The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-06
By Last Nights Mail.
Important Order from the War
Department.
100000 Militia to be Called Out.
Refusal Of the President to Accept
Negro Regiments.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF vRaryIA,(

10 Major GsieTdt Halleck
The accommodating column under Gen.
Crawford crossed the Rapidan and push
ed forward to Orange Courthouse yester-
day, and took possessionsof the town,
which was occupied by two regiments of
| the enemy's cavalry under Gen. Robert
son. Eleven Of the enemy were killed
and 81 taken prisoners-among the lat
ter, one Major, two Captains, and two
Lieutenants. Our loss is two killed and
three wounded The enemy retired ia
such haste as to leave their wounded in
our hands. The railroad and telegraph
line between Orange Courthouse and
! Gordonsville were destroyed.
(Signed) JOHN ID. POPE,
Major General commanding.
Headquarters ARMY or PoToMAc,l
MoNDAY, August 4.
Ever since the firing upon our shipping
at the mailboat landing by the enemy's
batteries our troops have occupied the
opposite shore. Yesterday a reconnois-
sance was made from that point back into
| the country TO within fourteen miles of
Petersburg II was conducted by Colonel
| EveIill, and was composed of one hun
bred and fifty men of the Fifty-sixth
! United States and one hundred and fifty
Of the Thirtieth Pennsylvania cavalry,
with four companies of tho First Michi-
gan infantry. Captains Caster and Bowen
of General McClellan's staff, accompanied
them. AtCox's Mills, five miles from the
river, they encountered the Thirteenth
Virginia cavalry drawn up in line. Our
men charged upon them, when they broke
and ran. They drove them back to their
encampment at Sycamore Church, two
miles and half further where they again
formed, but were ingloriously put to
fight leaving behind all their tents,
camp equippage, and cOmmissary stores,
which our troops gathered together and
burned.
The rebels had two horses killed, six
men wounded, and two taken prisoners.
Our loss was one horse killed. After
securing the country short distance fur
Their they returned to the river.
There is no further evidence of rebel
gunboats on the river this side of Fort
Darling. Information received here goes
to show that the new Merrimao will not
be ready to operate for three weeks yet.
Two of the gunboats were yesterday
engaged in Smelling the opposite shore
above City Point
The health of the troops has began to
improve ever since they began to receive
fresh vegetables, which were ordered to
be issued to them by Gen. Mcclellan.
[oFFIcIAL.
WASHINGTON, Aug, 4,
The following order has just been is
sued
WAR DEPARTMENT., }
WASHINGTON, d. G., Aug 4.5
Ordered, 1st That a draft Of three
hundred thousand militia be Immediately
called into the service of the United
States, 10 serve for nine months, unless
sooner discharged. The Secretary of
War will assign the quota to the States,
and establish regulations for the draft.
Second That if any State shall not by
the 18th of August, furnish its quota Of
the additional 100000 volunteers au-
thorized by law, the deficiency in that
State will also be made up by a special
draft from the militia, and the Secretary
of War will establish regulations for this
purpose.
Third. Regulations will be prepared by
the War Department and presented to the
President, with the object of securing the
promotion of officers Of the army and
volunteers for meritorious and distin-
guished services, and Of preventing the
nominations and appointments in the
military service of incompetent and un-
worthy officers. The regulations will
also provide for Kidding the service of
such incompetent persons as now hold
commissions by the President.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
NEW York, Aug. A Fortress Mon
roe letter TO the Post, says Burnside's
corp has embarked aud is moving off,
The gunbOats and mortar boats are I'M
der orders, and when they strike the
splintcrs will fly.
At meeting of the Common Council
to-day, Mayor Opdyke sent in 4 message
urging immediate steps to cooperate
with the Federal Government in perfect
ing the defenses of this harbor, and re-
commanding the appropriation of a mil
lion dollars for the construction of iron
plated batteries and ships. At a meeting
of the Board of Aldermen an ordinance
was offered providing a bounty of $50 in
addition TO all other offered by the State
and the United States, to each volunteer,
and appropriating S250000 therefor,
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4-In answer to a
despatch ofprominent citizens who waited
on the President to-day to urge the ac-
ceptance of negro regiments, Mr.. Lincoln
replied that he could not accept negro
regiments, but would accept as many as
offered as laborers. This, il is under
stood, is the settled policy OF the Gov
eminent