the mouth of the Nansemond, the pilot stated that he could not go up, as it would be impossible to keep the channel. Ordering the pilot of the General Jessup to go on board the Long Branch, she being of light draught, I directed him to make the effort to reach Holloway Point. Arrived at that place at 8 p. m., and was informed by Lieutenant-Commander Gillis that Captain McLaughlin, with 40 men, had advanced to Chuckatuck village; remained there until dark and returned, reporting that he had heard heavy firing in the direction of Smithfield, which he supposed to have been occasioned by the enemy resisting our landing at that point. Surprised at the non-arrival of the force which had landed at Smithfield, I ordered a detachment of 20 men to land and advance a mile toward Chuckatuck and look out for it, and directed the gun-boat Smith Briggs (taking the remainder of Captain McLaughlin's detachment on board the Long Branch) to sail, with orders to the Flora Temple and General Jessup to proceed at daylight to Chuckatuck Creek, reconnoiter thoroughly, and report the result to me in the Nansemond. On the return of the Smith Briggs I dispatched her at 6. 30 a. m. with a communication to Rear-Admiral Lee, at Newport News, giving the facts as they stood, requesting him to communicate the same to you, and informing him that I should land at daylight with all the force at my disposal and march to Chuckatuck. After delivering the dispatch, Captain Rowe was ordered to proceed at once to Smithfield. I landed about 7 a. m. with a detachment of 80 men, 50 of them seamen from the Commodore Morris, kindly furnished to me by Lieutenant-Commander Gillis, under command of Captain McLaughlin, and three officers of the Commodore Morris, accompanied by my two aides, and proceeded to Chuckatuck village. Finding no enemy there I ordered an advance a mile beyond, but could gain no tidings of the missing detachment. After remaining there for an hour, without hearing any firing, fearing the detachment had been captured or dispersed, I returned to the river to make other dispositions.

At this time, about 11. 30 a. m., the U. S. naval gun-boat Commodore Jones came up with a dispatch from Rear-Admiral Lee to Lieutenant-Commander Gillis, stating that Ensign Harris had escaped from Smithfield; that Captain Lee's detachment was surrounded at that point, and short of ammunition. Rear-Admiral Lee very kindly volunteered to do all in his power to relieve the detachment at Smithfield, and stated that launches with howitzers and ammunition had already been sent. Upon the receipt of this information I immediately sailed for Smithfield, ordering the gun-boat General Jessup, which was lying at the mouth of Chuckatuck Creek, to accompany me. On reaching the mouth of Pagan Creek, about 4 p. m., the information was communicated to me by an officer of the U. S. naval gun-boat Commodore Barney that the Smith Briggs with the detachment of Captain Lee had been captured, and a few moments afterward a terrific explosion occurred, the enemy having blown up the Smith Briggs to prevent her recapture. About the same time a white flag was discovered to be waving ont he banks of Pagan Creek, a mile or so distant from its mouth. A boat was ordered from the Jessup to ascertain the cause, and returned with Captain lee and 3 others. The Pagan Creek by the Smith Briggs, were received with such a terrific fire from riflemen that after discharging their howitzers they were compelled to retire, the commanding officer and several of the men having been severely wounded.