The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

April 29.—The English schooner Miriam was captured in lat 25° 25′ N. long. 84° 30′, W., by the National vessel Honeysuckle.

—An expedition, under the command of Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Hooker, sent to Carter’s Creek from the Potomac flotilla, succeeded in destroying eleven boats and canoes, a large quantity of grain, and a number of log-huts, which had been used as barracks by the rebel soldiers. In approaching these, Acting Master Street, who had charge of the landing party, consisting of twenty-five seamen, fell in with a company of rebel cavalry, who, mistaking his force for the advance-guard of a much larger one, put spurs to their horses and fled. Lieutenant Hooker well planned the expedition, and Acting Master Street displayed boldness and decision in carrying it out.—Com. Parker’s Report.

— Considerable excitement was caused in Richmond, Va., to-day, by the presence of the rebel government impressing agents for the collection of horses for the use of General Lee’s army.

April 28.—Brigadier-General Devcns, with a brigade of cavalry, on a reconnoissance to Madison Court-House, Va., surprised a party of thirty rebels in that place, and succeeded in capturing the whole of them.

April 27.—Acting Master Hill, commanding the United States steamer Currituck, of the Potomac flotilla, succeeded in destroying two thousand bushels of grain, which was in process of transportation to Richmond.—Com. Parker’s Report.

—The English schooner O.K. was captured by the National vessel Union, off the coast of Florida.—The army under General Banks, including the forces of General A. J. Smith, returned to Alexandria, La.—(Doc. 131.)

April 25.—To-day a wagon-train, consisting of two hundred and forty wagons, returning to Pine Bluffs, Arkansas, together with the escort, under the command of Colonel Drake, comprising the Twenty-sixth Iowa regiment, the Seventy-seventh Ohio regiment, and the Forty-third Indiana regiment, with four pieces of artillery, was captured by the rebels.

—A Party of rebels, in an attempt to surprise the National pickets, on the King’s Road, near Jacksonville, Florida, were surrounded and captured by the Seventy-fifth Ohio mounted infantry.

April 24.—The steamer John J. Roe was burned by the rebels at a point, below Natchez, on the Mississippi.—A scouting party of the First Michigan cavalry, sent out from Alexandria, Va., under command of Lieutenant Jackson, came across a band of rebel guerrillas, about nine miles up the Occoquan road, when a brisk skirmish ensued. Four of the rebels were wounded and taken prisoners. Lieutenant Jackson had two of his men slightly wounded, and succeeded in capturing one horse.—Governor Brough issued an order, calling the National Guard of Ohio into active service for one hundred days.

April 23.—This morning a party of rebels attacked the National pickets at Nickajack Trace, and after compelling them to surrender, committed the most flagrant outrages upon them. A correspondent at Chattanooga, Tenn., gives the following particulars of the affair: “Sixty-four men, detailed from the Ninety-second Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel D. F. Sheets, commanding, were doing picket-duty near Lyle’s farm, under command of Lieutenant Horace C. Scoville, company K. Eighteen of the men were placed in reserve near the farm, the rest were distributed at seven different posts.

“The supposition is, that a regiment of rebel infantry crossed Taylor’s Ridge during the night, about five miles from Ringgold, and formed a line, extending from the base of the ridge to the Alabama road. This line faced south, being in the rear of our pickets. Another regiment crossed the ridge higher up the valley, and faced west. A body of cavalry (probably two companies) came on our pickets from the south, and a smaller body advanced from the direction of Leet’s farm. Thus were our men nearly surrounded by the wily enemy, before the attack commenced, and the assault was made simultaneously upon all the posts. The enemy’s cavalry first assailed our videttes, who retired, fighting desperately, until reenforced from the reserve, when the rebels were temporarily repulsed. Advancing again in still larger numbers, they forced our men to fall back. But the latter soon found their retreat cut off by the infantry which had formed in their rear, and barricaded the road. Such was the disposition of the rebel force, that the reserve at Lyle’s house, now reduced to nine men, were cut off from the remainder. Consequently, there was nothing left for our brave fellows but to surrender, or cut their way out, each man fighting for himself. They resolved to attempt the latter. Some desperate hand-to-hand contests ensued, and some chivalric daring was displayed, which the historian will never record. Of the sixty-four men, thirty-four escaped death or capture; and with heroic determination not to return to camp until relieved, they reoccupied the ground from which they had been driven, although they knew not at what moment the enemy might return to the attack, and kill or capture the remainder of them. Of that heroic band not a man came to camp without orders. Five were killed, four mortally wounded, three severely wounded, and eighteen missing. Lieutenant Scoville was wounded and captured. The rebel loss in killed and wounded must at least have equalled our own, and we took one prisoner.

“The men speak in high terms of Lieutenant Scoville’s conduct until he was wounded; and I am informed that Colonel Sheets speaks highly of Sergeant Strock, of company C, and Sergeant Hine, of company E, who saved most of their men, and commanded the party who reoccupied the field.

“From the statements of wounded soldiers, and of citizens living near the roads along which the enemy retired, I gather the following facts, and offer no comment.

“A citizen saw a rebel officer shoot down one of our men, after he had surrendered and marched some distance with his captors. The only excuse for the vile outrage was, that the poor fellow could not keep up with the fiends who had taken him prisoner. After the officer had shot the man, the citizen heard one of the rebel scoundrels say: ‘That’s right, Cap, give it to him again!’

“William Chattannach, or Chattnach, a private in company B, after surrendering, was marched off with several others upon the double-quick, until totally unable to go further. A rebel lieutenant then came up to him, and shot him twice, the first time inflicting a slight, the second a mortal wound. He then left him, supposing he had killed him. Shortly after, two rebels came up to him and robbed him of his pocketbook and boots. One of them said, ‘Let’s scalp the Yankee!’ but did not execute the proposition. This statement was taken from poor Chattannach’s dying lips.

“Reginald O’Connor, company B, was shot for the same reason, after being captured.

“George A. Springer and John Craddock, company E; George Marie, company F; and William Reynolds, company I, all make similar statements with regard to themselves.

“William Hills, company K, was found dead a mile from the post where he had stood on picket during the night. A lady living near where he was posted, declared, that she saw him pursued by some rebel cavalrymen. On being overtaken, he at once handed over his gun to one of the savages, who immediately fired the contents of the same into Hill’s body, killing him instantly.

“In the case of O’Connor, three soldiers who saw the murder, declare, upon oath, that it was also committed by a rebel officer.

“Such are some of the details of this stupendous crime, whoso atrocity is perhaps unsurpassed even by the bloody murders recently committed by these rebel miscreants in West-Tennessee and Kentucky.

“The following list of killed and wounded is nearly complete. Killed: Garner McKeel, company E; William Hills, company K ; John Douns, company B; William Gifford, company H.

“Wounded: Reginald O’Connor, company B. fatally; William Chattannach, company B, fatally; G. A. Springer, company E, fatally; John Craddock, company E, severely, not dangerously; George Marie, company F, fatally; D. W. Butler, company A, dangerously; James Rhoades and William Reynolds, company I, both fatally.

“Of these killed and wounded, two had not surrendered when shot; seven were either killed or wounded (all but one mortally) after they had surrendered to the enemy as prisoners of war; the circumstances connected with the shooting of the other three have not been definitely ascertained. Of the facts connected with these horrid outrages, there is no room to doubt. They are taken mostly from the affidavits of dying men—the surest testimony in the world.”

April 22.—An expedition up the Rappahannock River, under the command of Foxhall A. Parker, commanding the Potomac flotilla, terminated this day. The following communication detailing the facts connected with it, was made by the commander in charge:

“Having learned, from various sources, that the rebel government had established a ferry at Circus Point, a few miles below Tappahannock, on the Rappahannock River, and was busily engaged in collecting boats at some point on the river for the purpose of attacking the blockading vessels, I proceeded thither with a portion of this flotilla, on the eighteenth instant, where I remained until this evening, visiting both banks of the river and all its various creeks, (some of which I was told had not before been entered during the war,) from Circus Point to Windmill Point, with the following result: Two ferries broken up, seven large lighters, (each capable of carrying one hundred men, three pontoon-boats, twenty-two large skiffs and canoes, two hundred white-oak beams and knees, (large enough for the construction of a sloop-of-war,) five hundred cords of pine wood, and three hundred barrels of corn destroyed. Twenty-two fish-boats, (one of which is fitted for carrying small-arms,) one thousand pounds of bacon, two horses, sixty bushels of wheat, a chest of carpenter’s tools, and many other articles, (a correct list of which will be sent to the department at an early day,) brought off. Five refugees and forty-five contrabands (men, women, and children) were received on board of this vessel, and landed in Maryland, with the exception of five stout fellows whom I shipped.

“At Bohler’s Rocks, on the south side of the Rappahannock, the landing of our men was opposed by a large force of cavalry, (said to be five hundred,) which was kept at bay by the fire of the Eureka, commanded by Acting Ensign Hallock, and a howitzer launch in charge of Acting Master’s Mate Eldridge. Acting Master W. T. Street, who had charge of this expedition, showed good judgment, and proved himself a valuable and efficient officer. He speaks highly of Acting Ensign Roderick and Acting Master’s Mate Borden, who accompanied him on shore. In Parrot’s Creek, eight seamen, led by Acting Ensign Nelson, chased six of the rebel cavalry.

“Yesterday afternoon, as the Eureka got within thirty yards of the shore, just below Urbanna, where I had sent her to capture two boats hauled up there, a large number of rebels, lying in ambush, most unexpectedly opened upon her with rifles, and a piece of light artillery. Thus taken by surprise, Acting Ensign Hallock displayed admirable presence of mind, and I think not more than five seconds had elapsed before he returned the fire from his light twelve-pounder, and with small-arms; and, although the little Eureka, with officers and men, has but sixteen souls on board, for some ten minutes (during which time the fight lasted) she was one sheet of flame, the twelve-pounder being fired about as fast as a man would discharge a pocket-pistol. The rebels were well thrashed, and I think must have suffered considerably. They fortunately fired too high, so that their shells and bullets passed over the Eureka without injury to the vessel or crew. It was quite a gallant affair, and reflects a great deal of credit upon both officers and men of the Eureka, a list of whom I herewith inclose.

“This morning, April twenty-second, observing a party of eighteen men at a distance of about two miles from this ship, with muskets slung over their backs, crawling on their hands and knees to get a shot at some of our men then on shore, I directed a shell to be thrown at them from a one-hundred pounder Parrott gun, which struck and exploded right in their midst, killing and wounding, I think, a large number of them, as only four were seen after the explosion, who were, as might be supposed, running inland at the top of their speed.

“Lieutenant Commander Eastman, who had the detailing of the various expeditions, well sustained, in the performance of this duty, the reputation which he had already acquired as an officer of marked energy and ability.

“I have it from the best authority that the rebels have placed torpedoes in the Rappahannock, just above Bohler’s Rocks, where this flotilla was anchored; off Fort Lowry, off Brooks’s Barn, opposite the first house above Leedstown, and at Layton’s, somewhat higher up. All these are on the port hand going up. Others are said to be placed at various points in the river, from Fort Lowry to Fredericksburgh. They have also been placed in the Piankatank River, and in many of the creeks emptying into Chesapeake Bay.”

—Major-General J. G. Totten died at Washington City this day.

—”The capture of Richmond,” said the Columbus, Ga., Times, of this day, “would prove of greater importance to our enemies, in a political point of view, than any other sense. With our capital in their possession, we would find additional influence brought to bear against us abroad; but as a material loss, its fall would in no manner compare with the disadvantages which would result from a defeat of General Johnston, and the occupation of Georgia that would follow. The first point is near our boundary lines; the second is our great centre. To lose the one would be as the loss of a limb; should we be driven from the other, it would be a terrible blow at our most vital point. This we must admit, and our enemy knows it.”—A Party of six rebel guerrillas were captured near Morrisville, Va. They had attacked a National picket-station, and killed one man a short time previous.

April 21.—Major-General Peck issued the following general order at Newbern, N. C, this day: “With feelings of the deepest sorrow, the Commanding General announces the fall of Plymouth, N. C, and the capture of its gallant commander, Brigadier-General H. W. Wessells, and his command. This result, however, did not obtain until after the most gallant and determined resistance had been made. Five times the enemy stormed the lines of the General, and as many times were they handsomely repulsed with great slaughter, and but for the powerful assistance of the rebel iron-clad ram and the floating sharp-shooter battery, the Cotton Plant, Plymouth would still have been in our hands. For their noble defence, the gallant General Wessells and his brave band have and deserve the warmest thanks of the whole country, while all will sympathize with them in their misfortune.

“To the officers and men of the navy, the Commanding General renders his thanks for their hearty cooperation with the army, and the bravery, determination, and courage that marked their part of the unequal contest. With sorrow he records the death of the noble sailor and gallant patriot, Lieutenant Commander C. W. Flusser, United States navy, who in the heat of battle fell dead on the deck of his ship, with the lanyard of his gun in his hand.

“The Commanding General believes that these misfortunes will tend not to discourage the troops, but to nerve the army of North-Carolina to equal deeds of bravery and gallantry hereafter.

“Until further orders, the headquarters of the sub-district of the Albemarle will be at Roanoke Island. The command devolves upon Colonel D. W. Wardrop, of the Ninety-ninth New-York infantry.”

—The English schooner Laura was captured off Velasco, Texas, by the National gunboat Owasco.—As expedition in boats, from the gunboats Niphon and Fort Jackson, under command of Captain Breck, of the Niphon, proceeded to within seven miles of Wilmington, N. C, where they succeeded in destroying the North-Carolina salt-works and other property valued at over $100,000, and brought away fifty-five prisoners—laborers in the salt-works.