Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-01-03
DE
CIVIL WAR
FIFTY YEARS AGO
THIS WEEK
December 81. 1861.

INC AoA4ON III lie (dudNldn press
comments upon the release of Messrs.
Mason and SlideIl in the same spirit
which has prompted its various repre-
sensations hitherto in their treatment
of the rebellion The Leader uses
the most abusive language at its CON-
mand. It pronounoes the surrender
one Of the greatest collapses since the
beginning Of time. and has much to
say of the humiliation OF the national
governT ent. The Globe talks much
more moderately. and heartily con-
graduates its readers on the result;
and the Montreal Gazette speaks of it
as a bitter, bitter pill for the fire.
eaters to cram down their noisy
throats' :"
The United States gunboats under
Commander Melancthon Smith left
Ships Island in the Gulf of Mexico,
with a heavy force of marines and
proceeded to Biloxi. Miss. Although
there was battery at the place. it
was not manned, and Commander
Smith took possession of the town
without meeting resistance. He car
ried the guns from the batteries
aboard the gunboats and returned to
Ship Island. having meanwhile captur-
ed a schooner loaded with hard pine
flooring that endeavored to slip be-
hind the island on the way to New
Orleans.
The term of enlistment in the north
ern army was extended during the
month from one to three years, and a
bounty of $50 was offered
January l, 1862.
Messrs. Mason and Slidell were sur
rendered by the United States gov
eminent to the British government
They were taken in the tug Star
light from Fort Warren, in Boston
harbor, where they had been detain-
ed as prisoners of war, to Providence
town, on Cape Cod. where they were
delivered on board the British gun.
boat Rinaldo. The Rinaldo immedi-
ately put to sea, bearing Mason and
Slidell to the posts toward which
they had been travelling when taken
off the British mail steamer Trent by
Captain Wilkes, U. S. ~, two months
before.
A Joint expedition of United States
gunboats under Commander c. K. p.
Rodgers and infantry under General
Stevens, which had left Port Royal
Harbor, S. c., the previous evening,
crossed the Coosaw river and attack
ed the Confederate fort at Port Royal
ferry The Confederate garrison
was driven from their works by the
heavy shell fire of the gunboats, but
subsequently returned and made a de-
termined attack on the Union forces
who had occupied their recently aban-
doned position. The gunboats again
decided the issue with their shell fire.
The United State Fort Pickens, in
Pensacola harbor, again opened fire
on the Confederate steamship Time.
The response was taken up by the
Confederate Forts Fisher and Bar
rancas. Little damage was done on
either side, beyond fire that broke
out in Warrington as result of the
explosion of Union shells
which was captured by the United
States sloop Vincennes at Pas a
rOutre in an attempt to run the
blockade of New Orleans. arrived in
New York with a prize crew. She
was from Rio Janeiro with $500 bags
of coffee.
The Federal prisoners removed by
the Confederates from Charleston. S.
c.. arrived at Columbia, S. C..
January 2, 1852.
The Confederates resumed their at
tack on the fort at Port Royal Ferry,
from which they had been driven and
subsequently held by the Federal ex-
petition under Commander Rodgers
and General Stevens, and succeeded
in dislodging the Union force. I'm
der cover of heavy fire from the
gunboats, the Federals recrossed the
Cootaw and withdrew to Port Royal
Harbor leaving the fort in the pos
session of the Confederates
The Confederate battery at Cock
pit Point, on the Potomac, was at
tackled by the Union gunboat Ana
costa and the steamer Yankee The
Anacostia took a position out of the
range of fire from the battery, but the
Yankee was hit by Confederate shot
that knocked away two of her knees
forward and pierced the foreeastle.
The steamship Ella Marley, for
merly the Isabel of Nassau, made a
Il To
ade of Charleston, and arrived there
early in the morning. She carried a
valuable miscellaneous cargo. One
of her passengers was Mr. Bisbie,
formerly a delegate to the Virginia
legislature, bearing important dis
patches from Mr. Yancey
General Stone, IT, s. A., issued an
order at Poolesville, Nd. warming
troops of his command from incitir /;
the slaves to characterization and in
surrection.
The Memphis Argus reported Gen
eral Price. c. S. A., in full retreat
southwark through Missouri before
the advance of three Union armies
that were converging on him.
Dispatches received at st. Louis
announced the capture OF a Confed-
crate band. under jeff Owens and
Colonel Jones. that had been burning
bridges
January 3. 1862.
A reconnaissance of Federal troops
500 strong. consisting OF six compan-
les of the Coast Guard, six companies
Of the Twentieth New York and three
companies Of HaTlans cavalry. left
Camp Hamilton. Virginia. under com