October 2012

October 28.—A company of Union troops under Captain Partridge was captured by a force of rebels, while on picket-duty in the vicinity of Pensacola, Fla.—The rebel steamer Caroline, formerly the Arizona, with a cargo of munitions of war, was captured off Mobile, Ala., by the United States steamer Montgomery, and taken to Pensacola, Fla.

—A fight took place at Cross Hollows, near Fayetteville, Ark., between a Union force of about one thousand cavalry, under the command of General Herron, and a large body of rebel troops, consisting of five regiments of Texan Rangers and two pieces of artillery, under the command of Colonel Craven, resulting, after an engagement of about an hour’s duration, in a rout of the rebels with a loss of eight men killed and the whole of their camp equipments left in the hands of the Nationals.—(Doc. 17.)

—General Grant sent the following message from his headquarters at Jackson, Tenn., to the War Department: “The following despatch is just received from Brigadier-General Davis, at Columbus, Ky.: The expedition to Clarkson, Mo., thirty-four miles from Madrid, under command of Captain Rodgers, company K, Second Illinois artillery, has been entirely successful in dispersing the guerrillas, killing ten, and mortally wounding two, capturing Colonel Clark in command, Captain Esther, three lieutenants, three surgeons, thirty-seven men, seventy stand of arms, fifty-two horses, thirteen mules, two wagons and a large quantity of ammunition, burning their barracks and magazines, entirely breaking up the whole camp.”

—General Halleck, Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the U. S., addressed a letter to Secretary Stanton, in reply to general interrogatories concerning the supplies furnished to the army of the Potomac, under General McClellan. From all the information General Halleck could obtain, he was of opinion that the requisitions from that army had been filled more promptly, and that the men as a general rule, had been better supplied than the Union armies operating in the West.

—An expedition, consisting of twelve thousand Union troops, under the command of General John G. Foster, left Newborn, N. C, and proceeded up Albemarle Sound. Its destination was unknown. Part of the force went by land and part on schooners, the latter being convoyed by two gunboats. It was surmised that the expedition was to attack Weldon, N. C, an important railroad centre.

—Mackey’s Point, S. C, was this day bombarded by a part of the Union blockading squadron.—A company of rebel cavalry were captured in the vicinity of Cotton Creek, Fla., by a scouting-party of Union troops.

—The barque Lauretta, Captain W. M. Wells, which left New-York on the twenty-fifth instant, laden with flour, etc., and bound for Madeira and Messina, was this day captured by the rebel privateer Alabama, and destroyed by fire. The cargo was said to be owned by a British merchant.— The Union forces under General Weitzel entered Thibodeaux, La., without opposition.

—The British schooner Trier, of and from Nassau, N. P., laden with salt, etc., was captured while attempting to run into Indian River, Fla., by the U. S. gunboat Sagamore.