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CAPTURE OF GRAND GULF, MISSISSIPPI.

ADMIRAL D. D. PORTER'S REPORT.

FIGHT AT WARRENTON JUNCTION, VA. FLAG-SHIP BENTON, GRAND GULF, MISS., May 3, 1863. FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE, May 4, 1803. Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy: THE telegraph last evening conveyed the intelSIR: I have the honor to report, that I got ligence of a fight at Warrenton Junction between under way this morning with the Lafayette, a portion of Stahel's cavalry, under command of Carondelet, Mound City, and Pittsburgh, and Colonel De Forrest, and Moseby's guerrillas. The proceeded up to the forts at Grand Gulf for the rebels, numbering about three hundred, succeedpurpose of attacking them again, if they had noted in passing the outposts between eight and been abandoned. The enemy had left before we nine o'clock yesterday morning. They then got up, blowing up their ammunition, spiking made a dash upon some eighty men of the First their large guns, and burying or taking away Virginia, who were dismounted, feeding their the lighter ones. The armament consisted of horses. These men finding that they could not thirteen guns in all. The works are of the most mount in time to resist the attack, prepared to extensive kind, and would seem to defy the defend themselves on foot. As the rebels came efforts of a much heavier fleet than the one which up, they gave them a volley which emptied a silenced them. The forts were literally torn to number of saddles and checked the onset. A pieces by the accuracy of our fire. Colonel desperate fight now occurred, and for a short Wade, the commandant of the batteries, was killed, also his chief of staff. Eleven men were killed that we know of, and our informant says that many were wounded, and that no one was permitted to go inside the forts after the action, except those belonging there.

We had a hard fight for these forts, and it is with real pleasure that I report that the navy holds the door to Vicksburgh. Grand Gulf is the strongest place on the Mississippi. Had the enemy succeeded in finishing the fortifications, no fleet could have taken them.

time the First Virginia succeeded in keeping them at bay. But numbers told, and the rebels captured about half the force, the others fighting gallantly. One of our men was shot after he had given up his arms, and this cowardly act aroused his comrades for revenge.

men.

Meanwhile a force of the Fifth New-York, led by Major Hammond, had come up, and they gallantly charged the rebels with the sabre, completely routing them and recapturing all our Major Hammond continued in pursuit beyond Warrenton. The rebels fought desperately, I have been all over the works and found them but only succeeded in killing one of the First as follows: One fort on a point of rocks, seventy- Virginia and wounding sixteen, five of whom five feet high, calculated for six or seven guns, were officers. The rebel loss was very heavy, mounting two seven-inch rifles and one eight- their dead being left upon the field and scattered inch and one Parrott gun on wheels, which was by the roadside. Twenty-three prisoners were carried off. On the left of this work is a trian- taken, fifteen of whom were wounded. Among gular work calculated to mount one heavy gun. Moran. Moran has been Moseby's right bower the prisoners is the notorious bushwhacker, Dick These works are connected with another fort by a covered way and double rifle-pits extending for a long time. He says he told Moseby not to one quarter of a mile, constructed with much make this attack, that our force was too large, labor and showing great skill on the part of the and that they would be whipped. He thinks constructor. The third fort commands the river Moseby threw the command into a fight which in all directions. It mounted one splendid Blake- he had no business to undertake, and so sacrily one hundred pounder, one eight-inch and two ficed his men. Moran is badly wounded. thirty pounders. The latter were lying bursted or broken on the ground.

The gunboats had so covered up every thing with earth that it was impossible to see at first what was there, with the exception of the guns

that were dismounted or broken.

Every gun that fell into our hands was in good condition, and we found a large quantity of am

munition.

These are by far the most extensively built works, with the exception of those at Vicksburgh, I have seen yet, and I am happy to say that we hold them.

I am dismounting the guns and getting on

board the ammunition.

Since making the above examination new forts have been passed nearly finished. They had no guns, but were complete of the kind as regards position, and had heavy field-pieces in them.

DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear Admiral, Commanding Mississippi Squadron.

Templeton, a rebel spy, who has been in Washington within a week, and who was supplied with all kinds of papers, was killed. The prisoners belong to Stuart's Black Horse cavalry, Hampton's legion, Richardson's battalion, and Moseby's battalion. One of them, formerly a Major in the Quartermaster's Department of the C.S.A., resigned his position for the purpose of joining Moseby. His name is S. P. Lushane, and he hails from Washington, Pa. The man who shot one of our men who was made prisoner is also wounded and with the prisoners. Our offe cers and men behaved with great gallantry. Mention is to be made of Major Hammond, Captains Krom, Penfield, and McMasters, of the Fifth New-York, Captain Harris, of the First Virginia, and Captain Bean, of the First Vermont. Moseby begins to understand by this time that guerrilla fighting has its reverses as well as successes. lie has now lost within a week, by capture and death, over one hundred and fifty men, and Gen

eral Stahel does not intend he shall have much burned the old bridge early last fall. That night, peace until all are captured or dispersed.

CASUALTIES.

KILLED: Private Nichols, company C, First Virginia.

WOUNDED: Major Josiah Steele, First Virginia, mortally; Captain Wm. A. McCoy, company C, First Virginia, slightly; Captain A. H. Krom, company G, Fifth New-York, dangerously; First Lieutenant Frank Munson, company L, Fifth New-York, slightly; Second Lieutenant Samuel McBride, company B, Fifth New-York, slightly; Levi Lowe, company C, First Virginia, slightly; James Swihart, company N, First Virginia, dan gerously; Isaac Shaw, company H, First Virginia, dangerously; William McDade, company B, First Virginia, slightly; Michael Murphy, company C, First Virginia, dangerously; Franklin Doak, company B, First Virginia, slightly; Thos. P. Hatfield, company C, First Virginia, dangerously; David Stuller, company F, First Virginia, slightly; Bartholomew Grimer, company M, First Virginia, mortally; Jeremiah Riggs, company B, First Virginia, slightly; Bowman, company B, First Virginia, mortally, (since died.)

Doc. 186.

-New-York Tribune.

CLAYTON'S RAID IN ARKANSAS.

A NATIONAL ACCOUNT.

HELENA, ARKANSAS, May 15, 1863. HAVING been along with the expedition that has just returned from White River, Bayou de Vieu, and Saint Francis, I will endeavor to give you a slight sketch of the most important incidents, and of the battle at Mount Vernon, Saint Francis County, between Colonel Carter's Texas Rangers and the Fifth Kansas cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jenkins.

On the morning of the sixth ultimo, an expedition left this point, having for its object the thorough scouring of the country lying west, to the White River, north to Bayou de Vieu, and east to the Saint Francis, the destruction of all forage likely to subsist the enemy, and ascertaining the whereabouts of General Price's forces, who were reported as marching upon this place from Little Rock.

The troops comprising this expedition were the Fifth Illinois cavalry, four hundred men; the Fifth Kansas cavalry, three hundred and twentyfive men; First Indiana cavalry, two hundred and fifty men, and one section of the Dubuque battery; all under command of Colonel Powell Clayton, Fifth Kansas cavalry, at present commanding the Second brigade, Second cavalry division, army of Tennessee.

They all left on the Little Rock road; but about six miles out, the infantry took the Moreau and Cotton Plant road, expecting to meet Coleman at Switzer's, on the prairie, seven miles from Cotton Plant. The cavalry marched to the crossing of Big Creek the first day, and proceeded to build a pontoon-bridge, the rebels having

by midnight, the bridge was completed, and by noon the next day the whole command was safely over. We then marched to within eight miles of Clarendon, and encamped upon a plantation where the rebels kept a picket-post. Our men fired upon their pickets, killing one and taking one prisoner. They also got a fine Sharpe's target rifle and uniform coat- confederate, of

course.

On the morning of the eighth the Colonel sent Lieutenant-Colonel Jenkins, with the Fifth Kansas, off the road about eight miles, for the purpose of getting a camp of negroes, who were sent there by their masters to keep them out of

our way.

66

Taking a guide, they made their way through almost impassable "bayous" and "soughs" until they reached the island. Here they met the 'darkies," men, women, and children, mounted on mules, ponies, and horses. They immediately turned and fled; and now commenced a scene which baffles description. The boys after them, and the Colonel foremost, shouting at the top of their voices for them to stop, that no harm was meant them. After an exciting chase of half an hour, they were all overtaken except three. They gave as their reason for running that they had been told we would take and put them in our front in battle, and thus they would all be killed. We found at a house on this island, canister shot for six-pounder guns, and a large amount of powder and lead, all of which we destroyed. We reached Switzer's that night, and found infantry and all there. We had met no enemy so far, except an occasional guerrilla squad. After grazing our jaded horses, (for there was no corn,) we started next morning for Madison, on the Saint Francis, and Wittsburgh, fifteen or twenty miles above, while the infantry returned to Helena by way of Moreau, Marianna, and Lagrange.

The road from Switzer's to the l'Anguille River is known as the Military road, and goes to Memphis. For about six miles it leads through a level prairie, and then striking the timber, it is a corduroy or causeway, not wide enough to turn a wagon on, and a deep ditch on either side, until it strikes the l'Anguille at a point known as the Bridge, some twenty or twenty-five miles from Switzer's, and twenty miles west and north of Madison."

About one mile west of the bridge is where the Fourth Iowa cavalry was surprised and defeated last fall by the Texans. Colonel Clayton stopped here with the First Indiana and the artillery, sending Colonel Jenkins forward to Taylor's Creek, five miles distant, with the Fifth Kansas and Fifth Illinois.

We camped that night (the tenth) at Dr. Cobb's, one of the murderers of Lipps, a Union man. This Cobb, with his brother and twentyfive other miscreants, went to Lipp's house, knocked his wife down with a revolver, and murdered Lipps in cold blood, and all this for his outspoken and determined Unionism. Dozens of persons will testify to this to the very letter.

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Cobb had taken the precaution to leave, and is safe at Little Rock. Let him beware, should ever the Fifth Kansas get him; a short shrift and a long rope will be his reward.

tre was now strengthened, the flanks and rear well guarded; and though the rebels kept up an almost continuous volley, it seemed to be felt by both officers and men that their real force was yet to come.

The rebels were about eighty yards from us, in line across the road, when they poured in a heavy volley, and parted to the right and left, making way for those from behind.

And now a sight met our eyes well calculated

The next morning, about two P.M., a despatch came, ordering the Colonel (as we understood) to proceed to Hugh's Ferry, via Mount Vernon, and ascertain the whereabouts of Dobbins's regiment of guerrillas, as well as the practicability of crossing the whole command at that place, and report to Colonel Clayton by message that after-to make the sternest heart quail. A regiment noon. At six A.M. of the eleventh we started, or column of cavalry was seen coming down and after going over the hills of Crowley's ridge, upon us at full speed-the officers waving their about fifteen miles, we came down into the sabres, encouraging their men. When within l'Anguille bottom. We followed the base of the sixty yards, the whole column broke out into a ridge down to McDaniel's Mills, seven miles mad yell, such as might have come from ten from the ferry, taking its owner prisoner. We thousand Camanche Indians. burned the mill, which had been grinding for the rebels all winter, and in this bottom alone we destroyed by fire about fifty thousand or sixty thousand bushels of corn.

Then it was that our Lieutenant-Colonel showed of what stuff he was made. Sitting calmly and bravely on his horse, right amidst his men, he encouraged them both by orders and example. "Reserve your fire, men, until they are close on you, and then let every shot tell." And how they obeyed, the sequel but too well showed. When within thirty or forty yards, they were met by such a storm of balls as made many a gallant rider bite the dust; and though the weight and impetus of the column carried them almost to us, the fire was so severe and concentrated they broke right and left and retreated, leaving several dead and wounded behind. In the course of fif teen minutes, or perhaps thirty, during which time they kept up a constant firing, the same thing was repeated again.

A negro here came into camp, stating that General Marmaduke had six thousand men up at Wittsburgh, and that there was a plan laid to cut us off, as follows: Dobbins was to be at the ferry with five hundred men, while a column was to attack us from above. A consultation was held, and then the Fifth Illinois started for the Widow Hinton's, four miles above, at the foot of the ridge, to feed; and as soon as our regiment had fed, the bugle sounded to horse, and we started for Taylor's Creek, where Colonel Clayton was to meet us, or remain to hear from us. Passing the Fifth Illinois about four P.M., we proceeded to a point about five miles be- This time a large and fine-looking officer was yond; and when nearing Mount Vernon, the at their very head, while a little on one side rode quick, sharp report of the rifles of the advanced a richly dressed field-officer, whom our men reguard notified us of the proximity of the enemy; cognized immediately as Colonel Carter, he hav a loud and more sonorous volley informed using been in our camp three days last fall when that they had replied with their double-barrelled here with a flag of truce. shot-guns.

Colonel Jenkins immediately rode to the front, and the regiment came up at a sharp gallop. They found the enemy drawn up in a line across the ridge, about one hundred yards in advance. The Colonel now ordered the regiment to dismount, keeping about eight or ten men to hold every forty horses; and company A was deployed to the right, and another company to the left, and ordered to move forward as skirmishers, other companies covering the centre.

On they came, with that same wild yell, more desperate from their first repulse; and now their confederate flag was seen waving close to the front. When they are close up, "Give it to them, boys, and fire low!" was the Colonel's orders, as he sat watching the coming shock, while the lead was whistling all around him; and well they obeyed the order. The Captain leading the column fell, shot through and through, within striking distance of our men. Colonel Carter here went down, whilst the color-sergeant tumbled And now commenced an engagement, lasting headlong from his saddle close to us. And here about three quarters of an hour, our men driving a piece of bravery and gallantry was performed. the rebels before them with loud cheers; break-worthy of the far-famed ranger. After a more ing their line three different times, and punishing them severely.

At length they appeared in such force that it was deemed advisable to choose a favorable position and make a stand. We were on a wide oak ridge, and had forced the enemy back about one third of a mile.

A large oak tree had been thrown nearly across the road by a storm, and the road had to bend a little to get around it; having no branchfforded an excellent cover for about forty re we were ordered to halt. The cen

terrible punishment than before, they broke in the same way, and just as the last of the columu wheeled off to the right, a ranger noticed his colors, and swinging himself clear over to one side, gathered them up and rode off.

And now a piteous scene presented itself-the ground was strewn with dead and wounded rebels, the wounding asking beseechingly for wa ter. "For God's sake, water!" and though the fight was not over, our men procured a little in a ravine near by, and gave it to them.

The Captain proved to be Captain McKee, com

pany B, Twenty-first Texas, a large man weigh- forts defending the approaches to the city, by the ing about two hundred and twenty-five pounds. naval force under my command. Twenty-four He informed us it was Colonel Carter's brigade, hours after we arrived the advance-guard of Unitand that his regiment had never before been re-ed States troops came into the city, and General pulsed in a charge. Upon questioning him, we Banks arriving soon after, I turned the place over also learned that Colonel Clayton had fell back to his keeping. The water beginning to fall, I west of the bridge, and that there were two bri- deemed it prudent to return with the largest vesgades between us; also that they intended to cut sels to the mouth of the Red River. I dropped us off from the crossing at Hugh's Ferry. In a down to Forts De Russy in the Benton, and unfew minutes they attempted a third charge, but dertook to destroy these works. I only suconly came part way, gave a faint cheer and fell ceeded, however, in effectually destroying the back once more. three heavy casemates commanding the channel, and a small water-battery for two guns. About six hundred yards below it I also destroyed by bursting one heavy thirty-two pounder and some gun-carriages left in their hurry by the enemy. The main fort, on a hill some nine hundred yards from the water, I was unable to attend to. It is quite an extensive work, quite new and incomplete, but built with much labor and pains. It will take two or three vessels to pull it to pieces : I have not the powder to spare to blow it up. The vessels will be ordered to work at it occasionally, and it will be soon destroyed.

They now opened on us with artillery, and it was deemed prudent to withdraw. Their loss in killed was nearly thirty, and wounded about three times as many. Our own loss was only one killed and fourteen wounded. We attribute the large disproportion of wounded to their shot-guns. Our men took from the dead several trophies in the way of revolvers, shot-guns, etc.

The Fifth Illinois now came up, the recall was sounded, and we retired in perfect order.

We reached the ferry about midnight. At daylight on the morning of the twelfth, we commenced crossing our horses, and by noon we had swam seven hundred and twenty-five horses over a deep river one hundred yards wide, and crossed all the men without a single accident. The infantry returning to Marianna, caused Dobbins to change camp.

The Fifth Kansas will now bet their bottom dollar on their Lieutenant-Colonel, as well as their Majors, Sam Walker and T. W. Scudder.

Col. Clayton arrived at Helena on the morning of the thirteenth, and the Fifth came in that night. Colonel Clayton drove the rebels back at Taylor's Creek and made good his retreat to Helena. Altogether this is the most important scout ever made from Helena-so says General Prentiss. Marmaduke has been again repulsed with loss, and General Prentiss has received certain information of his whereabouts. He destroyed over one hundred thousand bushels of corn for the enemy, and brought a good many negroes out of slavery. Excuse the length of this letter; but as this has made quite a stir, I thought you would like some items. ORDERLY SERGEANT.

In this last-mentioned fort was mounted the eleven-inch gun, which, I am led to believe, lies in the middle of the river, near the fort, the rebels throwing it overboard in their panic at the approach of our gunboats. The raft which closed the entrance I have blown up, sawed in two, and presented to the poor of the neighborhood.

I sent Commander Woodworth in the Price, with the Switzerland, Pittsburgh, and Arizona, up Black River to make a reconnoissance, and he destroyed a large amount of stores valued at three hundred thousand dollars, consisting of salt, sugar, rum, molasses, tobacco, and bacon. DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear-Admiral, Commanding Mississippi Squadron Hon. GIDEON WELLES,

Secretary of the Navy.

Doc. 188.

GENERAL STONEMAN'S RAID

THROUGH VIRGINIA, APRIL 29 TO MAY 7.
YORKTOWN, May 7, 1863.

P. S. Our surgeon, who was left with two To Major-General Halleck: wounded men, we having no ambulances, has COLONEL Kilpatrick, with his regiment, the Harjust returned, and reports that he saw two cap-ris Light cavalry, and the rest of the Illinois tains and two lieutenants who were killed, and Twelfth regiment, have just arrived at Gloucester two lieutenants severely wounded. Also, eight- Point, opposite the fort. They burned the bridges een privates so severely wounded as to have beds; over the Chickahomíny, destroyed three large they admit they were beaten. Colonel Clayton trains of provisions in the rear of Lee's army, defeated them at Taylor's Creek, with the First drove in the rebel pickets to within two miles of Indiana, and Colonel Jenkins at Mt. Vernon with Richmond, and have lost only one lieutenant and the Fifth Kansas-a punishment they will not thirty men, having captured and paroled three soon forget. O. S. hundred prisoners. Among the prisoners was an aid to General Winder, who was captured, with his escort, far within the intrenchments outside of Richmond. This cavalry have marched nearly two hundred miles since the third of May. They were inside of the fortifications of Richmond on the fourth, and burned all the stores at Ayle's Station, on the Mattapony. On the fifth they destroyed all the bridges over the Pamunkey and

Doc. 187.

CAPTURE OF ALEXANDRIA, MISS.

DESPATCH OF ADMIRAL PORTER.

MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, FLAG-SHIP GEN. PRICE,
GRAND GULF, Miss., May 12.
SIR: I have the honor to inform you, from
Alexandria, of the capture of that place and the

Mattapony, and a large depot of corn and stores
near and above the Rappahannock, and came in
here in good condition. They deserve great credit
for what they have done. It is one of the finest
feats of the war.
RUFUS KING,
Brigadier-General Commanding Post.

COLONEL KILPATRICK'S REPORT.

YORKTOWN, VA., May 8.

the officers of my staff, Captain P. Owen Jones, Captain Armstrong, and Captain McIrvin, Doctor Hackley and Lieutenant Estis, especially the latter, who volunteered to carry a despatch to MajorGeneral Hooker. He failed in the attempt, but with his escort of ten men he captured and paroled one major, two captains, a lieutenant, and fifteen men. He was afterward himself captured, with his escort, and was afterward recaptured by

Major-General H. W. Halleck, Commander-in-our own forces. He arrived this morning. I canChief, United States Army.

not praise too highly the bravery, fortitude, and
untiring energy displayed throughout the march
by Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, and the officers and
men of Ira Harris's Light cavalry, not one of
whom but was willing to lose his liberty or his
life, if he could but aid in the great battle now
going on, and win for himself the approbation of
his chiefs. Respectfully submitted,
J. KILPATRICK,

Colonel Comd'g First Brigade, Third Division Cavalry.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL DAVIS'S REPORT.

HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY,
GLOUCESTER POINT, VA., May 10, 1863.

To Brigadier-General Rufus King, Commanding
at Yorktown:

last.

My orders were to penetrate to the Fredericksburgh Railroad, and, if possible, to the Virginia Central, and destroy communications. Should we cross the Virginia Central, I was to make for Williamsburgh, said to be in possession of our forces.

GENERAL I have the honor to report that, by direction of Major-General Stoneman, I left Louisa Court-House on the morning of the third inst., with one regiment (the Harris Light cavalry) of my brigade; reached Hungary, on the Fredericksburgh Railroad, at daylight on the morning of the fourth, destroyed the depot, telegraph wires, and railroad for several miles, passed over to the Brook turnpike; drove in the rebel pickets down the pike across the Brook; charged a battery and forced it to retire to within two miles of the city of Richmond; captured Lieutenant Brown, aidde-camp to General Winder, and eleven men within the fortification; passed down to the left to the Meadow Bridge, on the Chickahominy, which I burned; ran a train of cars into the river; re- GENERAL: In compliance with your request, I tired to Hanovertown, on the Peninsula; crossed have the honor to submit the following report of and destroyed the ferry just in time to check the the operations of the Twelfth Illinois cavalry advance of a pursuing cavalry force; burned a since leaving the main body of the cavalry corps, train of thirty wagons, loaded with bacon; cap-on the South-Anna, on the morning of Sunday tured thirteen prisoners, and encamped for the night five miles from the river. I resumed my march at one A.M. of the fifth; surprised a force of three hundred cavalry at Aylett's, captured two officers and thirty-three men; burned fiftysix wagons and the depot, containing upward of twenty thousand barrels of corn and wheat, quantities of clothing and commissary stores, and safely crossed the Mattapony and destroyed the ferry again, just in time to escape the advance of the rebel cavalry pursuit. Late in the evening I destroyed a third wagon-train and depot, a few miles above and west of Tappahannock, on the Rappahannock, and from that point made a forced march of twenty miles, being closely followed by a superior force of cavalry, supposed to be a portion of Stuart's, from the fact that we captured prisoners from the First, Fifth, and Tenth Virginia cavalry. At sundown I discovered a force of cavalry drawn up in line of battle above King and Queen Court-House. The strength was unknown, but I at once advanced to the attack, only, however, to discover that they were friends, a portion of the Twelfth Illinois cavalry, who had become separated from the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, of the same regiment. At ten A.M., on the seventh, I found safety and rest under our brave old flag, within our lines at Gloucester Point.

The raid and march about the entire rebel army, a march of nearly two hundred miles, has been made in less than five days, with a loss of one officer and thirty-seven men, having captured and paroled upward of eight hundred men.

I take great pleasure in bringing to your notice

We marched before daybreak, passing down the bank of the South-Anna, through a region never before occupied by our forces. We burned one bridge, and dispersed a party of mounted guerrillas, who made a poor attempt to oppose us. We struck the first railway line at Ashland Lieutenant Mitchell, with about a dozen men, was sent ahead to occupy the place. We dashed into the village, and took it without loss. There were but few of the enemy there, and they escaped us We captured their arms, however, and destroyed them. Words cannot describe the astonishment of the inhabitants at our appearance.

I assured them that no harm would be done their persons or property, and were soon better acquainted. We cut the telegraph wire and tore up a half-dozen rails, and piling a quantity of boards in some trestle-work south of the town, made an immense fire which soon consumed the entire structure. While at this work, a train of cars, approaching the town, was captured and brought in for inspection. It proved to be an ambulance train from Fredericksburgh of seven cars filled with two hundred and fifty sick and wounded, officers and soldiers, with a guard Among them was an aid of General Letcher, and several officers of considerable rank. We re ceived their version of the late fight, and paroled

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