Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 116, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1912 — The CIVIL WAR FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK [ARTICLE]

The CIVIL WAR FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

3555 ed the place. General Franklin's division of the May of the Potomac left Yorktown to proceed up the York river la transports to Wept Point %%::i The Fifth New York cavalry got into trouble with two hundred of Ashby's cavalry when on a reconnolssance train New Market toward Harrisonburgh, Va. The Federal horsemen, heavily outnumbering the enemy, extricated themselvea, and inflicted-con-siderable damage to the enepy in % pursuit of them that lasted to within two miles of Harrisonburgh. The Confederate schooner C. C. Pinckney from Charlestown, S. C., for Nassau, N. P., was captured by the United States gunboat Ottawa. - May 7, 1862. ~ - The Confederate pickets about. Colombian Bridge, on: the east bank of the Shenandoah river, Virginia, having been, driven from their posts by a Union detachment under Colonel Foster, rallied in the woods, ambuscaded their enemy, and inflicted a serioua damage upon him before he could extricate himself. One company of Vermont cavalry saved itself- only by swimming the river. General Franklin's division, Army of the Potomac, was attacked by the Confederates when it attempted to land at West Point. After a brisk engagement the landing was effected. With heavy loss to the Federal forces. Report was received from Algeeiras, Spain, that the Confederate privateer, Bnmpter, which had been blockaded in Gibraltar for two months by the U. S. 8. S. Tuscarora, had been sold by her captain, who had become hopeless of getting to sea in the face of the blockade. General Cox's Union advance occupied Giles Courthouse and the Narrows of the New river, surprising and driving out the small company of Confederates left to watch the enemy's movements. The Confederates were prevented from burning the town, -as they had Intended to do if the Federate appeared, by the element of surprise in the attack

May 8, 1862. ’ i A Gens. Mllroy and Schenck, commanding nine Federal regiments, fought off a heavy force of Confederates under Gens. Jackson and Edward Johnson in Virginia, retiring in good order upon the town of Franklin. Gen. Johnson was killed. president Lincoln and Secretary Stanton were entertained by the bombardment of the Confederate batteries on Sewell’s Point and Creney island by the Monitor and Saugatuck and other vessels of the Union fleet. 1 The Merrlmac appeared and made a demonstration, but no engagement was sought by either side. No one was reported as injured on either side by the^pknbardment. Major Arlington ot the Seventh Illinois cavalry was killed leading a charge against two companies-of Confederate -infantry that had ambuscaded the cavalry bn a reconnaissance near Corinth, Mississippi. The United States senate passed a bill establishing Beaufort, S. C., as a port of entry. Three brigades of Gen. Buell’s division seized and destroyed the railroad between Corinth and Grand Junction. Gov. Clark of North Carolina, in answer to a demand by the Confederate government for more troops, informed the government that had ,“re- - ceived all the aid from North Carolina that it could expect, and that no more troops would be permitted to leave the Hate.” - '. - -7 Gen. Stonewall Jackson began his famous campaign in the Shenandoah valley, which tied up 70,000 Federal troops In the defense of panic-stricken Washington. May #,186*.--. ’ The Confederates evacuated Pensacola, Fla., during the night, bum-

Ing and destroying the forts, navy yards, marine hospital and two vessels. Gen. Arnold began a bombardment when the destruction of property was begun, hoping to Interfere With tt, but only the barracks and blacksmith shop were saved. . A company of Confederate cavalry made a bold dash on Washington, N. C., In an attempt to capture the Federal officers In the town. The dating of the attempt neatly brought It success. Gen. Hunter of the Federal army declared “the persons of the three states, Georgia, Florida and* South Carolina, heretofore held as slaves, to be forever free.” Capt Connet and his command, stationed at a bridge near Klkton station, Alabama, were captured by a force of Confederates after a heavy fight in which five Federal* were killed and thirteen Confederates. Gen. Paine of the Army of the Southwest'was' attacked in position near Farmington, Miss., by Confederates under Gen. Bragg add forced to withdraw after holding the enemy in check five hours. .The town of Burning Springs, W. was homed by a company*of partisan fighters known as the Moccasin * rangers. T"'"". • Gen. Butler announced that 100,000 barrels beef and auger, found in

White: Houap, <® the Pam unkey the Union troops, who seized a quiS tity of wheat and com stored there The Confederate schooner Maria Theresa was captured by the United* of Paducah, Tenn., to the Confederates trsssFSßs a^jssiwwf ftjscoverea tnrougn tae revewtions of one of the conspirators. • . New Kent Court House, Virginia, was occupied by National troopa under General Stoueman. The Confederates, withdrawing, destroyed tvfd buildings containing quartermaster and commissary stores. v V* Va., a hamlet on too Pamunkey, changed hands, being evacuated by toe Confederates and occupied by toe National forces. Capt. H. C. Davis, commanding tits Union gunboat fleet in toe operations about Fort Pillow, defeated a flotilla of Confederate gunboats In a severe engagement In which .two of the Confederate vessels were blown up and one sunk. ' . General Wool received toe surrender of Norfolk, Va., from the hands of a committee of citizens who came dot to meet him as he was marching on toe town from Fort Willoughby's point g Sporadic expressions df Union sentiment were reported to toe northern papers from North Carolina. May 11, 1862. rv-: The partisan fighter, Cleveland, who had been making things, lively to northern Kansas, was captured by an officer and ten men of toe United States regulars from Fort ~ Leavenworth, and subsequently killed in an attempt to make his escape. . Craney Island, Virginia, was'abandoned by the Confederates, and thdUnlted States flag was hoisted over the dismantled works by Union soldiers. . . i -i, - A squad of Morgan’s cavalry captured and burned a freight and passenger train near Cave City, Ky. The train wag believed by the Confederates to have been carrying some prisoners oh their way to Federal prison# In the nortjh. A few National officers and men were riding on the train when It was captured. ’ The Merrimac was blown up by order of her, commander off Craney Island, to prevent her falling into the hands of;the Federal fleet. The Texans who marched lxito New Mexico and were defeated ..by; United States Regulars near Fort Craig, wefe reported from Albuquerque to have returned to El Paso on their complete retreat. The regiment of “Pike’s Peakers’’ that had come from Colorado on forced matches and saved the victory were still near Fort Craig. - ■ The First Wisconsin cavalry, sent from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, toclqar the vicinilty from Confederates who were impressing the inhabitants and makltfg off with cattle and horses, surprised and routed one -band of the enemy near Bloomfield. The people were in a state of complete terror. - The United Stales gunboats Freeborn and Island Belle * captured an empty schooner and one laden with whisky in the Piankatank river, Virginia. ' l May 12, - . President Lincoln .Issued* a • mation removing toe blockades from New Orleans, Beaufort and Port Royal to a degree that -would all commerce to pass through excepting that involving Confederates. C. Commander Palmer of the U. S. S. S. Iroquois demanded toe surrender of the city of Natchez, Miss., to the naval forces of the United States. The demand was not acceded to. The United Stateß senate passed toe Doolittle bill relating the collection of taxation in insurrectionary district#. During the debate bn a motion to fig the time of adjournment Mr. Wilson called Mr. Davis of Kentucky to order ’for uttering sentiments. After some explanation the point of order was withdrawn. A party under'Ueutenant Flusser of the Commodore Perry ltfnded at Elizabeth City, N. C., went three mises Into the country and recovered the White Point lighthouse apparatua, removed by the Confederates.

General McClellan reported from* Roper’s Church, Va., as follows: “Commander Rodgers writes me today that he went with the gunboats yesterday past little Brandon. Everything quiet and no signs of troops passing the lifer. He found two batteries of ted or twelve guns each on the south side of the James river, bfle opposite the mouth of the Warwick and the other about southwest from Mulberry Point . . V He silenced one battery and passed the other.” . (Copyright, MUjr W. a Chapman.) 83j# 1, -‘ The Reason. « 'Tour wife is a great talker, Jolttby." “Yes,'but she hadn’t as much to say last month as usual.” .V , “Indeed? How do you account for thpt?” ‘ “tt was the shortest month In the year." Inappropriate. . v“What was the matter with, the society belle you were called to treat, doctor?” . . “She was of a feeling" * • .yy *r “That’s an odd feeling for anybody who to in the swim.”