Union General N.P. Banks led a task force aimed at the invasion of Texas into the Sabine River. Four U.S. gunboats and eighteen transports carrying 5000 infanytrymen made the initial attack against Sabine City but met with disaster.  Concentrated fire from the tiny Confederate garrison under Lieutenant Richard Dowling at Fort Griffin, defending the mouth of the river, shattered the attack, capturing two of the gunboats and around 200 sailors. (By John Osborne) 

The U.S.S. Lehigh ran aground during night operations very close to the Confederate batteries on Sullivan's Island. At dawn, under very heavy fire, the U.S.S. Nahant moved to her aid and several attempts were made to pass a line over by small boat to pull the Lehigh off the sandbank.  The third effort was successful.  Five sailors from the Lehigh who operated the small boat later received Medals of Honor. The Lehigh was repaired and returned to action by January 1864.  (By John Osborne)

Reverend Henry Ward Beecher had returned recently from a lengthy tour of Europe to his home pastorate at Brooklyn, New York's Plymouth Church. Despite very poor weather, a large gathering of church members greeted him at a celebration in the Sunday Schoolroom of the church in the evening. The following day he gave a public speech on his travels. (By John Osborne)