November 3, 1862

November 3, 1862:  At Harrisonville, Missouri, 300 irregular Rebel riders under Col. William Quantrill raid a Federal wagon train, shooting about half of the cavalry escort and taking some prisoners.  They also destroy the wagons and contents.  Several hours later, Col. Catherwood and detached troopers from the 5^th and 6^th Missouri Cavalry Regiments catch up with Quantrill and smash his column, driving them in a rout.

---Gen. Halleck sends this dispatch to Gen. Grant, urging him on to an invasion of Mississippi:

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, November 3, 1862.
Major-General GRANT, Jackson, Tenn.:

I approve of your plan of advancing upon the enemy as soon as you are strong enough for that purpose. The Minnesota and Wisconsin regiments should join you very soon, and the Governor of Illinois has promised ten regiments this week. I have directed General Curtis to re-enforce Helena, and if they cannot operate on Little Rock they can cross the river and threaten Grenada. I hope for an active campaign on the Mississippi this fall. A large force will ascend the river from New Orleans. General Stanley will be sent to General Rosecrans as chief of cavalry.

H. W. HALLECK,
General-in-Chief.

---Part of Grant’s army steps off today, and marched almost twenty miles, which takes them into Mississippi.  The Vicksburg Campaign has begun.

---A Yankee steamer, with a company of Colored Troops on board, ascends the Bell River in Florida.  The troops debark and drive in the Rebel pickets at one of their camps.  The Federal troops destroy a salt works, and then another, along with a good deal of grain, wagons, and equipment.  They then find two families of “contrabands” and brought them out to safety.