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

January 30.—The United States gunboat, Isaac Smith, under the command of Acting Lieutenant Conover, while reconnoitring in the Stono River, S. C, was fired into by three masked batteries of rifled guns, and, the vessel getting aground, was captured.—(Doc. 114.)

—A Party of National troops under the command of Colonel Wood, Twenty-second Ohio volunteers, left Trenton, Tenn., and proceeded to Dyersburg, where they broke up a camp of rebel guerrillas, under the leadership of Captain Dawson. Thirty-four of Dawson’s men were killed or captured, but he himself escaped.

—Yesterday one hundred conscript rebel soldiers went into Murfreesboro, Tenn., and voluntarily surrendered themselves, declaring their attachment to the Union, requesting the privilege of taking the oath of allegiance, and to-day two hundred more followed their example.

—The schooner Hanover of Provincetown, Massachusetts, was captured off the south side of San Domingo by the rebel schooner Retribution.—Boston Traveller.

—A fight took place at a point nine miles from Suffolk, Ya.,.known as the “Deserted House,” between a force of Union troops under General Corcoran, and a body of rebels under the command of General Roger A. Pryor, resulting, after a desperate struggle of three hours’ duration, in the retreat of the rebels. The loss in this affair was about equal on both sides.—(Doc. 115.)

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