the condition of all things there; and that the rebel people of that place were expecting the attack at the very time it was made, and had governed themselves accordingly. One of our concealed men, who escaped, heard the rapturous congratulations between Col. Jenkins and John W. Hite, a notorious secession citizen, on Monday morning. A rebel family, under whose house one of our escaped men was hidden, heard them, over his head, getting an "early breakfast "? for a squad of the victors, and heard the women of the house laugh and carry on in great glee about the whipped Yankees. When our troops were there the next day, theirs was a Union house, and had

a any thing else!"

66

BURNING OF GUYANDOTTE.

ever

About nine o'clock, Monday morning, Nov. 11, Colonel Zeigler, of the Fifth Virginia regiment, arrived at Guyandotte, from Ceredo, with a force of Union troops-the last of the rebel soldiers leaving as he arrived. Stories of the night before were heard; the general rebel conduct of Guyandotte through the nine months past, many women included, was recollected; Guyandotte, as the head-quarters of rebel spies and as a nest of traitors, called by many vipers, and rattlesnakes," was thought of; there was much excitement and exasperation, and soon-the town was in flames! The compact part of the town-all the business portion-was committed to the "devouring element." The flouring mill, at the upper part of the town, was also burnt. Robert Stewart's fine residence, above town, from which Wilson was shot in the morning, also his stable, went the same way. As near as we can judge, from one-half to two-thirds of all the houses in town were burnt, probably safe to say over one hun

dred houses.

Whether the town was fired by Col. Zeigler's orders, (he is a resident of the adjoining county of Wayne,) we are not advised. No pity is due the rebels there-the men, and some of the women-for their hard fate. They brought it upon themselves. They were at peace; they sought-not peace.

Colonel Zeigler arrested ten leading citizens of Guyandotte as prisoners, to wit: John W. Hite, Henry H. Miller, A. P. Chapman, Elijah Ricketts, E. A. Smith, Jacob Bumgarner, Henry Bumgarner, E. H. Walton, Kinh Thornburg, Stewart, a son of Robert Stewart. These were sent to camp Chase, Columbus. On Tuesday, Saint Russel and Ong were also arrested, and taken that night to

Ceredo.

GALLIPOLIS "JOURNAL" ACCOUNT.

Sunday evening, Nov. 10, about half-past seven o'clock, nine hundred secession cavalry, under A. G. Jenkins, made a descent upon the town of Guyandotte, garrisoned by one hundred Federal infantry of the Ninth Virginia regiment, and thirty cavalry belonging to the Fifth Virginia. Most of the troops, at the time

of the attack, were at church, or scattered about town, least suspecting an enemy, thus giving the rebels every advantage; but, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, the brave little band rushed to their arms, and contested the ground against this formidable force for the space of one hour, when they were compelled to yield to superior numbers.

The rebels divided their forces at Barboursville, and, coming down each side of Guyandotte River, united-those on the lower side crossing the railroad bridge near the town.

A. G. Jenkins commanded the rebels in person, and their cry as they entered the town, was, "Take no prisoners," "give no quarter.' Jim Hereford seemed to be the most conspicuous cut-throat among them, insisting that all should be killed.

Capt. Hunter and two privates ran for the Guyandotte River, pursued by a number of rebels. The privates plunged into the water and were shot in the middle of the stream while swimming for the opposite shore; the captain lay down at the edge of the water, and after the miscreants left, quietly slipped into the water, swam over, and made his way to Ceredo.

From the best information, only seven of the Federalists were killed, and it is supposed the rebel loss was equally as great. They carried off all their killed and wounded except one captain, who was found dead in an alley, shot through the heart.

A keel boat loaded with wheat, belonging to Wm. H. Langley, was lying at the wharf. It was in charge of Mr. John Lawson, a miller in the employ of Mr. Langley, and three hands from Gallipolis-Thomas Berridge, Andrew Langley, and John Blagg. Lawson and Berridge were at church when the attack was made, and the latter were on board the boat. Several Union citizens, together with Mr. Berridge, took refuge in this boat and shoved her in the stream, when a large force of rebels made their appearance on the bank and opened an indiscriminate fire upon them, threatening at the same time to kill every man on board if they didn't land. At this juncture young Langley and Blagg jumped into a skiff attached to the boat and rowed for the Ohio side amidst a shower of bullets. The firing became so hot that they felt the greater safety was in jumping in the river and towing the boat, which they did amid a continuous shower of bullets until they reached the Ohio shore. Just as they

landed a bullet struck the bank within a few

inches of Mr. Liagg. The keel boat was landed and all on board taken prisoners.

The steamer Liberty, bound for Cincinnati, was hailed aboye Guyandotte by loyal citizens, and turned back. She brought the news to Gallipolis, and about six hundred of the Fourth Virginia regiment, stationed at Point Pleasant, under command of Col. Lightburn, together with the Gallipolis Artillery, Captain McClurg, proceeded iminediately by steamboat to the scene of action. When they reached there a

down the river bank, through a narrow and rocky ravine, driving the bushwhackers from their hiding places as they advanced. Company B, under Capt. Swoyer, swung round to the top of the bluff.

Col. Zeigler, of the Fifth Virginia regiment, ascertaining that a trap had been laid by the secesh citizens of Guyandotte to ensnare the Federal troops, and that they had actually fired upon the troops from their dwellings, ordered the match to be applied, and every house, except two in a remote part of the town, was laid in ashes.

Doc. 151.

BATTLE OF LITTLE BLUE, MO. A CORRESPONDENT gives the following account

of this action:

CAMP JENNISON, KANSAS CITY, Nov. 12, 1861. The Jayhawkers have already vindicated their reputation for daring, celerity, vigor, and pluck. Night before last, two companies, B and H, and part of Company A, under Capts. Swoyer and Pardee and Lobnis, commanded by Col. Anthony, left camp for Majors' Farm, about ten miles south, where the Government wagons and oxen were coralled. Reports had come in that a force of rebel guerillas, under Col. Hays, which were reported encamped on the Little Blue, had threatened to attack the train. Yesterday morning early, Company C, Capt. Jenkins, was sent to reinforce.

Information was soon after received that a fight had taken place, and some of our boys killed. This latter was confirmed by the arrival of messengers for the surgeon.

It appears that Col. Anthony, receiving information Sunday night that there was a rebel camp at a point eight or ten miles southeast of Majors', after consultation with his officers, determined to make an attack early in the morning. By six A. M. the command, consisting of one hundred and ten men, was composed of parts of Companies A, B and H, the first under Lieut. Lobnis, the others under Capts. Swoyer and Pardee. The rebel encampment was located at some distance from any main road, and in a very dangerous and strong place. The exact force was not known, but supposed to be double our own. After a sharp ride, the pickets of the enemy were discernible. They fled at our approach, and gave notice to the camp. About three-fourths of a mile from the creek, the command dismounted; the horses were left in charge of Company H. The guide, a secesh named Gray, broke and ran back, but was stopped by Col. Anthony, who compelled him to remain by his side throughout the fight.

To show the position of the rebels, a slight explanation may be necessary. After passing the undergrowth, some half mile from the horses, two deep ravines were discernible, running to the right and left, winding down to the stream round a high bluff, the top of which formed a plateau, upon which a large number of rebel horses were picketed. It was on this plateau, and through the upper part of the right ravine, that Swoyer's men charged. Down the left one to the stream went Colonel Anthony and Company A. On the east side of the creek they found a number of tents ensconced between the bluffs and jutting rocks. On the opposite bank of the stream, on the bluffs commanding the east camp, was another encampment, which, with the force at command, it was impossible to reach. Col. Anthony drove the secesh from their holes below, while Capt. Swoyer did so above. Every rock and stump was used for cover. The natural defensive strength of the place was very good, and the fighting was almost hand to hand, men on both sides bringing the muzzles of their rifles against each other. It was evident that the rebels were over four hundred strong, and well armed.

The individual cases of bravery were somewhat surprising. In the fight below, several were killed on both sides, as also above. At this, Col. Anthony issued orders as a feint to bring up the reserve. The bugler, mistaking the purport, rode back, sounding the advance, and Pardee's men rushed on to the ground. By this time Company B had swept up on the bluff again, and a charge was again made under a severe fire from the concealed foe. Company H suffered severely under the fire, and, though in it but a few minutes, lost more men than any other. They fought like tigers. Cheer after cheer was given by the different companies for each other, and the continuous yelling was startling. Though wild with the frenzy of battle, the boys were under perfect control, and when the order was given for a retreat, they did so in excellent order. This, however, was not done until all the firing on the east side had ceased. On the plateau spoken of, nearly one hundred horses were picketed. Col. A., finding himself too far from his horses, which were liable to be cut off, and perceiving that with the force under his command, it would be useless to attempt to cross the stream under the fire of the western camp, and endeavor to scale the precipitous bluffs, which there were at least fifty or sixty feet high, privately gave the order for the men to secure the horses fit to ridemany being wounded. At the same time the bugler sounded a charge, and under cover of the movement and of a brisk fire from the

on the point; but, owing to their non-inflammable nature at this season, with but qualified success; by this means, however, the only earthwork on the point was unmasked.

After having completed my reconnoissance, the force was withdrawn in good order to the beach, and reëmbarked on the gunboats, and reached camp about one P. M., without injury of any kind. A large number of negroes followed, some on board of the gunboats, but a majority in a large launch, which, by some means, they had obtained.

A correspondent of the New York Times gives the following circumstantial account of this reconnoissance:

CHARLES COUNTY, MD., Tuesday, Nov. 12, 1861. There is no place on the whole Potomac about which so much has been said, and so little known, as Matthias Point. It was off this point that the lamented and gallant Ward met his untimely death, and within more recent dates rumor has variously ascribed to it batteries of enormous or of Lilliputian size. Gunboats shelled it mercilessly, and it was pre

Of the officers and men of my regiment concerned in the expedition, I cannot speak in too high terms. Not the slightest trepidation was evinced by any, and all vied with each other in striving for the posts of danger. Had we met the enemy, as we had hoped to, in force, the .coolness and bravery of the little force with me, I doubt not, would have been still more manifested. I need not particularize the officers, as all did so well; it is proper to state, however, that to Capt. Arthur Wilkinson, of Company I, much of the credit of arranging and carrying out the general plan of the expedition is due. Quartermaster O'Kell, Lieut. C. W. Squier, and Master's Mate John McMillan (of the Island Belle) accompanied me as aids.

This successful reconnoissance, by so small a force, and upon so important a point, cannot fail to inspire the enemy with fear for the large portion of the unprotected coast along the Potomac, and will, no doubt, cause them to scatter their forces along the exposed points, and thus prevent them concentrating a large force at any one position. The following is a list of the officers employed in the expedition:

Colonel, Charles K. Graham; Assistant-Surgeon, J. Theodore Calhoun; Quartermaster, Wm. O'Kell, Acting Aid; Lieut. C. W. Squier, Company F, Acting Aid; Capt. George Quarterman, Company C, Acting Major; Capt. A. Wilkinson, Company I; Capt. George A. Morey, Company E; Capt. Henry M. Allen, Company B; Capt. William F. Mew, Company F; Lieut. James H. Stewart, Company A; Lieut. Purchase, Company C; Lieut. Lounsberry, Company D; Lieut. R. D. Andrews, Company F; Lieut, Conway, Company G; Lieut. Harrison, Company H; Lieut. Bonnan, Company B; Lieut. Francis Tyler, Company A; Lieut. Loicq, Company B; Lieut. F. Corse, Company C; Lieut. Willard Bullard, Company I.

upon it a battery of eighteen heavy guns. But nothing was positively known about it. The Fifth Excelsior regiment, under the command of Col. Graham, was sent down to watch it, and encamped in full view of the point, on Port Tobacco Creek, about a mile below the village of Port Tobacco.

Here they lay encamped several weeks, apparently inactive, but really keeping an open eye on the Maryland rebels and their Virginia neighbors. Two small boats were captured. One of them was placed under command of Capt. Arthur Wilkinson, well known to the merchant marine, but now the captain of Company I, of the Fifth regiment. With this little boat Capt. Wilkinson thoroughly explored the shores of both sides of the river, frequently availing himself of the kind offices of Capts. Harris, of the Island Belle, Magaw, of the Freeborn, and Street, of the Dana. These officers convinced themselves that the rebels were not in any very great strength immediately on the point, and that a force could be successfully landed on the point, and an attack, if thought advisable, made on the rebel camp a few miles inland.

In conjunction with the officers of the flotilla just mentioned, Col. Graham determined to make the attempt. He was aware of the hazardous nature of the service, but deemed that important information could be obtained with but little loss, if successful. The plan, as arranged, was for the colonel to embark his force on the Island Belle, Freeborn, and Dana, and to land them with the howitzers of the Freeborn and Dana, and their respective crews, under cover of the cannon of the gunboats; but the Freeborn was ordered off to another station by Commodore Harral, and it was determined to make the attempt with the other two vessels at midnight, the Freeborn promising to come down the next morning and assist, if her services should be needed.

The greatest secrecy was observed. Beyond the commander of the flotilla and assistant-sur

geon of the regiment, none were aware of the expedition, with the exception of the officers above named. At about nine o'clock in the evening, four hundred men were detailed from the various companies of the regiment, and provided with forty rounds of ball cartridge. They marched some four miles to Chapel Point, where the gunboats were lying. Here they embarked in good order and fine spirits. The moon was hidden by the clouds, and a fresh breeze was blowing. The Island Belle took the Dana in tow, and in a short time the expedition was lying off the point.

The gallant Capt. Harris, of the Belle, insisted on landing with the skirmishers or advance guard. These consisted of twenty-six men under Lieut. Loicq, of Company B. Col. Gra- | ham immediately followed in the second boat. Capt. Harris, with a few picked men from his own crew, and some picked men from Company I, pushed rapidly forward to what is known as "Grimes' House," a large house used as a station for the rebel pickets. After proceeding about a quarter of a mile, they came suddenly upon three rebel pickets, one of whom aimed his musket at Capt. Harris; but the captain was too quick for him, shooting him dead with his revolver, while his men fired, but unsuccessfully, at the other two, who were retreating on the full run. The picket's musket (an old flint lock) was brought away, as were also their three horses, found tied near by.

Grimes' House has long been known as a station for the rebel pickets, and standing fully exposed, it has frequently been fired at by the gunboats, which have attempted to set fire to it with shell, but in vain. The doors and windows were barricaded, so as to afford a good shelter for riflemen. No person was, however, found in it.

As soon as the shots were fired, AssistantSurgeon Calhoun was put on shore ready to render any assistance to the wounded that might be needed, and the whole force was speedily landed under the able direction of Capt Street, of the Dana, and master's mate, John McMillan, of the Island Belle; forming in line, and preceded by an efficient band of skirmishers, the party proceeded rapidly forward. After proceeding two or three miles, two mounted men rode up, and were taken for some of the skirmishers, who, it was supposed, had captured the horses, and were returning with them. One of the men inquired, “How many men were coming?" When the question was asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "Oh! we are all right -we are pickets.' "Then you are just the men we want," said Capt. Harris, seizing the horse by the bridle. The fellows found that instead of being the Thirtieth Virginia, whom they expected, it was a party of these "cussed Yankees," and clapping spurs to their horses, scampered off to the woods, followed by a volley of balls. One of them was evidently wounded, as he dropped his gun, (a double-barrelled

shot gun,) and blood could be traced some distance.

The party proceeded several miles, but finding that the rebels were encamped at Hampstead, nine miles from the Point, and that they had the evening before been reinforced by Walker's battery of three pieces of artillery, and that they were hourly expecting Col. Carey's Thirtieth Virginia, from Brooks' Station, it was deemed advisable to return. A portion of Company E had, however, in the mean time, surprised Mr. George Dent and his son, prominent Maryland rebels, for whom the authorities have long been searching. Mr. Dent was fully armed, and at first attempted to draw a revolver, but he saw resistance to be useless. He has long been connected with the Confederate signal service, and on his person were found the cards of several of the officers of the rebel navy, and a pass signed "Brig.-Gen. Holmes, C. S. A.”

The party, on its return, burned a large amount of forage for the rebel cavalry, and several houses which had been used for signalling purposes. Grimes' House, and the adjacent barns, were also burned. A mile or so from the point, a small battery, with no guns mounted, was discovered. It was masked by trees and cord-wood piled up. These were burned, and the gunboats will destroy the earthworks at their leisure. The woods were set on fire in several places, but they were not very inflammable, and no very definite results were obtained. It was now about nine o'clock A. M., and the party had returned to the landing-place, where were still to be seen the rifle pits from which was fired the fatal shot that killed Capt. Ward. The look-out on the gunboat detected a large force of rebel infantry advancing, on a hill-top,

several miles distant.

The command were immediately drawn up in line, and the guns of the Dana and Island Belle shotted and manned. But after waiting an hour, no enemy appeared, and the men were all safely reembarked and again landed on Chapel Point, without the slightest injury to a single person of the force. They were followed by a large frigate's launch, filled with contrabands. These poor darkies were discovered approaching the gunboats shortly before the embarkation to return. Over a hundred must have been huddled into it, while from a pole in the stern waved a shirt, which may in its better days have been white. Their boat was of some value, and was retained.

About daylight the Freeborn hove in sight, and was coming to fulfil the duties assigned to her, when, much to the chagrin of the gallant lieutenant commanding, (Magaw,) she was opened upon by a heavy rebel battery, a short distance up the river, and forced to return. Since that time it has been discovered that the battery is located at Boyd's Hole, not over two miles from the point reached by the reconnoitring party. The battery mounts six heavy rifled