DOCUMENTS.

Colonel Lamb surrendered with the garrison at
Fort Buchanan.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient ser-
A. AMES,
vant,
Brigadier-General Volunteers.

Doc. 55.

BLACK WATER RIVER EXPEDITION.

}

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL SPURLING'S REPORT. HEADQUARTERS SECOND MAINE CAVALRY VETERAN VOLUNTEERS, BARRANCAS, FLORIDA, October 31, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to respectfully submit the following report:

Pursuant to orders from Headquarters District of West Florida, I embarked, on the morning of the twenty-fifth of October, on steam transports at Barrancas, in charge of a force consisting of a detachment of the Second Maine veteran cavalry of one hundred men, one hundred dismounted of the First Florida cavalry, and a detachment of the Nineteenth Iowa infantry, Twenty-fifth, Eighty-second and Eighty-sixth United States colored infantry, and Company M, Captain Roberts, Second Maine cavalry, dismounted for battery purposes and in charge of two howitzers, the whole amounting, in the aggregate, to over seven hundred men.

Captain Stearns, of the Eighty-second colored infantry, was placed in charge of one of the transports, Lizzie Davis, with two hundred infantry, with orders to proceed up the Black Water river, to land a force eight miles below Pierce's mill, and distant from Millton thirteen miles, to raft logs, which are numerous along the shore, and by other and all his actions, endeavor to draw the enemy upon the narrow point of land or peninsula formed by Escambia bay on the west, and East bay and Black Water

river on the east.

I proceeded with the other transport, the
Planter, to Pensacola, remaining there till late in
the afternoon, from thence up Escambia bay,
and late in the night landed three hundred in-
-,
fantry, under charge of Major Mudgett, of the
Eighty-sixth colored infantry, at Bayou
a point on the east point of Escambia bay, op-
posite Pierce's mill, with orders that he should
march to the head of the bayou, and remain
there till he should hear cannonading on the
other side of the narrow point of land, when
he would deploy his force across to Pierce's
mill, thus cutting off the retreat of the enemy,
whom I had expected, and had good reasons to
believe Captain Stearns would succeed in draw-
ing into the trap which I had prepared for
them, inasmuch as they had, in considerable
force, on a former occasion, attacked me while I
was engaged in procuring logs at points seven
or eight miles below the mill. After landing
Major Mudgett I proceeded back with the
Planter, and on the following morning, having
rounded the point of the peninsula, was on my
way up East bay or Black Water river. I did
VOL. XI.-Doc.

28

eight miles below the mill. It soon became ap-
not find the other transport, the Lizzie Davis,
to my orders. Instead of landing as he was
parent that Captain Stearns had failed to conform
directed, he had gone six or seven miles too
far, and some time elapsed before I found the
Lizzie Davis, anchored in a small cove a mile or
two from the mill. Thus, the enemy was not in-
duced to come as far down upon the point of
land as I had designated, and as would have
been the case had my orders been fully carried
out, and as my report will clearly show.

On coming up with the Lizzie Davis Idirected
Captain Lincoln, of the Second Maine cavalry,
land with all possible despatch the two hundred
to relieve Captain Stearns of his command, to
men on board, and march direct to Millton. By
eleven o'clock A. M., Captain Lincoln had landed
had been holding
the troops from the Lizzie Davis. I proceeded
with the Planter to Pierce's mill, and landed the
cavalry and battery, which
in reserve, and immediately moved toward Mill-
ton, soon coming upon Captain Lincoln, whom I
found engaged with a force of the enemy's cav-
alry. It seems that Captain Lincoln, after laud-
ing, before he had hardly taken up the march,
was met by a considerable force of cavalry, with
which he became engaged. He drove the
road, where they made a stand under cover of
enemy to the mill and beyond it on the Millton
some old buildings. On my arrival at this point
the firing was quite rapid, and a brisk skirmish
was going on, I immediately charged with the
detachment of cavalry which I brought up, and
drove the rebels from the old buildings. They
fled in wild confusion on the Millton road. At
the bridge they attempted to make a stand, but
all to no purpose. I pursued them through
Millton, and out on the Pallard road, a distance
of over eight miles, capturing nine prisoners
complete. Their arms and equipments, and
and wounding quite a number. Their rout was
everything that could impede flight, were
thrown away. There were no casualties in my
own force.

The enemy's force consisted of a detachment Mississippi cavalry, and a small force of militia. of between seventy and eighty of the Eighth Having kept up the pursuit as long as it was prudent, my horses becoming exhausted, and it growing late in the day, I returned to Millton, and leaving the cavalry to hold the place, went back to the Planter, which I ordered to move up to a place called Bag Dad, less than two miles from Millton, and here secured quite a large amount of lumber, about eighty-five thousand feet. I despatched a courier to Major Mudgett, with orders for him to move his forces from the bayou to Pierce's mill, and hold himself in readiness to embark at that point on the following morning.

On the following morning the pickets were taken in, and the Planter moved up the river to Millton, thus exploding, if not the torpedoes, the idea and belief that they are planted in the river to obstruct its passage by boats. Here

REBELLION RECORD. 1862-65.

several flat-boats were secured, and the ferry across the river completely demolished. Quite an amount of commissary and quartermaster's property was found, among which was about two hundred bushels of corn and meal, and considerable ham and beef, and since there was no means of transportation by which it could be got to the boat, it was destroyed. Considerable surplus ordnance, accoutrements, and horse equipments, were also destroyed; several horses and mules were captured. Having brought off or destroyed everything that could be of use to the enemy, and having accomplished all that circumstances could admit of, I returned to Barrancas with my whole force, where I arrived on the morning of the twenty-eighth.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. B. SPURLING,
Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding.
Brevet Brigadier-General I. BAILEY,
Commanding District West Florida.

January.
The troops arrived at Vicksburg on the fifth

including a large number of bridges, telegraph,
About forty miles on each road is destroyed,
depots, switches, turn-tables, and water-tanks,
four serviceable locomotives, and ten which
cars, a pile-driver and engine, seven hundred fat
were undergoing repairs, about one hundred
hogs, very large amounts of corn and wheat,
and a thousand stand of new arms at Egypt, in
addition to the four thousand destroyed at
Verona.

sults to the enemy, is second, in importance, to
I believe this expedition, in its damaging re-
none during the war.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully,
N. J. T. DANA,
Major-General

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION WEST MISSISSIPPI, Į
NEW ORLEANS, LA., January 18, 1865.

SIR: Your communication of the eighth instant, giving a detailed account of the highly successful expedition led by Brigadier-General Grierson, and which resulted in the complete interruption of the enemy's communications by the Mobile and Ohio and the Mississippi Central railroads, has been received.

The Major-General commanding desires to express to you his gratification at this glorious, and, I might say, almost unexpected success.

The expedition was planned and started under very great disadvantages, and with anything but promising prospects; and but for the high degree of skill, bravery and good conduct, which was evinced throughout, such magnificent results could never have been accomplished.

He desires me to convey to you, and through you to the officers and men composing this expedition, his warmest congratulations and thanks. We all feel that such blows are indeed deathblows to the rebellion.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient
vant,
C. T. CHRISTENSEN,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Assistant Adjutant-General.
Major-General N. J. T. DANA,

Commanding Department of Mississippi.

GENERAL GRIERSON'S REPORT.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF MISSIS-
SIPPI, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, January 14, 1865.

Memphis and Charleston railroad, threatening
Corinth, to a point three miles west of Moscow,
from thence south-east through Early Grove,
Lamar, and Salem, to Ripley.

From Early Grove the Tenth Missouri cavalry, under Captain F. K. Neet, was sent to La Grange and Grand Junction, and destroyed the telegraph and stations at those points, rejoining the column near Salem. From Ripley a detachment of one hundred and fifty men of the Second New Jersey, under Major Van Rensselaer, was sent to destroy the Mobile and Ohio railroad and the telegraph at or near Boonville. At the same time the Fourth Illinois, under Captain A. F. Search, was sent to destroy the same road near Guntown. These detachments rejoined the main column, one at Ellistown, the other at Shannon's station, having destroyed four bridges, eight or ten culverts, several miles of the track and telegraph, and a large quantity of army supplies.

With the main column I moved on Tupelo. Upon arriving at Old Town creek, five miles ser-north of Tupelo, hearing of the existence of a rebel camp and large quantity of army stores at Verona, I ordered Colonel Karge to leave his pack train and proceed rapidly toward that point, and if his information would justify it, to make a night attack upon the place. Our movements thus far had been rapid, and the indications were that the enemy had no knowledge of our presence, as our appearance was a complete surprise to citizens on the line of march.

COLONEL: In obedience to instructions from the Major-General commanding, I ordered Colonel James Karge, commanding First brigade cavalry division, to proceed, on the nineteenth of December, north-east from this point; cross Wolf river at Raleigh, demonstrate strongly toward the crossing of the Hatchie at Bolivar and Estenola; thence swinging south, destroy the telegraph between Grand Junction and Corinth, and join the main column, which was to move the following day at or near Ripley. Owing to heavy rains for several days, the roads were almost impassable, and, as a crossing of Wolf river could not be effected, Colonel Karge re-plies, to the army of General Hood. The burstturned to Memphis.

When within two miles of Verona Colonel Karge struck the enemy's pickets. Notwithstanding the darkness of the night, his advance regiment, the Seventh Indiana, charged into the camp, dispersing the garrison, and destroying two trains, thirty-two cars, and eight warehouses filled with ordnance, commissary and quartermasters' stores; also two hundred army wagons, most of which were marked U. S., having been captured from General Sturgis in June last, and which were about being sent, loaded with sup

ing of shells which were contained in this immense depot continued until afternoon of the next day.

On the morning of December twenty-one I moved with the effective force of my command, consisting of detachments of the Second New Colonel Karge fell back five miles to HarrisJersey, Seventh Indiana, First Mississippi rifles, burg, and encamped with the balance of my Fourth and Tenth Wisconsin, Third and Fourth command on the same night. I encamped be Iowa, Second Wisconsin, Fourth and Eleventh tween Old Town creek and Tupelo, From this Illinois, and Third United States colored cavalry, point I sent the Eleventh Illinois, Lieutenantin all about three thousand five hundred men, Colonel Otto Funk, commanding, with the pioorganized into three brigades, and commanded neer corps, to destroy the extensive railroad respectively by Colonels Karge, Winslow, and bridge over Old Town creek, and the track beOsband; also, company E, Second Iowa cavalry, tween that point and Tupelo. The night was numbering forty men, Lieutenant A. Sherer, very dark and rainy, notwithstanding which commanding, as provost-guard and escort, and Lieutenant-Colonel Funk and his command rea pioneer corps of fifty negroes, commanded by sponded to my orders with alacrity, and before Lieutenant Luvis, of the Seventh Indiana cav-morning had rendered the railroad from Old alry, without artillery or wagons, and with twenty days' light rations carried on packmules.

The whole command moved east, along the

Town creek to Tupelo a complete wreck.

From this point I moved my entire command south along the railroad, destroying thoroughly to a point between Egypt and Prairie station,

about five hundred strong, under Colonel Woods, in which the enemy were defeated, with a reported loss of fifty killed and wounded. I reached Vicksburg with my entire command in good condition, with about six hundred prisoners, eight hundred head of captured stock, and one thousand negroes, who joined the column during the march. For particulars I refer you to the report of the brigade commanders herewith enclosed.

The average distance marched was four hun

fifty-six miles from Boonville, where it was first highly successful; Colonel Osband met and enstruck. The enemy had concentrated a consid-gaged a detachment of Wirt Adams' command, erable force at Okolono, which, upon our approach, fell back to Egypt. Having tapped the wire at Okolono and intercepted despatches from Lieutenant-General Taylor and others, indicating that reinforcements would be sent from Mobile and other points, and learning from deserters who came in on the night of the twentyseventh, that the reinforcements would not be likely to arrive before eleven o'clock A. M. the next day, I accordingly, on the morning of the twenty-eighth, attacked the enemy, variously estimated at from twelve hundred to two thou-dred and fifty miles. sand strong, consisting of cavalry, infantry, and one battery of four guns on platform cars, at Egypt. While the fight was in progress two trains with reinforcements, said to be under command of General Gardner, came in sight, but I threw a force between them and Egypt, which succeeded in capturing a train of cars, tearing up the track two and a half miles south of that point, and engaged the trains with reinforcements, preventing them from joining the garrison at Egypt.

After an engagement of two hours, we killed, captured, and dispersed the enemy. Among the rebel killed were Brigadier-General Gholson and several other officers. Having secured about five hundred prisoners, cared for the dead and wounded, and destroyed all government property, I moved due west to Houston, crossing the Sookatanuchie and Houlka rivers, to both of which streams I sent detachments in advance to secure the bridges. Here the Second Wisconsin, Major Woods commanding, was detailed to take charge of the prisoners; and the officers and men of this regiment deserve much praise for the cheerfulness with which they performed this arduous duty during the balance of the march.

From Houston demonstrations were made to the north toward Pontotoc, and south-east toward West Point, while the column moved south-west via Bellefontaine to the Mississippi Central road, striking it at Winona. From Bellefontaine a demonstration was made southeast toward Starksville, threatening again the Mobile and Ohio railroad. At the same time a detachment of one hundred and twenty men of the Fourth Iowa, under Captain Beckwith, was sent south via Greenboro to Bankston, to destroy large cloth and shoe factories at that point, which employed five hundred hands for the manufacture of those articles of prime necessity to the army.

From Winona Colonel Noble, with detachment of three hundred men of Colonel Winslow's brigade, was sent north to destroy the railroad and all government property between that point and Grenada. Colonel Osband's brigade was sent south on the line of the railroad to destroy it as far as practicable. With the main column I moved south-west, via Lexington and Benton, to Vicksburg. At Benton Colonels Osband and Noble rejoined us, having been

The entire loss in the command during the expedition was four officers and twenty-three enlisted men killed, four officers and eighty-nine enlisted men wounded, and seven enlisted men missing. The destruction of property may be summed up as follows:

Twenty-thousand feet of bridges and trestlework cut down and burned.

Ten miles of track, (rails bent and ties burned.)

Twenty miles of telegraph, (poles cut down and wires destroyed.)

Four serviceable locomotives and tenders, and ten in process of repair.

Ninety-five railroad cars.

Over three hundred army wagons and two caissons.

Thirty warehouses filled with commissary, quartermasters' and ordnance stores.

Large cloth and shoe factory, employing five hundred hands.

Several tanneries and machine shops.
A steam pile-driver.
Twelve new forges.
Seven depot buildings.

Five thousand stand of new arms.
Seven hundred head of fat hogs.

Five hundred bales of cotton, marked C. S. A. Immense amount of grain, leather, wool, and other government property, the value and quantity of which cannot be estimated.

Over one hundred of the prisoners captured at Egypt formerly belonged to our army, and were recruited from Southern prisons into the rebel service, and most of whom, I believe, were induced to join their ranks from a desire to escape a loathsome confinement. I commend them to the leniency of the government.

I take pleasure in bearing testimony to the uniform good conduct of the officers and men of my command, and desire to express my thanks to Colonels Karge, Winslow and Osband, for their cheerful support. I also take occasion to make honorable mention of Major M. H. Williams and Captain S. L. Woodward of my staff, for their untiring energy and gallantry in the discharge of their duties.

This, one of the most successful expeditions of the war, undertaken as it was, at a period when roads and streams were considered almost impassable, could not have met with such extraordinary success without the patient

DOCUMENTS.

Doc. 57.

JAMES RIVER EXPEDITION.

UNITED STATES STEAMER ONONDAGA,
JAMES RIVER, VA., three miles above City Point,
Thursday Evening, May 5, 1864.

We have this day seen the beginning of the spring campaign. The strong arm of the government is again extended toward the heart of the Confederacy, and we trust-how earnestlythat it may not fail to gain the prize which seems almost within its grasp. The iron-clad fleet which has been gathered near the mouth of this river has found another, if not a safer, anchorage.

Until yesterday, we were not aware that the movement of the fleet in this matter would be made so soon. During the day, yesterday, the fourth instant, a number of new steamers, of the class familiarly called "double-enders," came up from Hampton Roads, and joined the fleet which has for a few days been at anchor off Newport News, and which consisted of the iron-clads Roanoke, Onondaga, two turrets; Canonicus, Tecumseh and Saugus, one turret each, and the Atlanta; of double-enders, the Mackinaw and Eutaw; of gunboats, the Dawn, Osceola, Commodore Jones, Stepping Stone, and a large number of powerful armed tugs. Besides these there were steamboats armed as army transports, of all sizes, shapes, colors and models. In the evening the broad river off Newport News Point was filled with the different vessels, so that it was difficult for the iron-clads to manoeuvre among them, as they were obliged to do to take their allotted places in the line which had been planned for the movement in the morning. During the afternoon Admiral Lee transferred his flag from the steam frigate Minnesota, his former flag-ship, to the fine steamer Malvern, formerly the blockade-runner Ella and Annie, and came up into the fleet and took command. During the afternoon and evening all were busy in completing the plans for the work of the coming day. It was ordered that all vessels should be ready to move this morning at four o'clock. The morning came, and in the dim twilight the vessels got under way slowly, quietly moving from the stations they had occupied during the night. It was five o'clock before the column was passed, and then the movement of the strange-looking line began. The morning was unusually fine, the atmosphere was soft and refreshing, the river was without a ripple, and nature seemed strangely in contrast with the mission upon which we had set

out. Scarcely any of our rivers afford more
enchanting scenery or a more delightful sail
than the James, and although our errand was not
not to enjoy so beautiful a trip. At six o'clock
one in search of pleasure, still it was impossible
A. M. the Admiral came by the line in his flag-
ship, passed up, and was soon lost in the dis-
tance. Soon after we came to the "Wren" (so-
called as a coast-survey signal-station), a fine
Virginia residence, situated high up on the
green sloping bank of the river. Upon the por-
tico was a group of ladies, who intently viewed
us through their glasses, yet made no disloyal
demonstration, as Southern ladies sometimes do.
At nine o'clock we came to Jamestown Island,
upon the lower point of which we saw log
cabins partially destroyed, and further along
the banks, series of earth-works, quite extensive.
The ruins of the old church, which was the first
Protestant church built in America, is one of
As we moved by the island, the
the few remaining marks of that short-lived set-
tlement.
steamer Grayhound, with General Butler and
leaning on the window of the pilot-house, and
staff, passed by; the General was carelessly
from his unassuming manner, his genial and
abolished
frank, though much-abused face, he hardly
looked the man who had just assumed command
of sixty thousand men, and who
Soon after ten o'clock we passed the mouth
slavery by an epigram."
of the Chickahominy, and although its bosom
was unruffled, and the foliage which skirted its
banks was soft and green, we did not think of
these which we saw with our own eyes, but of
Fair Oaks, Malvern Hills, and Seven Pines; of a
brilliant army demoralized and retreating, and
At one o'clock we came to Fort Powhatan, a
of forty thousand graves they left behind.
large, strong, and extensive work, on the west
bank of the river, and where it makes a bend to
the north, so that the fort commands the river
for a long distance below. It is on top of a
bank, at the elevation of eighty or ninety feet
above the river, and seems almost impregnable,
although the rebels have been driven from it
once or twice by our gunboats; it is now un-
occupied. Two of the transports have stopped,
as though it was intended to disembark the
men, but after a little while they push off, and
are up the river again.

66

Up a few miles further, and we are in view of the advance vessels of the fleet, prominent among which is the flag-ship. Below us immediately is the remainder of the iron-clad fleet, and further below, even until they are lost in the river bend, are ocean and river steamers, side-wheels and propellers, barges, canal-boats, and sailing vessels, long lines of them, crowded even in shrouds and at mast-heads, with soldiers, whose bright belt-plates and bayonets glisten in the sun.

clean

Through our glasses we look up the river again, and see our advance vessels off the long pier at Harrison's landing, and away beyond on a distant hill, between two high tree-tops, the