Today in History:

210 Series I Volume XV- Serial 21 - Baton Rouge-Natchez

Page 210 W.FLA.,S.ALA.,S.MISS.,LA., TEX.,N.MEX. Chapter XXVII.

The loss on shore, according to Adjutant Davis, of the Forty-second, who escaped, was 2 killed and 15 or 20 wounded. the remainder are all prisoners, as are the survivors on board the Harriet Lane.

The accompanying map shows the positions of the vessels during the engagement, and also the places referred to in the preceding report.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. S. LONG,

Assistant Engineer.


No. 4. Reports of Major GeneralJ. Bankhead Magruder, C.s. Army, commanding District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, and including operations October-, 1862-February 26, 1863, with congratulatory orders and correspondence relative to flag of truce, &c.


HEADQUARTERS, Galveston, Tex., January 1, 1863.

GENERAL: This morning, the 1st of January, at 3 o'clock, I attacked the enemy's fleet and garrison at this place, and captured the latter and the steamer Harriet Lane, two barks, and a schooner of the former. The rest, some four or five in number, escaped ignominiously under cover of a flag of truce. I have about 600 prisoners and a large quantity of valuable stores, arms, &c. The Harriet Lane is very little in-dared. She was carried by boarding from two high-pressure cotton steamers, manned by Texas cavalry and artillery. The line troops were gallantly commanded by Col. Thomas Green, of Sibley's brigade, and the ships and artillery by Major Leon Smith, to whose indomitable energy and heroic daring the country is indebted for the successful execution of a plan which I had conceived for the destruction of the enemy's fleet. Colonel [A. P.] Bagby, of Sibley's brigade, also commanded the volunteers from his regiment for the naval expedition, in which every officer and every man won for himself imperishable renown.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER,

Major General, Comdg. Dept., Dist.of Tex., N. Mex., and Ariz.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

P. S.-January 3, 1863.-Commodore Renshaw's flag-ship, the Westfield, was blown up by him to avoid capture. Her armament is now, however, being brought up from the water uninjured. A small steam propeller was so much injured while going out under a flag of truce that she is reported to have sunk on the bar. Thus the enemy only saved three vessels out of a fleet of eight vessels.

J. B. M.,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, AND ARIZONA, Galveston, Tex., January 2, 1863.

SIR: I forgot to mention in my report that the Westfield, the flag-ship of Commodore Renshaw, was run on shore during the fight and


Page 210 W.FLA.,S.ALA.,S.MISS.,LA., TEX.,N.MEX. Chapter XXVII.