October 7, 1864 Friday
In an attempt to push Federal troops back from their threatening position near Richmond north of the James River, Confederate troops attacked on the Darbytown and New Market roads with combats at Johnston’s Farm and Four-Mile Creek. After some initial success, the Confederates were repulsed. Brigadier General John Gregg (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gregg_(CSA) ), CSA, is killed while attempting to push back the Federal troops on the Darbytown Road, south of Richmond, Virginia. Elsewhere in Virginia, fighting erupted on Back Road near Strasburg, and near Columbia Furnace.
Price’s men in Missouri skirmished near Jefferson City, the state capital, and fighting also took place at Moreau Creek and at Tyler’s Mills on Big River. Farther west, Federals and Indians skirmished on Elk Creek in Nebraska Territory.
In Georgia fighting continued at Dallas as Hood’s army moved toward Alabama. There also was a skirmish at Kingston, Tennessee.
U.S.S. Wachusett, under Commander Napoleon Collins, captured C.S.S. Florida, commanded by Lieutenant Morris, in Bahia harbor, Brazil, and towed her out to sea. Collins, who had been scouring the sea lanes for the Confederate raider for many months, saw her enter Bahia on 4 October and anchored close by the next morning. Collins offered to meet Morris outside the harbor in a ship duel, but the Confederate captain wisely declined. The Brazilian authorities, recognizing the explosiveness of the situation, exacted promises from both Lieutenant Morris and the U.S. Consul, Thomas Wilson, that no attacks would be made in Brazilian waters. Collins was not to allow elusive Florida to escape, however, and plans were laid to attack her shortly after midnight on the 7th. At 3 a.m. he slipped his cable, steamed past the Brazilian gunboat anchored between his ship and Florida, and rammed the famous raider on her starboard quarter. After a brief exchange of cannon fire, Lieutenant Porter, commanding Florida in Morris's absence, surrendered the ship. By this time the harbor was alive, and as Wachusett towed her long-sought prize to sea, the coastal fort opened fire on her.
Collins' actions, though cheered in the North where Florida was a household name because of her continued "depradations", were in violation of international law, and prompt disavowal of them was made by Secretary of State Seward. Florida was taken to Hampton Roads, arriving there on 12 November. She was ordered returned to the Brazilian Government, but before she could be made ready for sea she mysteriously sank. Commander Collins was court-martialed and ordered to be dismissed from the naval service. At the trial, the dauntless captain admitted his actions had violated international law, offering in his defense only the following statement: "I respectfully request that it may be entered on the records of the court as my defense that the capture of the Florida was for the public good."
Secretary Welles concurred, especially in view of the vast damage done by C.S.S. Florida to Union commerce, and, restored Collins to his command. The furor over the capture, however, did not die down. At length, to further satisfy Brazil, a 21-gun salute as an "amende honorable" was fired by U.S.S. Nipsic in Bahia harbor, 23 July 1866.
U.S.S. Aster, commanded by Acting Master Samuel Hall, chased blockade runner Annie ashore at New Inlet, North Carolina, under the guns of Fort Fisher, but the 285-ton wooden steamer ran aground herself and was destroyed to prevent capture. U.S.S. Niphon, commanded by Acting Master Kemble, rescued Hall and his men and, under a hail of fire from Confederate batteries, towed out U.S.S. Berberry, which had become disabled trying to pull Aster off the shoal.