. Finding that the Van Dorn, after a long pur
suit, could not be overhauled, a portion of the
Federal fleet returned to a position in front of
the city, when a boat, bearing a white flag, ap
proached the levee and landed an officer and
three men, who at once proceeded to the Mayor s
office, and presented the following demand for
the surrender of the city :
U. S. FLAG-STEAMER BEXTON, I
OFF MEMPHIS, June 6, 1862. j
SIR : I have the honor to request that you will
surrender the city of Memphis to the authorities
DOCUMENTS.
183
of the United States, which I have the honor to
represent.
T am, Mr. Mayor, with high respect, your most
obedient servant, C. H. DAVIS,
Flag-Officer Comrnau ling, etc.
To his Honor the Mayor of the City of Memphis.
Mayor Park replied as follows :
MAYOR S OFFICE, MEMPHIS, June 5, 18G2.
C. II. Davis, Flag- Officer Commanding, etc. :
SIR: Your note of this date is received and
contents noted. In reply, I have to say, that the
civil authorities have no means of defence ; by
the force of circumstances it is in your hands.
Respectfully, JOHN PAKK,
Mayor.
The first of the public buildings visited by the
small squad that came ashore was the post-office,
over which the Federal flag was raised. In pass
ing through the streets no disturbance occurred,
but the crowd at every corner gave the most un
mistakable signs of their hostility to the govern
ment whose ensign was about to be thrown out.
II was reported that one pistol-shot was fired at
the men on the post-office engaged in raising the
flag, but we were unable to obtain any authenti
cation of the rumor. Groans and hisses greeted
the enemy s banner, and the spirit of the popu
lace was so strongly manifested, that it was
thought advisable by the Federal officers to place
a guard around the flag, which was done.
During the afternoon Mayor Park received a
second communication from Com. Davis announc
ing that he had placed the city under military
authority, and that he would be pleased to have
his cooperation. We subjoin the correspondence :
U. S. FLAG-STEAMER BENTON, )
OFF MEMPHIS, June 6, 1862. f
SIR : The undersigned, commanding the mili
tary and naval forces in front of Memphis, have
the honor to say to the Mayor of the city, that
Col. Fitch, commanding the Indiana brigade, will
take military possession of the city immediately.
Col. Fitch will be happy to receive the cooper
ation of his Honor the Mayor, and the city au
thorities, in maintaining peace and good order ;
and to this end he will be pleased to confer with
his Honor at the military headquarters, at three
o clock this afternoon.
The undersigned have the honor to be, with
high respect, your most obedient servants,
C..H. DAVIS,
Flag-Officer Commanding Ailoat.
G. N. FITCH,
Colonel Commanding Indiana Brigade.
To his Honor the Mayor of the City of Memphis.
REPLY.
To Flag-Officer C. H. Davis and Col G. j\ r .
Fitch :
GENERALS: Your communication is received,
and I shall be happy to cooperate with the Col
onel Commanding in providing measures for
jtiaintaming peace and good order in the city.
Your most obedient servant,
JOHN PARK,
Mayor.
After a consultation between the commander
of the Federal land forces and the Mayor, the city
was placed under the control of a strong guard
of Federal troops. During a walk through tho
streets after midnight Friday night, we passed
several of the patrolling parties. Everything was
quiet, and but few persons were seen upon the
streets. During the afternoon succeeding the
battle, the business houses were all closed. The
people kept aloof from the enemy, and they were
not interfered with until a squad was sent to
remove the confederate flag from the mast on
Front row. This the crowd refused to permit to
be done, when two companies were landed from
one of the transports and marched to the spot.
After surrounding the pole, and a dispute of sev
eral hours, during which a collision was several
times imminent ; it was cut down amidst the ex
ecrations of those present against their invaders,
and vociferous huzzas for the Confederacy, Jeff
Davis, etc.
That the fleet of the enemy was vastty superior
to ours, not only in the number of vessels, but
also in the weight of ordnance, was well known
before it was determined to give battle. Why
this conclusion was arrived at, will be explained
by the report of Commodore Montgomery, and
until that document appears we decline all com
ment. Our men commenced the fight gallantly,
and prosecuted it bravely. No censure can at
tach to their conduct, which was witnessed by
thousands who had congregated upon the bluff.
Our loss of men will not, we believe, exceed fifty
in killed and wounded, and one hundred prison
ers. On the boats captured and destroyed, thero
was but a small quantity of stores and munitions,
and everything in the city of value to the govern
ment had been removed. Beyond the mere fact
of obtaining possession of the position, the victory
of the enemy was a barren one. They have only
learned of the existence of a condition of things
which we are proud to record of the Bluff City
namely, that her citizens remained loyal to the
confederate cause, and that none of that Union
spirit which has so long been charged as existing
among her people was manifested. The city is
conquered, but her people are not crushed* or
converted to Lincolnism neither have they lost
a particle of hope in the ultimate success of the
South. They almost unanimously pledged them
selves to the cause at the ballot-box a year ago,
and they remain true to the pledge, even under
the great adversity that has overtaken them. To
their honor be it recorded !
Doc. 61.
OPERATIONS OF A REBEL GUNBOAT.
THE following is the report of Captain Fry to
Major-General Hindman, detailing his operations
on the White River from May twenty-second to
June sixth.
C. S. G0NBOAT MArREPAS, )
DBS ABC, AaK., June 6. f
GENERAL : I arrived at this place on tl.ie twen-
184
REBELLION" RECORD, 1862.
ty-second ultimo, with a crew of less than ten
men, exclusive of my firemen and coal-passers.
It was absolutely necessary, if I proposed doing
anything besides frightening the enemy^ that I
should have the cooperation of a land force,
which, despite all rny efforts, I was unable to ob
tain. One or two companies of cavalry would
have sufficed if I could get no more ; but the
first colonel I could hear from concluded I was
under his command, and ordered me to stay
where I was until further orders. This order, of
course, I disregarded ; as, according to my judg- j
ment, no man under the rank of a Brigadier-Gen- 1
eral can possibly form a correct judgment of the
contingencies governing the movements of a gun
boat.
Having armed a few citizens, I proceeded with
them to act as sharp-shooters up the river to
Jacksonport. At Grand Glaze some two hun
dred of the enemy s cavalry preceded us ten min
utes. The turns of the White River resemble a
bow-knot, and cavalry, and even infantry, by cut
ting across points could keep ahead of us ; and
in ambuscade, could have killed every man on j
board of us. We, however, never saw the enemy ;
till we got near Jacksonport, which place had !
been evacuated in part in anticipation of our arri- 1
val with a large land force. The enemy (Ninth
Illinois cavalry) retreated in time across Black ;
River. I fired about ten shots into the woods in
the direction of their flight. . . .
The gentlemen who volunteered their services
to me rendered efficient assistance in rolling out I
and burning the cotton. My crew destroyed the
sugar. The river had fallen so that we rubbed \
hard in getting up, and was falling so rapidly ;
that I had not a moment to spare. I barely saved I
the boat as it was, and had to leave unburned j
about nine hundred bales. These were housed, j
and our party had determined to burn the house j
containing them, but on the representation of a i
person who came to me and said that it would j
burn the town, I prevented it. I learned subse- j
quently that it might have been destroyed with-
out risk to the city.
The citizens, in their enthusiasm, got some of
my men drunk, and my citizens in some instan
ces left off work to plunder. One got the Pro
vost-Marshal s trunk, containing his commission,
uniform, and some papers I have the original !
book containing the oath of allegiance exacted
from the citizens as the price of their being at j
liberty and exempt from plunder.
A man named Peoples rides a fine horse, goes
heavily armed, and pilots Federal scouts on fo
raging expeditions. At his nod one is spared
and another sacrificed. His house was close to
the Federal camp. I stopped at his place, burnt
the house, corn-crib, etc., considering it import
ant as a retaliatory measure. I have taken pris
oners several persons who have voluntarily token
the oath of allegiance, arrested suspicious persons, ;
<tnd caused the arrest of a traitor spy named
Lewis Smith, who has served in our army, and |
was greatly trusted. I have the Federal vouch- \
ers for his pay in my possession. The visit of
my boat will not be without its fruit. . . .
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH FRY.
Doc. 02.
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
LIEUTEXAXT-COLOXEL "WHIFFLE, who was sent
to exchange the rebel privateersmen for Colonel
Corcoran and other Federal prisoners, made the
following report of the conduct of the rebel au
thorities :
HEADQrARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF VlRGIXIA, I
FORTRESS MUXROE, VA., June 6, 1862. f
Major- General John E. Wool, Fortress Jfonroe,
Virginia.
SIR : I have the honor to report that I left
Hampton Roads about three o clock A. jr., on the
morning of the second inst, in charge of the
privateersmen, prisoners of war eighty-five in
number and five men, taken from merchant
vessels while attempting to run the blockade, on
board the steamer Massachusetts for City Point,
Ta., where in accordance with your instructions,
I was to endeavor to effect the release of our of
ficers held as hostages by the rebels, by deliver
ing their privateersmen within their lines on
parole.
I communicated with the enemy about two
o clock P.M., of the second, sending your letter-
enclosing a list of the prisoners to Major-Gene-
ral Huger, to whom I also sent a letter informing
him of my presence there with the prisoners, and
my readiness to release them upon the condition
mentioned in your letter. To this letter, I re
ceived a reply from the Headquarters, Depo*t-
mentof the Appomattox, at Petersburgh, in which
I was informed that at ten o clock A.M., of the
third inst., an officer would be sent to " receive the
paroled prisoners, and with such instructions re
lating to them as the government imposed."
Accordingly, during the afternoon, Major Ash,
aid-de-camp of Major-General Huger, came to re
ceive the prisoners, in case I saw tit to turn them
over to him, or to await the reply of the "gov
ernment," which would be delivered to me at ten
o clock A.M., the next day, June fourth. I ac
knowledged the receipt of this, and added that
my instructions would not permit me to act un
less the exchange was simultaneous.
About five o clock P.M., June fourth, I received
a letter stating that there was some misunder
standing as to the extent of General Huger s
promise in his letter of May third, which could
only be settled by conference, and time must be
allowed for that.
I replied to this by inquiring whether they
would confer with me on this business, or with
whom and when. I waited for a reply to this
until five o clock of the fifth, having, at three
o clock, gone ashore, and left a letter with a
DOCUMENTS.
135
picket, to be forwarded to Petersburg!!, informing ! discovered a portion of the enemy s forces en-
General Iluger that, having already waited twen
ty-four hours for a reply to my communication, I
would return to Fortress Monroe, and that any
communication on the subject of the exchange
would be forwarded by the navy. I then re
turned to this place, reaching here about eight
o clock A.M., to-day. Owing to the fog the boat
could not run last night.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM D. WHIPPLE, A.A.G.
Doc. 63.
OCCUPATION OF HARRISONBURGH, YA.
GENERAL FREMONT S DESPATCHES.
HEADQUARTERS MorxTAis DEPARTMENT, )
ARMY IN THE FIELD, HARRISONBI-RGH, June 7. f
To Hon. E. J/. Stanton, Secretary of War :
THE army reached this place at two o clock
yesterday, driving out the enemy s rear-guard
from the town. Severe skirmishing continued
camped in the timber.
J. C. FREMONT,
Major-General Commanding.
from that time till dark, the enemy s rear being
closely pressed by our advance. At four o clock
the First New-Jersey cavalry, after driving the d er Capt. Fish, rode through the main street, and
NEW-YORK "TRIBUNE" ACCOUNT.
FRSMOXT S HEADQUARTER, )
HARRISOSBURGH, VA., June 7, ISC J. J
The march from Newmarket, yesterday, was
without opposition, until the advance - guard
reached Harrisonburgh. Rebel cavalry showed
themselves occasionally in front, but not in lanje
numbers. They were drawn up in line some
miles before Harrisonburgh, and as their numbers
were hid by the woods, a halt was made, and
two regiments of cavalry sent forward through
the fields, in hope to capture the rebels by a Hank
movement. Two guns were placed on the hill
to cover the advance. Before their position was
reached by the flanking column, the rebel line
wheeled into column, and rode off. A few shells
were sent after them, which had no other effect
than to scare a number of our own scouts, who
were so far in advance as to be directly under fire,
and were very nearly hit.
The entrance to Harrisonburgh was not dis
puted. A company of Connecticut cavalry un-
enemy through the village, fell into an ambuscade | discovered two or three hundred rebel cavalry
in the woods, to the south-east of the town, in ! m nne at the opposite end of the town, who fired
which Colonel Windham, of that regiment, was I on them without injury. When all the cavalry
captured and considerable loss sustained. Col- 1 na d come up, a force, consisting of the First
oncl Cluseret with his brigade, subsequently en- New-Jersey, First Pennsylvania, two companies
gaged the enemy in the timber, driving him from Fourth New-York, and two companies Connecti-
his position and taking his camp. At about ""* ~
eight a battalion of Colonel Kane s Pennsylvania
cut cavalry in all, about eight hundred, under
command of Col. Windham, of First Xew-Jersey
guns. After dark the enemy continued his re
treat. Full particulars will be forwarded by
J. C. FREMONT,
Major-GeueraL
mail.
regiment entered the woods under the direction < regiment, was ordered forward by Gen Fremont,
of Brigadier-General Bayard, and maintained for ! t ta ^e possession of the town and reconnoitre a
half an hour a vigorous attack, in which both short distance beyond. Before this column moved,
sides suffered severely, driving the enemy. The a report was brought by a scout that there were
enemy attempted to shell our troops, but a few j three hundred rebel cavalry within a mile of the
shots from one of our batteries soon silenced his town, who were prevented from retreating by the
destruction of a bridge a short distance in ad
vance, and that they were rapidly rebuilding the
bridge, and would be able to advance in an hour.
This information was communicated to Colonel
Windham.
About half-past one o clock, Colonel Windham
moved his force, and went through the long main
street of the town at a rapid trot, Arriving on
the other side, the column turned to the left, and
advanced through two or three fields to the sum-
wounded was very severe. mit of a hill overlooking an open valley, from
Their retreat is almost by an impassable road, which rose another hill beyond, covered with
along which many wagons were left in the woods, ; woods. No enemy was in sight. The cavalry
and wagon-loads of blankets, clothing, and other j were halted, and skirmishers sent ahead and
equipments are piled up in all directions. | on the flanks. They were gone some time, md
During the evening many of the rebels were ; returned with no satisfactory report. Never-
i
HEADQUARTERS, ARMT is THE FIELD,
HARRISOXBCRGH, Saturday, June 7, 18(52,
9 o clock P.M.
Bon. E. J/". Stanton, Secretary of War :
The attack upon the enemy s rear of yesterday,
precipitated his retreat. Their loss in killed and
killed by shells from a battery of General Stahl s
brigade.
General Ashby, who covered the retreat with
his whole cavalry force and three regiments of
infantry, and who exhibited admirable skill- and
audacity, was among the killed.
General Milroy made a reconnoissance, to-day,
theless, Col. Windham, though he had reached
1 the point beyond which he was ordered not to
push his reconnoissance, decided to advance.
With full knowledge that the enemy was some-
\ where in front of him, whom he might have to
I charge at any moment, he nevertheless hurried
on his tired horses, advancing for more than two*
about seven miles on the Port Republic road, and miles at an unbroken trot. The enemy s cavalry
186
REBELLION RECORD, 1862.
were suddenly discovered in front, drawn up, as
usual, across the road, and extending into the
woods on either side. It was impossible to de
termine their force, and there was no support
within three or four miles. But Col. AYindham
determined to attack, and without any attempt j
to discover by skirmishing the strength or posi
tion of his enemy, or whether any infantry were
opposed to him, ordered a charge, and rashly led j
his own regiment, the First New-Jersey cavalry, j
straight up the hill.
On the left of the road was nothing but woods.
On the right, for some distance before the rebel
line was reached, was a field of wheat. In this
field was concealed a strong body not less than
a regiment of rebel infantry. They were not
completely screened from view by the tall grain,
but were visible at least to the officers and men
of the second squadron. Utterly unsuspicious of J
such a force on his flank, Col. Windham charged
at speed up the hill. When the first squadron
was fairly within the line of flanking fire, the
rebels poured in a volley, which, coming so close
at hand, and on the flank, threw the whole squad
ron into confusion. Col. Windham s horse was
shot under him, and he was taken prisoner. |
Captain Shellmere, company A, bravely striving |
to rally his men, was killed by a rifle-shot. All
the officers bravely but vainly endeavored to rally
their men, and after one or two feeble efforts to
hold their ground, the first battalion was driven
down the hill. Capt. Janeway, company L, who
was leading the second squadron, perceiving as
he advanced up the hill that the wheat-field cov
ered a force of infantry, as soon as the first squad
ron was thrown into disorder by the unexpected
fire on the flank, endeavored to lead his men
through the woods on the left of the road, in or
der both to shelter them from the infantry fire
and to flank the cavalry on the hill. The move
ment was skilfully planned, but before it could
be wholly executed, part of the squadron was
thrown into confusion by the retreat of the ad
vance, which came down the hill in disorderly
flight, and nothing was left but to retire. The
threatened attack on the flank prevented the re
bels from pursuing, and the whole force fell back.
Capt. Haines, company M, was either killed or
severely wounded and taken prisoner. Captain
Janeway escaped unhurt. The regiment lost
thirty-six killed and wounded.
For the account given thus far, I am indebted
to an officer who was engaged in the fight, no
part of which I saw. When the reconnoissance
was sent forward, I rode through the town with
the cavalry, and thence to the field where the
first halt was made, and beyond which Colonel
Windham was ordered not to advance. No ene
my being in sight, I supposed no further advance
was intended, and returned to the camp on this
side of the town.
As soon as news of the repulse was received at
headquarters, Gen. Bayard, with the Bucktail j
Rifles, four companies, and the First Pennsylvania
cavalry, and Col. Cluseret with his brigade, com
prising the Sixtieth Ohio and Eighth Virginia in
fantry, were ordered forward to hold the furthei
end of the town and the approaches on that side.
Col. Cluseret advanced, and drove one body of
the enemy from their position, pursuing them for
a considerable distance, capturing their camp
and some supplies, without loss on his side.
The other wing was less fortunate. The Buck
tail or Kane Rifles, numbering one hundred and
twenty-five men, found themselves opposed bj
four regiments of infantry, supported by cavalry
and artillery in position. Before they could be
withdrawn, they suffered most severely, losing
nearly one half their whole number, killed,
wounded, and missing. Officers and men fought
most gallantly. Lieut.-Colonel Kane, who com
manded them, was severely wounded, and refus
ing to allow his men to carry him off the field,
was left behind, and is undoubtedly a prisoner.
Capt. Taylor, a brother of Bayard Taylor, was
wounded and captured. The acting Adjutant of
the regiment, Lieut. J. J. Swaine, is probably
killed.
The enemy had artillery, and used it with effect,
continuing their fire after our troops were with
drawn, and after dark, while not a solitary gun
could be brought up on our side. In the confusion
and haste of last night, only the most fragmen
tary accounts could be obtained. The substance
of such as could be collected and scented most
trustworthy I put into a despatch, to be forward
ed to the nearest telegraph-station. This morn
ing I write without other information, and mo
mently expecting the mail to close. With the
rapid advance of the arm} , mail facilities become
more and more uncertain and irregular, but I
hope to-morrow to be able to forward lists of
killed and wounded. Whether to-day is to see a
march or a battle, or whether we move at all, is
still uncertain.
Jackson s progress is undoubtedly delayed by
the exhaustion of his troops and breaking down
of trains, otherwise he would not have strength
ened and halted his rear-guard last night. Kid-
ing all day in advance, I heard, at every house
along the road, that his main column passed ear
ly Thursday morning, and the rear-guard some
hours later. Only a small body of cavalry, not
more than a hundred in number^ kept near our
advance, showing themselves occasionally in line
in favorable positions. Thursday night the rebels
camped near Harrisonburgh. Friday, Jackson
seems to have abandoned the main road and,
turning to the left, endeavored to reach either a
point on the river where it could be forded, or
Miller s Bridge, twelve miles on the road to the
left. The people of Harrisonburgh agree in stat
ing that he did not expect Gen. Fremont to reach
the town until to-night, and it is probable that
when surprised by the appearance of the advance-
guard, he determined to make an effort to check
its further progress. The only other explanation
is, that he has arrived at the place where he is
obliged to make a final stand. Col. Windham s
rash advance beyond the point where he was or
dered, and his attack in such circumstances, still
more rash than the advance, gave the enemy an
DOCUMENTS.
187
opportunity which they improved; and came near
bringing on a general engagement at the end of a
long and exhausting day s inarch.
Later. As the mail closes the official reports
begin to come in, hurried and fragmentary.
Gen. Bayard s report severely censures Colonel
Windham, of First New-Jersey cavalry, for rash
ness and unskilful conduct in advance and at
tack. The charge was made after a harassing
march when the horses were staggering in the
ranks from exhaustion, and the men had been
without other rations than beef for three days.
The repulse is wholly attributable to Col. Wind-
ham s bad conduct, and neglect or disobedience
of orders.
When the Kane Rifles the Bucktails were
sent into the woods, a large force of the enemy
was almost immediately unmasked, and orders
were at once sent to the Rifles to withdraw. Be
fore this could be effected, under the terrible fire
to which they were exposed, they lost in killed,
wounded, and missing, fifty -five men. The regi
ment exhausted its ammunition, and the Eighth
Virginia, ordered up to support them, had also
exhausted theirs.
Doc. 64.
EXPEDITION TO EAST-TENNESSEE.
DESPATCH FROM GENERAL NEGLEY.