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

May 19.—The rebel schooner Mississippi, from Mobile, Ala., to Havana, with a cargo of cotton and turpentine, was captured by the gunboat De Soto.—The National cavalry, under General Milroy, had a skirmish with the rebels, at a point six miles from Winchester, Va., in which they killed six and captured seven prisoners.—Richmond, Clay County, Mo., was captured, together with the National force occupying it, by a band of rebel guerrillas, after a severe fight, in which two officers of the Twenty-fifth Missouri regiment were killed. A lieutenant belonging to the captured party was shot after the surrender.—The Spanish steamer Union, was captured by the National gunboat Nashville.

May 18.—In England, in the House of Lords, the Marquis of Clanricarde moved for copies of any reports from British consular or diplomatic agents in the United States respecting the decisions or proceedings of the Federal prize courts. The Marquis accused President Lincoln’s Cabinet of having acted unfairly and illegally toward British shipping, and said it was absolutely necessary for Her Majesty’s government to take more action than it had hitherto done in defence of the rights of English ship-owners. Earl Russell, in reply, stated that every complaint made by the owners of vessels seized by Federal cruisers had been duly considered, and that the law officers of the crown had decided that no objection could so far be fairly established against the proceedings of the United States prize courts. The Earl took advantage of the opportunity to deny the statement that the British government had connived at the construction and escape of the confederate cruiser Alabama, and to repeat the assurance that England had no desire to interfere unfairly in the dispute between the North and South. Lord Derby expressed approval of Earl Russell’s speech, and the Marquis of Clanricarde, being satisfied with the discussion, withdrew the motion.

—To-day a party of twenty-two white men, of the Second Kansas artillery, and thirty-two negro soldiers, under the command of Major R. G. Ward, on a foraging expedition near Sherwood, Mo., were attacked by a gang of two hundred rebel guerrillas, under the leadership of Colonel Livingston. Under the inspiration of Major Ward, the Union party rallied together and fought desperately, falling back until the survivors reached their camp, six miles from the place where the fight commenced. Of the white men, two were killed, four wounded, and two were taken prisoners, twelve escaping. Fifteen of the colored troops were killed, two captured, and fifteen escaped, all but one of whom were wounded.

—Haines’s Bluff, on the Yazoo River, having been evacuated by the rebels, was occupied by the National forces, under Admiral Porter.—(Doc. 194.)

—A serious mistake occurred at a point between Carrsville and Deserted House, Va., in which two bodies of National troops fired into each other, and killed three men and wounded four, belonging to the One Hundred and Seventieth regiment of New-York volunteers.

—At daylight this morning the National army, under General Grant, moved on from Champion Hill to the Big Black River, Miss., where a battle was fought with the rebels, under Pemberton, and they were again defeated and driven into their intrenchments around Vicksburgh with great loss of men and munitions of war.—(Doc. 193.)

—Jackson, Miss., was evacuated by the National forces, belonging to the army of General Grant.

—The schooner Isabel, attempting to run the blockade at Mobile, was run ashore close under the walls of Fort Morgan, and Master’s Mate Dyer, of the R. R. Cuyler, was sent with boats, either to bring her off or burn her. They were just in time to capture sixteen men, being her crew and some passengers. Finding it impossible to get the schooner off, he set fire to her and then pulled for his own ship. By this time the alarm had been given and the rebels in the fort were on the alert Mr. Dyer, finding that the schooner did not break out in a blaze, as he expected, turned back toward the fort, and effectually did his work. — The rebel schooner Ripple, was captured by the National gunboat Kanawha, blockading the port of Pensacola, Fla.—Rebel guerrillas visited Burning Springs, Wirt County, Va., where they burned oil-works and committed other depredations.

—Yesterday a company of the First New-York cavalry having been captured at Charlestown, Va., by a gang of guerrillas, under the leadership of Captain Mosby, the regiment left Berrysville today, under the command of Major Adams, in pursuit of the rebels. They were overtaken at Berry’s Ford, on the Rappahannock, and, after a brief skirmish, the rebels were completely routed and the prisoners recaptured.

May 16.—Last night a company of United States cavalry was surprised and captured at Charlestown, Jefferson County, Va. Major-General Schenck, on being informed by telegraph of the disaster, immediately ordered General Milroy to send out a force to intercept and attack the rebels, and to-day he received the following despatch from General Milroy, announcing the result: “The Federal cavalry captured at Charlestown were recaptured by detachments of Virginia and Pennsylvania cavalry, under Captain Vitt, this afternoon, about three o’clock, at Piedmont Station, in Fauquier County. We also captured forty rebels and a corresponding number of horses. Two rebels were killed. I regret to add that we lost Captain Vitt and one sergeant. Our cavalry recaptured one Federal lieutenant, and fifty privates, and their horses. Major Adams, of the First New-York cavalry, who arrived after the recapture, is still in pursuit of the rebels. The Virginia and Pennsylvania cavalry, who made the recapture, were sent out by me yesterday.”

—The United States steamer Monticello, captured the schooner Odd Fellow, off Little River Inlet, N. C.—At Bradyville Pike, in the vicinity of Cripple Creek, Tenn., General Palmer, accompanied by an escort of twenty-five men, and sixty men from the Middle Tennessee Union cavalry, made a sabre-charge on a detachment of the Third Georgia regiment, numbering eighty-five men, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson. The rebels had no sabres, but fought desperately for a few moments. The Union force killed several of the enemy and brought in eighteen prisoners, among them Captains M. C. Edwards and Willis, the latter of the Third Georgia cavalry, and dangerously wounded.—Cincinnati Commercial.

—The battle of Champion Hill, or Baker’s Creek, Miss., was fought by the Nationals, under General Grant, and the rebels, under General Pemberton, in which the latter was compelled to fall back behind the Big Black River.—(Doc. 192.)

—A reconnoitring party of the First New York mounted rifle regiment, under the command of Major Patton, were attacked in the vicinity of Suffolk, Va., by a large body of rebel cavalry and routed with considerable loss.

—Sixteen men of the First New-York cavalry, under the command of Lieutenant Vermillion, attacked a party of twenty-two rebel soldiers, at Berry’s Ferry, Va., and killed two, wounded five, and captured ten of them.

—The rebel government steamer Cuba, was destroyed by the National gunboat De Soto, Captain W. W. Walker, in the Gulf of Mexico, off Mobile harbor, Ala.—Captain Walker’s Report.

May 15.—A fight took place in the vicinity of Camp Moore, La., between the expeditionary force under the command of Colonel Davis, and a body of rebel troops, resulting in a rout of the latter with great slaughter. After the fight, Colonel Davis advanced on Camp Moore, which he burned, together with the railroad depot and bridge, and a great quantity of property.—New Orleans Era.

— William Corbin and T. P. Graw, found guilty of enlisting for the rebel service within the National lines, were executed at Johnson’s Island, near Sandusky, Ohio.—The rebel schooner Royal Yacht, was captured by the bark W. G. Anderson.— The rebels captured two small steamboats in the Dismal Swamp Canal, N. C.—The ship Crown Point, in latitude 7° south, longitude 34° west, was captured and burned by the rebel privateer Florida.

—Several desperate infantry fights took place to-day in the vicinity of Carrsville and Suffolk, Va., between the National forces under the command of General Peck, and large bodies of rebel troops, in which both parties suffered severely, without gaining any material advantage.

May 14.—Jackson, Miss., was captured by the National forces belonging to the army of General Grant, after a fight of over three hours. General Joseph E. Johnston was in command of the rebels, who retreated toward the north.—(Doc. 191.)

—To-day a detachment of the National expeditionary force under Colonel Davis, destroyed the tannery, grist, and saw-mill, together with a steam-engine, at Hammond Station, on the Jackson Railroad, La.—New-Orleans Era.

—A scouting-party of National troops, sent out from Fairfax Court-House, Va., encountered a small force of the Black Horse cavalry, at the house of Mr. Masilla, five miles beyond Warrenton Junction, when a skirmish ensued, resulting in the dispersion of the rebels, the death of Mr. Masilla, and the wounding of several other rebels. The Nationals had three wounded.—New-York Tribune.

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.