The American Civil War

May 13.—The expeditionary force under Colonel Davis, encountered a party of rebel guerrillas and Choctaw Indians at Pontchatoula, La., whom, after a brief skirmish, he dispersed, taking seventeen of the Choctaws prisoners. Colonel Davis afterward destroyed the rebel camp at Pontchatoula.—New-Orleans Era.

—The English schooner Sea Bird was captured by the gunboat De Soto.—A skirmish took place at South-Union, Ky., between a party of rebels who fired upon a train and the Union guard, resulting in the defeat of the guerrillas, with considerable loss.—The schooners A. J. Hoge and Wonder were captured this day, the former at Mobile Bay, and the latter near Port Royal, S. C.

—Yazoo City, Miss., was this day captured by a fleet of Union gunboats, under the command of Lieutenant Walker. The rebel troops had evacuated the place, but not before destroying three rams that were being constructed in their navy yard. Every thing of value in the navy-yard, and also a saw-mill, were destroyed by Lieutenant Walker. Altogether, the property destroyed was worth to the rebels, more than two millions of dollars.—Lieut. Com. Walker’s Report.

May 12.—A force of National troops under the command of Colonel Davis, First Texas cavalry, left Sevieck’s Ferry, on the Amite River, La., on an expedition along the Jackson Railroad. They struck the railroad at Hammond Station, where they cut the telegraph and burned the bridge.— New-Orleans Era.

—A party of sixty mounted rebels were encountered at a point between Woodburn and Franklin, Ky., by a detachment of Union troops, who defeated them and put them to flight.

—S. L. Phelps, commanding the Tennessee division of the Mississippi squadron, took on board his gunboats fifty-five men and horses of the First Western Tennessee cavalry, under the command of Colonel W. K. M. Breckinridge, and landed them on the east side of the Tennessee River, sending the gunboats to cover all the landings above and below. Colonel Breckinridge dashed across the country to Linden, and surprised a rebel force more than twice his number, capturing Lieutenant-Colonel Frierson, one captain, one surgeon, four lieutenants, thirty rebel soldiers, ten conscripts, fifty horses, two army wagons, arms, etc. The court-house, which was the rebel depot, was burned, with a quantity of army supplies. The enemy lost three killed. The Nationals lost no men, but had one horse killed. Colonel Breckinridge, after this exploit, reached the vessel in safety, and recrossed the river.— Com. Phelps’s Despatch.

—The battle of Raymond, Miss., was fought this day, between the rebels under General Gregg, and the Union troops commanded by General McPherson.— (Doc. 190.)

May 11.—A fight took place in the vicinity of Greasy Creek, Ky., between a force of National troops under the command of Col. R. T. Jacob, and a large body of rebel cavalry under General John H. Morgan, terminating, after a desperate contest of seven hours’ duration, in which the rebels had nearly one hundred of their number killed and wounded, in a retreat of the Unionists with a loss of twenty-five killed and wounded.—Louisville Journal

—Crystal Springs, Miss., on the New-Orleans and Jackson Railroad, was entered and burned to-day by a party of National cavalry.

May 10.—General Thomas Jonathan Jackson, commonly known as “Stonewall” Jackson, of the rebel army, died at Guinness Station, Va., from the effects of the amputation of his arm, and an attack of pneumonia which followed it.

—Brigadier-general Davidson prohibited in the Department of Missouri, the sale or distribution of the Freeman’s Journal of New-York, the New-York Caucasian, the Columbus (Ohio) Crisis, the Democratic Journal of Jerseyville, the Chicago Times, and the Dubuque Herald.

—The National gunboats Owasco, Lieutenant Commanding John Madigan, and Katahdin, Lieutenant Commanding P. C. Johnson, after a chase of twenty miles succeeded in beaching the blockade runner West-Florida, on Galveston Island, Texas.

—The anniversary of the capture of Camp Jackson, Mo., was celebrated this day. Speeches were made by Charles D. Drake, C. P. Johnson, Major George P. Strong, and others.—Missouri Democrat.

—Early this morning the attack by the National fleet of mortar-schooners and gunboats on the rebel batteries at Port Hudson was renewed. This time the batteries replied to the fire of the fleet; but, after a bombardment of three hours’ duration, they were completely silenced.

May 9.—The Charleston Mercury of this date published an article advocating the following plan suggested by the Jackson Appeal:

“How To Meet The Enemy.—The Northern vandals have invaded our State, not to confront our armies and decide the chances of war in pitched battles, but they have come to rob and steal, to plunder, to burn, and to starve to death our women and children. Under such circumstances we should meet them as we would meet the savage, the highwayman, or the wild beast of the forest. Partisan bands should lie in wait for them on the roadside, in fence-corners, and behind trees; and, in short, they should be hunted down in any and every way that can be made efficient and effectual until the State is relieved of their presence. Not observing the rules of civilized warfare themselves, they cannot expect its observance from us. We need more Colonel Blythes in the woods all over the State. A dozen well-directed shots from the bush will at any time put a brigade to flight, and this is the most sure and certain method of putting a stop to the marauding expeditions that are from time to time sent out through the country. In Colonel Blythe’s district or field of operations it has proved most efficacious in holding the enemy at bay, and we hope to see the plan put more extensively in practice. A big scare, occasioned by a brisk fire from a chapparal, is often more potent than would be half a dozen regiments of organized troops in the field.”

—To-night the bombardment of the rebel works at Port Hudson was renewed, and continued for an hour, but the rebels made no reply.

—The Second Indiana cavalry, under the command of Colonel E. M. McCook, made a scout near Stone River, Tenn., visiting the “haunt” of every guerrilla in that vicinity. They succeeded in capturing eight rebels, beside twenty horses belonging to the guerrilla band.—The schooner Sea Lion, from Mobile to Havana, with a cargo of cotton, was captured by the National frigate Colorado.

May 8.—President Lincoln issued a proclamation preliminary to the enforcement of the “act for enrolling and calling out the National forces, and for other purposes,” defining the position and obligations of inchoate citizens under that law.— (Doc. 189.)

—The Nevada Union of this date assured its readers that there were active Southern guerrillas at work in Tulare County, California! and Los Angeles was, in every thing but form, a colony of the confederate States, where an avowal of loyalty was attended with personal danger. “We are no alarmist; but in view of the condition of affairs, and the large immigration thither, composed largely of secession sympathizers, we again warn Union men that they cannot be too wide awake nor too hasty in organization. We have now before us a late copy of The Red Bluff Independent, in which is given an account of the frustrated attempt on the part of secessionists to capture Fort Crook in the northern part of California. The parties to whom was intrusted the carrying out of the rebel enterprise, approached a citizen of that section, offering ample inducements for him to engage in the attempt, stating to him the plans and intentions of the secessionists, which were to capture the fort with its arms and ammunition—which, by the way, could have been easily accomplished at that time by a dozen men—and use it as a rendezvous for guerrillas. They struck the wrong man, and the consequence was, that information of their movements was conveyed to the fort, and the parties were arrested, and are now in irons at the fort, awaiting the order of General Wright.”

—Secretary E. M. Stanton sent the following despatch to the Governor of Pennsylvania: “The President and the General-in-Chief have just returned from the army of the Potomac. The principal operations of General Hooker failed, but there has been no serious disaster to the organization and efficiency of the army. It is now occupying its former position on the Rappahannock, having recrossed the river without any loss in the movement. Not more than one third of General Hooker’s force was engaged. General Stoneman’s operations have been a brilliant success. Part of his force advanced to within two miles of Richmond, and the enemy’s communications have been cut in every direction. The army of the Potomac will speedily resume offensive operations.”

—The ship Crazy Jane, was captured in Tampa Bay, Fla., by the gunboat Tahoma.—Earl Van Dorn, the rebel General, was shot and instantly killed this day by Dr. Peters, of Maury County, Tenn.

—To-night, a fleet of National gunboats and mortar-schooners, commenced the attack on the rebel batteries at Port Hudson, Miss.

May 7.—The English steamer Cherokee, while endeavoring to run the blockade out of Charleston, S. C, was captured by the National gunboat Canandaigua.—A portion of the Fourth army corps, under the command of Major-General Keyes, reached West-Point, Va., this day, when a reconnoissance towards White House was ordered. After the command had proceeded a few miles from town, the detachment of company F, of the Sixth New-York cavalry, was fired on by a party of ambushed rebels, killing two of the horses. The reconnoissance was continued to White House, and on the route Lieutenant Estes, aid to General Kilpatrick, and fifteen men who were made prisoners by the rebels near Fredcricksburgh, were rescued. — General Robert E. Lee, the rebel commander at Fredericksburgh, issued an order to his army, “expressing his sense of the heroic conduct displayed by officers and men during the arduous operations” in which they had been engaged.

—Colonel Kilpatrick, with his regiment, the Harris Light cavalry, and a portion of the Twelfth Illinois cavalry, belonging to the expedition of General Stoneman, arrived at Gloucester Point, Va.—(Doc. 188.)

May 6.—The army of the Potomac, under the command of Major-General Hooker, was withdrawn from Fredericksburgh to the north bank of the Rappahannock River. General Hooker issued an address to the army, congratulating them on their achievements during the last seven days.—Alexandria, Miss., was occupied without resistance by the National forces under the command of Admiral D. D. Porter (Doc 187.)

—A fight took place between a National force under the command of Colonel Cornyn, encamped near Tupelo, Miss., and a body of rebel cavalry under General Ruggles, terminating, after a desperate conflict of half an hour’s duration, in the flight of the latter, leaving behind them a great number of arms, equipments, and ninety of their number as prisoners.

—The steamer Eugenia was captured by the gunboat R. R. Cuyler, off Mobile, Ala.—Disloyal citizens were sent South from Nashville, Tenn. Among them was Neill S. Brown, formerly Governor of that State.