April 19.
Yesterday, three regiments of infantry and one of cavalry left Memphis, Tenn., on a reconnoitring expedition, and when near Nonconnah, the cavalry came up on a detachment of Blythe's rebel cavalry; a fight ensued, resulting in the repulse of the rebels. This morning the cavalry again attacked the rebels, and succeeded in driving them across the Coldwater River in great confusion, killing twenty, wounding forty, and capturing a large number. After crossing the river the rebels received reenforcements, and the Nationals fell back to Hernando. Being reenforced there by infantry and artillery, under Colonel Bryant, the Unionists again moved on the Coldwater, and attacked the rebels on the opposite side of the river, continuing the contest until sundown, and losing five killed and fifteen wounded.
Major-General Dix, in a despatch to the War Department, said: “I deem it due to the forces at Suffolk to notice briefly their gallant conduct during the last six days. On Tuesday General Peck's right was attacked, and the enemy's advance was gallantly met by Colonel Foster's light troops, driving him back to the line of his pickets. Anderson's division was engaged at the same time on the water-front with our gunboats and batteries, and suffered materially. On Wednesday a rebel battery of twenty-pounder rifled guns was effectually silenced, and an attack on the Smith Briggs, an armed quartermaster's boat, was repulsed. Repeated attempts have been made on our lines, but have all been foiled. The storming of the enemy's battery near the west branch of the Nansemond by General Getty and the gunboats, under Lieutenant Lamson, of the navy, and the capture of six guns and two hundred prisoners, closes the operations of the six days against the enemy's large force very satisfactorily.” The Eighty-ninth New York and the Eighth Connecticut were the storming party.--See Supplement.
