would very soon purchase all the slaves in any named State," yet we cannot think that there is much chance of Congress voting the purchase even of the three quarters of a million of negroes to be found in the Border States. A people which is obliged to pay in paper for every article which its army requires, which cannot obtain a loan in any European market, and which now, in the desperate hope of raising a revenue, is putting on all the war-taxes which our benighted, country has abolished, is not likely to fancy an additional expenditure of some hundreds of millions of dollars to transform a horde of negroes into citizens. Nor can we conceive that the Border States are likely, except under the pressure of military occupation, to abolish slavery within their limits. Nor do we believe that it will shake the resolution of the South. The causes of conflict between the two lie much deeper than the question of free and slave labor. A jealousy of the growing preponderance of the North in Congress -a preponderance caused by the tide of immigration which flowed into the States of more temperate climate-has now deepened into an antipathy which overcomes all considerations of interest. But there is one light in which the President's Message may be favorably viewed. As a proposition which may possibly lead to the cessation of this frightful conflict, it will be worthy of discussion, though we think there is little advantage in adopting it in its present form. The President truly said that the expenses of the war would buy up the slaves in any given State. If this has any meaning, it is that the money now devoted to keeping up the four armies of the North might be more advantageously devoted to the extinction of slavery in those regions which are incontestably in its power. But it is impossible for the North to spend the same money on fighting and on emancipation. If the people of the Northern States wish to make any real progress in the settlement of the slave question, they will give up the policy of burdening themselves and their children with an European debt paying American interest. Another year of such war will make it impossible for them to buy negro liberty even in Maryland. If they are content to keep the slave States which have not seceded, and to try the plan of emancipation and compensation on them, they may, if they are really in earnest, accomplish after a time a great work. But, with an expenditure of two million dollars'a day, and with nothing but "shinplasters" for money, the plan of attaching wavering slave-owners by compensation must follow the fate of so many other attempts at compromise. [From the London News, March 21.] Military successes, unequivocal and extensive, have enabled President Lincoln to propose a political measure from which important consequences may reasonably be expected. In a message to Congress he recommends the two Houses to agree in a resolution to cooperate with the several States, by pecuniary aid, for the gradual emancipation of the slaves. Mr. Lincoln explains his VOL. IV.-Doc. 16 views and expectations with a frankness which The time has come when Mr. Lincoln believes Mr. Lincoln's proposition appears to have startled the American public by its comprehensiveness, and we shall have to wait to learn what impression it will make on the country. The extracts we give from the New-York papers, can tell us little. It is natural for us, accustomed as we are to learn the state of public opinion in the various countries of Europe from journals published in capitals, where government and public life is centralized, to study the opinions published in a great American city, and take them for those of the Union. This error has led us astray a thousand times during the last twelve months. But in truth, there is no country in the world. where all that belongs to government, is so com pletely decentralized as in the United States. In looking at the probabilities of the situation, we must remember that Mr. Lincoln propounds rather an aim than a plan. Should Congress adopt this resolution, it will proclaim a policy, and assume a duty, but the means and mode of its execution will be left open to deliberation. We do not gather from the President's words, that it is a part of his plan that the Federal Government should assume the burden of the compensation, to be paid to slave-owners on the emancipation of their slaves, but rather the Federal Government should cooperate for that purpose with the government of the States. The President intimates gently, but plainly, that the slave-owners of the Border States may fare worse if they refuse his proposition. The war has been, and will be, one for the preservation of the Union; but it is impossible to carry war into a slave State, without depreciating property in slaves. When the masters are in trouble, the blacks run away, or become unprofitable from the interruption of industry. Such is the fair, moderate and magnanimous policy of the Government of the United States, in the hour of success. And what are the leaders of secession doing? In the face of Mr. Davis's admission, that the Confederacy attempted more than it could carry out when it undertook to force secession on the Border States, it has passed a resolution declaring "that the honor of the government imperatively demands that the existing war be prosecuted until the enemy shall have been expelled from every foot of soil within each and every one of the confederate States; and no proposition of peace shall be considered, which contemplates, however remotely, the relinquishment, by this government, of any portion of any of the States of the Confederacy." Mr. Lincoln's Message, and the resolution of the confederate Senate, aptly distinguish the character and circumstances of the two governments. Doc. 80. FIGHT AT MISSISSIPPI CITY, LA. A CORRESPONDENT gives the subjoined account of this affair: Owing to the large increase of troops at Ship Island, and the meagre facilities for encamping them, Gen. Phelps determined to send an officer to reconnoitre Mississippi City, with a view to establishing a camp at that point. An order was procured from the senior officer of the Ship Island squadron, Capt. James Alden, of the sloopof-war Richmond, for the gunboat Calhoun, Capt. E. J. De Haven, to proceed to Mississippi City, under orders of Col. E. F. Jones, of the Twentysixth Massachusetts, who had been assigned the command of the expedition by Gen. Phelps. On Saturday, the eighth inst., at two o'clock P.M., fifty men each from companies B and I, Massachusetts Twenty-sixth, embarked on board the Calhoun, with forty rounds of cartridges and a day's rations. Company B was commanded by Capt. E. S. Clark and First Lieut. William H. Lamson, and company I by Capt. John Pickering and First Lieut. C. E. Drew. A cutter from the Richmond, with eleven armed sailors, commanded by Master's Mate R. P. Swan, of the Vincennes, but temporarily attached to the Richmond, accompanied the Calhoun. A few officers from the Richmond, Capt. Howes, of the Black Prince, and your correspondent, were the only guests. We also had a prisoner from New-Orleans, who was to be landed at Mississippi City, and allowed to return to New-Orleans. After the embarkation of the troops a considerable delay occurred in getting up steam, so that it was halfpast three when we got under way. In about an hour we arrived at our destination, and the draft of the Calhoun being only six feet and a half, we were able to run directly up to the wharf. As we approached the village, we saw a man on horseback riding rapidly away from the place. Excepting two or three other persons whom we could see, the place seemed utterly deserted. The two companies were immediately landed, and the march up the wharf-which was three quarters of a mile long, and eight feet widecommenced. When about a third of the way to the shore, we found the planks torn up for about thirty yards. The cross-ties were left standing, but in some instances were cut nearly through. A few men were detailed to tear up the outside planks, and lay them along the ties; and in fifteen minutes we had a twelve-inch walk over the gap. We met no other obstruction until we were nearly to the end of the pier, when suddenly we discov ered another gap, worse than the first. The piles on which the pier stood, had been cut away for some sixty feet, and the outer end of the plankwalk had dropped into the water, eight or ten feet below, while the inner, or shore end, hung to the remainder of the pier by one corner. Searching two small houses on the wharf, we found three short flights of steps, which we lashed to a board, and lowered to the broken pier, and passing lightly down the steps, and over our frail bridge, we were soon gathered on the beach of Mississippi City. Everything seemed as quiet as the grave, and, anticipating no danger, the muskets of the soldiers were not loaded. The spot where we landed is about a mile and a half above Mississippi City, towards Biloxi Like most of the gulf-towns of Mississippi, it is of very little consequence except as a resort for the wealthy citizens of New-Orleans in summer. The houses are stretched along the beach, and some of them are fine residences. In a straight line from Harrison's wharf, (where we debarked,) a broad sawdust road runs up through the village to Hansboro', a town two miles distant. A little less than a quarter of a mile up this road, on a gentle acclivity, a piece of thick pine woods commences and extends further back than I can say. The reason why I am unable to speak definitely on this point will appear in a later part of this letter. of course, see what damage was done by the shell. Throughout the whole affair he was perfectly cool and collected. Not an excited word escaped his lips. Until the last platoon had moved towards the wharf he stood on the shore trying to discern the movements of the rebels through his glass, and when all had left he followed at the rear. He was the last man to cross the pier and the last man to get aboard the Calhoun. The New-Orleans papers, with their usual conscientious regard for the truth, will probably have an account of a splendid battle at Mississippi City, in which several hundred will be said to have been killed on the Union side, and Gen. Butler will be sure to be reported as having been present. The simple truth is this: We went for the single purpose of reconnoitring, and suddenly catching sight of a battery masked in the woods, and night rapidly drawing near, Colonel Jones did the only thing to be done under the circumstances. Accompanied by Capt. Clark and his company, we marched up the beach, to the right of the wharf, and visited several houses, but, with one The men behaved thoroughly well. There was exception, we found no one with whom we could no confusion, and Col. Jones's only complaint is exchange a word. The houses had the appear- that he could not hurry them enough. In crossance of having been very recently abandoned. ing the broken places in the pier there was no We finally found an Irishman and his whole pushing or disorder of any kind. The only refamily, and the Irishman told us there was some-gret of the men was, that they were obliged, for thing of a force over at Hansboro', consisting of prudential reasons, to retreat without getting a cavalry and artillery. Beyond this, the man was chance to fire at the enemy, while, at the same exceedingly reticent. We then returned to the time they are unanimous in their praise of their head of the wharf, and were told by Capt. Pick-commander. Of Col. Jones's conduct I can speak ering that there were evidences of cavalry up the decidedly, and of my own knowledge. road. Col. Jones ordered Capt. Pickering to leave one half of his company at the wharf, and deploy the other half on the beach to the left. Capt. Clark was ordered to deploy one half of his company up the road, and to march up with us toward the woods with the other half. We had gone but a half-dozen rods when we saw in the woods about a dozen horsemen wheeling into position, and Col. Jones caught a glimpse of the ammunition-box of a caisson. He immediately gave the order to retreat to the wharf, and called in the platoons that were deployed to the front and left flank. The men retreated in good order and formed in line at the wharf. They were then ordered to retreat in platoons to the Calhoun. All but the last platoon had left the shore and were on the wharf when we heard the report of a gun, and in a moment canister shot was rattling around us like hail. The last platoon then moved toward the wharf in side-step, to prevent the enemy from discovering our retreat. As soon as all were on the pier Col. Jones gave the order for the “double-quick-steady." We all started on a quick run, but our progress was impeded by the breaks in the wharf, thoughowing to the prudent thoughtfulness and foresight of Mr. R. P. Swan, commanding the Richmond's cutter-our passage over the outer gap was greatly facilitated. After we had gone ashore it occurred to Mr. Swan that we might be in some hurry to return; so, without waiting for orders, he sent some sailors to lay extra planks over the gap. Mr. Swan's conduct was most creditable, and Col. Jones did not fail to thank him for his prudence. While crossing the pier the enemy fired six times at us with canister and round shot, but not a man was injured, though one was struck in the thigh with a spent canistershot, which made a slight abrasure of the skin and then fell into his boot. He did not stop to remove the ball, but carried it to the steamer in his boot. The shot fell directly around us, and one charge of canister scattered the dirt all over Col. Jones. If the enemy had thrown shell as well as they threw shot, very few of us would have been left to have told the story. Just before we reached the Calhoun, Mr. Swan fired a shell at the rebels from the twenty-four-pounder Parrott on the steamer's after-deck, and after we were on board we threw two or three more shells, one of which appeared to burst right in the piece of woods where the battery was planted. We could not, We could form no idea of the force of the rebels; we only knew that they were using two guns, and had us in the very worst position. If they had dared to come suddenly out of the woods and plant their pieces at the head of the road before we commenced the retreat, they could have enfiladed us, mowing us down like grass. Col. Jones was attended on the expedition by the members of his staff, namely, Dr. J. G. Bradt, Adjutant George E. Davis, Quartermaster James Munroe, and his Quartermaster's Sergeant, Mr. Stone. Doc. 81. BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE, ARK. OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEN. CURTIS, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SOUTH-WEST, PEA RIDGE, ARKANSAS, March 9. GENERAL: On Thursday, the sixth instant, the enemy commenced an attack on my right, assailing and following the rear guard of a detachment, under General Sigel, to my main lines on Sugar Creek Hollow, but ceased firing when he met my reënforcement, at about four P.M. During the night I became convinced he had moved on so as to attack my right or rear. Therefore, early on the seventh, I ordered a change of front to right, on my right, which, thus becoming my left, still rested on Sugar Creek Hollow. This brought my line across Pea Ridge, with my new right resting on the head of Cross Timber Hol low, which is the head of Big Sugar Creek. I also ordered an immediate advance of cavalry and light artillery, under Col. Osterhaus, with orders to attack and break what I supposed would be the reënforced line of the enemy. This movement was in progress, when the enemy, at eleven A.M., commenced an attack on my right. The fight continued mainly at these points during the day, the enemy having gained a point, hotly contested by Col. Carr, at Cross Timber Hollow, but were entirely repulsed with the fall of their commander, McCulloch, in the centre, by the forces of Col. Davis. his gallant effort to reenforce the right. Colonel I have the honor to be, General, HEADQUARTERS, THIRD DIVISION, PEA RIDGE, ARK., March, 1862. f SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Third division, under my command, in the recent engagement with the rebel forces at this place. On the morning of the first inst., in obedience to instructions from the General, I broke up my camp near Cross Hollows, and took position on the heights of Pea Ridge, on the north side of Sugar Creek, commanding the main road. The plan of attack on the centre was gallantly carried forward by Col. Osterhaus, who was immediately sustained and superseded by Col. Davis's entire division, supported also by Gen. Sigel's command, which had remained till near the close REPORT OF ACTING MAJOR-GEN. COL. JEFF. C. DAVIS, of the day on the left. Col. Carr's division held the right under a galling and continuous fire all day. In the evening the fire having entirely ceased on the centre, and there having been none on the left, I reënforced the right by a portion of the Second division, under Gen. Asboth. Before the day closed I was convinced that the enemy had concentrated his main force on the right. I therefore commenced another change of front, forward, so as to face the enemy, where he had deployed on my right flank, in strong position. The change had been only partially effected, but was fully in progress, when, at sunrise on the eighth, my right and centre renewed the firing, which was immediately answered by the enemy, with renewed energy, all along the whole extent of the line. My left, under Sigel, moved close to the hills occupied by the enemy, driving him from the heights, and advancing steadily toward the head of the Hollows. I immediately ordered the centre and right wing forward, the right turning the left of the enemy and cross-firing on his centre. This final position enclosed the enemy in the arc of a circle. A charge of infantry, extending throughout the whole line, completely routed the whole rebel force, which retired in great confusion, but rather safely, through a deep and impassable defile of cross timber. Our loss is heavy, the enemy's can never be ascertained, for the dead are scattered over a large field, and their wounded, too, may, many of them, be lost and perish. The foe is scattered in all directions, but I think his main force has returned to the Boston Mountains. Sigel follows towards Keitsville, while my cavalry is pursuing him towards the mountains, scouring the country, bringing in prisoners, and trying to find the rebel Major-Gen. Van Dorn, who had command of the entire force. I have not as yet the statements of the dead and wounded, so as to justify a report, but I will refer you to a despatch I will forward very soon. Officers and soldiers have displayed such unusual gallantry, that I hardly dare to make distinctions. I must, however, name the commanders of divisions. Gen. Sigel gallantly carried the heights, and drove back the left wing of the enemy. Asboth, who is wounded in the arm, in On the night of the fifth, I received intelligence of the approach of the enemy, from the General, and of his intention to concentrate his forces on my right and left, and give battle at this point. On the morning of the sixth, I deployed the First brigade of my division, consisting of the Eighth, Eighteenth, and Twenty-second Indiana, with Klaus's Indiana battery, commanded by Col. Thomas Pattison, on the right of the Fayetteville road, so as to command the approach completely. The Second brigade, consisting of the Thirtyseventh and Fifty-ninth Illinois, (formerly Ninth Missouri,) with Davidson's Illinois battery, commanded by Col. Julius White, I ordered to take position on the left of this road. This battery commanded the valley of Sugar Creek, east and west, and strongly supporting Klaus's battery on the right. This battery was well posted, and protected by a small earthwork, which I had ordered to be thrown up during the night. The Eighth and Eighteenth Indiana, under Cols. Benton and Washburn, strengthened their positions by falling timber and throwing up some small intrenchments. During the night the General himself arrived, followed by a part of Col. Carr's division from Cross Hollows, which took position on the left. On the afternoon of the sixth, Gen. Sigel's column arrived from Bentonville, and took position on the right. During the night my troops bivouacked on the ground, anxiously awaiting the enemy's approach. On the morning of the seventh, it was ascertained that the enemy was making an effort to turn our right flank, and to attack us in the rear. In order to prevent this, Col. Osterhaus was ordered, with some cavalry and artillery, to make a demonstration in the di DOCUMENTS. At this moment I ordered the rection of Leetown. The First Missouri cavalry, ed. Among the former were Gens. McCulloch under Col. Ellis, and the Twenty-second Indiana, and McIntosh. under Col. Hendricks, were ordered to support cavalry to charge the fleeting foe, but for some this movement. Col. Osterhaus advanced about unexplained reason it was not done. The enemy a mile beyond Leetown, and found the enemy made an attempt to re-form on his former posiin force, moving rapidly along the road leading tion, near the Bentonville road, but was easily from Bentonville to Elkhorn Tavern, where Col. driven from it by the action of our batteries. Carr's division had already sharply engaged him. Two regiments of reenforcements, with two pieces At this time the unexpected appearance of the of heavy artillery, (eighteen-pounders,; arrived at Third Iowa cavalry from the field, gave proof of this time from Gen. Sigel's command. These I the necessity of reënforcements being sent at ordered to take position on the right, so as to be once in the direction of Leetown, and an order to able to move the more readily to the support of that effect was timely received. Passing through Col. Carr's division, which had been hotly enLeetown a few hundred yards, I found Col. Os-gaged in the vicinity of Elkhorn Tavern for seveterhaus with the Forty-fourth Illinois, Twenty- ral hours. Gen. Sigel soon arrived himself, and, second Indiana and some artillery, had taken po- accompanied by Osterhaus's command, moved in sition on the left of the road, and was contesting the direction of Carr's left. I at the same time the approach of the enemy over a large open field threw forward the Second brigade to the BentonFinding the enemy gone, and night upon us, I in his front. In the mean time the enemy was ville and Elkhorn Tavern road. After reporting to the rapidly approaching and advancing his forces on the right of the road, and had already lodged ordered the troops to bivouac on the field they himself in large numbers in a thick oak scrub, had so gloriously won. extending to our camp. I immediately ordered General the entire rout of the enemy at Leetown, the Second brigade to deploy to the right and en- he directed me to move my division during the gage him. This was done in a vigorous manner night to the support of our position of the previDaylight, however, by the Thirty-seventh and Fifty-ninth Illinois, ous day at Elkhorn Tavern. The fore part of the the wounded and dead. assisted by Davidson's battery, which I had put night was occupied by the troops in collecting in position for that purpose. found us in position in front of the enemy at Elkhorn Tavern, where the troops under Col. Carr had so nobly fought the day before. That gal lant officer, though suffering much from a wound, was still upon the ground to assist in disposing of my troops. I soon became satisfied, from the increasing and excessive fire of the enemy, that he was being rapidly reenforced, and ordered the Eighteenth and Twenty-second Indiana to make a flank movement to the right and perpendicular to the The First brigade was deployed a few hundred enemy, and then to move forward and attack him. This was accomplished with alacrity, but not, however, until the Second brigade had begun yards to the right of the Fayetteville road to supto recede before the excessive fire of the enemy, port Klaus's battery, which was placed at the who had now concentrated his forces to the num- edge of an open field intervening between the ber of several thousand, under McCulloch and range of hills at Elkhorn Tavern and the timber McIntosh, with a large body of Indians under protecting our camp. Here the five companies of Pike and Ross. The Second brigade being thus the Eighth Indiana, under Lieut.-Col. Shunk, overwhelmed, I ordered it to fall back and change joined their brigade. These companies had the front to rear on its right, and the First brigade previous day participated in the engagement with to change front forward on its left, so as to attack Col. Carr's forces, and had bivouacked on the field the enemy in his rear, who was now exultingly during the night. Davidson's battery was placed The Eight- in a similar position on the left of the road, supfollowing up his temporary success. eenth Indiana soon executed the movement as di- ported by the Second brigade. At sunrise the rected, and opened a well-directed fire upon the enemy's position was discovered by a few shots enemy's rear, which had the effect of drawing his being thrown from Davidson's battery, which fire and disconcerting his pursuit so as to enable was at once responded to by the rebel batteries. the Second brigade to re-form their lines as di- Klaus's battery responded, but after a sharp conrected, but not until the enemy had succeeded in test of a few rounds, was forced to retire by a capturing two guns of Davidson's battery, which, sudden attack of one of the enemy's heretofore owing to the precipitate advance of the enemy, undiscovered batteries, which opened closely and disabled horses, could not be withdrawn. upon his flank with grape and canister. This The Eighteenth Indiana pushed rapidly forward battery, however, soon withdrew on discovering and drove the enemy from this part of the field, and dispositions being made by the First brigade to advancing to the open ground, found these pieces charge it. The Second brigade at this time was in the hands of the enemy, charged and routed much exposed to an enfilading fire from the enehim with a heavy loss from them. The Twenty-my's guns, and I ordered it to fall back and take second Indiana, during all this time, engaged a large force of the Arkansas troops and Indians, and, after a sharp engagement, put them to flight. In the mean time, the Second brigade renewed the engagement, when the enemy fled from the field, leaving behind him many of his killed and wound position under shelter of the timber. By this time the position of the enemy's batteries was well developed, and Davidson now took a more commanding position in the open field. He was soon joined by Klaus, whom I had ordered to support him, and in a few moments the contest |