October 18.—To-day as a small party of the Forty-third Indiana regiment were doing picket duty in the vicinity of Helena, Arkansas, they were attacked by a gang of rebel guerrillas, killing one and taking several of their number prisoners.
—The British frigate, Racer, by permission of Flag-Officer Green, commanding U. S. blockading squadron off South-Carolina, entered Charleston Harbor, and took away the British Consul. —The Twenty-third Maine and the Fourteenth New-Hampshire regiments, left Boston this morning for New-York, en route for the seat of war.
— A skirmish occurred in the vicinity of Lexington, Kentucky, between a detachment of the Fourth Ohio cavalry, under the command of Captain Robey, and a large force of rebel cavalry under General John H. Morgan, resulting in the capture of the entire National force. The rebels then dashed into Lexington, capturing the provost-guard, and without stopping any length of time, moved off in the direction of Versailles, Kentucky. By this operation General Morgan secured about three hundred and fifty horses, with their equipments, as many prisoners, and the arms and accoutrements of the men. He paroled the prisoners.
—Ten of Porter’s rebel guerrillas, Willis Baker, Thomas Humston, Morgan Bixler, John Y. McPheeters, Herbert Hudson, John M. Wade, Marion Sair, Captain Thomas A. Snider, Eleazer Lake, and Hiram Smith, held as hostages by order of General McNeil, for the safe return of Andrew Allsman, an aged citizen of Palmyra, Mo., who had been carried off by the guerrillas, were publicly shot this day.—(Doc. 10.)
—Nine Union pickets were fired upon and killed by rebel guerrillas at a point on the Mississippi opposite Helena, Ark.—A supply train of seven wagons laden with forage and commissary stores for the use of the reconnoitring force under General Stahel, was captured by a body of rebel cavalry at Haymarket, and taken to Warrenton, Va. A lieutenant and twenty-six Union soldiers were also made prisoners.
—A body of seven hundred rebel cavalry came upon a party of thirty-two Union cavalry under command of Lieutenant Baldwin, at Haymarket, Va., capturing all but nine of them, who made their escape after a severe chase.—(Doc. 37.)
