The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-19

From our Southern exchanges we gather
the following items of interest to the reader
ENGAGEMENT NEAR coLUNBrs.
The Columbus correspondent Of the Mem
phis Appeal, in his let ter of the 10th instant
says:
We have had another engagement with the
gun boats TO day, which resulted las usual, in
their retreat. The fight to day, however was
a little more serious than the engagement al
Hickman, and lasted much longer. Gen.
JEFF Thorn pson, of the Missouri brigade, had
thrown his whole force over the river on the
Missouri side, and had planted a battery OF
four guns some six miles above here. The
enemy discovered his position somehow, and
made an attack upon II, evidently with the
design of diverting his attention while they
Were busiiy engaged in landing ionr tAous
and of their troops 1t i point hye or SIX miles
above him, to cut oil reinforcrmentS from us.
Their schemes is Il failure, however, SO far, as
the gallant ith, commanded by Col. Nicely,
and The 18th Regiment, commanded by Col
Douglas, together with the teid battery and
large force OF cavalry have been ordered TO
cross the river immediately and give General
Thorn pson all the assistance he NAY require.
Our force, in conjunction with Gen. Thomp-
sons, will prove more than match for all
the HessianS they may have, be that number
small or great. Ii they remain until We
reach them, you may expect good report
from US. As l am conuec ted with the 4th Regi-
ment can give you no further account I'M
til our Regiment returns, when l expect to
give you full particulars OF the expedition.
Our army is already large and is rapidly
increasing every day. Not a train comes in
that is not freighted with soldiers, and the
cry is, Still they come,'' Where they all
come from is the question yet the supply
seems far from being exhausted. Let them
come If they are all of the same material as
those already here, and the hour OF the Kan
CARGO deepot is at hand Iekei will be his fate
and LDh1ysi1 his destinV
AGovERNOR IN TRoyBIs.
The Little Rock Gazette contains a letter
from Governor H. Nj. Rector, to the people
Of Arkansas, in which he nforms them tina
" the continued absence of large number of
State officials, most OF whom are connected
with the Con iederate army-mem bers of the
General Assembly, sherifs, judges, and
agents, attorneys, etc., etc.-renders it almost
impossible that the machinery of govern
ment can be kept in motion and the laws ex :
ecuted.' These gentlemen, he says, though
prompted by patriotic impulses, seem to be
unmindful OF the embarrassments and confu-
sion induced by their absence.
In consequence of this state of things the
Governor says onehalf Of the office RS in the
State are practically vacant, and that there is
'no authority in Law to supply the defic;en-
cy. This, he tells the people, is causing the
public interests to suffer materially, aud their
rights and liberties to be postponed and lily
protected, and the reins of government to hang
loosely. He says it may be necessary TO call
the Legislature together; but if SO, it will be
very ''uucertain whether 4 quorum could be
obtained - H says, Gin l,aly counties there
are neither sherifs, judges, coroners nor ms
tees of the peace, to administer the laws or
enforce justice" He knows of no other mode
of removing the difficulties by which he is en- =
yironed, than by appealing to the good sense
and patriotism of absent officials and con
juriug them to ''res! on or return to their posts
of duty"
GENERAL N MCCLELLAN TRIsa TO GEf IL THE con-
FEpEaArE sERvICg.
The North (Ga.) Times con tains the TO How
ing interesting item in connection with the
Yankee General, Mcclellan, which we have
mover before seen published:
We learn from n reliable source that two
weeks before Mcclellan was rendered the
commission of Major General by Lincoln, he
was trying to secure position in the Con-
federate Army-that his feelings and sym1a-
thies were all for the South. but the tempta-
ton of superseding Gen. Scott was too much
for his principles
THE AFFAIR AT EATrERAs INLET
The Memphis Appeal says that it learns
mat British war steamer was off Hatteras
and witnessed the entire bonn ba rdment and
reports, as Il fact coming under her own
knowledge, that the Federals, in their at
tempt to land troops, not only LOST the guns
two surf boats and sixty men drowned. 1t
turns out, therefore, that their actual loss in
killed outnumbers ours 1T least three to one.
PROBABLE CAPTURE OF NINE coyFEDERArys
The Pensacola correspondent of the Mo-
bile News says a Confederate launch wi tn
nine men, left the Navy Yard Sunday night
on its usual round OF police duty, and has
not been heard of since. 1t is thought at the
yard she has probably fallen into the hands
az Ep1pr1is mot ~
show themselves i'll the bay.
ESCAPED.
The Memphis Appeal learns that Mr. T..
j Marshall, late telegraph operator at Pa
ducah, Ky, who escaped with his iustru-
ments the day the Lincolnites took possession
of that place, has arrived at Trenton Tenn.
safe and sound. A detachment of Hessian
cavalry was sent in pursuit of him, but he
managed to e1ude them.
AID FOR MCULLocH
The Fort Smith Times of the eth. learns
that nye regiments of troops from Texas
will join Gen. McCulloeh in Il few days.-
Also, one regiment from Mississippi and one
from South Carolina.
MOVEMENTS OF GENERAL A. S. JOHNSTON
The Constitutional, of Alexandria, Louisi-
ana, has information direct from MesIla
which states that on 5th inst Gen John
ston WAS at Picach, about five miles north
OF Meslila, in command of the Confederate
Col. Baylor, the General had accepted. The
Confederate forces mum bered about 500 men
and had four pieces OF artillery. They were
awaiting and preparing TO give i warm re-
ception to four companies of Federal troops
1.-TWO companies of dragons and two com pa
mics OF lnfantry,l under command of Lieut.
Moore, which Were advancing from Tucson
and We're the only Federal troops remaining
In ARIZONA. Our lnformants state that Gen
Johnston has undoubtedly captured these
troops. They further state that Glen John
ston is in good health, notwithstanding the
hardshlps encountered on the trip from Cali
fornia, and that he would be in San Antonio
on or about the 10Th OF September.
agN. LYON KIrsED BY A naRxEY,
The Fort Smith Ark Times contains the
following in relation to the death of Gen,
eral Lyon, at the battle of Oak Hill, in Mis-.
souri,:
A negro man, body servant to Capt John
Griffith, of the gallant Third, was in The
hottest OF the Hight, At Oak HILL and tough,
ia the last charge like a tiger He claims 10
have killed Gen. Lyon. He says, he shot .
man in he breast, that was on Il large grey
horse, and was waving his hat, and he saw
him fall. Thus it is very probable that Tn.
Abolition Lyon fell by the hands of u dar-
key
This same black man, finding his youngest
MASTER, Benz Griffith, wounded in the calf Of
the leg, picked him up, and ca fried aim of al
the field Notwithstanding, Ben r,siste. II
with all his might, as he wan ted to fire a few
more rounds at the Dutch.
WHEN GEN LYON WAS KILLED
| The Fort Smith ark Times, of the eth
says:
Coleneit Mitchell, of Kansas, who WAS in
| the battle of Oak Hills, and Commanded a
Kanzas regiment, said that Gene;aI lyof
was wounded in the thigh and slightly ia III,
| body, and had his grey horse killed in III.
| first part of the nc lion Lyon fell ahout II Z
| teen minutes after Genera, Pearce led tn,
Arkansas boys into the fight by Il shot In tn.
| breast With a small bal. Lyon fell on in,
shoulder, (hhtchelis,) and l assisted him 4