re: 150 years ago this day...

Tuesday, 29 March 1864

Rear Admiral David D. Porter had the assignment of getting the naval forces in location for an advance on Shreveport, Louisianaa. The difficulty was that there was a set of rapids at Alexandria, Louisiana, that were difficult to get over in the best of times. These were not such times, as the water level was low due to a prolonged drought. Porter got the Army transports past, but not the Navy gunboats. A hospital ship was so torn up that it actually sank.

Another summary: The low level of the Red River continued to hinder Rear Admiral Porter's efforts to get his gun-boats above the rapids at Alexandria for the assault on Shreveport. He reported: "After a great deal of labor and two and a half days' hard work, we succeeded in getting the Eastport over the rocks on the falls, hauling her over by main force..." All the Army transports maneuvered safely above the rapids, but the hospital ship Woodford was battered against the rocks and sank. Porter added: "I shall only be able to take up I part of the force I brought with me, and leave the river guarded all the way through."

The CSS Florida, commanded by Lieutenant Charles M. Morris, at 150 deg 11 min N, 34 deg 25 min W, captured the ship Avon with a 1,600 ton cargo of guano. After removing the crew, Morris used the prize for gunnery practice and finally destroyed her by burning.

A boat expedition under the command of Acting Master James M. Williams, of the USS Commodore Barney, with a detachment of sailors under the command of Acting Master Charles B. Wilder, from the USS Minnesota, ascended Chuckatuck Creek late at night seeking to capture a small party of Confederate troops reported to be in that vicinity. After landing at Cherry Grove, Virginia, shortly before dawn, the sailors silently surrounded the Confederate headquarters and took 20 prisoners. Rear Admiral Samuel P. Lee reported to Secretary Welles that "...it gives me pleasure to commend the energy and zeal displayed by these officers in planning and carrying out to a successful termination an expedition of no little difficulty."

An expedition under Colonel Clayton, from Pine Bluff, made a descent upon a party of partisan Rebels who had been operating in the neighborhood of Little Rock, Arkansas, and captured a large number of them.

The following order was issued by J. P. Sanderson, Provost Marshal General of the department of the Missouri, from his headquarters at St. Louis: “The sale, distribution, or circulation of such books as ‘Pollard's Southern History of the War,’ ‘ Confederate Official Reports,’ ‘Life of Stonewall Jackson,’ ‘Adventures of Morgan and his Men,’ and all other publications based upon Confederate views and representations, being forbidden by the General Commanding, will be suppressed by Provost-Marshals, by seizing the same, and arresting the parties who knowingly sell, dispose, or circulate the same.”

A battle took place this day at Cane River, Louisiana, between a portion of the Federal forces under General Nathaniel P. Banks, engaged on the expedition up the Red River, and some Confederates commanded by General Richard Taylor.

The United States steamer Commodore Barney, with fifty-six picked men from the Minnesota, all in charge of Captain J. M. Williams, left Fortress Monroe, Virginia, yesterday afternoon, proceeded up the Chuckatuck Creek, and landed the men in small boats at the head of the creek. They then took a guide to the headquarters of Lieutenant Roy, where they arrived at four o'clock this morning, when they immediately surrounded the houses, and captured two sergeants and eighteen privates, with their small arms, without firing a shot. Masters Pierson and Wilder had charge of the Minnesota's boats. The capture was important, as the officers taken prisoners were in the Confederate signal service.

Thursday, 31 March 1864

As the greening of the leaves moved northward at a steady pace, the armies of both North and South prepared to do likewise and resume campaigning. On this day however, only preliminary skirmishing was conducted. A scuffle at Natchitoches, Louisiana, was considered part of the Red River Campaign. Other actions occurred at Palatka, Florida, Spring Island, South Carolina, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and greater metropolitan Forks of Beaver, in eastern Kentucky.

A boat crew under the command of Acting Master's Mate Francisco Silva, returned to the USS Sagamore after destroying two blockade running schooners near Cedar Keys, Florida. Three boats had initiated the search for a blockade runner sighted on the 28th, but two had turned back after an unsuccessful search of nearly six hours, as night was falling and the weather threatening. Silva, however, continued to search for the next two days "...with heavy rain squalls and an ugly sea running." Despite the adverse conditions, Silva succeeded in destroying the schooner Etta and a second schooner whose name could not be ascertained. Blockade duty was seldom highly dramatic or widely publicized, but the resolute determination of the forces afloat to choke off Confederate commerce took a prohibitive toll on Southern shipping and kept the Confederacy in a constant state of need.

Colonel Powell Clayton, from his headquarters at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, dispatched the following to General Henry Halleck, at Washington, DC: “The expedition to Mount Elba and Long View has just returned. We destroyed the pontoon-bridge at Long View, pursued a train of thirty-five wagons loaded with Confederate equipments, ammunition, some stores, etc., and captured three hundred and twenty prisoners; engaged in battle, yesterday morning, General Dockney's division of about one thousand two hundred men, from Monticello; routed and pursued him ten miles, with a loss on his side of over one hundred killed and wounded. We captured a large quantity of small-arms, two stand of colors, many Negroes, and have three hundred horses and mules. Our loss will not exceed fifteen in killed, wounded, and missing. We brought in several hundred contrabands. The expedition was a complete success.”

Lieutenant General Hiram Ulysses Grant, accompanied by General George Gordon Meade, left Washington for Fortress Monroe.

Saturday, 2 April 1864

It was supposed to be the last big combined Army-Navy sweep to clear the remaining Confederate forces out of the Trans-Mississippi, specifically the Red River of Louisiana. General Nathaniel Banks led the Army side of the operation. Theoretically these soldiers were always to stay within mortar range of the riverboats of the Naval side of the operation, under Rear Admiral David D. Porter himself. Further insurance for the Federal operations was being provided by Major General Frederick Steele, who was moving south out of Camden to guarantee that Banks was not bothered too badly on his way to Shreveport. He would not succeed.

A secret expedition of Confederate troops' attempts to blow up both the 1812 and the 1859 Cape Lookout lighthouses, but are only partially successful. Union and Confederate reports give conflicting information on the extent of the damage from this attack. Certainly, at minimum, the oil supply was destroyed and a portion of the iron spiral staircase in the 1859 lighthouse was badly damaged.

Captain Schmidt, of company M, Fourteenth New York Cavalry, while scouting near Pensacola, Florida, with thirty of his men, came upon a small party of Rebels belonging to the Seventh Alabama Cavalry, under command of Major Randolph, C. S. A. The Federals immediately charged them, and after a hand-to-hand fight of about ten minutes, forced a retreat with a loss of approximately ten killed and wounded. The loss of the Yankees was First Lieutenant Lengerche killed and two men wounded.

-Diary entry from April 1, 1864 by Frank J. Church, commander of the Marine guard on the USS Black Hawk, Admiral Porter’s flagship, afloat off Alexandria, Louisiana:

“Was awakened this morning by 3 a.m. by Ensign Terry. Found I was April fooled. There has been a great deal of sport today and nearly all on board have been made April fools. Turned out my Guard today by order of the Captain as General Banks was coming on board. He did not come, however, and the officers in the ward room were continually asking me “how Banks was?” etc., so I got the Messenger boy to come into the ward room and tell me that the General had come on board, which he did (the messenger), and every officer got up and went out onto the quarter deck to see him. Of course no General being in sight they came back and I have no been plagued by them since.”

Monday, 4 April 1864

The Union cavalry effort had been fairly feeble for the first two plus years of the War, improving only last summer with the battles of Brandy Station and Gettysburg. General Alfred Pleasanton, the first commander, had moved on to Washington to organize training and supplies of remounts. His replacement, David McMurtrie Gregg, was today himself replaced with a general from the Western theater: Philip Henry Sheridan. He had worked closely with Lieutenant General Hiram U. Grant and had his confidence. It seems unlikely the Eastern cavalrymen were impressed at being bypassed.

The USS Sciota, under Lieutenant Commander Perkins, captured the schooner Mary Sorly attempting to run the blockade at Galveston with a cargo of cotton. She had previously been the U.S. Revenue Cutter Dodge, seized by the Confederates at Galveston at the War's outbreak.

Captain Marchand's Report--The gunboat Scioto, under the command of Lieutenant Commander George H. Perkins, captured the Rebel schooner Mary Sorley. Two hours and a half previous to the capture, the Mary Sorley was seen coming out of Galveston, Texas, in a gale. The Scioto gave chase, and after running south by west about twenty-five miles, made the capture beyond signal distance of any of the blockading vessels. All the official papers were found on board.

By direction of the President of the United States, the following changes and assignments were made in army corps commands:

Major General P. H. Sheridan was assigned to the command of the cavalry corps of the army of the Potomac.

The Eleventh and Twelfth corps were consolidated and called the First army corps. Major General J. Hooker was assigned to command.

Major General Gordon Granger was relieved from the command of the Fourth army corps, and Major General O. O. Howard was assigned in his stead.

Major General Schofield was assigned to the command of the Twenty-third army corps.

Major General Slocum would report to Major General Sherman, commanding the division of the Mississippi, and Major General Stoneman would report to Major General Schofield, commanding the department of the Ohio, for assignment.

Major General Granger would report by letter to the Adjutant General of the army.

Captain Horace Porter, United States ordnance department, was announced as an aide-de-camp to Lieutenant General Grant, with rank of Lieutenant Colonel.--General Orders.

Captain Phelps, of gunboat Number Twenty-six, captured a Confederate mail-carrier near Crockett's Bluff, Arkansas, with five thousand letters from Richmond and other points, and sixty thousand percussion-caps for General Price's army. The letters contained official communications from Shreveport, and a considerable sum of Federal money.

From the New York Papers--The Metropolitan Fair, for the benefit of the Sanitary Commission, was inaugurated at New York City, with imposing ceremonies.

T. A. Henderson, Provost Marshal of the district of Florida, issued the following circular from his headquarters at Jacksonville:

All refugees from the Rebel lines, and deserters from the rebel armies, and all persons desiring to become such, are hereby informed that they will not, under any circumstances, be compelled to serve in the United States army against the rebels. This assurance is fully given in General Orders Number Sixty-four, of date February eighteenth, 1864, from the War Department.

All such refugees and deserters, who are honest in their intentions of for ever deserting the Rebel cause, will be allowed every opportunity of engaging in their usual avocations; or, if they desire employment from the United States, will, as far as expedient, be employed on the government works, receiving proper compensation for their services.

All refugees or deserters who may bring horses or mules into the Union lines will be paid their full value.

Wednesday, 6 April 1864

As states which had seceded and become part of the Confederacy were militarily defeated, there followed a time of political reorganization in each one as well. Those who had held office before or during secession were required to take an oath of loyalty to the Union, or they were to be replaced. New constitutions were often mandated by the Federal authorities once their control had been implemented. This morning, Louisiana was allowed to pass theirs. The Union, military controlled, provisional government was little changed, except that it finally abolished slavery.

Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory wrote Flag Officer Samuel Barron in Paris regarding the possible operations of ships being fitted out in France: "If the vessels about to get to sea can be united with the two you sent off [CSS Florida and Georgia], they might strike a blow at the enemy off Wilmington, during the summer, and then separate to meet for a blow at another point. I commend the light infantry system to your judgment. An invited clash at a point north heretofore indicated to you, then a separation for a reunion and dash at a second point, and a second separation for a third one, etc., with the intervals sufficient to draw the enemy's attention to distant chasing, would produce very important results." While Mallory's reasoning was sound in proposing such a hit-and-run cruise, it was not to happen. The CSS Florida would be captured before year's end; the Georgia would soon be sold; and the Rappahannock, like the ironclads contracted for in France, would never take to the high seas under the Confederate flag.

The USS Estrella, under Lieutenant Commander Augustus P. Cooke, captured the mail schooner Julia A. Hodges off Matagorda Bay, Texas.

Brigadier General Odon Guitar, from his headquarters at Macon, Missouri, issued general orders relinquishing his command of the district of North-Missouri, to Brigadier General Clinton B. Fisk.

Reuben Patrick, captain of a company of secret service employed by order of Governor Thomas Elliott Bramlette, by Colonel George W. Gallup, commanding the district of Eastern Kentucky, with fifteen men of company I, Fourteenth Kentucky, and four of his own company, surprised Captain Bradshaw, with eighty men of Hodge's brigade, on Quicksand Creek. He drove them in all directions, they leaving all their horses, arms, and camp equipment in Patrick's possession, who selected thirty of the best horses, and, with three prisoners, made quick time for camp, where he arrived, having left ten dead Rebels, and seven mortally wounded on the ground. The captured arms were destroyed by burning them. This is the same Patrick who stole Humphrey Marshall's artillery out of his camp at Shelbyville, last spring.

An election was held in Maryland, to determine whether a convention should be called for the purpose of amending the Constitution of the State. The question was carried by a large majority.

Thursday, 7 April 1864

Following the battle of Gettysburg, the Corps of Confederate General James Longstreet had been detached from the Army of Northern Virginia and sent to assist in the defense of the Western theater. He had arrived just in the nick of time for the Battle of Chickamauga, after which he had moved against an entrenched Knoxville, but to no avail, then gone into winter camp. This morning, the official orders came for him to return to Virginia.

Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter detailed Lieutenant Commander Thomas Stowell Phelps to remain in command of the heavier gunboats at Grand Ecore, in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, while he personally continued to advance up the Red River toward Shreveport with the ironclads USS Osage, Neosho, and Chillicothe and the wooden steamers Fort Hindman, Lexington and Cricket. The Admiral hoped to bring up the remaining gunboats if the water level began to rise.

The USS Beauregard, Acting Master Edward C. Healy, seized the blockade running British schooner Spunky near Cape Canaveral, Florida, with an assorted cargo.

The Confederates made a daring dash within the Federal picket lines at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and a brisk skirmish ensued, without important results to either side. A detachment of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois mounted infantry, and a section of Barnes's battery, Twenty-first New York, with one gun, had been out mending the line of telegraph to Baton Rouge, and on their return were attacked by a partisan force of Confederate cavalry and hastily driven in. Simultaneously, an attack was made on the pickets by an equally large force, and the detachment on the telegraph road was cut off and flanked. The cavalry came in by wood roads, but the piece of artillery was spiked and left, and afterward carried off by the enemy. In the several skirmishes the Yankees lost one killed, four wounded, and six prisoners. They took two prisoners, one of them an officer. General Daniel Ullman's division marched several miles outside, but on the approach of the infantry the Rebels left without hazarding a fight. The Southern partisan force was the Wirt Adams's Cavalry from up the river, numbering almost a thousand. They were well mounted and equipped.

Saturday, 9 April 1864

A battlefield marriage between General Robert E. Lee and Major General George Meade was a most unsettling prospect, but that was essentially what Meade’s orders of today consisted, at least by a Biblical allusion. Writing from Culpeper Court House, Virginia, Lieutenant General Hiram U. Grant sent the following instructions to the commander of the Army of the Potomac: “Wherever Lee goes, there will you go also."

The Federal General-in-Chief began finalizing his Overland Campaign plans by issuing orders to be carried out once the roads dried:

•Major General William T. Sherman’s Military Division of the Mississippi would invade Georgia and confront General Joseph E. Johnston’s Confederate Army of Tennessee, which guarded the vital industrial city of Atlanta.

•Major General Franz Sigel’s Army of Western Virginia would invade Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and deprive the Confederacy of vital foodstuffs being harvested there.

•Major General Benjamin "Spoons" Butler’s Army of the James would advance up the James River in Virginia and threaten Petersburg, south of Richmond.

•Major General Nathaniel Banks’ Army of the Gulf would abandon the Red River campaign, instead moving east to capture Mobile, Alabama.

All the Federal armies were to advance simultaneously to place overwhelming pressure on the severely undermanned Confederate forces.

In the Red River campaign, Banks’ Federals formed a defensive line this morning near Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, after their defeat yesterday. The Confederates skirmished, then launched a main drive this afternoon, but the Federals barely held them off to avoid a complete, embarrassing rout. This fight at Pleasant Hill was reported by Banks as a Federal victory, but he was prevented from advancing further west.

Meanwhile in Arkansas, Union forces under Major General Frederick Steele were blocked from reinforcing Banks’ campaign. Steele’s Federals skirmished at Prairie D’Ane. When General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi District, moved to reinforce Richard Taylor in Louisiana, Banks quickly decided to withdraw back down the Red River.

The Confederate torpedo boat Squib, commanded by Lieutenant Hunter Davidson, successfully exploded a spar torpedo against the large steam frigate USS Minnesota, under Lieutenant Commander John H. Upshur, off Newport News, Virginia. The Squib was described by Acting Master John A. Curtis, second in command of the torpedo boat, as being constructed of wood, "...about thirty-five feet long, five feet wide, drew three feet of water, two feet freeboard designed by Hunter Davidson...The boiler and engine were encased with iron; forward of the boiler was the cockpit, where the crew stood and from where we steered her." The attack, described by a Northern naval officer observer as "...a deed as daring as it was vicious....", took place about two o'clock in the morning. The officer of the deck saw a small boat 150 to 200 yards off, just forward of the port beam. To his hail, the Confederates replied "Roanoke...". Acting Ensign James Birtwistle ordered her to stay clear. Davidson answered "Aye, aye!" Although Birtwistle could discern no visible means of propulsion, the small Confederate boat continued to close Minnesota rapidly. Minnesota attempted to open fire, but, the distance between the two being so slight, her gun could not be brought to bear. Squib rammed her powder charge of more than 50 pounds into the blockader's port quarter. The log of the Minnesota recorded: ". . . a tremendous explosion followed..." Curtis wrote that he closed his eyes at the moment of impact, "...opening them in about a second, I think, I never beheld such a sight before, nor since. The air was filled with port shutters and water from the explosion, and the heavy ship was rolling to starboard, and the officer of the deck giving orders to save yourselves and cried out 'Torpedo, torpedo!'..."

Little damage resulted, though "...the shock was quite severe." Nevertheless, as Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory later said of the attack: "The cool daring, professional skill, and judgment exhibited by Lieutenant Davidson in this hazardous enterprise merit high commendation and confer honor upon a service of which he is a member." As the blockader reeled under the blow, the fate of the seven Southerners was gravely imperiled, for Squib was sucked under the port quarter. As the Minnesota rolled back to port, however, Curtis reported, "...the pressure of the water shoved us off." But so close aboard her adversary did she remain that Curtis leaped on the torpedo boat's forward deck and pushed against Minnesota to get the small craft clear. Squib escaped under heavy musket fire. The Union tug Poppy did not have steam up and could not pursue the torpedo boat, which withdrew safely up the James River. Davidson, a pioneer in torpedo warfare, was promoted to Commander for his "...gallant and meritorious conduct."

The concern caused by the attack on the Minnesota, coming as it did shortly after the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley had sunk the USS Housatonic, was widespread. William Winthrop, United States Consul at Malta, wrote assistant Secretary of State Frederick W. Seward concerning precautions recommended for the future. "In these days of steam and torpedoes, you may rest assured that outlying picket boats and a steam tug at all hours ready to move are not sufficient protection for our ships of war, where a squadron is at anchor. They require something more, and this should be in having their own boats rowing round all night, so that in a measure every ship should protect itself. If this precaution be not taken, any vessel in a dark and foggy night could be blown out of the water, even while a watchful sentry on board might still have his cry of 'All's well' yet on his lips as the fiendish act was accomplished."

In the Union House of Representatives, there was a very exciting discussion, in Committee of the Whole, on a resolution offered by Mr. Schuyler Colfax to expel Mr. Alexander Long, of Ohio, for disloyal sentiments uttered in his speech on Friday last. During the discussion, Mr. Benjamin G. Harris, of Maryland, arose, and boldly avowed his gratification at the secession of the South, justifying it fully, and rebuking the Democratic party for not daring to come up to his standard of political morality. Mr. E. B. Washburne, of Illinois, instantly offered a resolution to expel Mr. Harris, which received eighty-one votes against fifty-eight; but two thirds being required, the resolution was not adopted. Mr. Robert Schenck, of Ohio, then offered a resolution, severely censuring Mr. Harris, declaring him to be an unworthy member of the House, which was adopted. The proceedings were very turbulent, and the debates very sharp.

The heaviest freshet (a small sudden rise in the level of a river) known in Virginia for ten years occurred this night on the line of the Orange and Alexandria road. Several bridges were seriously damaged, and one was washed away entirely.

Monday, 11 April 1864

Both the Army and the Navy forces of the United States were having a hard time with the area northwest of the Mississippi River today. The Red River campaign, under General Nathaniel P. Banks, had continued to withdraw toward Grand Encore, Louisiana, after failing at Pleasant Hill and Mansfield, suffering one of the most humiliating Federal failures of the war. Actually, Banks’ men were somewhat the victors at Pleasant Hill, but Banks didn't actually believe it, so he turned tail anyway. On the water, Admiral David D. Porter’s gunboats were being subjected to such indignities as small arms and battery fire from the banks of the river. This was hard to avoid as the water was getting very low, making maneuvering difficult. The boats were under continuous fire by Confederate guerrillas on the riverbanks, and if Porter did not withdraw quickly, his flotilla could be stuck in mud and easily destroyed.

Flag Officer Samuel Barron, senior Confederate naval officer in France, reported to Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory, that he had placed Lieutenant Charles M. Morris in command of the CSS Florida, relieving Commander Joseph N. Barney whose ill health prevented active service afloat. The Florida had completed her repairs and on a trial run "made 13 knots under steam." The CSS Rappahannock was "repairing slowly but surely;" she would be armed with the battery from the CSS Georgia, no longer fit for duty as a cruiser. He concluded: "You are doubtless, Sir, aware that three Confederate 'men-of-war' are now enjoying the hospitality and natural courtesies of this Empire--a strange contrast with the determined hostility, I may almost say, of Earl Russell. Louis Napoleon is not Lord John Russell!"

The USS Minnesota, Daylight, Aries, and Governor Buckingham intercepted the blockade runner Ranger, commanded by Lieutenant George W. Gift, CSN, and forced her aground at the Western Bar of Lockwood's Folly Inlet, South Carolina. Since Southern sharpshooters precluded salvage, the Ranger, carrying a cargo for the Confederate government, was destroyed by Union forces. Aries, under Acting Lieutenant Edward F. Devens, also investigated a fire observed between Tubb's and Little River Inlets and found the "fine-looking double propeller blockade runner" Vesta beached and in flames. Vesta had been sighted and chased the night before by the USS Keystone State, Quaker City, and Tuscarora.

The USS Honeysuckle, Acting Ensign Cyrus Sears in charge, captured the blockade running British schooner Fly near Jupiter Inlet, Florida.

Boat crews from the USS Roebuck, Acting Master Sherrill commanding, captured the blockade running British schooner Susan at Jupiter Inlet with a cargo including salt.

At Huntsville, Alabama, a caisson of Croswell's Illinois battery exploded, killing instantly privates Jacob Englehart, John Olsin, Wm. Humphrey, David Roach, Wm. Mattison, and Horace Allen, and wounding George Barnes, and Wm. Regan. Several of the bodies of the killed were blown to atoms, and portions were found five hundred feet distant. The horses attached to the caisson were killed. The railroad depot was badly shattered. One citizen had his thigh broken, and several others were slightly injured.

Last night a group of partisan guerrillas burned two houses, and stole several horses on the Kentucky side of the river, opposite Cairo, Illinois.

The Mexican schooner Juanita, while attempting to evade the blockade, was captured and destroyed by the steamer Virginia, off San Luis Pass, Texas.

The schooner Three Brothers was captured in the Homasassa River, by the Federal vessel Nita.

In Arkansas, a pro-Union state government took office at Little Rock, led by Governor Isaac Murphy. In Virginia, a pro-Union delegation approved a constitution for the “Restored State of Virginia,” which included abolishing slavery in the state. The pro-Union government in Virginia, led by F.H. Pierpont, represented only the northern and coastal regions under Federal occupation.

General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Confederates raided Columbus, Kentucky on the Mississippi.

Federal expeditions began from Stevenson, Alabama and Rossville, Georgia.

Skirmishing occurred in Virginia, Alabama, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Monday, April 13 1863

General Ambrose E. Burnside had once been commander of the Army of the Potomac. After getting huge numbers of his men killed in futile actions at Fredericksburg, Virginia--just at Marye's Heights alone, seven Union divisions had been sent in, generally one brigade at a time, for a total of fourteen individual charges, all of which failed, costing him from 6,000 to 8,000 casualties--it had been necessary to find some stairs to kick him up. The result had been his “promotion” to command the Department of the Ohio, a non-combat job. This morning, he announced the death penalty for anyone aiding the Confederacy, and the deportation of anyone sympathizing with same.

Captain Thornton A. Jenkins, senior officer present off Mobile, wrote Commodore Henry H. Bell, temporary commander of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron: "I must be permitted to say that, in my judgment, our present weakness at this point, and the incalculable benefits to accrue in the event of success, are a most tempting invitation to the enemy to attack us and endeavor to raise the blockade by capturing or destroying our vessels and to open the way to other successes."

Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, who had arrived in Key West, Florida, on 12 January, was announced today soon to resume command of the West Gulf Squadron.

Rear Admiral John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren urged Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles to employ torpedo boats in Charleston harbor similar to the Confederate "David". "Nothing better could be devised for the security of our own vessels or for the examination of the enemy's position," he wrote. "The length of these torpedo boats might be about 40 feet, and 5 to 6 feet in diameter, with a high-pressure engine that will drive them 5 knots. It is not necessary to expend much finish on them."

A boat crew from the USS Two Sisters, Acting master Thomas Chatfield in charge, captured the schooner William off Suwannee River, Florida, with a cargo of salt, bagging, and rope.

The ocean going iron-clad steamer Catawba was successfully launched at Cincinnati, Ohio.

The schooner Mandoline was captured in Atchafalaya Bay, Florida, by the Federal vessel Nyanza.

The Confederate sloop Rosina was captured by the Virginia, at San Luis Pass, Texas.

From the Missouri Democrat...Last night the notorious bushwhacking gang of Shumate and Clark went to the house of an industrious, hard-working German farmer, named Kuntz, who lives some twenty-five to thirty miles from the mouth of Osage River, in Missouri, and demanded his money. He stoutly denied having any cash; but the fiends, not believing him, or perhaps knowing that he did have some money, deliberately took down a wood-saw which was hanging up in the cabin, and cut his left leg three times below and four times above the knee, with the saw. Loss of blood, pain, and agony made the poor fellow insensible, and he was unable to tell where the money was concealed. His mangled body was found to-day, life extinct. A boy who lived with him, succeeded in making his escape, terror-stricken, to give the alarm. After leaving Kuntz's, the gang went to an adjoining American farmer, and not succeeding in their demands for money, they destroyed every thing in and about the place, took the man out, and literally cut his head off.

The British schooner Maria Alfred, with an assorted cargo, intended for the Rebels, was captured in latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes N., longitude 95 degrees 5 minutes W., by the Union vessel Rachel Seaman.

Dat spoiler tho