From Island No. 10.

ST. LOUIS, March 28.

The Democrat’s Cairo dispatch says that heavy and rapid cannonading at Point Pleasant, was heard at the fleet night before last.

Capt. Maynadier and Col. Buford, who accompanied Prof. Steiner on his balloon reconnoisance, on Tuesday, discovered that shells from our mortars have generally fallen beyond the enemy’s batteries.  The elevation of the mortars and charge of powder both being too great.  This will be remedied immediately and a greater execution may be hereafter expected.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 29, 1862, p. 1

From Island No. 10

ST. LOUIS, March 27.

A special to the Republican, dated near Island No. 10, evening of the 26^th, says only three shells were thrown by the mortars to-day, to which no response was made by the rebels.

This morning Col. Buford sent a reconnoitering party of 20 men of the 27^th Illinois down the Missouri shore.  They arrested three prominent residents, who report that 2,000 negroes are employed on the Island and at the batteries along the shore; that 65 rebel troops, including 2 Lieutenants and 4 negroes, have been killed by our shells; that the upper battery is abandoned, but the others are being rapidly strengthened; that the enemy is 15,000 strong; and their encampment has been moved entirely out of range of our guns.  The rebels are confident of success and say they have a good road to Trenton and other points, by which they can escape whenever they choose.  They have plenty of provisions.

Rebel steamers loaded with troops were seen, watching the shore to prevent communication from here.

The total number of the enemy’s transports are eleven.

Two balloon ascensions were made by Capt. Steiner, but the weather was too thick for favorable observation.

One partly finished gun boat, building at Memphis, was fired the other night, but was extinguished before much damage was done.

The new Tennessee levies were disbanding – they refusing to fight with picks, the only weapon offered to them.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, March 28, 1862, p. 1

Late News By The Mails

FROM GEN. GRANT’S ADANCE COLUMN.

Latest from Island No. 10, Saturday Night.

MORTAR FIRING STILL IN PROGRESS.

Prof. Steiner’s Balloon Reconoisance.

Special to the Chicago Tribune.

CAIRO, March 22.

A member of the 4^th Illinois cavalry, just arrived from Savannah, says, that on Sunday morning companies M. L and I, Maj. Bowman commanding, left their encampment at Pittsburg to make a reconnoisance in the vicinity of Purdy, which was being fortified by the enemy.

They proceeded ten miles through the forest and swamp, when they met a body of cavalry numbering one hundred, concerning whose presence in that vicinity they were previously informed by a rebel who mistook our forces for Confederates.  The rebels fired upon our boys when within a distance of two hundred yards, but did no damage, their shot going a long way overhead. – The squadron then formed in line of battle and gave the rebels a volley, upon which they retreated, with the loss of one of their captains.  Two hundred yards farther on they formed in line a second time.  Lieut. Chapin, of Chicago, was ordered to charge with Co. L., which he did with great gallantry, and the rebels were a second time routed.  Several attempts were made by the Confederate officers to induce their men to make another stand, but without success.  They were badly intimidated and uncontrollable.

Major Bowman, fearing that a further advance might lead his forces into ambuscade, ordered his men to retire to camp.

On Sunday evening the same companies, with a portion of the Ohio 5^th infantry, under command of Col. Taylor, were ordered to perfect the reconnoisance.  They commenced in the morning, and when about the same distance out, met a body of Confederate cavalry on their way to Pittsburgh, with the intention of surprising and cutting off our camp.  The rebels fired a single volley, as before, too high, and the three companies of the 4^th Illinois cavalry, under command of Capt. Dodge, were ordered to charge the enemy.  They did so, and delivered a well directed fire in their midst, with what result could not be ascertained on account of darkness.

The rebels retreated along the road which here runs diagonally, and when within a short distance from our left, where was stationed Co. I, halted, and saying to our boys, “for God’s sake don’t fire into your brothers,” immediately discharged a volley, killing none, but wounding four.

Company I returned their fire, and the rebels fled in great confusion.  Two of our boys were taken prisoners.  The casualties of the enemy are unknown.  The next day, on visiting the scene of the skirmish, there were found scattered over the ground hats, spurs, boots, sabres, pistols, dead horses, and the earth and leaves covered with blood, showing that our forces had done good execution in their midst.

The enemy removed their dead and wounded under cover of darkness.  While examining the battle field, the advance guard shot a fleeing rebel scout and captured two prisoners.

The Lexington arrived this morning from Tennessee river, and reports that our forces are scattering into the country round about Savannah, accomplishing nothing of importance besides the occasional capture of the enemy’s scouts, and the bring into our lines of prominent rebels charged with assisting the Confederates with money and provisions.

Our forces have entire possession of the Memphis and Charleston RR. In the vicinity of Savannah, and reinforcements cannot be sent to Memphis and other points threatened on the Mississippi by that channel of communications at least.

Gen. McClernand and his division were at Savannah.

Gen. Grant had established his headquarters at Pittsburgh.

LATER.

The New York Tribune correspondent has this moment arrived from Island No. 10, and reports that up to 11 o’clock to-day the firing was steady but less rapid than on previous days, and that it was confined to mortars almost exclusively.  The gunboats occasionally fired a shot, but nothing like a regular bombardment on their part was attained.

A well-directed shot from one of the mortars cut down the rebel flag flying from the upper battery.

To-morrow, Prof. Steiner, the aeronaut, makes an ascension with a view to ascertain the strength and the character of the enemy’s fortifications.

Gen. Pope has planted a battery on the Missouri shore, opposite Tiptonville, the rebel point of embarkation, five miles below Point Pleasant.

Well informed persons say Beauregard is in command at Island No. ten.  It is known that Bragg is at Corinth, Miss.

It is not expected that matters will culminate at the Island for several days.

CAIRO, March 23.

The gunboat Conestoga has just arrived from Island No. Ten, having left the fleet at dark last evening.  She returns in an hour.  She represents no change in the condition of affairs – the mortar and gun boats firing moderately.

Gen. Prentiss and staff arrived here this morning en route for Savannah.  He is ordered to report to Gen. Grant for duty, and will leave on the first boat for the Tennessee river.

The 2d Michigan Artillery and Capt. Powell’s Battery were sent up the Tennessee yesterday, as were also four transports with troops from Benton Barracks.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 25, 1862, p. 1

Fort Pulaski after the Bombardment

Correspondence of the New Haven Palladium.

FORT PULASKI, Monday, May 4.

It is now more [than] three weeks since Pulaski was taken.  During the time which has intervened our men aided by one company of the Third Rhode Island have been busily employed in clearing away the rubbish which they themselves caused, carting new brick and preparing the crumbled walls for a speedy rebuilding.  The wooden dwellings in the vicinity of the fort, some of which were badly riddled by erring shots, have been repaired by our carpenters, and now serve for quartering troops, for hospitals, bakeries, &c.  A large dock connected with us by means of a plank road affords an excellent place for landing supplies from vessels thereby obviating the mud and water process that had to be resorted to in our previous location.  Around the interior of the fort were blindages – huge sticks of timber, measuring from twelve to sixteen inches square and thirty feet in length, and in number about seventeen hundred.  These were leaned against the wall at an angle of about 45 degrees.  By this artificial process the inmates hoped to baffle the effects of our shell, but all their plans were unavailing.  The James projectile and the mortar shells were driven through them as easily as though they were but paste.  These have all been pulled down and dragged outside of the demilune.  Deep ditches which were dug to counter act the effect of bursting shell have been filled in, heavy embankments and traverses thrown up for protection have been leveled off – all improvements like these, not only give us more room for evolutions but also add to the general appearance of our new home, remove the spirit of desolation and ruin that seemed to pervade every work and corner when we entered here.

It is no uncommon thing for the workmen on the outer walls to find the conical Parrott shell imbedded in solid brick masonry to a depth of five feet – I mean of course the unexploded ones, that failed on account of the percussion cap on the cone not igniting.

The work of rebuilding is under the superintendence of Lieut. O’Rourke, of the regular army.  It is not intended ever to replace what is undone as brick forts hereafter will be among the things that were.  Simply patch it up so as to make it tenantable and leave it in that condition.

A few days subsequent to the surrender of the place, the water in the moat was drawn off and our men busied themselves for days at intervals, in dragging for and fishing up articles of personal property, and likewise arms, equipments, &c., which the rebels instead of honorably surrendering them had thrown into the mud.  A package of some eighty letters, which, when found, were lying in close proximity to a daguerreotype of some Southern miss, were unfortunately so water soaked as to be illegible, and consequently no “secrets” betrayed to Yankee curiosity.  Huge bowie knives, probably fashioned with the intention of making our hair stand on end at the mere sight of them were consigned to a like watery grave while muskets, rifles, bayonets, swords, &c., were found in rich abundance.

What spare time the men get between hours of drill or labor, they amuse themselves in a variety of ways – fishing, hunting fowl on the land, and crocodiles on the river.  One of the latter was killed a few days since, which measured nine feet from tip to tip.

Prof. Starkweather is here with his balloon, the Washington, and will make an ascension to-morrow, wind and weather permitting. – The balloon is to be inflated moved to a steamboat, and taken up the river as far as practicable, so that whoever accompanies him will have a fair chance of seeing the sights in Savannah, in advance of us, who are obliged to wait  a time with patience until the train is ready to move forward.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 1

General McClellan’s Advance – Balloon Reconnoissance

HEADQUARTERS ARMY POTOMAC,

May 21, P. M.

The encampment of the advance of the army under Gen. Stoneman, is still at Gains’ Mills, 18½ miles from the Chickahominy.  The pickets of the Rebels occupy the banks on the side and those of the Union on the other.

Gen. Stoneman, with Prof. Lowe, made a balloon reconnaissance this morning, from Gaines’ Mills, reaching an altitude of 400 feet.  An admirable view of Richmond was had and the surrounding country.  With a glass, the camps of the enemy within the limits of the corporation were seen also.  The arrival and departure of Railroad trains on the Railroad between New Bridge and Richmond and Buford and Richmond, and but few troops were visible – but to the left of the city, on the line of the mail coach road leading to Bottom Bridge, a large number of troops were seen.

Also smoke from numberless campfires coming up from the woods – in fact showing that they were occupied by a large force of the enemy.

Heavy firing was heard yesterday, P. M., and this morning, to the left of Richmond, which was probably caused by our gunboats endeavoring to force their way up the James river.

The weather is warm and pleasant, during the day, with heavy dews at night.

The health of the troops continue good.  Two rations of whisky and quinine are now daily issued to the troops.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 3

Evacuation of Yorktown

FURTHER PARTICULARS

PHILADELPHIA, May 5. – the Enquirer has a special dispatch from Fortress Monroe giving the following particulars in regard to the evacuation of Yorktown.

One mile beyond Yorktown,

Sunday 10 o’clock A. M.

All day yesterday the rebels kept up a fire on Gen. Porter’s division.  No one was hurt.  Our Parrott guns at Farnhal Court House occasionally answered them.  All last evening and up to midnight lively firing – was kept up, about that time the fire slackened considerably, at 2 o’clock stopped altogether.  We fired one or two more batteries at them by got no answer.  About 3 o’clock this morning a building at Yorktown was fired and Prof. Lowe and Gen. Heintzelman went up in a balloon and found it was their store house at Yorktown wharf at daylight they reported the forts empty, at 7 o’clock we occupied Yorktown without being again fired at.

Of the guns of the enemy nearly all remaining were spiked and dismounted.  By the side of the river batteries were large piles of ammunition, powder, balls and shells.  Eighty guns were in Yorktown which is surrounded by a semicircle, the earthworks were all constructed to cover one another in every position but they must have eventually yielded could we have got around them.

The gun we dismounted the other day killed and wounded four rebels.

The fort had been occupied by the First battalion New Orleans Artillery, the 8^th and 30^th Alabama regiments, the 10^th and 14^th Louisiana and 13^th & 45^th Georgia regiments.  These troops were ordered to report at Howard’s Grove four miles from Richmond and left the fort at midnight.  A rear guard was left who waited for appearances and then retired in the greatest haste.

Two deserters who left their regiment in Williamsburgh at daylight, says the whole rebel army was in a panic.

Prof. Lowe’s balloon reconnaissance discovered their rearguard at 9 A. M. to be four miles out.  Gen. McClellan immediately ordered out the artillery and cavalry and is pushing after them at full speed.

All our gunboats came up at 9 o’clock and landed some marines at Gloucester who raised the U. S. flag amid cheering that could be heard across the river.  The boats all then left and are now running up the York river shelling the banks on both sides.

A number of mines had been prepared for our troops by placing Prussian shells under ground on the roadways and entrances to the forts.  No whites were to be found and only a few negro women and babies.  The town was squalid and dirty.  A few days of rain would have been a specific.  A large quantity of meat, salt and fish was left.  All the tents were left but no horses or wagons.

Reports concur that the rebels consist of a mob of about 100,000 men ill fed, dirty and disheartened.  The road from Yorktown to Hampton on which they were encamped was guarded by Fort Magruder mounting a large number of guns part of which are taken away and part spiked and some of their works were well laid out, others were wretched contrivances.  The work upon them was finished on Friday night and the slaves sent to the rear under guard.  The rebels have nothing behind on which they can make a stand.  Last night their camp fires all along were the same as usual – the dense wood along the peninsula enabled them to leave without being seen by the balloon.

The large guns of the rebels are mostly columbiads taken from the Norfolk Navy Yard – Some of them have been recently mounted – The _____ although of the roughest character were very formidable being surrounded by deep gorges almost impassable.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 4

A Thrilling Adventure

A letter from Fortress Monroe says:

We learn from Gen. Wool that there was an accident of a most thrilling nature at General McClellan’s headquarters yesterday. Gen. Fitz John Porter ascended in a balloon, for the purpose of making a reconnoisance. When high up, the rope broke, and off floated the balloon, directly over the enemy’s entrenchments. The officer was considered to be inevitably lost. The hearts that were wrung with the hardness and strangeness of his fate, were suddenly cheered as well as amazed with the spectacle of the return of the balloon over our own camps. It had ascended to a counter current of air, and was wafted with all its precious freight, back to safety. Once again over his own troops, the soldier aeronaut pulled the valve and discharged the gas from the balloon, and came down to the earth “by the run,” entirely unharmed. What he saw is for military use, and not for publication.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 24, 1862, p. 2

From Yorktown

YORKTOWN, April 12. – McClellan has written a letter complimenting the Maine and Berdan sharp shooters, the latter now doing picket duty in from of the enemy’s works.

Capt. Spaulding of the 11th Michigan cavalry, was wounded on Thursday, being shot in the shoulder.

YORKTOWN, April 13. – On Friday about 300 of the 12th N.Y. volunteers on picket duty were attacked by a rebel regiment, but after a volley from the 12th the rebels retreated, having several killed and wounded.

Later in the day the rebels advanced in considerable numbers from another point, driving in our entire pickets, and burning a dwelling that has been used by our troops.

During both skirmishes we had three men slightly wounded.

The 57th and [63rd] Pennsylvania regiments had a skirmish with the enemy on Friday, in which they had two killed and four wounded.

A balloon was sent up from the rebel lines this morning.

For the first time weather and roads are improving.

No artillery firing on either side yesterday.

The Army is engaged in preparations for advancing.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Saturday, April 19, 1862

Stuart’s Raid – Rebel Dispatches from Murfreesboro, Charleston and Vicksburg

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4. – The material result of Stuart’s cavalry raid was one Government wagon half filled with oats, but it marked the withdrawal from the lines behind Fredericksburgh of a large reinforcement for Bragg’s or at Charleston. A balloon observation 900 feet high revealed to our commanders last week that the number of rebel infantry camped across the Rappahannock was largely diminished.

Richmond papers of Friday contain the following dispatch, which is official to the Rebel War Department:

MURFREESBORO, Jan. 1 – We assailed the enemy at 7 o’clock this morning, and after 10 hours hard fighting have driven him from every position, except his extreme left where he has successfully resisted us. With the exception of this point we occupy the field. We captured 400 prisoners including two Brigadier Generals, 31 pieces of artillery and some teams. Our loss is heavy, but that of the enemy much greater.

(Signed)

BRAXTON BRAGG,
General Commanding.

VICKSBURG, Dec. 30. – A cruiser has just arrived who states that the enemy attempted to storm our lines again this morning, but after a sever combat were repulsed with heavy loss. No further particulars at present. The loss of the enemy is said to be about 300 killed and wounded. Our loss is 30 killed and wounded.

The belief that no troops have been withdrawn from our front and sent to reinforce Bragg is very general among our commanding officers.

The weather is warm and clear.

BOMBAY has already been enriched to the extent of nearly £400,000 by the advance in the price of cotton, one Parsee alone having cleared £800,000 alone by his speculation in that article, while other firms have done nearly the same.

CHARLESTON, Dec. 31. – The British steam sloop Perrel from Fortress Monroe has arrived off the bar. She is visited by Mr. Bunch the British Consul, today, and will com up to the city. The steamer Emma Suttle, captured by a Yankee cruiser and put in charge of a prize crew, has been recaptured by the original officers and crew who were confined on board, and taken back to Nassau with a prize crew as prisoners.

– Published in the Zanesville Daily Courier, Zanesville, Ohio, Monday, January 5, 1863

From Yorktown

Yorktown, April 12. – McClellan has written a letter complimenting the Maine and Berdan sharp shooters, the latter now doing picket duty in front of the enemy’s works.

Capt. Spaulding of the 4th Michigan cavalry was wounded on Thursday, being shot in the shoulder.

Yorktown, April 13. – On Friday about 300 of the 12th N. Y. volunteers on picket duty were attacked by a rebel regiment, but after a volley from the 12th the rebels retreated, hiving several killed and wounded.

Later in the day the rebels advanced in considerable numbers from another point, driving in our entire pickets, and burning a dwelling that had been used by our troops.

During both skirmishes we had three men slightly wounded.

The 57th & 63d Pennsylvania regiments had a skirmish with the enemy on Friday, in which they had two killed and four wounded.

A balloon was sent up from the rebel lines this morning.

For the first time weather and roads are improving.

No artillery firing on either side yesterday.

The army is engaged in preparations for advancing.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Tuesday, April 15, 1862