war for coolness and courage should have played no further part, is remarkable, but not the less a fact.

1

On Wednesday night, Aug. 19th, 1863, Lieut. John Taylor Wood, C. S. navy, left Richmond in command of a party numbering sixty men; the inception, organization and destination of the expedition were so well concealed that the first intimation received in Richmond of the expedition was the information of its complete success.

2

The United States Chesapeake flotilla, commanded by Capt. Craven, was chiefly engaged in arresting intercourse between the United States and the Confederate States along the waters of that bay. To that end armed steamers were kept cruising off the mouths of rivers and creeks, and at the mouth of the Rappahannock the steamers Satellite and Reliance were doing duty in August, 1863. These steamers carried, on the former, one thirty-two-pounder smooth-bore gun and one twelvepounder howitzer; and the latter mounted one thirty-pounder Parrott and one twenty-four-pounder howitzer, each with a crew of forty_men. As they lay off Stingray Point, at the mouth of the Rappahannock, they offered a temptation which to the courage, dash and enterprise of Lieut. Wood was too inviting to be resisted.

The point of departure, the lower end of Middlesex County, Va., was reached, and embarking in four small boats Lieut. Wood's command pulled steadily and swiftly for the two vessels.

The challenge of the watches on board had scarcely died away on the midnight air before the boarders were clambering up the sides of the two vessels, cutting their way through the hammock netting, which had been triced up in anticipation of attack, driving the crews below and mastering the prizes. Three minutes finished the work. The assault was so quickly made that the crews had no opportunity to use their heavy guns, and the fighting was entirely hand-to-hand, in which Lieut. Hoge, Midshipman H. S. Cooke, and three men were wounded, and Capt. Waters of the Reliance, with eight others, were severely wounded and two killed. This affair, so bril liant in conception and execution, was described in the Washington City Evening Star by N. H. Stavey, Paymaster's Clerk of the Satellite, who was wounded in the fight. He said:

1 Col. Thomas had originally intended to raise a regiment of Maryland Zouaves, and the first company was organized in Richmond on July 4th, 1861, by the election of the following officers; William Walters, Baltimore, Captain; G. W. Alexander, First Lieutenant; John W. Torsch, Second Lieutenant; F. M. Parsons, Jr., Third Lieutenant; Chas. Simms, Orderly Sergeant; Charles Hemling, Second Sergeant; F. Duffin, Third Sergeant; J. L. Quinn, Fourth Sergeant; John D. Mitchell, First Corporal; William Uncle, Second Corporal; John H. Russick, Third Corporal; William A. Ryan, Fourth Corporal. The company was ordered to Tappahannock on the Rappahannock River, to re

cruit and drill, and wait for the release of its colonel from imprisonment; but, owing to the great length of time he was confined, the scheme of organizing a regiment of Zouaves was abandoned, and the company of Maryland Zouaves was soon after consolidated with other Confederate commands and performed gallant service throughout the war.

2 Lieut. Wood with a boat's crew of thirteen men, on the night of October 7th, 1862, boarded, captured and burned the steamer Francis Elmore, which was lying at anchor off Lower Cedar Point in the Potomac River. The captain and crew were sent prisoners to Richmond.

"The attacking party numbered sixty-eight men, mostly sailors belonging to the New Merrimac, at Richmond, with some of Wheat's battalion, and approached in four boats, each containing about seventeen men, the two boats which approached the Satellite being in command of Col. Wood, an aide and relative to Jeff. Davis, and the two who boarded the Reliance, in charge of Lieut. Hoge, of the Merrimac. Both of these officers, we believe, formerly were attached to our navy.

"At the time of the attack (twelve o'clock Saturday night) it was dark and a heavy sea was running. The assailants were not discovered on the Satellite until nearly to the boat, when the officer ran below to call the executive officer, and by the time he returned the vessel was boarded and the crew were in a fight with the rebels, which lasted some ten or fifteen minutes, during which Thomas Damon, a fireman, and Lawson, who originally came from the rebel army, were killed, and Ensign R. Sommers received two cutlass wounds on the left arm, and was shot through the neck; N. H. Stavey, Paymaster's Steward, shot in the arm; Wm. Bingham, Master-at-Arms, Samuel Chin (colored, and two others, slightly. The fight on board the Satellite is represented to have been desperate, and several of the rebels were wounded; but the crews were obliged to give way. It is said that the Captain of the Satellite (Robinson behaved in a very cowardly manner when he came on deck in his underclothes. Finding the crew in a desperate hand-to-hand encounter with the rebels, he cried out, "For God's sake, don't shoot. I surrender."

"The party which boarded the Reliance, Acting Ensign Walters, also was resisted, the officers and men fighting desperately, but were obliged to succumb to this attack; Lieut. Hoge was either killed or wounded, and Ensign Walters was shot through the stomach, the ball coming out at the hip. After Mr. Walters was wounded he crawled into his pilot-house and blew his whistle for help, not being aware that the Satellite had been already taken. Mr. McCauly, the engineer of the Reliance, when he found his boat in possession of the rebels, put his engines out of gear, rendering them useless.

"After they captured both boats the rebels proceeded with them to Urbana, where the officers and crews were put on shore, and they put out with the steamers again for the mouth of the river, where they lay all day Sunday; but on Sunday night they went to the Eastern Shore and captured three schooners, one a large coaler, from Philadelphia, which they took up to Urbana; and after burning one of them, went, as they said, to Port Royal, where they would remove the machinery and destroy the boats."

Immediately upon securing the two steamers, the boats in which Lieut. Wood had made the attack were made fast astern, everything was hauled taut on board, ropes coiled up, and guns prepared for a fight. Lieut. Wood was on board the Satellite, and Lieut. Francis L. Hoge being wounded, Lieut. Wm. E. Hudgins, the second officer in command, was put in charge of the Reliance. He was ordered to follow close after the Satellite, which was to be taken up the river by Pilot Moore. The engineers, Messrs. Bowman and Tennent, soon got up steam, and reported the vessels ready to move.

Lieut. Hoge was the first to reach the deck of the Reliance, and fighting his way forward with great gallantry, was struck in the neck by a pistol ball, and fell upon the deck. Midshipman Cooke, though hit by two balls, continued to direct the fight until the enemy surrendered. Lieut. Hudgins took command of the Reliance, and just as the first gray streak of day appeared in the East the Satellite moved out, followed closely

by Lieut. Hudgins. The run up occupied some three hours, and a little after sunrise we dropped the anchors off Urbana. The first thing was to get the wounded and prisoners ashore. Midshipman Matt. P. Goodwyn had charge of this, and in a short time all were landed and delivered into the hands of the cavalry of Col. T. L. Rosser, who had co-operated with the expedition, and was ready to take charge of the prisoners to Richmond.

When captured, the Federal steamers had but a few hours supply of coal, and the Currituck, their companion-steamer, had gone for coal for the little squadron. Lieut. Wood, however, determined to make the supply on hand serve his purpose, and expecting resistance from the Currituck, Col. Rosser detailed Capt. Clay's company of sharp-shooters to assist on the Satellite. Capt. Fendall Gregory and Lieut. Nunn, of Rosser's regiment, also volunteered.

Owing to the difficulty of making and keeping up steam on the Reliance, Lieut. Hudgins was unable to accompany Lieut. Wood in his cruise over the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and the Satellite, on Sunday night, went out alone, and reached the mouth of the river at eleven o'clock. The sea was quite high, with a strong southeasterly wind, and every prospect of an approaching storm. Having so little coal, it was impossible to go far; but Lieut. Wood started boldly up the bay to see what there was afloat. The waves were every moment getting higher and the Satellite creaked and groaned in every seam, and ran heavily against the sea, as if trying to commit suicide at the chagrin of capture. Although much indisposed, Pilot Moore managed her admirably, and kept her well against the storm. After cruising awhile up the bay, her course was turned towards the eastern shore. Some few sails were seen looming up through the dark, but they were small and hardly worth the time when larger game was expected. At one o'clock the sea was very high, and about all the Satellite could stand. It would have availed little then to have made out a sail, for the sea was too rough for boarding, and small boats would probably have swamped in such weather. At two o'clock the Satellite turned back, and a little before day made Stingray Point. Fearing the Currituck might have returned during the night and dropped into the anchorage, Lieut. Wood sent up a signal light; but it was not answered, and the Satellite ran safely inside.

In the gray of Monday morning the steamer ran some five miles up the river, and came to anchor near Gray's Point. Being out all night, as well as the two nights previous, everybody was much exhausted, and, as soon as the anchor dropped over the side, nearly all dropped to sleep upon the deck. Having suffered severely from sea-sickness during the night, the cavalry men were a forlorn-looking set, and it was pitiful to see their pale, uneasy faces.

Nothing of importance occurred during the day. The sea still ran high, and the wind increased in strength. About night three sails made their appearance in the bay, all beating down upon the starboard tack directly towards the Satellite. Lieut. Wood made out towards them, and for an hour or two chased the larger of the two down towards Gwin's Island and the mouth of the Piankatank. About nine o'clock she was overhauled, and proved to be the schooner Golden Rod, laden with coals from Baltimore, and bound for Maine. The other two sail (schooners both) had anchored just inside the point, and these were picked up upon the return. They were the Two Brothers and the Coquette, anchor-sweepers, from Philadelphia. Both had a number of very fine anchors and cables on board. Taking the three in tow, the Satellite ran up to Urbana again, and let go anchors. As the Reliance had but a few bushels of coal left, she was sent up to Port Royal that morning, but after the capture of the Golden Rod she was ordered to return.

Running the Satellite alongside the schooner, Lieut. Wood took on board coal to last a day or two, and prepared to run down the river. The schooners were made ready for burning, and instructions left with Lieut. Hudgins to take charge of them and apply the match should the enemy appear before the return of the Satellite.

Remaining but a few hours of Tuesday at Urbana, for the purpose of ministering to the wounded in the fight, Lieut. Wood again ran down the river and laid under lee of the land, some two miles from the bay, waiting patiently for "something to turn up." The sea seemed to be higher than before, and the white foam caps flashed in the light, and the heavy breakers dashed upon the beach with their continuous, saddening roar. It was too much for the Satellite-the elements were against her. From a picket it was ascertained that the Currituck had arrived off the Piankatank, communicated with the shore, and afterwards steamed rapidly in the direction of Fortress Monroe. It was evident, then, she was aware of the nature of Lieut. Wood's exploit, and had gone for aid. Sure enough, later in the evening, the black smoke-stacks of three large gunboats became visible in the distance.

Had the weather been favorable, Lieut. Wood intended to have run out before the steamers came up; but the pilots decided the sea was too rough for the engines. This being the case, Lieut. Wood had the choice of an unequal fight or a retreat up the river. The odds were too great for the former, and the Satellite headed for Urbana.

Lieut. Hudgins had returned with the Reliance and was coaling alongside the captured schooner, and the Satellite was quickly moored close to the Reliance. The storm continuing with great violence put an end to all movements by either side, and when Wednesday morning broke clear and cold the

river was very rough. However, a pilot was obtained from the shore and preparations were made to run up to Port Royal, where the steamers and the prizes could be dismantled. The larger schooner drew eleven feet of water, and this the pilot thought too much to be gotten up without difficulty; so at daylight she was fired. Taking the other two prizes in tow the Satellite started on, pilot Moore bringing up the Reliance close behind. After a few miles he brought her alongside the Satellite, and the two then worked together, making quite good time against the strong ebb-tide and the high headwind.

The Confederate flag was flying from the Satellite, and from some old bunting on board the officers of the Reliance improvised a small flag of the new pattern-the white ground with battle-flag union. The advance caused considerable excitement on the route: the people did not know what to make of it. Some stared in mute astonishment, others thought it a trick of the Yankees, others again greeted the little fleet with enthusiastic cheers.

Upon arrival at Port Royal, where was stationed some Confederate artillery, the approaching fleet was hailed and warned not to approach the shore. But a boat dispatched from the vessels explained their true character and changed a hostile aspect into pleasant and welcoming shouts.

Early on Thursday, Lieut. Wood reported to the officer in command at Port Royal, where a detachment of Confederate cavalry and artillery had been protecting a foraging train. The Federal troops were at King George C. H., some fifteen miles distance, and from which an attack might be expected as soon as the news of the arrival of the captured steamers was made known. After two days' hard work, there was nothing left upon the Satellite and the Reliance, and their guns were on shore and in battery to resist any approach of the enemy.

This bold and unexampled expedition was particularly annoying to the administration of the Federal Navy Department. It had occurred in the very track of their communication between Washington and McClellan's base of operations. It was liable to repetition, and the captured vessels offered the means of greater expedition among the many vessels sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. The Currituck, as anticipated by Lieut. Wood, did report his exploit to the gunboat Meigs, and an expedition for their recapture started, but returned emptyhanded.

In the meantime Lieut. Wood had arrived at Port Royal and was securing the fruits of his enterprise. Four wagons were set to work transporting the cargo and other captured material to Milford Station, on the R. F. and P. R. R. Lieut. Wood went to Richmond to procure more transportation, leaving Lieut. Hudgins in command. To Washington the report was carried by Capt. Bates, of Gen. Sickles' staff,