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

May 11.—The jayhawker Cleveland, whose band of robbers had infested Northern Kansas for some months past, was arrested at Ossawatomie by Lieut Walker and ten men of the Kansas Sixth. Cleveland broke away from the guard, and was killed while attempting to escape. One of his band named Barbour, was arrested at the same time, and taken to Fort Leavenworth for safe keeping.

—Craney Island, Va., was abandoned by the rebels yesterday, and to-day the National forces took possession of the fortifications and raised the flag of the United States.

—One hundred and forty of Morgan’s cavalry at noon to-day captured forty-eight freight and four passenger-cars and two locomotives at Cave City, Ky. Morgan supposed the train would contain two hundred and eighty cavalry prisoners, bound northward. The operator at Cave City, however, gave notice of these facts to Bowling Green, and stopped the upward train. Among the captured Nationals were Majors Helveti and Coffee, both of Wolford’s cavalry, and one other Federal officer and three or four soldiers. The rebels burned all the cars except two, and the locomotive.—Louisville Journal, May 12.

—The rebel iron-clad steamer Merrimac (Virginia) was blown up by order of her commander at her anchorage off Craney Island, Va.—(Doc. 12.)

—A letter from Albuquerque, New-Mexico, of this date, says: The Texans have continued their retreat to El Paso, and will leave the country entirely. They were greatly demoralized, broken up in bands, and devastating the country, and threatening to kill their General, Sibley, who, they say, deceived them by informing them that it was only necessary to march into the country, which was anxious to receive them, and all they had to do was to drive out the Federal officers, and that they would live and possess the country in ease and luxury.

The Colorado volunteers, (Pike’s Peakers,) and some one thousand regulars, are at and in the vicinity of Fort Craig, under command of Col. Paul. Gen. Canby has reestablished his headquarters at Santa Fe, where he and the staff are at present—Missouri Democrat.

—An expedition consisting of six squadrons of the First Wisconsin cavalry, from Cape Girardeau, Mo., went to Bloomfield yesterday, and early this morning fell upon the rebel Col. Phelan’s camp, scattering them in every direction, with one killed and eleven captured. A large number of horses and a quantity of camp equipage were also taken. A rebel force, numbering five or six hundred, infest Chalk and Poplar Bluffs, impressing all the men. The country is being swept of horses, cattle and supplies, which are sent South. The people are in a state of great terror.—Indianapolis Journal.

—The United States gunboats Freeborn and Island Belle, cut out of Piankatank River, in Virginia, two large schooners, one empty, the other loaded with whisky. Five persons were found on the shore of this river by the Captain of the Island Belle, who represented themselves as deserters from the confederate army.—N. Y. Times, May 24.

Previous post:

Next post: