Posted inUS Civil War

February 15, 1862 – Bowling Green is Ours

Just as the Star goes to press to day, the General-in-Chief has received a dispatch from Gen. Buell, announcing that his advance, under Gen. Mitchell, reached the river opposite Bowling Green yesterday by a forced march.

The enemy fearing the passage of his force across the river by the remaining bridge there, burned that immediately, or sufficient of it to render it impassable.

General Mitchell at once set about constructing another, under the protection of his guns.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History US Civil War

February 14, 1862 – Raid Down the Tennessee River

The Enemy’s Raid Down The Tennessee River—The Situation Of Affairs Near Fort Henry

Memphis, Tenn. February 11.—There has been a heavy loss in steamboats on the Tennessee river, owing to the raid of the enemy’s gun-boats Lexington and Conestoga. The Sam Orr, Containing 170 pounds of powder and two submarine batteries, was set on fire at 8 o’clock on Friday evening, two miles above the Tennessee river bridge. On Friday and Saturday, the Appleton, Belle, and Lynn Boyd, were burned by the Confederates at the mouth of Duck River. The Sam Kirkman, the Julius and the Time (the last named containing $100000 worth of Government stores) were abandoned and burned on Saturday. The Dunbar was sunk in Cypress Creek. The Eastport was also sunk. The Cerro Gordo and the Sallie Ward were the only boats captured by theenemy; and the Robb is the only one that escaped uninjured. The Federal gun-boats have left the Tennessee River, but are expected to return soon. They took with them 20,000 pounds of Confederate salt pork, which they found at Florence; but refused to touch private property, or even the cotton which they found. Passenger trains have resumed their trips on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.

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February 10, 1862 – The Capture of Fort Henry

The telegraph reports the surrender of Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river, after a short engagement with the gunboats and before the land force had arrived at the scene of action. It is also stated that our forces had advanced fifteen miles beyond Fort Henry and had taken possession of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad bridge. This is an important victory, if we have force enough to take advantage of it. In this event it will be attended with the most important and decisive results. The St. Louis Republican thus detailed the importance of General Grant’s expedition a few days ago:

If the communication between Bowling Green and Columbia can be cut off, the Union forces still have it in their power to achieve such a victory as will make the Confederates tremble from Nashville to Pensacola.

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February 7, 1862 – The Port Royal Cotton

The comparatively moderate amount of confiscated South Carolina cotton arriving at this port is really no indication of the extent of the work of picking or of the quantity yet to he gathered. It is true that much of the cotton which was grown very near the large rivers and water-courses in the vicinity of Port Royal, and not burned by the rebels, has been brought forward ; but a very small proportion of the whole amount on the islands has yet been brought to Hilton Head for shipment to this port.

The work of gathering goes steadily on; large quantities have been collected on the inland plantations, and ginning is carried on to a considerable extent. The number of contrabands engaged in the work is increasing, and the chief difficulty at present is a want of transportation facilities.

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February 6, 1862 – Tribute of Respect

At a meeting of Capt. Ennett’s Co. (E,) 3rd regiment N. C. State Troops, Sergt. J. W. Stokley was called to the Chair, and Corpl. J. M. Piner was requested to act as Secretury. After explaining the object of the meeting in a few very appropriate remarks, a Committee of five, namely : Sergt. J. R. Jenkins, Corp’l F. M. Redd, Benjamin Marshall, P. P. Hobbs, B. Thompson, were appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the feelings of the Company relative to the death of our much esteemed and worthy brother in arms, Reuben Curtis. After a short debate, the Committee read the following :

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February 4, 1862 – Letter from the Battery

Camp Dupont, Jan. 3, 1862.

Correspondence of the American.

We are in camp on the same old place, and nothing of any interest has transpired since I last wrote. We have had very disagreeable weather for the last three three weeks, it having rained nearly three-fourths of the time. As the getting about is very bad, we have been obliged to stay in camp nearly the whole time, without harnessing out. The roads are in a very bad condition, and it looks to me as if there could be nothing done at present in the way of making a forward movement, and should there be one now the artillery will be obliged to remain behind.