Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-18
nETrER LION
RmHMoND. August II. 1862

fallen iutO our pOsseaslOHs Hlbuout u sItgBl9
the only "force" encountered by our advancing
army consisting of a squad Of yidestes, who
were so badly frightened that they ran. heltei
SHELTER, into our lines, like SO many crazy
chickens. and were captured, of course. All il
quiet now along the James. The enemy's gun
boats have within the last few days been en-
gagged in miscellaneous shellprsctice, against
the woods and farm houses, below City Point
doing considerable damage to private property
but efscting no object of material military i'm
p~ortance. McCleIan's army at Berkeley is still
lying in tho sunshine, fighting musquetOes, and
waiting for something to turn up.
The telegraph has already announced to you
another brilliant achievement above Gordons-
vile, which has opened the ball for operations
in that quarter. The particulars of the affair,
as far as they have reached US, describe q spir-
tied engagement, on the Orange and Alexandria
railroad, twenty miles above G~ordonsvills, be-
tween considerable bodies of both armies, the
movement upon the Confederate side being
directed By General jackson. It commenced on
Saturday morning, and continued for several
hours, raging 6ercely, until at length, the Fed
eral forces gave way to a decisive defeat, leaving
in our hands over three hundred prisoners,
including Brigadier-Ge General H. Prince, Colonel
George D. Chapman, of the 5th Connecticut +;
Adiutaut-G General G. B. Halstead, of Augur's
division; Assistant-Adj utant-G General w. d,
Wilkins, Of Williams division Major Z. W.
Cook, of the 28th New York, and twenty-four
captains and Ieutenants. The whole number
arrived by the Central train this morning at four
o'clock. The name of the other captured gen.
eral I have not yet been able to learn.
A participant ia the engagement gives a lively
description of haAdto-hand conflict between
one of the Confederate and one of the Federal
regiments. The former advanced rapidly upon
the latter neither fred a gun, though each had
an equal advantage to pour a destructive voney
into one another's ranks before they closed. In
a few moments their bayOnets were crossed, and
the struggle commenced. Each man seemed to
have his match, and here and there, amid the
clash of arms, one man would fall, pierced
through the heart. Around them the battle was
raging. Yolley after volley of musketry, and
boom after boom of artillery echoed amid the
hills. Yet they fought on with cold steel, as if
determined only to crimson their bayonets in
one anofher's blood. But scarcely fifteen
minutes had elapsed before the Federal ron
began to waver, and our men taking advantage
of the indication, redoubled their energies, and
rushed amid them with unparalleled impetuosity.
The enemy broke and fell into confusion, and
the Confederates, now uncomfortable, dashed
upon them, and left scarcely one in the entire
Federal regiment " to tell the tale"
No report of the losses on either side have yet
reached US.
The temptation is irresistible to recount an
incident of the interview held, this morning, be-
tween General Winder, the military command
ant of the Richmond district, and General Prince
General Winder is possessed naturally, perhaps
unfortunately, Of a peculiarly Jrusque and vim
dictive disposition, and never permits an oppor-
tunity to pass in which he can exhibit his just
hatred Of tho Yankee race. A representative of
army was, therefore, a delicious morseL
+" As soon, sir" said he to Prince, as 1 can
the proper arrangements, I shall lock you
up in dungeon" "But began the cap
tive general. "No. sir, no butts, sir, to me- in-
t~errupted General Winder, you have been
permitted to stop at the Exchange hotel, as a
courtesy a courtesy you don't deserve-none of
"But, general" again broke in the
and as soon again interrupted General
Winder, "No, sir stop-Do bits I say, sir, all
of you are a set of %thieving, numbering scoun-
1rels, you cannot be considered prisoners o war,
you don't deserve it and you won't receive it,
sir. AS soon, sir, as 1 can prepare a dungeon
you shall go in it. That will do, sir" And
this, Gen. w. handed him over to the
and sent him back to the Exchange,
where he will have but a brief enjoyment of the
u1ures of hotel ifs-just brief enough, per
to render him more sensible of the reslf ty
Of the dungeon in which he is to be confined.
On yesterday, the entire front of the enemy
vas forced back by the columns of Jackson, and
the news comes that they are still retreat
ng. It remaius yet to be seen whether Pope
viii retire from the base he has established,
which is now considered ~impregnable, shielded
IS it is by mountains and hills, which furnish
against which scarcely any force could
make an impression sufficiently violent to Justify
IS abandonment. Perchance Jackson may in
ugurate one of his sudden "rear movements "
which win eGectuaIly upset their entire pro-
We shall see.
The arrival Of exchanged Confederate pris-
ners from the North he's created some excite
nent in military quarters, and given stray OIL
ers and government military clerks something
do. All of the privates are being gathered
camp for distribution to their separate regi-
nents, and the officers are permitted to enjoy
themselves in the meantime, after FIRST reporting
themselves and their whereabouts.
The weather continues intensely hot. The
thermometer is deemed quite an unnecessary IN
of the temperature. and might as well be
ept in the ice houses for all the comfort they af
,rd to suffering humanity" Under such cir
1mstances, il is impossible to coniure up that
flow Of thought SO essential to the pro.
Of a readable epistle. The friends of
e APPEAL must therefore pardon the sterile YER
iage of this letter and draw from its material,
imagination, a letter as it should be.
STARTLING NEWS FRoM OCEAN. I'm
Or this caption the New York Herald says a let
r, of which the following is a copy, was picked
P by a Mr.. VIM. Van Pelt, on the Gowanus t
more: !