Tho Attack on Wilson's Zouaves.

The Attaek on Wilson's Zouaves.

men,

Commander Hollins'

General Anderson led on ten killed, sixteen wounded
his men with loud cries of and nine prisoners; regu-

“No quarter to Wilson's lars, four killed, twenty He penetrated to the Quartermaster's wounded and ten prisoners. department, in the rear of the Colonel's quar- This affair served, for the moment, to break ters. The conflict was of the most desperate the ennui of that lonely island occupation. and stubborn character. It raged from four It greatly inspirited the field forces and the o'clock in the morning until half-past eight. garrison. Their only pastime, for months, Colonel Wilson's quarters were totally de- had been alligator hunting and snake chases stroyed, as were those of most of his men. ---the islands and adjacent lagunes bearing About five o'clock reenforcements of regulars prolific crops of these loathesome creatures. from the Fort came to their assistance, Captain After the fight, however, matters subsided Hildt's and Captain Robertson's companies, again, and Bragg's five thousand men did litand two companies under Major Arnold, in tle else than fight the coast fever and mosall about one hundred and fifty men. Captain quitoes during their further stay in that viDobie, with company A, of Colonel Wilson's cinity. The rebel commander, notwithstandregiment, also came up at the same time. ing his long line of batteries, enveloping The total number of the Union troops at this Pickens like a terrible balf-moon, never estime was about four hundred and fifty men sayed the task of “driving the Federals out -none of the companies on Santa Rosa like hornets" from their frowning fortress. Island, either regulars or volunteers, being The blockailing squadfull. As the day began to break the rebels | ron off the Mississippi river Attack on the Block

ading Vessels. sadly realized that the chance to carry mouths was excited by a out their original plan of annihilating Colo- rather unique diversion of the redoubtable nel Wilson's regiment was gone, and as the Commander Hollins, whose bombardment of Union forces at this time made several bril- the adobe huts of San Juan was his latest liant charges, the enemy sounded a retreat. naval exploit. The Commander planned an

Then commenced a contest in which both expedition of fire rafts, gunboats and a ram, parties showed remarkable valor and tenacity. against the blockading vessels then infesting The regulars fought with a steady will that the river above the passes, to the entire exgreatly served to tone down the desperate clusion of commerce with the Southern mecourage of the Zouaves who were, at all mo- tropolis. He proposed to “ raise the blockments, ready for the hand to hand encounter. ade" by sinking the squadron. The rebel The line of the retreat was contested, for gunboat Iey came down the river on the 9th eight miles, when the Confederates gained of October (1861) to reconnoitre and challenge the shore and commenced their reembarka- the vessels to a long range fight. As she had tion. They sought to cover their escape but performed the same service several times, no suffered severely. Charge after charge was unusual importance was attached to her visit, made by the Zouaves and regulars--in all although the evidence of a new rifled gun of instances with success. The steamer and long range on her decks, was rendered rather scows used as transports were fairly riddled unpleasantly evident to the Federal steamer, by the rifle balls of the Federalists. One Richmond, and the ships Preble and Vincennes. scow finally swamped under its over load, Tlie 10th and 11th passed without any further and the steamer had to receive, under fire, demonstration ; but, at three A. M. of the 12th, the bulk of the rebel force-or so much of it the Richmonié was startled by a shock from as had not been killed, wounded, taken pris- an ugly looking monster, which suddenly oners or scattered over the sand wastes. burst out of the darkness and came steaming Thirty were secured as prisoners and twenty-| down like a messenger of vengeance. She one were buried by Wilson's men. The entire struck the Richmond abreast the port chan. rebel loss,

killed, wounded, drowned and nels, raking a coal transport from the steamprisoners, was ascertained to exceed three er's lashings, and making an uglv-hole in the hundred. The Federal loss was : Zouaves, I ship's side-three planks being stove in two

Commander Hollns
Attack on the Block-

ading Squadron.

said:

feet below the water line. | present a broadside. She had, therefore, to
The men were quickly at fight with her head down stream.
their quarters, and, as the On the success of this

Hollins' Report.
ram passed abreast the ship, the entire port "expedition” the New Or-
battery gave the adventurer a salute of iron leans people counted with confidence. It was
bail. The Richmond's cable was then slipped a well conceived plan for ridding the river
and she proceeded to drop down the river- of a provoking. obstruction; but, it was so
the other ships of the blockade being signal- badly executed as to result in nothing. The
ed to pass on ahead, while the Richmond cov- report of Commodore Hollins, however, made
ered their exit by way of the S. W. pass, to it a grand success. It read:
the Gulf. The ram did not again make hier

“ FORT JACKSON, Oct. 12th, 1861. appearance. The river above presented a “ Last night I attacked the blockaders with my somewhat startling spectacle. A line of blaz- little fleet. I succeeded, after a very short struggle, ing fire rafts stretched entirely across the in driving them all aground on the Southwest Pass channel, bearing down upon the squadron bar, except the Preble, which I sunk.

“I captured a prize from them, and after they with the current. Behind them, to assist in

were fast in sand I peppered them well. the consummation of the proposed destruc

“ There were no casualties on our side. It was a tion, were five steamers, well armed and of

complete success.

HOLLINS." light draught, ready to play upon the Federal

The prize referred to was the coal transships from any quarter. The Preble passed the bar in safety, but the Vincennes and Rich- port cut away from the Richmond's si le on

the first shock of the ram. No Federal vesmond grounded. Captain Pope in his report

sel

was sunk nor any disabled. The Com

modore rested on his honors, and was heard “ This occurred about eight o'clock, and the ene

of no more. my, who were now down the river with the fire

But to him belongs the credit steamers, commenced firing at us, while we return

of having first tried the principle of the water ed the fire from our port battery and rifled gun on ram, and his partial success served to incite the poop-our sirot, however, falling short of the those other efforts, in the same direction, enemy, while their shell burst on all sides of us, and which resulted in the introduction of a new several passed directly over the ship.

and most powerful agent of destruction. “At half-past nine Commander Handy, of the Vin. The Confederates were

Escape of the Nash. cennes, mistaking my signal to the ships outside the further delighted, at this

villo, &c. bar to get under way for a signal to abandon bis time, by the escape from ship, came on board ide Riamond with all his of- Charleston S. C. barbor, (October 11th,) of ficers and a large number of the crew, the remain- | the steamer Nashville, having on board a valder having gone on board the Water Witch. Cap. uable cargo of cotton and turpentine. Also tain Handy before leaving his ship had placed a

of the steamer Theodora, October 12th, with slow match at the magazine. Having waited a rea

the Commissioners extraordinary of the Southsonable time for an explosion, I directed Command

ern Government to the Courts of St. James er Handy to return to his ship with his crew, to start his water, and if necessary, at his own request, and St. Cloud, viz: James M. Mason of Virto throw overboard his small guns, for the purpose ginia, and John Slidell of New Orleans. The of lightening his ship, and to carry out a kedge with Vishville passed out of the harbor on the a cable to heave off by. At ten A. M. the enemy night of Friday, October 11th, under comceased firing, and withdrew up the river. During mand of Captain Robert B. Pegram, formerly the engagement a shell entered onr quarter port, of the United States navy. She was a fine and one of the boats was stove by another shell."

fleet craft, stolen from her New York owners The two ships were dragged over the bar by the South Carolina "authorities," before safely during the day. Captain Pope stated the date of President Lincoln's proclamation that he would have stopped at Pilot-town of April 13th, with the design of making her (the junction of the passes), and there have the nucleus of the proposed Confederate navy. given battle, but the great length of the tag Could those authorities have been as sucship would not allow her to wind so as to | cessful in “appropriating" Government vessels

The Chicacomico

Aflair.

The Chicacomico

Aflair.

as in other preparatory | being to cut off Brown's Escape of the Nash.

plunder of the resources retreat. This, however, they ville, &c.

of the United States, they failed to do, for Colonel might have had a navy with which to defend Brown destroyed whatever property was not their harbors quite effectually. The Theodora portable, and, after a double quick march passed out the night following the Nashville's through the sand, reached the lighthouse in escape, running direct for Cardenas, Cuba. the evening, with the loss of about fifty-most The drama of their arrest by the vigilant of them being stragglers, and officers trying Commander Wilkes, was soon to follow, form- to reclaim them, taken prisoners. ing one of the most exciting and important Colonel Hawkins, apprised of this attempt events of the year.

to bag the whole regiment, at once commuA somewhat remarkable nicated with the fleet, and then marched, conflict occurred on the with six companies, to the lighthouse, to re

Hatteras beach, Oct. 4th enforce Colonel Brown. Of the fleet, the and 5th, which deserves more than a brief Susquehanna and Monticello were present. Summary allusion,

These vessels at once moved up to the vicini. The 20th Indiana regiment, Colonel Brown, ty of the lighthouse. Thus affairs stood was dispatched by Colonel Hawkins-com- during the evening and night of the 4th. On mandant at the fort—to form a camp at Chi- the following morning, the Monticello, comcacomico, a settlement about forty miles south manded by Lieutenant Braine, doubled the of the Inlet, where a number of Unionists cape and proceeded along the shore to look were understood to dwell. The camp was for the enemy. The vessel had not gone far formed for their protection. The regiment when the rebels were seen, whereupon the proceeded, late in September, to the point Monticello opened fire. The exploding sliells named, in the propeller Fanny, accompanied did the work proposed. Not only were the by the gunboats Ceres and General Putnam. rebels scattered in every direction, but, owo Nothing transpired to cause alarm until the ing to the precision with which the shells capture, by the rebels, of the Fanny, on the were thrown, many were killed, wounded or 29th of September, when she was proceeding driven to the water. It is said that a single from the fort to the camp, with a full cargo shell, entering the side of one of the schoonof stores and forty men, chiefly belonging to ers, exploded in her hold, filling the air with the 30th Indiana and 9th New York regi- the wreck, mingled with the remains of huments,

This capture was effected by three man beings. It was an appalling sacrifice. armed steamers. It much encouraged the The level and barren beach, being but three enemy, and a bold descent was arranged, by fourths of a mile in width, afforded no spot which the camp of Colonel Brown was to be of refuge from the terrible missiles, which not cut off and the troops captured. It was also only swept the sands, but were dropped determined to “punish” those Union families among the vessels beyond. Dead bodies at Chicacomico, who had given the Federal strewed the beach and sank in the waters. ists such warm welcome.

Accoutrements, guns, clothing, musical inEarly on the morning of October 4th, Colo- struments were fiung aside in despair, and nel Brown discovered five rebel steamers, each soldier sought such place of refuge as with flatboats and schooners in tow, emerg- the barren spot offered—a sand heap— ing from Croatan Sound, steering for the clump of bushes, a scrub oak or holly tree. Federal encampment.

Colonel Brown lost For three and one half hours the rain of shot no time in communicating these facts to Colo- and shell was not intermitted, and only ceasnel Hawkins at the Fort, informing him that ed when night drew its pitying veil over the he would retreat to the lighthouse at Cape field. The Monticello having expended one Hatteras. The steamers succeeded in landing hundred and eighty shells withdrew to the over fifteen hundred men about three miles cape. The forces there then marched to the above Colonel Brown's position, and proceed- Fort, accompanied by the families of Unioned to land troops further down, their policy ists who had fled from Chicacomico to avoid

STRENGTH

OF THE NATIONAL

ARMY.

361

the threatened vengeance of their fellow citi- gave forth accounts astonishing for their miszens from the mainland. It was a mistake in statements. The Norfolk Day Book, then conthe Federal commander not to have moved sidered good authority, reported only one his forces up the beach to co-operate with the man wounded; and, to the latest day, when Monticello, Had there been a few companies the carnage was confessed by those engaged present the entire rebel force would, doubt- in the expedition, that journal never gave less, have been secured. As it was, the dis- any other statement of the disaster. The aster covered the enemy with confusion, and truth, in that instance as in many others, was sent an alarm through the rebel heart at the not calculated to "fire the Southern heart” — mention of the word gunboat. Yet, the se- therefore it was suppressed. The actual rebel cession journals, true to their old instincts, loss wan never published.

CHAPTER XIL

FIELD,

STATE OF PUBLIC FEELING

AT

THE NORTH DURING THE F ALL OF 1861. FORCES IN THE

FEDERAL AND CONFEDERATE, THE FEDERAL CONFISOATION ACT AND ITS ENFORCEMENT. SEWARD'S CIRCULAR TO THE GOVERNORS. GOOD CONDITION OF GOVERNMENT FINANCES. THE BALTIMORE BOARD

OF POLICE.

Art.

Connecticut...

Inf.
4,188

Cav.

100

In liana.
Iowa...

2,000

500

.30.000 ..16,10)

4.000 .29.000

8.000

1,000

Massachusetts.

200
350

1.200

300

Minnesota.
New York..

Total.

4,288 49,000 32.500 19.700

5,200 29,350

9.200 24,584

3.000 90.500 9.000 5,200 67,100 15.500 3.378

5.100 12,300

3,000

THROUGHOUT the Northquate to he great task of Unity of the War Feeling. public sentiment remain- suppressing the rebellion Legislation. The Na

tional Army. ed, up to the meeting vi et armis. Up to August of Congress in December (1861), a unit on the 15th, the States had answered the President's policy of a vigorous prosecution of the war. first and second calls thus prodigally: Scarcely a voice was raised, throughout the whole domain of the Free States, for peace Illinois..

.41,000 8,000 or in justification of the Southern movement.

3,600 This solidity of feeling and purpose gave the kausas.. Administration great cause for satisfaction, Maine..

Michigan..

.18,784 5,800 filiing, as it did, its armies, its coffers, its

.85,000 5,000 commissariat, and indicating the straight for

New Jersy

9.000 ward course to pursue. No government could New Hampshiro......

3,500 have been more loyally or more materially Pennsylvania, ......51.000 sustained.

5.000
1,200

1,100
August 2d, the extra session of Congress
passed its War tax and modified tariff bills, Total.............. .384,700 35,500

5,300 425,500 supplying the National exchequer with funds To these enormous numbers must be added for immediate use. The Army bill authoriz- the National and State troops provided by ed an equivalent of five hundred thousand Kentucky and Missouri, viz: men for active service, including all arms of

National

Kentucky. infantry, cavalry and artillery. Under this Missouri... act enlistments were active, and generals Also the quotas supplied by the following in the field found themselves with men ade- States and the District of Columbia, viz:

500

Stat. 17.000 19.500

California
Delaware.

The Confiscation Act.

Confederate Forces in

the Field

.4,800 Maryland.

.3.600 The Confiscation Act .1,600 Dist. Columbia.. ..1,750

Also the enlistments in the passed by the extra session The National Army. regular service numbering

of Congress, was, to some extent, enforced. about 9,500.

This important measure and the proclamaGiving, as the grand total of men enlisted tion for its enforcement we subjoin : in the Union cause, from April 15th to Au

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representgust 15th, (1861,) the aggregate of four hun- atives of the United States of America in Congress assemdred and ninety-nine thousand two hundred bd, That if, during the present or any future insurand fifty. At the date last named there were, rection against the Government of the United States,

after the President of the United States shall have in the field, about three hundred and seventy- declared, by proclamation, that the laws of the five thousand men. Of this vast mass Mc

United States are opposed, and the execution there. Clelian bad (at the date of Sept. 14th) in the

of obstructed, by combinations too powerful to be inmediate Department of the Potomac (in- suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial procluding the Departments of Annapolis, Lower ceedings, or by the power vested in the marshals by Virginia, and the defenses around Washing-law, any person or persons, his, her, or their agent, ton,) one hundred and eighty thousand men attorney, or employee, shall purchase or acquire, of all service. One month later, the Com- sell or give, any property of whatsoever kind or de. manding -General held two hundred and scription, with intent to use or employ the sume, or sixty thousand men under call, with which suffer the same to be used or employed, in aiding, to assail the Confederate Capital.

abetting, or promoting such insurrection or resist

ance to the laws, or any person or persons, engaged The Confederate forces

therein; or if any person or persons, being the own. enlisted up to August 1st,

er or owners of any such property, shall knowingly were put down by rebel

use or employ, or consent to the use or employment writers at three hundred and twenty thou- of the same as aforesaid, all such property is hereby sand; but, it is certain that no such numbers declared to be lawsul subject of prize and capture were in the field at that time. In Eastern wherever found; and it shall be the duty of the PreVirginia there were not to exceed one hun-sident of the United States to cause the same to be drell and twenty thousand at any time prior seized, confiscated and condemned. to the evacuation of Manassas Junction (Feb

“Sec 2. And be it further enacled, That such prizes ruary 8th, 1862). In Western Virginia not and captures shall be condemned in the district or

circuit court of the United States having jurisdiction to exceed twenty-five thousand. In Tennessee, up to the fall of Nashville (Feb. 25th, of the amount, or in admiralty in auy district in 1802,) not to exceed one hundred thousand. which the same may be seized, and into which they

may be taken and proceedings first instituted. In Missouri, up to the battle of Pea Ridge

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the Attor. (March 6th, 8th, 1862), not to exceed thirty- ney-General, or any district attorney of the United five thousand. These figures are outside es

States in which said property may at the time be, timates, drawn from the concessions of the may institute the proceedings of condemnation, and Southern authorities after their several defeats in such case they shall be wholly for the benefit of in the departments named; and, from a care- the United States; or any person may file an intorful collaboration of accounts bearing on this mation with such an attorney, in which case tile question, we are prepared to state with con- proceedings shall be for the use of such informer fidence that, at no time prior to the advance and the United States in equal parts. on Richmond from Yorktown (Jay 2d, 1862),

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That whenever had the Confederate generals more than tro hereafter, during the present insurrection against thirds the number of availıble men, at any par-claimed to be held to labor or service under the

the Government of the United States, any person ticular point, than were at the disposal of the

law of any State shall be required or permitted by Union commanders. The great diversity of

the person to whom such labor or service is claimed opinions and statements on this point ren

to be due, or by the lawful agent of such person, to ders exactness of estimate impossible; still, we

take up arms against the United States; or shall be are confident that we have closely approxi- required permitted by the person to whom such mated to the truth in our figures and as- labor or service is claimed to be due, or his lawful sumptions.

agent, to work or to be employed in or upon any