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Late Accounts of Tuesday's Battle.
A DECIDED UNION VICTORY.
The Rebels Concede the Loss of 10,000 Men on Tuesday.
M'CLELLAN CLAIMS A VICTORY EVERY DAY.
Rebels Threaten to Cut off McClellan.
SUCCESS OF OUR FLEET IN FLORIDA.
Important Order to Furloughed Soldiers.
From Washington.
[Tribune Dispatch.]
WASHINGTON, July 6.
Com. Wilkes has been ordered to the command of the flotilla in the James River.
Gen. Lew Wallace desires to be sent with a number of Indiana and Ohio regiments to join McClellan.
The fight on Tuesday was severe and extended all along the line. We lost many officers, but drove the rebels back. It was chiefly an artillery fight, but our men made several splendid and successful charges.
The enemy were desperate being purposely made mad with drink, and staggered up to our guns only to be cut down by hundreds. — In this fight of Tuesday Morrill's Division suffered most. The 13th N.Y., a part of Butterfield's Brigade was nearly annihilated. — The 44th and 83d Pa., and 36th Mass. also suffered severely. Butterfield's brigade bro't away three stands of rebel colors.
Among the prominent officers of Morrill's division who have given up their lives to their country are Col. Black, 62d Pennsylvania, Col. Woodbury of the 4th Mich., Lieut. Col. Sweeber, 62d Penns. Most of these were killed on Tuesday.
Gen. Porter's corps was engaged and did nobly.
Hooker's, or the fighting division, went to the Peninsula 11,000 strong; now they number less than 5,000 effectives. The severest sufferers in the division were the Mass. 1st, 11th and 16th. Of the latter regiment about 80 were reported killed or seriously wounded, among whom were Col. F. T. Wyman, shot through the heart; Lt. Col. Gen. M. Michan, wounded; Adjt. Waldo Merriam, wounded.
The Sickles brigade also won new laurels. Coming in as the reserve just at the right moment, they drove the rebels back with great slaughter.
The Irish brigade of Gen. Meagher was also prominent in the action; also the Mozart regiment.
The result of Tuesday's fight was distinctly in our favor. The rebels were defeated in every action, and rebel officers taken prisoners admit the loss of 10,000 men during the day. Our artillery was successfully brought to bear nearly all day, while the rebels did very little execution with theirs. Our loss was very small when compared with that of the rebels. The fighting was of a desperate character. As fast as the rebel forces were cut to pieces other fresh troops were marched forward to fill their places. Officers seemed not to regard the lives of their men.
If this be so the rebel force must have been increased in its present numbers at Richmond by a rapid conscription.
Senator Clark will leave for New Hampshire in a day or two to recruit a new regiment. Senator Dixson has already gone to Conneticut for the same purpose.
There arrived here to-day five Lieutenants, and two sergeants of an Iowa regiment captured at Shiloh, and afterward prisoners at Macon, Ga. They exchanged clothes with rebel soldiers in prison, escaped, secured a couple of skiffs, and started down the Accomulge river. When they arrived at the mouth of the river they were picked up by a boat from one of our vessels. They were transferred to the transport Massachusetts, and arrived at Fort Monroe on Saturday evening.
At the close of the fight the Union troops were said to be in fine spirits, and more anxious than ever to fight. One of our correspondents saw Gen. McClellan on Wednesday. He came on board the mail boat as it reached Homun's Landing. He walked off with Gen. Patterson, who come on board the boat. Gen. McClellan was gesticulating violently with his clenched hand, but his remarks were not heard. Subsequently, in reply to Gen. Patterson, Gen. McClellan said we have fought a battle every day for the last week, and whipped them every time, though they had three to our one.
Our dates by mail are down to Friday morning.
At noon Thursday the rebels appeared in force four miles from McClellan's front and began shelling, but it had no effect. The gun boats replied, but nothing important occurred.
It is said that the enemy are in large force on the east side of the Chickahominy, and threaten McClellan's right wing. What the rebels are about on the north side of the James river is not known, but it is feared that on one side or the other they will erect baticries to command the navigation below our position.
The very latest news form Gen. McClellan by telegraph dated at his headquarters on Saturday evening say that all was quiet and the army was in good spirits.
An officer of high rank form McClellan's army, who has visited Washington, gives the most encouraging account of affairs which have been received here. He states that our army is much larger than currently reported in view of our losses, and that it is in a perfectly secure position, either for offensive or defensive movements, and this without the aid of the gunboats. Even the officers and civilians who are constantly arriving here, continue to give fabulous accounts of the number of rebel forces precipitated upon McClellan in the battle, and yet unofficial information here persists in saying that Beauregard's army, or most of it — is still in Mississippi.
The Navy Department has been officially informed that on the 15th Lieut. Com'g Powell, in the gunboat Tahoma, accompanied by the Somerset, crossed the St. Marks river and drove out a company of rebel artillery with 4 or 5 field pieces from a fort near the Light House, afterward landing and burning the fort with the buildings used as barracks. We captured the English schooner Lucy, from Havana, while endeavoring to run the blockade on the Florida coast.
The steamer Somerset has captured the schooner Curlew, or Cedar Keys, Fla. She was from Havana. The Somerset also surprised a steamer on Dead Man's Bay, loading with cotton. Before she could be reached she was fired and destroyed by her crew.
The U.S. steamer Montgomery, off the Rio Grande, has captured the British schooner Will o' the Wisp, loaded with gunpowder in fish barrels and in bags percussion caps, shoes, and a case of worked clothing.
The U.S. steamer Bienville captured off Cape Fear the schooner Morning Star, from Nassau, heading for Wilmington. She was loaded with salt, acids, cigars, &c.
No more furloughs will be granted to returned prisoners of war. All furloughs heretofore given them are hereby revoked, and all prisoners now at large on their paroles, or who may hereafter be paroled by the rebel authorities, will immediately repair, if longing to regiments raised in New England and the Middle States, to the camp of instruction established near Annapolis, if belonging to regiments raised in Va., Ky., Ind. and MIch., to Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio; if belonging to regiments raised in Illinois, Minn., Wis., Iowa and Mo., to camp near Jefferson Barrachs, Mo., and report for such duty compatible with their parole as may be assigned to them by the officer in command of said camps, and all, whether officers or soldiers, who fail to comply with this order within the space of time necessary, will be accounted deserters and dealt with accordingly.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 5.
First coach of new Santa Fe mail has arrived, bringing dates to the 22d ult. News meagre.
It is reported that the Texans had sent a commissioner to the State of Chihuahua to obtain permission from the Mexican authorities to pass through that State to Texas. The permission was not granted. This refusal on the part of the Mexican authorities will doubtless delay the Texans in Arizonia longer than they would otherwise have staid.
The first regiment of New Mexican volunteers has been entirely reorganized.