The Retirement of the enemy from the Blackwater region.
It is stated upon authority deemed reliable that the force of the enemy which was at
Suffolk and in the
Blackwater region last week have nearly all returned to Fortress Konrad.
During their visit to that section they committed the usual depredations which attend their raids, and carried off and destroyed a considerable amount of property.
While at
Smithfield,
Isle of Wight county, they entered the residence of
Mr. Frederick Cowper, and stole the library of his brother,
R. C. P. Cowper, who is now the
Lieutenant Governor of the
Pierpont Government.--They also carried of from this place about one hundred negroes.
On Thursday morning a fight occurred on the farm of
Mr. Wronn, near
Burwell's Bay, between a force of the
Yankees numbering some 300 or 400, who had landed at the latter point, and a few Confederates who had been gathered together by
Major Milligan, of the Signal Corps, and
Capt. Causey, of the In this engagement we had one man wounded and one (
Capt. Chas. Spruill) taken prisoner.
The enemy had five or six killed and from fifteen to twenty wounded. A Yankee officer was killed in attempting to cause Pag in Creek in a barge, with a view of communicating with
General Graham.--Whilst in
Smithfield Graham complained very much of the "bushwhackers" which he said were infesting that section, and expressed much regret at the death of the officer who was killed in the barge.
Well informed persons from that region express the opinion that
Burnside's expedition has not left
Annapolis, and that the expedition of last week was only to ascertain what Confederate force was in that locality.
The at
Smithfield consisted of the 24th Massachusetts, a Michigan, and a Wisconsin regiment, and a New Jersey battery.
The 24th Massachusetts was on duty not long since at
Charleston.
