February 1, 1863, The New York Herald
The expected fight at the Blackwater has come off. General Corcoran had a brilliant action with the rebel chief, Roger A. Pryor, on the night of the 29th, and completely defeated him. The conflict took place at a point ten miles from Suffolk, and the battle opened by an artillery duel by moonlight. After two hours firing the rebel artillery began to slacken, when General Corcoran ordered a charge of his infantry and cavalry. The enemy fell back before our troops for two miles, and there made another stand, and the fight continued for over seven hours. There as every prospect yesterday that there would be another battle.
General Corcoran had a narrow escape from a shell which burst directly in front of him. Our loss was about one hundred and four. We give a list of the killed and wounded today, together with a comprehensive map of the battle.
There is nothing new from the Rappahannock Army today. General Hooker paid a flying visit to Washington yesterday, to arrange some details in reference to the quartermaster’s and commissary departments of his army.
It is said in Washington that Generals Cadwallader, Martindale and Van Alen, are to compose the new court of inquiry in the case of Major General Wm. B. Franklin.
We give an interesting account in another column of the capture of the brig Estelle by the pirate Florida, as reported by the captain of the Estelle, who arrived here yesterday. The history of the Florida, as it was related to Captain Brown, of the Estelle, by the rebel commander of the pirate ship, will be read with much interest. She was built for the Sardinian government, and was then know as the Oreto. She took in her armament from a schooner lying off the Bahama Islands, the guns having been sent from the port of Nassau.
We give a map of the locality about Ossibaw Sound, where it is believed that an attack was made by our forces and gunboats on Savannah, and the rebels defeated. Nothing positive or official has yet been promulgated relative to this affair, but all the probabilities point to its truth. The information, it will be remembered, comes from rebel sources, and originated, as we stated yesterday, in a report from General Pryor to General Peck, near Suffolk, Va.