The Elbert County tribune., 1913-05-02
155e
CIVIL WAR
FIFTY YEARS AGO
THIS WEEK
April 27, 1868.

April 27, 1868.
A party OF National cavalry. belong
ing to the division of General Gran
ger and under the command of Col
onel Watkins, left their camp at Muir
freesboro. Tenn. the night of the goth,
and attacked the Texas Legion of Con-
federate troops at daybreak in the
morning OF the 27th. After brisk
skirmish. in which a number on both
sides fell. the Texans we're for the
most part captured, only a few of
them making their escape.
The Army of the Potomac. under
General Hooker. commenced forward
movement on Fredericksburg, Va. en-
route to Richmond. The Eleventh
corps. Major General Howard, the
Twelfth. General Slocum. and the
Fifth. General Meade. struck their
tents at five o'clock in the morning
and moved westward from Falmouth
on the several roads leading to Kelly's
| Ford. twenty-five miles from the Ac-
quia Creek and Fredericksburg rail-
road. The Eleventh corps was in the
advance.
April 2s, 1868.
The Confederates under Marina
duke, who had been driven from an at
tack on Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the
day before, were in full retreat during
the day, and followed by several col
umns of Union troops. One regiment
was captured entire the night before,
being surprised three miles west of
Jackson while acting as rearguard of
Marmaduke's retreat. Two small
howitzers loaded with musket ball
were discharged upon them at close
range before they knew of the pres
ence Of an enemy. and in the on
fusion resulting the First Iowa cavalry
charged, completing the demoraliza-
ton. Generals Vandeveer and McNeill
followed all day, pouring artillery fire
into the Confederate rear.
General Hooker's Union army
crossed the Rappahannock in two
places in its advance on Fredericks-
burg
Fifteen hundred dollars each was
offered for substitutes in Richmond.
Va.
Kentucky National cavalry and Con-
federate troops were engaged through
out the day in desultory and inconse-
quential skirmishes about Howes Ford
and Mill Spring, on the Cumberland
river, in Tennessee.
The Union steamers Swan and Com
M fAy ~
Confederate batteries at the mouth of
the Nansemond, were run past the
guns and brought down to Suffolk.
There was great excitement at
Uniontown, Penn. over a reported
raid by the Confederates into the
state.
April 2s, 1868.
The alarm of General Hooker's ap-
proach. with the entire Union army
reached Fredericksburg, Va, early in
the morning, and threw the town into
hustle of preparation. The women
and children left.
Fairmount, Va, was captured by a
Confederate force under Gen. William
e. Jones' after a desperate resistance
by the garrison of the place.
General Stahel. with two thousand
cavalry and light artillery, who had
left Fairfax Courthouse several days
before on a reconnaissance in force
toward Warrenton and the Blue Ridge,
returned with the knowledge that
there was no regular Confederate
force In the valley between the Bull
Run mountains and the Blue Ridge.
Moseby with small parties of his ir-
regulars. was found from time to time,
and gave some annoyance, but was
not In sufficient force to offer any
stubborn resistance.
Grand Gulf, Miss was attacked by
a fleet of seven gunboats under
Admiral Porter. After lombard
ment of five hours duration the Con-
federate batteries were silenced, but
not before considerable damage had
been done the hulls of the American
fleet, and twenty Union sailors had
been killed.
April 80, 1858.
General Hooker, from his headquar-
ters near Falmouth, Va, issued the
following order to his soldiers: 'It
is with heartfelt satisfaction that
the general commanding announces
to the army that the operations of the
last three days have determined that
our enemy must ingloriously fly, or
come out from behind their defenses
and give us battle on our own ground,
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