November 18, 1863, The New York Herald
The United States steamer Ashland, from Hilton Head, brigs us accounts from Charleston up to Sunday. The bombardment of Fort Sumter continued unabated. Rebel telegrams to Richmond say that the fort cannot be injured any further. The Battery Gregg kept up a fire on the rebel batteries on Sullivan Island all Saturday afternoon, the enemy slowly returning the fire from Fort Lamar and Battery Simpkins.
The news from Gen. Meade’s army is not very exciting. On Sunday morning the cavalry division of Gen. Kilpatrick, under command of Gen. Custer, made a reconnoissance along the Rapidan, at Raccoon Ford, to ascertain the truth or falsity of the reports that the rebels were falling back upon Gordonsville. As our cavalry approached they were met with a few guns from the rebel intrenchments; but our light batteries soon silenced them. A small number of rebel sharpshooters were seen in the lower rifle pits, and shortly afterwards a strong rebel infantry force was discovered, but the river being much swollen the cavalry did not cross.
It was believed in Washington yesterday that two of the divisions of General Hill’s corps have left the Rapidan and gone southward; but whether to Tennessee or Fredericksburg, or to demonstrate upon the left flank of Army of the Potomac, was not known. Our last news from Chattanooga, to the 16th instant, reports that the rebel battery on Lookout Mountain is vigorously at work on our camps, but is doing no damage. Large reinforcements are said to be arriving to General Bragg, and the railroad from Chickamauga Station for a distance of eight miles south is lined with the enemy’s camps. An important engagement was expected before the campaign closes. Major General Sherman was at General Thomas’ headquarters on Monday, having made a junction, with his entire corps, with the right of General Grant’s army at Chattanooga.
Another rebel torpedo was discovered in James river on Saturday. It was sent down with a view of damaging the Roanoke but Capt. Gansevoort observed it and had it towed ashore, when the devilish contents of a rough looking pine box were brought to light, in the shape of a tin case, containing thirty-five pounds of powder and machinery for igniting it by percussion.