Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

November 26.—A fight took place at Cold Knob Mountain, Va., between the Second Virginia volunteer cavalry, Colonel J. C. Paxton, and a force of rebel troops, in which the latter were routed, with the loss of over one hundred of their number taken prisoners, with their horses, etc.—(Doc. 49.)

—Between two and three o’clock this morning, a gang of twenty or thirty rebel guerrillas, led by Evan Dorsey, crossed into Maryland and visited the village of Urbanna, seven miles south-east of Frederick, on the road leading to Washington. They made a descent upon the store of Thomas A. Smith, the Postmaster at Urbanna, and, after robbing the store, made Smith and a young man named Harris, the assistant postmaster, mount two of Smith’s horses, with the design of carrying them off as prisoners. Smith, who was a resolute man, watched his opportunity, and gave them the slip in the darkness of the night. The rebels fired three or four shots after him, but missed him. Thinking Harris might also escape, one of the gang shot him through the body, saying: “We’ll make short of you, before you try on the same game.” They then rode away, leaving him for dead by the roadside.—National Intelligencer.

—A Successful reconnoissance was made this morning by a detachment of Union troops, under the command of General Geary, from Harper’s Ferry, along the Shenandoah to the vicinity of Berryville, Va. They captured a number of prisoners, destroyed a rebel cloth factory, which cost over one hundred thousand dollars, and obtained some valuable information concerning the numbers and position of the rebel forces.

—The Seventh Illinois cavalry attacked a force of rebel troops encamped near Summerville, Miss., and captured twenty-eight of their number, including a captain and two lieutenants, with their horses, arms, etc.

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