Thursday, 24 December 1863

Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan got a letter from Selma today that the guns for his ship CSS Tennessee would be sent to him "...as soon as they are ready..." Or as soon as the Selma Gun Foundry was repaired from an explosion that took place while trying to cast the bottom section of a gun pit. Commander Catesby ap Roger Jones, who sent the letter, was there when it happened and lost his hat, coat and pants in the ensuing fire. Now presumably re-clothed, he wrote that he felt at the time that he was in more danger there “...than if I were in command of the Tennessee.” Jones letter read in full: "We had an accident that might have been very serious. An explosion took place while attempting to cast the bottom section of a gun pit. The foundry took fire, but was promptly extinguished. Fortunately but two of the molds were burned. I had a narrow escape, my hat, coat, and pants were burned. Quite a loss in these times, with our depreciated currency and fixed salaries. As a large casting is never made without my being present, I consider my life in greater danger here than if I were in command of the Tennessee, though I should expect hot work in her occasionally. What chance have I for her?"

The schooner USS Fox, Acting Master Ashbury in charge, seized the blockade running British schooner Edward off the mouth of the Suwannee River, Florida, after a two hour chase during which the schooner attempted to run down the smaller Union ship. She was carrying a cargo of lead and salt from Havana.

The CSS Alabama, commanded by Captain Raphael Semmes, captured and burned the bark Texan Star in the Strait of Malacca with a full cargo of rice. The ship Martaban, bound from Moulmein to Singapore, was later captured and destroyed by the Alabama.

The USS Sunflower, Acting Master Van Sice in charge, captured blockade runner Confederate sloop Hancock near the lighthouse at Tampa Bay, Florida, with a cargo including salt and borax.

The USS Antona, under Acting Master Zerega, seized blockade running schooner Exchange off Velasco, Texas, with cargo including coffee, nails, shoes, acids, wire, and cotton goods.

Yesterday, a foraging party was sent out from the Union camp at Tullahoma, Tennessee, under the command of Lieutenant Porter, of the Twenty-seventh Indiana volunteer infantry. There was a guard of the Fourth Tennessee cavalry, and a detail from the battery, to guard and load forage. They went to Lincoln County, loaded up, and were on the way to camp for the night. The train was divided--one half under Sergeant James, of the battery, was in camp about one mile ahead; Lieutenant Porter, with the rear part of the train, was on his way to the same place. There was one wagon considerably ahead of the others, accompanied by George Jacobs, driver; John Wesley Drought and Newell Orcutt, foragers; and James W. Foley, battery wagonmaster — when they were surprised by four partisan guerrillas, and told to surrender or they would blow their brains out. They being unarmed, could make no successful resistance. Lieutenant Porter then came riding up, when he was seized also. They were then taken through the woods some eight miles, and halted to camp, as the guerrillas said, for the night. They then tied their hands behind their backs, asked if they were ready, and fired, when all fell except the Lieutenant, who being uninjured, ran. The bodies were then dragged to the end of the bluff and thrown into Elk River. Drought was killed instantly. His body floated down and lodged on a tree top. Jacobs was only wounded in the arm and was drowned. Orcutt was shot through the bowels, and managed to get out of the river, but died next day. Foley having loosed his hands, reached shore, but being severely wounded in the groin, lay near the river all night, where he was found next day by a citizen and properly cared for.

A battle took place near Bolivar, Tennessee, between a party of Confederate raiders belonging to the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest, and five hundred of the Seventh Illinois cavalry, under Colonel Edward Prince, who had been sent out to scout and patrol the crossings on the Mississippi Central Railroad. Finding himself overpowered by numbers, Colonel Prince retreated and fell back on Summerville, with a loss of three killed and eight wounded.

The Confederate House of Representatives, by a vote of four to one, resolved that a “...person otherwise liable to military duty shall no longer be exempt by reason of having provided a substitute. It declared also that the substitute should not be discharged, and rejected a proposition to refund to the principal any portion of the money paid for his substitute.”

The enlistment of colored troops at Nashville, Tennessee, continued with great success.