Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-08-05

EVENING, AUGUST 5, L
Proclamation by the President of the
Confederate States.
Again do I call upon the people of the
Confederacy-a people who believe that the
Lord reigneth, and that His overruliDg
Providence ordersth. all things-to unite in
prayer and humble submission under His
Christening hand, and to beseech His favor
on our suffering country.
It is meet that when trials and reverses
befall US we should seek I'd take home to
our hearts and cousciences the lessons they
teach, and profit by the self examination for
which they prepare us. Had not our sue
cesses on land and sea made US self conf
dent and forgetful of our reliance on Him ?
Had not the love of lucre eaten like gan
creme into the very heart of the land, con:
verting too many among US into worship
-pers of gain and Ienderipg them unmindful
of their duty to their country, to their fel-
low men, and to theil God !? Who, then,
will presume to complain thatHe have been
chastened, or despair of our just cause and
the protection of our Heavenly Father?
Let US rather receive in humble thank.
fulness the lesson which He has taughtin
our recent reverses, devoutly acknowledging
that to Him, and not to our own feeble
arms, are due the honor and the glory of
victory that from Him, in His paternal
Providence, comes the anguish and suffer
iugs of defeat, and that, whether in victory
or defeat, our humble'supplications are due
at His footstool.
Now, therefore, I, JEFFERSON DA.
Wis, President of these Confederate States,
do issue this, my Proclamation, setting a.
part FRIDAY, the 2lss day of August en-
suing, as day of fasting, humiliation and
prayer; and I do hereby invite the people
of the Confederate States to repair, on that
day, to their respective places Of public
worship, and to unite iusupplication for the
favor and protection of that God who has
hitherto conducted us safely through all the
dangers that envirouedrs.
In faith whereof, | have hereunto set my
hand and the Seal of the Confede-
rate States, at Richmond, this twen-
[sEAL] ty-6fth day of July, in the year Of
our Lord one thousand eight hun
dred and sixty.three.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
By the President "
j. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State.
Letter from Gen. Lee--An Important
Correction.
The following document speaks for itself.
As to the question of veracity raised, the
people of the Confederate States will feel
no soIicitude about the verdict of the re-
spectacle part of Christendoms:
HEADo'Rs ARMY NORTHERN YA.,-
2lst July, 1868.
GEN. S. COOPER, AdJutant and Inspector
, General, C. s. H., Richmond, Va:
GENERAL: I have seen in Northern pa
pers what purported to be an official des-
patch from General Meade, stating that he
had captured a brigade of infantry, two
pieces of artillery, two caissons and large
number of small arms, as this army retired
to the south bank Of the Potomac, on the
18th and 18th instants. 49,"
This dispatch has been copied into the
Richmond papers, and as its official charac-
ter may cause it to be believed, desire to
state that it is incorrect. The enemy did
not capture any organized body of men ON
that occasion, but only stragglers and such
as were left asleep on the road, exhausted
by the fatigfe and exposure Of one of the
most inclement nights I have ever known
at this season of the year. 1t rained with.
out cessation, rendering the road BY which
our troops marched tothe bridge at Falling
Waters, very dificultto pass. and causing
SO much delay that the last of the troops
did not cross the river at the bridge until l
p. H., on the 18th. While the column was
thus detained on the road, number of men
worn down with fatigue, lay down in barns
and by the roadside, and though officers
were sent back to arouse them, as the troops
moved on, the darkness and rain prevented
them from finding all, and many were in
this way left behind. Two guns were lett
in the road. The horses that drew them
became exhausted, and the officers went
forward to procure others. When they re.
turned, the rear of the column had passed
the guns so far that it was deemed unsafe to
send back for them, and they were thus
lost No arms, cannon or prisoners were
taken by the enemy in battle, but only such
as were left behind under the circumstan-
ces have described. The number of strag.
gers thus lost l am unable to state with ac-
curacy, but it is greatly exaggerated in the
dispatch referred to. '-.-
/ am, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
r. L. LEE, General.