Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-09

Ieuerate Sta1eS, the freSlQcnt instructed hlm
as early as August last to racate the mis-
sian No official communication has since
been received from Mr.. Mason.
The Presidents action in this matter is
| supposed to have been brought about by the
| refusal of the British Government to unite
with that Of France in an acknowed dsement
Of thar independence which these States have
so fully viniicatcd. to the world. The coun-
try will read the foregoing announcement
with pleasure.
THE BATTLE OF CuICKAMAUGA.
A special correspondent of the Atlanta
"Ccnfedcracy, writing from the battlefield Of
Chickamauga, says:
There has been no harder contest on the
American continent than the battle of Chi X
amauga, and as it had to come somewhere, we
| are glad that it happened upon Georgia soil;
for the proud old State can now boast of one
! of the Srandest bat,le-fclds and one of the
most glorious victories that will be recorded
in the histories of this Revolution.
Un Thursday, the l7th. the contest opened
with sharp cavalry skirmish at Ringgold,
which lasted through Friday, during which
time our forces had driven the enemy back to
Alexander's crossing on the Chickamauga-
On Saturday morning, at % o'clock, about
mile beyond the crossing the general engage
ment commenced. Our right wing resting on
the Chickamau:l, opened the battle and soon
The roar of musketry ran along our en-
tire lire, which extended five miles to
the left. Such was the determination Of
our boys that the enemy could not stand be-
fore them. and they gave ground slowly, but
s!uhbornly along their whole front. The bat
tie ragged all day, and ut night we had only
driven them between two and three miles and
the stubbornness with which they yielded left
us grounds upon which IA claim Il victory.
On Sunday morning at the same hour, 81
O'Clock, Gen. Breckenridge opened the scene
again "n the right, and our whole line soon
became engaged, and history will never record
in any age or country fercer struggle than
was witnessed on these hills on Sabbath morn
ing. the 29'h Of September, 1869. The enc.
M gave way on their TWO wings, but the cen
tire stood, and the Yankees have fought no.
where as they did just here; for they charged
our position three distinct times, and at one
time things looked Z little gloomy, hut the keen
ewes and cars of aur General soon discovered it
and ordered Buckrcrs whole corps to that point
which forced the Yankee columns back in con-
fusion. About 2p. H.. they'gave up thejoh and
Il terrible panic eusued. They retreated pell
nell, running wildly through the woods, leav-
Ing every thing behind, ani if they could have
fonud any one to whom they could have ur-
rendered, thousands of them would have Civ
en- themselves up as prisoners. Five hundred
tried TO surrender TO q woman, but our boys
were pressing on and firing at every blue coat
they could see and hence they had to con-
tinue their stampede. Owing to the thickness
Of the woods and underground, artillery could
not be used to much advantage, and hence
this was q muske.ry battle. To visit the field
and see what strong positions the Yankees
had, and what obstacles our boys had to en-
counter-what hills they charged, and the ter
rib!e fire to which they were subjected will
impress every one with the fact that Southern
heroism is without parallel in all the records
ofhuman achievements.
The field was won, the enemy vanquished
and fleeing and here the army bivouacked
for the night.
THE sPoILS.
visited the point where all the trophies of
the conf ct were collected, and was kindly
furnished with the estimate by the officers in
charge of them.
We captured "a 900 small arms 80 pieces
Of artillery; go 900 rounds of ammunition :;
93 wagons; 80 ambulanccs 30 caissons, and
80 stands Of colors. In prisoners we got ever
5000; killed dead on the field, 30U0 and
wounded at least l2,0On.
Our loss is 1000 killed on the field 6,000
wounded, most Of them slight, and 500 prison.
ers.
4 great and glorious victory! Let God be
praised and let every Georgian thank IIeas en-
that the invaders have been driven away from
. our homes, and that no Yankee army now
treads upon the soil of our State.
will send you soon sho:t letter from the
army around Chattanooga.
THE BATTLE FIELD.
The same correspondent, after describing
the action of Friday, says:
We turn now from this exciting and gori-
Gus spectacle tn one more sad. On Monday
took q tour over the battle field. Where is the
man who can describe, or the pen to picture
that sccEe invountarily asked, "Can such
. things always be? Will our enemy learn
wisdom ard leave us to ourselves, or will he
demand repetition a ter repetition of such car
mage % Over 25.000 men were either killed
could their agony and pain be properly appre-
! ciated at Washington, this contest would cease
Could Lincoln have passed over that field, and
have seen the victims of this fanatical Union
folly, and then hear the cry of the mother for
! her boy, the father for his son, the sister for
, her brother, he would say that the sublngation
of this people was a hopeless task. And as
| looked at the bleeding remains of my COM
L.. T ri. Al i Nd IN,
only offer them my sympathy and the graft
tude of nation. Noble fellows! I shall re-
| member how ardent you were to drive the foe,
and how patriotic your heart beat for your
country and am confident that rs each drop
Of your life's blood flowed away, it was vii.
ling, an accepted sacrifice upon the altar of
liberty. We have placed you in soldiers
grave, and time can never eface the memory
of your devotion to freedom. Vale! vale :
vale.
rrIJl, ON EcT0N I