceses shall be sufficient to adjourn.

In all business of the Council, freedom of debate shall be allowed.

Each house shall have the right to originate acts, and when any act shall have been passed in either house it shall be transmitted to the other house for its consideration. No act shall have the operation of law, unless concurred in and authenticated by both houses.

When any proposed act shall have passed the House of Deputies and shall be negatived by the House of Bishops, the House of Bishops shall, when requested by the House of Deputies, signify in writing their non-concurrence within three days after such request shall have been made.

In all questions, when required by the clerical or lay representatives from any diocese, each order shall have one vote, and the majority of suffrages by dioceses shall be conclusive in each order, provided such majority comprehend a majority of the dioceses represented in that order. The concurrence of both orders shall be necessary in such case to constitute a vote of the house.

ART. VI. The bishop or bishops in each diocese, shall be chosen by the council of that diocese, agreeably to such rules as it may prescribe; and every bishop of this church shall confine the exercise of his episcopal office to his proper diocese, unless requested to perform any act of that office by the ecclesiastical authority of another diocese.

ART. VII. A new diocese, formed in any of the Confederate States, or in any territory thereof, not now represented, may, any time hereafter, be admitted to union with, and representation in, the General Council of this church, on acceding to this constitution: Provided, there were, at the time of organization, and are, at the time of making application for admission, at least six officiating presbyters within such diocese, regularly settled in a parish or church.

A new diocese may be formed within the limits of any existing diocese, with the consent of its council, and bishop or bishops thereof, or, if there be no bishop, of the ecclesiastical authority thereof; and a new diocese may be formed within the limits of two or more dioceses, with the like consent: Provided, that no such new diocese shall be formed which shall contain less than ten self-supporting parishes, or less than ten presbyters who have been for

at least one year canonically resident within on due application therefrom, be consecrated, the bounds of such new diocese, regularly settled with the approbation of a majority of the bishin a parish or congregation, and qualified to ops of this church, signified in writing to the vote for a bishop; nor shall such diocese be president bishop; he, thereupon, taking order formed, if thereby any existing diocese shall be for the same, and they being satisfied that the so reduced as to contain less than fifteen self-person designated for the office has been duly supporting parishes, or less than fifteen presby- chosen, and is properly qualified. ters who have been residing therein, and settled and qualified as above mentioned: Provided, that no city shall form more than one diocese.

In case a diocese shall be divided into two or more dioceses, the diocesan of the diocese so divided, may elect the diocese over which he will preside, and shall become the diocesan thereof. And the assistant bishop, if there be one, may elect the diocese to which he will be attached; and if he be not the one elected by the bishop, he shall be the diocesan thereof.

ART. VIII. The mode of trying bishops shall be provided by the General Council. The court appointed for that purpose shall be composed of bishops only.

In every diocese the mode of trying presbyters and deacons shall be prescribed by the council of the diocese.

None but a bishop shall pronounce sentence of admonition, suspension, or degradation from the ministry, on any clergyman, whether bishop, presbyter or deacon.

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The order for the consecration shall be conformed, as nearly as may be, in the judgment of the bishops, to the one used in this church. Bishops so consecrated, shall not be eligible to the office of diocesan or assistant bishop in any diocese in the Confederate States, nor be entitled to a seat in the House of Bishops, nor exercise any authority in the said States.

ART. XII. Any alteration in this constitution shall be originated in the General Council. When adopted in one General Council, by a majority of the House of Bishops, and by a majority of the House of Deputies, said deputies voting by dioceses and orders, such alteration shall be made known to the several diocesan councils, and, if agreed to by two-thirds of them, and ratified in the ensuing General Council, the same shall be a part of this constitution.

Doc. 162.

NEW YORK "TIMES" ACCOUNT.

ART. IX. No person shall be admitted to AFFAIR OF THE SCHOONER MARYLAND. holy orders, until he shall have been examined by the bishop and two presbyters, and shall have exhibited such testimonials and other requisites, as the canons in that case provided may direct.

Nor shall any person be ordained either deacon or priest, until he shall have subscribed to the following declaration, viz. :

I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation; and I do solemnly engage to conform to the doctrines and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America.

No person ordained by a foreign bishop shall be permitted to officiate as a minister of this church, until he shall have complied with the canon or canons in such case provided, and have also subscribed the aforesaid declaration.

ART. X. A Book of Common Prayer, administration of the Sacrament, and other rites and ceremonies of the church, articles of religion, and a form and manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests, and deacons, when established by the General Council, shall be used in those dioceses which shall have adopted the constitution. No alteration or addition shall be made in the Book of Common Prayer, or other offices of the church, or the Articles of Religion, unless the same shall be submitted to one General Council, and by a resolution thereof, made known to the council of every diocese, approved by the diocesan council, and adopted at the subsequent General Council. ART. XI. Bishops for foreign countries may,

BALTIMORE, Friday, Nov. 15, 1861. FROM Lieut. C. H. Colburn, of the Eleventh Massachusetts regiment, Company H, attached to Gen. Hooker's brigade, on the Maryland shore of the Potomac, and who arrived in this city this evening, I have the following interesting particulars of a rebel attack upon the schooner Maryland. The schooner was loaded with wood, and yesterday, while passing the rebel battery off Pig Point, and directly off the encampment of the Massachusetts Eleventh, became becalmed. The crew, immediately on perceiving preparations making by the rebels to attack their vessel from the Virginia shore, dropped their anchor, and taking to their boats, rowed away to the United States flotilla, which was anchored about four miles up the river.

Lieut. W. L. Chandler, of the Eleventh, in command, and accompanied by Lieut. Colburn and two or three others, immediately leaped into a small boat and put off for the schooner. When they reached her they discovered that the rebels were approaching from the opposite shore in superior force. The guns of the rebel battery now opened a brisk fire upon the vessel, which, together with the near approach of the rebel crew in the boat, compelled them to abandon her, having made the discovery that no one was left on board.

Soon after the rebels reached the schooner, dark volumes of smoke were seen bursting up the cabin hatchway, while the rebel demons danced about the deck, cheering and yelling like wild men, and continuing their loud cries

until they had entered their boat and gained the Virginia shore.

A gentle breeze now began to sweep up the river, and no sooner had the rebels deserted the burning vessel than the men of the Eleventh again rowed back to her, and, amid a rapid fire from the rebels, hoisted her anchor and extinguished the flames-which they found confined to the cabin-set the sails, and slowly and steadily swept up the river, amid the cheers of the National forces, who had now gathered upon the bank, and carried the schooner safely beyond the range of the enemy's fire.

The Maryland was lying close in to the Maryland shore. Another schooner, which was lying becalmed about a quarter of a mile below the Maryland, also followed, and passed by the battery without damage. Over one hundred shots were fired upon the schooner Maryland, only two of which took effect, and those abovedeck, doing little or no damage.

The steamer Yankee, as soon as the schooners had cleared the rebel fire, steamed down and took them in tow, carrying them up to the Government flotilla, where the Maryland was again handed over to her crew.

Doc. 163.

THE PURSUIT OF FLOYD.

REPORT OF GENERAL BENHAM.

FAYETTEVILLE C. H., Va., Nov. 16, 1861. I HAVE the honor to report as follows in relation to the expedition from which I have this afternoon returned, by the order of General Schenck, from the pursuit of General Floyd, upon the road to Raleigh, by which he escaped by a most rapid and arduous march last night. Upon the night of the 11th inst., while at a kind of bivouac at Loup Creek mouth, where I had been with part of my command, by the directions of General Rosecrans, since the 5th and 6th insts., I received your orders to proceed as early as practicable with the force then at that point, about one thousand five hundred men, of the Tenth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth regiments, to occupy Cotton Hill, there having been previously stationed by his orders, under my directions, the Thirty-seventh regiment of seven hundred men at Loup Creek forks, about four miles up, and in detachments up to ten miles from the mouth of the Creek, also about three hundred and twenty of the Forty-fourth regiment, and four hundred and thirty of the Seventh about one mile upon the left fork.

About the time of marching from Loup Creek, however, I had directed, as he had ordered me, about one thousand men from these last three regiments, to occupy Cassidy's Mills, about six miles up from the left fork toward this place, and the remainder, being part of the Thirty-seventh regiment, to endeavor to reach me at Cotton Hill by a march to the left of Cassidy's Mills by Nugent's.

On the morning of the 12th, in accordance with the directions given, with the first-named force, and four mounted howitzers, and two rifled six-pounders, we moved up the left bank of the Kanawha, four miles from the mouth of Loup Creek to Gauley Falls; thence to the right, some five miles over Cotton Hill to Herschberger's by three P. M., where at Laurel Creek we met the advance pickets of the enemy in force, as it was ascertained afterwards, in a most strong position, prepared with abatis; and after skirmishing with them with the greater part of the Thirteenth regiment, until dark, we went into bivouac in the open air, on the escarped mountain road, with but few fires and but little water; myself and staff lying on the bare rocks with our horses held below us. Our loss in the skirmish was one man killed and four wounded, that of the enemy two, at least, killed and about seven wounded.

The enemy were completely driven from the ground they occupied, but not much farther, as a large reinforcement was seen coming to them; (I have since learned four regiments and one piece of artillery were sent.) And with only about one thousand six hundred and forty men, for Colonel Sieber's detachment had not fully joined, I did not think it would be safe to draw on a battle with the whole rebel force, reported by yourself to me to be from four thousand to six thousand men, and as I heard afterward with nine to eleven guns, although as I reported to you that night, I felt I would hold my position in the mountain secure against their force.

During the night, at about two A. M. of the 13th, it was reported to me by a scout I had sent out to watch the rebel camp, that the wheels of heavy wagons, or artillery, were heard, rumbling in the direction of their camp, but as this became no fainter it was uncertain whether they were retreating or receiving reinforcements. I immediately sent directions to Colonel Smith, of the Thirteenth regiment, to send out two other scouts to ascertain if the movement was a retreat, but most unfortunately, as Colonel Smith informed me in the morning, he did not understand it as a command, but merely as a suggestion, and they were not sent out.

On learning this at early light, I immediately sent forward a scout of ten men, supported by two companies of the Thirteenth regiment; but the report from these men, of the retreat of the rebels, did not come till after four P. M., on which I immediately gave the orders for marching to overtake them.

For this I felt the more prepared as I had ordered and expected down to join me, the force that were at Cassidy's Mills, having authorized the aid, who was sent there, to order them direct to Fayette road, if the enemy were proven to be retreating and it would be surely safe to do so. But this last order was also misunderstood, and although a portion of this command of mine had occupied Fayette from

BENHAM'S

ICHARDSON.NY

GEN.

GAUL

Gauley R.

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