May 24.
A skirmish took place at Craighead Point, near Fort Pillow, Tennessee, between a party of Federal pickets and a large body of rebel infantry. After the two parties had exchanged a few shots, the Union gunboat Benton opened fire upon the rebels and brought on an engagement with the batteries at Fort Pillow, which was closed by the Benton retiring to her position with the Union fleet.--New York World.
Five companies of the Fourth Michigan regiment, under Bowen, of the Topographical Engineers, and Lieutenant Cusher, of the Fifth cavalry, acting with the Topographical corps, crossed the Chickahominy a short distance above New Bridge. At Cold Harbor a small command of thirty men, of the Fourth Michigan, succeeded in getting between four companies of the Fifth Louisania regiment, who were out on picket-duty at the bridge, and a brigade of rebels who were supporting them. In the mean time, the rest of the regiment and the squadrons of cavalry approached the bridge, thus attracting the attention of the four Louisiana companies. The first knowledge the rebels had of the near presence of an enemy, was the firing from thirty muskets at pistol-shot range, making havoc in the ranks and causing a serious panic, while the main body advanced in front and opened a deadly fire. The result was, that thirty-seven of the enemy were taken prisoners, fifteen wounded, and between sixty and seventy left dead on the field. Among the prisoners was a lieutenant. Lieut. Bowen had his horse shot under him during the skirmish.1--(Doc. 45.)
A Union meeting was held at Murfreesboro, Tenn., at which speeches were made by Andrew Johnson and others.--Louisville Journal, May 26.
Yesterday General Stoneman's brigade and the brigade of General Davidson, of Smith's division, advanced from New Bridge up the Chickahominy to Ellison's Mills, on Bell's Creek. Here they encountered four regiments of the enemy's infantry, with nine pieces of artillery and a command of cavalry. Of these, two regiments of infantry and three pieces of artillery were on the opposite side of the creek. The rest of the infantry, composed of the Eighth and Ninth Georgia regiments, under General Howell Cobb, were posted in a favorable position to resist McClellan's advance to Mechanicsville. Fitlar's and Robertson's batteries of the Second artillery, were quickly brought into action, and after firing some one hundred and fifty rounds the rebels withdrew, with their guns β not however, until one of them had been dismounted β to the village, covered by their infantry and cavalry. Four regiments of General Davidson's brigade, with Wheeler's battery, were then sent around, but night coming on, they went into camp, within six hundred yards of the enemy. This morning at daylight, the batteries on both sides opened, Wheeler confining his guns to shelling the houses behind which the enemy's infantry were concealed. The fire was too hot for the rebels, and they left the village, a portion retiring across the Chickahominy, the remainder falling back to the railroad. The Thirty-third New York regiment were the first to enter the village. The houses showed unmistakable evidences of the accuracy of the artillery, some of them being riddled in a dozen places. The rebels carried off their killed and wounded, one man excepted. The Union casualties were two killed and four wounded. Colonel Mason, of the Seventh Maine, was slightly injured by the explosion of a shell. General Stoneman then sent two squadrons of [17] the Eighth Illinois cavalry under Major Clendennin, three miles further up the river, and caused to be destroyed the bridge of the Richmond and Fredericksburgh Railroad.
The British steamer Stettin was captured this morning while attempting to run the blockade of Charleston, S. C.--Charleston Mercury, May 27.
A reconnoitring party from Pope's command had a skirmish near Corinth, Miss., resulting in a complete rout of three rebel regiments, with loss of knapsacks, blankets, and haversacks. Several were killed and wounded, and six prisoners were taken. The regiments fled in confusion across the creek. The national loss was four wounded.
A party of National troops from the Fifth Virginia regiment, and Captain Fish's company of Connecticut cavalry, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Latham, surprised a guerrilla band on Sheff's Mountain, Randolph County, Va., and put them to flight, capturing most of their arms and equipments, and without any loss on the National side.--Wheeling Intelligencer, May 27.
The steamer Swan, laden with one thousand bales of cotton, and eight hundred barrels of rosin, was captured off the coast of Cuba by the United States brig Bainbridge, and bark Amanda, and sent to Key West, Florida, for adjudication.--National Intelligencer, June 3.
A reconnoissance in force was this day made from General Keyes's headquarters, for the purpose of ascertaining the strength of the rebels in the neighborhood of βthe Pines,β some eight and a half miles from Richmond, Va.--(Doc. 115.)
