April 18, 1863, The New York Herald
The latest news concerning the state of affairs around Suffolk, Va., is to the 16th inst. the attempts of the rebel Gen. Longstreet to cross the Nansemond river with the aid of pontoons were defeated by the fire of our artillery. One of our gunboats – the Mount Washington – was fired into and disabled by the rebel batteries while coming down the river on the 14th inst. She was, however, taken in tow and brought safely through the heavy fire of the enemy.
With regard to the news from the vicinity of Suffolk we may state that there is a good deal of feeling in this city relative to the shooting of Lieutenant Colonel Kimball by General Corcoran. The letters from Suffolk are conflicting in their statements, but the truth of the matter will, no doubt, be received on the return of the committee who went on for the body of Col. Kimball. We give in another column extracts of two letters from friends of Gen. Corcoran, which probably contain his version of the melancholy affair.
Our extracts from the Southern papers today are very interesting. The most important item is the full confirmation of our success over General Van Dorn at Franklin, Tenn. the rebels admit that their loss was heavy, and that they had to retreat after six hours’ hard fighting.
Our news relative to affairs at Charleston came from Fortress Monroe yesterday, on the authority of the Richmond papers. Everything was quiet there. Our troops are in occupation of Coles’ Island and the islands of Kiawah and Seabrook in considerable force. General Beauregard had issued a congratulatory order to the rebel troops in his usual bombastic style, conveying to them certain commendatory resolutions of the Legislature of South Carolina.
The only intelligence we have from the West is the statement of the Richmond papers, of the 16th inst., that two gunboats and three transports had been destroyed on the Cumberland river by Wheeler’s rebel cavalry.
By the arrival of the British Queen from Nassau, N.P., we learn that fourteen vessels from rebel ports had arrived there from the 16th of March to the 10th of this month, all bringing cargoes of cotton.