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

November 8.—Yesterday General Bayard was attacked by the rebels at Rappahannock Bridge, Virginia, but succeeded in repulsing them. This morning he continued his operations and compelled them to retire, leaving him in possession of the bridge and all the neighboring fords. During the day, he captured Lieutenant-Colonel Blunt, of General Longstreet’s staff, together with two servants and ten men of the rebel army.— A very heavy snow-storm occurred in Richmond, Virginia, and its vicinity.—The First company of the South-Carolina colored volunteers was mustered into the service of the United States, at Beaufort, South-Carolina, by General Saxton.

—Colonel Lee, of the Seventh Kansas, with about one thousand five hundred Union cavalry, made a successful reconnoissance in the vicinity of Hudsonville, Mississippi, defeating a party of rebels in a short skirmish, killing sixteen, and capturing one hundred and seventy-five of their number, one hundred horses, and a stack of firearms.—(Doc. 39.)

—The ship T. B. Wales, in latitude 28°, 30′, longitude 58°, was captured and burned by the privateer Alabama.—General Pleasanton, in a skirmish with the rebel General Stuart, captured three pieces of artillery, a captain, a lieutenant, and five privates, without loss. The Richmond Whig, of this day, declared that the success of the Democrats in the elections at the North was “about equal to a declaration of peace.”—Holly Springs, Mississippi, was evacuated by the rebels. —Mobile News.

—Prince Gortschakoff, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, sent a despatch to Paris, in reply to a proposal of concerted mediation between the belligerents in America, made to the Russian government by the Emperor of the French. The despatch says: “We are inclined to believe that a combined step by France, England, and Russia, no matter how conciliatory and how cautiously made, if it were taken with an official and collective character, would run the risk of causing the very opposite of the object of pacification, which is the aim of the wishes of the three Courts.”

—A skirmish occurred near Marianna, Ark., between a detachment of the Third and Fourth Iowa and Ninth Illinois cavalry, under the command of Captain Marland L. Perkins and a party of rebels, resulting in defeat of the latter, with a loss of five killed The Nationals had one man wounded.—Missouri Democrat.

November 7.—At Big Beaver Creek, Missouri, a block-house, occupied by portions of two companies of the Tenth Illinois cavalry, and two militia companies, was attacked by the rebel Colonel Green, who had one thousand three hundred men and three pieces of artillery. On the destruction of the block-house, the militia retreated to the woods, and fought five hours, when Captain Barstow, who was in command, displayed the white flag, and surrendered the garrison.—New-York Tribune.

—To-day a debate took place in the rebel Senate, on the bill to extend the operation of the sequestration act to all persons natives of or residents within any of the rebel States, and who had refused to submit to the constitution and laws of those States. A substitute proposed by the Committee of the Judiciary was adopted. It provided that the President of the rebel States should issue his proclamation, ordering all persons within the limits of those States who were loyal, and adhered to the United States Government, to leave the rebel States within forty days, on pain of forfeiture of property. Another of its provisions was the granting of immunity to all persons adhering to the Union who, within forty days, should take the oath of allegiance to the rebel States.

—The United States steamer Darlington, with a company of colored troops on board, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel O. T. Beard, Forty-eighth New-York volunteers, proceeded up Sapelo River, Georgia, accompanied by the Union gunboat Potomska, and captured a number of rebels and slaves on the plantations along the river, and destroyed a large and valuable salt-work. The rebels on shore attacked the Darlington several times on the route, but the colored troops fought bravely, and she escaped without injury.

—A Single company of enrolled militia, at Lamar, Missouri, barricaded the court-house in that place, and successfully repelled an attack made upon them by a large body of guerrillas, said to be under the command of Quantrel.—General McClellan issued his farewell address to the “officers and soldiers of the Army of the Potomac.” (Doc. 30.)

November 6.—Major-General Butler, from his headquarters at New Orleans, issued the following order:

Headquarters Department number 1,
Confederate States of America, New-Orleans, La.,
March 20, 1862.

General orders, no. 90. . . .

XII. All process from any court of law or equity in the parishes of Orleans and Jefferson, for the ejection of the families of soldiers now in the service of the government, either on land or water, for rent past due, is hereby suspended, and no such collections shall be forced until further orders. . . . . .

By command of Major-General Lovell. J. G. Pickett,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

The above extract from orders of the rebel General Lovell is accepted and ordered as referring to the families of soldiers and sailors now in the service of the United States.

By command of Major-General Butler.

George C. Strong, A. A. G.

—General Reynolds took possession of Warrenton, Virginia, this afternoon, the rebels offering no opposition; five prisoners belonging to the Third Virginia cavalry, and two infantry soldiers were captured.—General Charles D. Jameson died at Old Town, Maine, this morning.—The English schooner Dart was captured off Sabine Pass, Texas, by the United States schooner Rachel Seaman.

General Beauregard ordered non-combatants to leave Charleston, South-Carolina, “with all their movable property, including the slaves.” This was done “to avoid embarrassments and delay, in case a sudden necessity should arise for the removal of the entire population.”

A fight took place near Leatherwood, Kentucky, between a small body of Union troops under the command of Captain Ambrose Powell, and a gang of rebel guerrillas, resulting in the flight of the latter, leaving six of their number dead, and their captain mortally wounded.—Frankfort Commonwealth.

November 4.—Francis Arnold, General Sigel’s cook, and five others, were arrested to-day in the vicinity of Fairfax Court-House, Virginia, for smuggling contraband of war through the lines to the rebels. A quantity of goods in their possession, consisting of swords, shoulder-straps, gold lace, etc., were seized, and the men were sent to the old Capitol Prison at Washington.

—The Union pickets near Bolivar Heights, Virginia, were attacked to-day by a party of rebel cavalry, and three of their number were captured.—New-York Evening Post.

—General Grant, with several divisions of his army from Bolivar, Tennessee, and Corinth, Mississippi, occupied La Grange, Mississippi, this night.—New-York Herald

—the English bark Sophia, while attempting to run the blockade of Wilmington, North-Carolina, was destroyed by the National steamers Daylight and Mount Vernon.—Com. Scott’s Report.

—The United States expeditionary steamer Darlington, with a small force of colored troops on board, under the command of Colonel O. T. Beard, proceeded to King’s Bay, Georgia, and destroyed the extensive rebel salt-works, about a mile from the landing, together with all the property on the place. On returning to the steamer, Colonel Beard’s command was attacked by a party of rebels, but they succeeded in reaching the vessel without injury. The colored troops returned the rebel fire, killing two of the enemy.

November 3.— A fight took place in Bayou Teche, fourteen miles from Brashear City, La., between five Union gunboats and a large rebel force, supported by the rebel gunboat Cotton, resulting in a retreat of the rebels and the escape of the gunboat.—(Dec. 27.)

—Tampa, Florida, was bombarded by the National forces.—Major Reid Sanders, of the rebel army, was captured in the Chesapeake this morning by Captain Dungan of the gunboat Hercules, while endeavoring to embark for Europe.

—A Force of rebel guerrillas, numbering about three hundred men, under Quantrel, attacked near Harrisonville, Mo., a wagon train, with an escort of twenty-two men of the Sixth Missouri Cavalry, under the command of Lieutenant Newby, killing eight of the escort, six teamsters, wounding four, and taking five prisoners, including Lieutenant Newby, and burning the entire train of thirteen wagons. Three or four hours thereafter, the rebels were overtaken by detachments of the Fifth and Sixth regiments, Missouri cavalry, under the command of Colonel Catherwood, and utterly routed. They were pursued for twenty-five or thirty miles with great loss. The Unionists did not lose a man, —Missouri Democrat.

—The steamer Darlington, with a company of colored troops on board, under the command of Colonel O. T. Beard, proceeded up Bell River, Florida, drove in the rebel pickets below Cooper’s, destroyed their place of rendezvous, then destroyed the salt-works, and all the salt, corn, wagons, and horses which could not be taken away. Thence proceeded to Jolly River and destroyed two salt-works, with a large amount of salt and corn. Thence went to Saint Mary’s, and brought off two families of contrabands, after driving in the rebel pickets.

—Captain Flint, of the First Vermont cavalry, with eighty men of his company, doing picket-duty in the vicinity of New-Baltimore, Va., was attacked by one hundred and fifty rebel cavalry. Captain Flint drove the rebels two or three miles, and then returned to his post.—Piedmont, Va., was occupied by the National cavalry under Generals Pleasanton and Averill.

November 2. —Yesterday and to-day, a series of skirmishes took place near Philomont, Va., between a force under General Pleasanton, which was ,advancing from Purcellsville to Union, and the rebel forces under General Stuart, ending in the retreat of the rebels. — (Doc. 21.)

—Snicker’s Gap, Va., was occupied by the National forces under General McClellan. When General Hancock arrived there it was held by the rebel cavalry, who were driven out; a column of rebel infantry advanced to retake it, but were dispersed by the fire of the National artillery. General Pleasanton pursued the rebels several miles beyond Union, and at three o’clock in the afternoon succeeded in exploding one of their caissons and capturing ten of their wounded.— General McClellan’s Despatch.

—An expedition under Colonel Dewey to Pittman’s Ferry, Current River, Mo., in pursuit of a band of guerrillas infesting that locality, this day returned to camp at Patterson, Wayne County, Mo., having captured thirteen rebels and made a march of one hundred and sixty miles in eight days.—(Doc. 23.)

—An engagement occurred near Williamston, N. C, between four companies of the Twentieth regiment of North-Carolina rebels, under the command of Colonel Burgwyn, and a party of National troops.—Richmond Despatch, November 7.

—Colonel Lee, of Hamilton’s National cavalry, retured to Grand Junction, Miss., after a three days’ reconnoissance in the direction of Ripley and ten miles south. Ripley was captured and held twenty-four hours, as was also the town of Orizaba. Lieutenant-Colonel Hovis and the Surgeon of Faulkner’s rebel rangers were captured, together with a captain, two lieutenants, and sixty men. Faulkner himself effected his escape, with the loss of four men.—The British schooner Pathfinder was captured by the gunboat Penobscot, off Shallot Inlet, N. C—The ship Levi Starbuck, in latitude 35″, 30′, longitude 66°, was captured and burned by the rebel privateer Alabama.

November 1. —An expedition, consisting of the U. S. steamer Northerner and gunboat States of the North, with a detachment of the Third New York cavalry, and two pieces of Allis’s artillery, under the command of Major Garrard, proceeded, on the twenty-ninth ultimo, up the Pungo Creek, N. C., where they captured two rebel schooners. Proceeding to Montgomery, the troops disembarked. Major Garrard then marched his force to Germantown, Swanquarter, and Middletown, capturing in these places one hundred and thirty horses and mules, and twenty-five prisoners, among whom were a rebel lieutenant-colonel, a major, a captain, and a lieutenant. To-day, on returning from Middletown, they were met by a squad of rebel cavalry, on whom they opened one of their field-pieces, when they fled at the first fire. The force then returned to Montgomery, and embarked on the steamer without further molestation.–Philadelphia Ledger.

—At New Orleans, La., General Butler issued the following orders: —No pass to go beyond the lines of this army, in any direction, will be respected by any officer or soldier, unless it bear the personal signature of the Commanding General of this Department.

“All persons of the age of sixteen years and upward, coming within the lines, will be held as spies, unless they take the oath of allegiance to the United States, or show that they are neutral aliens; and all persons whatsoever thus coming will immediately report themselves at the office of the Provost-Marshal.

“No person will be arrested as a slave by any policeman or other person, and put in confinement for safe keeping, unless the person arresting knows that such person is owned by a loyal citizen of the United States.

“The Inspector and Superintendent of Prisons is authorized to discharge from confinement all slaves not known to be the slaves of loyal owners.

—Yesterday and to-day, the U. S. gunboats Clifton and Westfield bombarded the town of Lavacca, on Matagorda Bay, Texas. The rebels opened fire on the gunboats from two batteries, but without doing them any injury. After firing more than one hundred and thirty rounds, the gunboats found their ammunition was nearly exhausted, and they were thus compelled to raise the siege without effecting a capture of the town. During the bombardment, a one hundred pound rifled gun on board the Westfield, burst, wounding three men and Acting Master Warren.

—Governor Brown, of Georgia, issued an address to the planters of that State, calling upon them voluntarily to send to General Mercer one fifth of their negroes, in order to complete the fortifications around Savannah. If they were not sent in, General Mercer was authorized to impress whatever number he required for that purpose. — (Doc. 22.)

—The rebel schooner Adventurer, laden with salt, leather, etc., was captured by the United States steamer Kensington, in the vicinity of Mermanteau Pass, La. —Major-General Peck, from his headquarters at Suffolk, Va., issued a general order denouncing pillage, and calling upon his forces to cooperate with him in bringing the guilty to a speedy trial. —The Richmond Whig of this date opposes the rebel conscription law as “unpopular, if not odious, among a large class of the people.”

—A National force composed of the First Mounted Riflemen, N. Y. S. V., Follett’s battery, the Eleventh cavalry of Pennsylvania volunteers, and General Wessell’s brigade, visited Franklin, Va., to-day, and succeeded in driving the rebels from the town with some loss. —New York Tribune.

October 31.—The town of Franklin, on the Blackwater River, Virginia, was this day shelled by three batteries of Union artillery, and partially destroyed, the rebel forces being driven off with great loss —An enthusiastic meeting was held at Key West, Florida, to raise funds for the relief of the families of volunteers in the Union army. One thousand dollars were collected.

—James R. Lackland, charged with encouragement of the rebellion, by publicly opposing the national government, was arrested at St. Louis, Mo. —Between three and four hundred East-Tennesseans arrived at Lexington, Ky., with the intention of joining the Union army. —A rebel force of cavalry under General Stuart, attacked a small force of Union calvary stationed at Maysville, Va., and drove them toward Aldie.

—The rebels under General Hindman having committed depredation upon Union citizens residing in the vicinity of Helena, Ark., the national troops retaliated on rebel sympathizers, and destroyed a number of farms in that locality. —The Wilmington, N. C., salt-works were this day destroyed by Captain Cushing of the national gunboat Ellis.

October 30.—Major-General O. M. Mitchel, Commander of the Tenth army corps, department of the South, died on the evening of this day at Beaufort, South-Carolina.

—A skirmish took place to-day between a detachment of cavalry under the command of Colonel Wyndham, First New-Jersey cavalry, and a force of rebels stationed at Thoroughfare Gap, resulting in the retirement of the latter to the almost impassable hills in the vicinity.

—The rebel schooner Velocity, laden with salt, leather, Manilla rope, etc., was captured by the United States steamer Kensington, in the vicinity of Sabine Pass, Texas.

—In obedience to orders from the War Department, Major-General Buell transferred the command of the department and the army of the Ohio to Major-General W. S. Rosecrans.