The recent Engagements in Florida.
--The advance on
Lake City, Fla., the repulse of which has been officially announced, appears to have been a complete surprise to the
Confederates, who lost three batteries of artillery and two companies of infantry, captured at Camp Finnegan.
The Savannah
Republican contains the following particulars of the affair:
On Monday night the
Yankee cavalry, estimated at five to seven hundred, advanced on Camp Finnegan, which is about thirteen miles from
Baldwin.
Our pickets, seeing the enemy advance, went in and reported.
Our troops were soon drawn up in line, but, before they could move off, were flanked right and left, and about one hundred and fifty of them captured.
The movement of the enemy was so sudden that they came within four hundred yards of our camp before they were discovered.
We had at Camp Finnegan some infantry, artillery, and two companies of cavalry.
The greater portion of the cavalry made good their escape.
The two batteries of artillery were lost, with the horses, wagons, and all other camp property.
Capt. Joseph L. Dunham's battery saved all their horses, but lost their guns.
Captain D. was not with his command, being sick and off duty.
On Tuesday morning the
Yankee cavalry advanced on
Baldwin, and thence to
Sanderson, where a skirmish took place.
On Wednesday morning the enemy advanced to within four miles of
Lake City, where
Gen. Finnegan had formed his troops in line of battle.
A brisk fight took place, which lasted several hours, when the enemy was repulsed, and retreated to
Sanderson.
It was reported that in this fight we lost ten men killed and a number wounded.
The loss of the enemy is not known.
Col. McCormick is among the captured, also
Second Sergeant James King, together with all the members of his corps.
This company had lately been formed in
Marion county, Fla.
The steamer
St. Mary's was not burnt as reported, but that she was sunk in seventeen feet water.
The St. Mary's was loaded with a cargo of cotton and turpentine.
A large portion of her cotton was taken out and placed on shore, where it was burnt.
A large number of negroes have been captured by the enemy and carried off. Their cavalry alone advanced, and it is supposed that they have fallen back on their infantry supports.
There are but four Yankee gunboats at
Jacksonville, the transports having left, as is supposed, for the purpose of bringing additional reinforcements
At
Sanderson the enemy destroyed in one warehouse upwards of 3,000 bushels of corn, a quantity of bacon, &c., and burnt the greater portion of the village.
