May 2012

May 29.—Lieutenant-Colonel Downey, of the Third regiment, Potomac home brigade, in a skirmish this morning, drove a large party of Ashby’s rebel cavalry through Wardensville, killing two and wounding three.

—The English steamer Elizabeth was captured off Charleston, S. C, by the United States gunboat Keystone State.—The public debt of the United States on this day was four hundred and ninety-one million, four hundred and forty-five thousand, nine hundred and eighty-four dollars, at an average interest of 4.35 per cent.—Captain Frisbee, commanding a detachment of three hundred and seventy-eight infantry and First Missouri cavalry, captured near Neosho, Mo., two colonels and one lieutenant-colonel, two jayhawkers, and numbers of guns, revolvers, fifteen horses, and a train of forage.—Dubuque Times, June 3.

—This morning at nine o’clock, the Yankee cavalry followed by infantry, entered Ashland, Va. The confederate troops, quartermasters, and commissaries, and even the pickets had withdrawn, leaving valuable stores behind, including cars filled with flour, etc. The village was swarming with the people of the neighborhood, and negroes who were helping themselves to the public stores. Mr. Crichter, of Westmoreland, and Mr. Grimes, of King George, assumed authority to order about forty negroes to push the cars about one hundred and fifty yards to the point of descent, whence they would run three miles toward Richmond; but after removing eleven cars to the point, the Yankee cavalry dashed into the village, and Messrs. Crichter and Grimes escaped unpursued. —Richmond Whig, June 2.

—Brigadier-General Schofield, commanding the Missouri State Militia, issued a general order, stating that all guerrillas and marauders in that State, when caught in arms, engaged in their unlawful warfare, would be shot down on the spot, and that all citizens who should give shelter and protection to those outlaws, or who would not give all the assistance in their power to the military authorities in detecting and bringing them to punishment, would be regarded and treated as aiders and abettors of the criminals.

—A skirmish occurred at Pocotaligo, S. C, between a party of Union troops, under command of Colonel B. C. Christ, of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania volunteers and a party of the rebels, numbering about eight hundred. After a contest of two hours the rebels were routed with severe loss.— (Doc. 123.)

—Near the “Seven Pines” Va., the rebels made an attack upon the pickets of Casey’s division about sunrise this morning. They approached under cover of a dense fog, to within fifty yards of the pickets of the Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania and Ninety-sixth New-York regiments, when a sharp fight occurred. The pickets were driven back a short distance, when they were reenforced, and drove the rebels, regaining their former position. Major Kelly, of the Ninety-sixth New-York was shot through the neck, and bled to death. Orderly-Sergeant David II. Lancaster, company C, Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania regiment, had his left arm shattered at elbow, and private William Leighty, was shot through left thumb.

—Colonel C. C. Dodge with two companies of the New-York Mounted Rifles, while on an expedition into North-Carolina, captured seven officers of the rebel army, at Gatcsville, in that State. —(Doc 124.)

—The publication of the New-Orleans Bee was resumed this day, the proprietors having made a satisfactory explanation to General Butler.

—The Sixth United States cavalry burned a bridge five hundred feet long over South Anna Creek, a tributary of the Pamunkey. The bridge was on the line of Stonewall Jackson’s retreat to Richmond.—The Eighth and Thirty-seventh regiments, N.Y.S.M., left New-York City for Washington.—General Pope’s heavy batteries opened upon the rebel works at Corinth, Miss, at ten A.M., this day.