FIGHT AT THOMPSON'S STATION, TENNESSEE. 329 flames, which discharged one of her heaviest guns, thus doing much damage. The magazine soon after exploded, and blew her to atoms; thus perished the Nashville. A considerable disaster overtook the Federal arms on the 4th of March, 1863, at Thompson's Station, near Franklin, Tennessee, in which Colonel Coburn's brigade was attacked by Van Dorn, with ten thousand men; the attack being made both in front and flank. After a desperate fight, the rebels were victorious. The battle lasted all day, and the infantry, having expended their ammunition, were either killed or captured, the cavalry and artillery alone escaping. The Union loss was sixty-five killed, two hundred and fifty wounded, and one thousand prisoners. The rebel loss was eighteen killed and four hundred wounded. The minor events of the month of March, 1863, must not be passed over unnoticed, although they had no importance with regard to the general issues of the war. On the 17th, an expedition set out from Murfreesboro. It was commanded by Colonel A. S. Hall, and consisted of the second brigade of Reynolds' division. Its object was to clear the surrounding country of Morgan's guerillas. Small bodies of the enemy were dispersed at Gainesville and Liberty. At Milton, they were assembled to the number of twentyfive hundred, and made an attack on the centre, and also attempted at the same time to turn each flank of the Unionists, but were met with such spirit as made them recoil. They were repulsed in repeated and desperate assaults, and after a bloody struggle of three hours, were forced to withdraw. Their reinforcements from Woodbury met the same fate, and the whole force rapidly retreated. The Federals lost but ten killed and thirty-five wounded; the rebel loss was forty killed and one hundred and fifty wounded. The terror with which the guerillas had inspired the loyal citizens cf Kentucky, was thereby much diminished. On the same day (17th), a cavalry engagement took place at Kelly's Ford, on the Rappahannock, between the Union troops under General Averill, and a body of Confederates under Generals Stuart and Fitzhugh Lee. Some time previously, several thousand rebel cavalry had raided through the country, between the Union lines at Falmouth and the Warrentoi road. On their approach to Berea church, they turned to the Rappahannock, and recrossed. Hooker sent 330 General Averill, with two thousand cavalry, to intercept their retreat, but the enemy had already crossed, and held a fortified position on the other side of the river; many of them had dismounted, and were posted in rifle pits. Averill crossed the river, notwithstanding the annoyance from the enemy's batteries, and forming his troops in line of battle, charged, and drove the Confederates from the rifle pits. These were evacuated, and the batteries withdrawn. Averill proceeded three miles up the river, where he encountered the main body, under Stuart and Lee, drawn up in line of battle. The Federals advanced boldly to the charge, and great confusion and slaughter took place, in a fight desperately maintained for several hours; artillery, as well as cavalry, being engaged on both sides. The enemy's infantry, which came upon the scene of conflict, took no part in it, as the mingling together of the combatants made it impossible to distinguish friend from foe. The ammunition of the Unionists being at length exhausted, they retreated in excellent order, and the enemy were too severely handled to molest them. The Federals lost forty killed and wounded; the Confederates suffered in a greater degree. About fifty prisoners were captured on each side. This was one of the most desperate struggles which took place with cavalry during the war. The rebel cavalry had been long organized as a body, but with the Federals, this important arm of the service had been hitherto neglected. Kilpatrick had indeed made a raid into Richmond, and brilliant cavalry engage. ments had taken place in the West, but it was chiefly due to General Hooker, that the Union cavalry was organized into that efficient body which so severely punished that of the enemy in the bloody combats which will hereafter be described. AVERILL'S CAVALRY FIGHT AT KELLY'S FORD. About the middle of March, a plan of attack on the rebel stronghold of Port Hudson was adopted by General Banks and Admiral Farragut. Banks was then at Baton Rouge, with a considerable land force. The plan agreed on, was a simultaneous attack on the place by land and water. After some unimportant skirmishes, which were designed to divert the enemy from the attempts of Farragut on Port Hudson, Banks returned with his land forces to Baton Rouge. At nine P. M., on Saturday, the 14th of March, in the bright moonlight, the Federal fleet began to advance on ATTACK ON PORT HUDSON. 331 Port Hudson. It consisted of the flag-ship Hartford, the Richmond, Monongahela, Kineo, Mississippi, Essex, Albatross, and Switzerland, besides six mortar boats. Five rebel gunboats landed troops to reinforce the place. At half past one o'clock, it was found by experiment that the range was too distant to take effect on the works, and signal lights inCicated that the foe was on the alert. On the approach of the Union vessels, the rebels kindled an immense bonfire in front of their fortifications, which effectually brought the fleet in view. The batteries extended nearly four miles, with little interval, and many of the guns were of large calibre. The batteries in the centre, were at the point where the river bends in the form of a horseshoe, and here four immense guns were mounted in casemates. Such was the gauntlet to be run by the Federal fleet. The Hartford was followed by the other vessels, and all responding to the thunders of the batteries, the banks shook with. deafening reverberations. In the darkness which now enveloped the scene, and also from the winding nature of the river at this point, it became impossible to steer with safety, and thus there was danger from collision. The air was filled with shells, which were rained upon the Federal vessels; earth and water shook with the heavy concussions. The centre batteries poured in a fearful fire, to which but a feeble response could be made, as the guns of the vessels could not be elevated to the required height; only those from the bow and stern chasers could be used. In the narrow stream, subject to the dreadful fire of the foe, the Mississippi grounded, and had to be abandoned and destroyed; her crew was saved. Lieutenant-commander Cummings, of the Richmond, was mortally wounded. The matchless fortitude of Farragut was of no avail. The Hartford and Albatross alone succeeded in passing the batteries; the rest were signalled to withdraw, and steamed down the stream to a point of safety, west of Prophet's Island. The Genessee was injured in this conflict, and the Kineo lost her rudder, and her rigging was greatly damaged. On board the Mississippi, twenty-two men were killed, and seven on the Monongahela, besides twenty-one wounded. In the battle, which continued from half past nine o'clock P. M., until one A. M. the next morning, the total loss in the fleet was forty killed, ninety 332 VICTORY OF GENERAL GILMORE AT SOMERSET. wounded, and forty missing. The Confederates were twenty thousand strong. On the 28th of March, part of the beautiful town of Jacksonville, Florida, was burned by Union soldiers. Several churches were destroyed by this barbarous act. On the 30th, there was a brisk contest at Somerset, Kentucky, between a body of Federals, commanded by General Gilmore, and a considerable rebel force, chiefly cavalry, under General Pegram. The former had a force of twelve hundred; the latter, more than double that number. The fight commenced at Button Hill, ten miles from Somerset, and ended in the flight and pursuit of the rebels to the latter place. Here they made a stand, but were defeated, and lost three hundred killed, wounded, and prisoners, also two stands of colors, and four hundred cattle. The Federal loss was thirty killed and wounded. Thus was their purpose of invading Kentucky completely frustrated. The Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War rendered its first report in April, 1863. It manifested impartial investigation, and a desire to advance the common interest. The blunders which entailed disaster were exposed, and it dealt mainly with facts, leaving it to the judg ment of others to form opinions. It dwelt much on General McClellan's army operations, and of those performed by General Patterson, in the three months' service. The deductions to be made from the statements of the committee, were not in favor of these generals, but the friends and partisans of each believed that they could exonerate themselves satisfactorily. On the 2d of April, eight regiments of Union troops, belonging to the army of General Rosecrans, and commanded by Generals Craft and Hazen, marched to Woodbury, Tennessee, for the purpose of surprising and capturing a Confederate brigade there posted. The attack was to be made in front and flank. The enemy's pickets were met by some cavalry in the advance, and the foe, thus forewarned, escaped. In a running fight for three miles, twelve of the rebels were killed or captured. The Federals gained possession of the camp equipage, and some horses and mul 's. CHAPTER XXXIII. APRIL, MAY, 1863. ATTACK ON CHARLESTON-ADMIRAL DUPONT SUPERSEDED-NAVAL ACTIONS AT GRAND GULF, MISSISSIPPI, AND IN THE BAYOU TECHE, LOUISIANARAIDS IN BOTH ARMIES-MARMADUKE'S ATTEMPT ON CAPE GIRARDEAU— HIS DEFEAT, FLIGHT, AND PURSUIT-RAID OF COLONEL STREIGHT-HIS HEROISM-SURRENDERS TO A SUPERIOR FORCE-GREAT RAID OF COLONEL GRIERSON-COLONEL CLAYTON'S RAID-REPELS MARMADUKE'S DIVISION WITH TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY MEN-SAFE RETURN TO HELENA. CHARLESTON, South Carolina, the cradle of rebellion, was now again to be attacked by an iron-clad fleet such as for power has been rarely or never witnessed. It consisted of the New Ironsides, Commodore Turner commanding; the monitors, seven in number, viz.: the Weehawken, Captain John Rodgers; the Passaic, Captain P. Drayton; the Montauk, Captain J. L. Worden; the Patapsco, Commander D. Ammen; the Catskill, Commander George Rodgers; the Nantucket, Commander D. M. Fairfax; the Nahant, Commander J. Downes; and the Keokuk, Lieutenant-commander A. C. Rhind. These, with a number of wooden gunboats, and ninety other vessels and transports, had an appointed rendezvous in the North Edisto river, during the latter part of March, and the early part of April (1863). The land forces were to disembark on Cole Island, and proceeding across to Folly Island, take a position as near as possible to Morris Island, in order to effect a diversion, and thus aid the naval attack. An exploration disclosed the fact that none but iron-clads could be used in the attack, on account of the formidable batteries, whose fire would be terrible. Charleston harbor, about four miles in extent, had been rendered so strong by skilful fortifying for two years, as to be deemed impregnable. On crossing the bar, at its entrance stands Sullivan's Island on the north, and Morris Island on the south, both ending in a long sandy beach, the distant points of each being a mile apart. Fort Sumter, built on an artificial island, is at ar equal distance from these extreme points. Sullivan's Island had then three powerful |