T Second Florida Cavalry, and a force of the enemy's cavalry, near Magnolia, Fla., is respectfully submitted, for the information of the brigadier-general commanding : HEADQUARTERS SOUTH FLORIDA FORCES, Camp Baker, October 31, 1864. LIEUTENANT: I have the honor respectfully to submit the following report of the late engagement with the enemy's cavalry on the evening of the 24th instant: My outpost picket reported on the 22d instant that the enemy were coming out from Magnolia. I immediately took detachments of Companies C and H, Second Florida Cavalry, and Company H, Fifth Florida Battalion Cavalry, and one piece of artillery and marched for the vicinity of Magnolia. On arriving there I found that the enemy had come out at Finegan's Ford and had gone in the direction of Middleburg, where they had burned several buildings and stolen 2 negroes. On their return I made a flank movement and cut off their retreat from Magnolia. I engaged them near Black Creek, about 6 miles from Magnolia. The fight lasted about forty minutes and resulted in a complete rout of the enemy, many of them so hotly pursued that they took for the swamp, bogging their horses, dismounted and took the swamp, leaving in our hands 23 prisoners and 10 or 12 killed. Of the 23 prisoners 8 were wounded. A captain, who was badly wounded, secreted himself in the swamp, and was unable to find him. In the engagement we captured 32 horses and killed 10; captured 15 Spencer rifles, 12 pistols, 12 sabers, and 33 saddles, all of which have been reported to their proper departments. Our loss was 2 horses killed and 2 wounded. No man hurt on our side. The enemy's force consisted of detachments of four companies of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, commanded by a lieutenant-colonel and major; in all about 55 strong. The following officers commanded their various detachments: Captain Chambers, Company C; Lieut. W. H. McCardell, Company H; Lieut. M. Haynes, Company H, Fifth Battalion. Much praise is due to both officers and men for their gallantry displayed on this occasion, and they have my highest commendation; and by the protection of Divine Providence all came out safe to enjoy the glory of this complete victory. I am, lieutenant, yours, most respectfully, Lieut. W. D. BARNES, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. Capt. S. A. MORENO, Assistant Adjutant-General. J. J. DICKISON, Captain, Commanding Forces. P. TURNEY, Colonel, Commanding. OCTOBER 25–28, 1864.-Expedition up Blackwater Bay and skirmish (26th) at Milton, Fla. REPORTS. No. 1.-Bvt. Brig. Gen. Joseph Bailey, U. S. Army, commanding District of West Florida. No. 2.-Lieut. Col. Andrew B. Spurling, Second Maine Cavalry, commanding expe dition. No. 1. Report of But. Brig. Gen. Joseph Bailey, U. S. Army, commanding HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST FLORIDA, Barrancas, October 25 [28], 1864. MAJOR: An expedition of 700 men (100 Second Maine Cavalry, mounted, 100 First Florida Cavalry, dismounted, 200 Nineteenth Iowa, and 300 colored troops), under Lieutenant-Colonel Spurling, Second Maine Cavalry, to Blackwater Bay, which left here on the 25th instant, returned to-day. The rebels were driven through Milton by the cavalry, and 8 captured, besides 5 or 6 known to have been killed or wounded. My plans were to catch the whole gang of Confederates, about 100 strong, but failed, through a misconception of orders on the part of one of the detachment commanders. Eight cribs of Confederate lumber, containing over 85,000 feet, seasoned (1 inch or 14 inches. thick, and 5 or 6 inches wide), 15,000 feet besides of seasoned lumber, and 130 logs were the proceeds of the expedition. No casualties in my force. A detailed report will be sent. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. BAILEY, Brevet Brigadier-General, Commanding. Maj. JAMES E. MONTGOMERY, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 2. Report of Lieut. Col. Andrew B. Spurling, Second Maine Cavalry, commanding expedition. HDQRS. SECOND MAINE CAVALRY VETERAN VOLS., Barrancas, Fla., October 31, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor respectfully to submit the following report: Pursuant to orders from headquarters District of West Florida, I embarked on the morning of the 25th October, on steam transport at Barrancas, in charge of a force consisting of a detachment of the Second Maine Veteran Cavalry of 100 men, 100 dismounted men of the First Florida Cavalry, and a detachment of the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, Twenty-fifth, Eighty-second, and Eighty-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry, and Company M (Captain Roberts), Second Maine Cavalry, dismounted for battery purposes, and in charge of two howitzers, the whole amounting in the aggregate to over 700 men. Captain Stearns, of the Eighty-second Colored Infantry, was placed in charge of one of the transports, Lizzie Davis, with 200 infantry, with orders to proceed up the Blackwater River, to land a force 8 miles below Pierce's Mill, and distant from Milton 13 miles, to raft logs, which are numerous along the shore, and by other and all his actions endeavor to draw the enemy upon the narrow point of land or peninsula formed by Escambia Bay on the west and East Bay and Blackwater River on the east. I proceeded with the other transport, the Planter, to Pensacola, remaining there till late in the afternoon; from thence up Escambia Bay, and late in the night landed 300 infantry, under charge of Major Mudgett, of the Eighty-sixth Colored Infantry, at Bayou a point on the east side of Escambia Bay, opposite Pierce's Mill, with orders that he should march to the head of the bayou and remain there till he should hear cannonading on the other side of the narrow point of land, when he would deploy his force across to Pierce's Mill, thus cutting off the retreat of the enemy, whom I expected, and had good reason to believe, Captain Stearns would succeed in drawing into the trap which I had prepared for them, inasmuch as they had in considerable force on former occasions attacked me while I was engaged in procuring logs at points 7 or 8 miles below the mill. After landing Major Mudgett I proceeded back with the Planter, and on the following morning, having rounded the point of the peninsula, was on my way up East Bay or Blackwater River. I did not find the other transport, the Lizzie Davis, 8 miles below the mill. It soon became apparent that Captain Stearns had failed to conform to my orders. Instead of landing as he was directed, he had gone 6 or 7 miles too far, and some time elapsed before I found the Lizzie Davis anchored in a small cove a mile or two from the mill. Thus the enemy was not induced to come far down upon the point of land as I designed, and as would have been the case had my orders been fully carried out, and as my report will clearly show. On coming up with the Lizzie Davis, I directed Captain Lincoln, of the Second Maine Cavalry, to relieve Captain Stearns of his command, to land with all possible dispatch the 200 men on board, and march direct to Milton. By 11 a. m., Captain Lincoln had landed the troops from the Lizzie Davis. I proceeded with the Planter to Pierce's Mill and landed the cavalry and battery, which I had been holding in reserve, and immediately moved toward Milton, soon coming upon Captain Lincoln, whom I found engaged with a force of the enemy's cavalry. It seems that Captain Lincoln, after landing, before he had hardly taken up the march, was met by a considerable force of cavalry, with which he became engaged. He drove the enemy to the mill, and beyond it on the Milton road, where they made a stand under cover of some old buildings. On my arrival at this point the firing was quite rapid, and a brisk skirmish was going on. I immediately charged with the detachment of cavalry which I had brought up, and drove the rebels fromthe old buildings. They fled in wild confusion on the Milton road. At a bridge they attempted to make a stand, but all to no purpose. I pursued them through Milton and out on the Pollard road, a distance of over 8 miles, capturing 9 prisoners and wounding quite a number. Their rout was complete. Their arms and equipments, and everything that could impede flight, were thrown away. There were no casualties in my own force. The enemy's force consisted of a detachment of between 70 and 80 of the Eighth Mississippi Cavalry and a small force of militia. Having kept up the pursuit as long as it was prudent, my horses becoming exhausted, and it growing late in the day, I returned to Milton, and leaving the cavalry to hold the place, went back to the Planter, which I ordered to be moved up to a place called Bagdad, less than 2 miles from Milton, and here I secured quite a large amount of lumber, about 85,000 feet. I dispatched a courier to Major Mudgett, with orders for him to move his force from the bayou to Pierce's Mill, and hold himself in readiness to embark at that point on the following morning. On the following morning the pickets were taken in, and the Planter moved up the river to Milton, thus exploding, if not the torpedoes, the idea and belief that they are planted in the river to obstruct its passage by boats. Here several flat-boats were secured, and the ferry across the river completely demolished. Quite an amount of commissary and quartermaster's property was found, 29 R R-VOL XXXV, PT I among which was about 200 bushels of corn and meal and considerable ham and beef, and since there was no means of transportation by which it could be got to the boat it was destroyed. Considerable surplus ordnance, accouterments, and horse equipments were also destroyed. Several horses and mules were captured. Having brought off or destroyed everything that could be of use to the enemy, and having accomplished all that circumstances could admit of, I returned to Barrancas with my whole force, where I arrived on the morning of the 28th. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Bvt. Brig. Gen. J. BAILEY, [Indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST FLORIDA, November 8, 1864. Respectfully forwarded to Major-General Granger, commanding District of West Florida and South Alabama. Lieutenant-Colonel Spurling is deserving a very great deal of credit for his management of this and other expeditions. I find him a most invaluable officer. J. BAILEY, Brevet Brigadier-General, Commanding. CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO OPERATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND FLORIDA, AND ON THE GEORGIA COAST, FROM JANUARY 1 TO FEBRUARY 29, 1864.* UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. HEADQUARTERS GORDON'S DIVISION, General TURNER, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: I have the honor to forward the inclosed letter from Captain Balch, commanding U. S. sloop of war Pawnee, showing that an iron-clad would have no difficulty in entering the Stono River should it be necessary, in reply to an interrogatory of the major-general commanding. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. H. GORDON, Brigadier-General, Commanding. [Inclosure.] U. S. STEAM SLOOP PAWNEE, Stono Inlet, S. C., December 31, 1863. General GORDON, Commanding Post: GENERAL: In reply to your question as to whether an iron-clad can come from outside into Stono Inlet, I have to reply that it is *For Union and Confederate Correspondence, &c., from March 1 to November 13, 1864, see Part II. perfectly practicable. The iron-clad Nantucket was in here in July and had no difficulty either coming in or going out. There are 13 feet 6 inches of water on the bar at high water, and by watching a favorable chance an iron-clad can, in my opinion, be safely brought into Stono. Very truly, your friend, GEO. B. BALCH, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, Brig. Gen. D. P. WOODBURY, Commanding District of Key West and Tortugas: GENERAL: Your letter* of 14th December ultimo has been this day received and laid before the commanding general, who fully approves of your action in regard to the establishment of the small post on Charlotte Harbor, and in the matter of enlistments of refugees from the portion of Florida occupied by the insurgents. It will not be practicable during the present active operations in other portions of the department to give you re-enforcements, nor can the commanding general give you any hope of soon receiving re-enforcements from the North; but you will receive all practicable assistance in your laudable endeavor to increase your force by enlistment. The gentlemen recommended by you will be duly commissioned. The chief of ordnance has been directed to forward to you 500 muskets, with accouterments and ammunition. Very respectfully, I am, general, your most obedient servant, CHAS. P. STONE, Brigadier-General, Chief of Staff. Captain BURGER, DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, HDQRS. IN THE FIELD, ENGINEER'S OFFICE, Assistant Adjutant-General: Folly Island, January 4, 1864. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report, for the information of the major-general, that the machines for twisting railroad bars have not yet been made at the engineer depot for want of suitable iron. The experimental ones are too light. The artillery tramways are not completed for want of 2-inch plank, which is not furnished on requisition. The material for the additional platform at Fort Greene has not yet been furnished. The steamer Philadelphia has not yet been turned over by General Gordon for alteration. ́All the materials that are wanted and can at present be had are got together for the purpose of making the necessary change. Requisition was made the day after the order was received for altering and repairing the large scow at Pawnee Landing for such material as is required. It has not yet been furnished. * See Vol. XXVI, Part I, p. 855. |