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whispered about that an engagement would take place on the following morning.

On Thursday the sun rose in an unclouded sky, a gentle breeze stirred the waters of the harbor in which lay rocking on the tide about fifty vessels, of every shape and size, from the little Mayflower, which showed by her shattered paddle-boxes how gallantly she had braved the stormy Atlantic, to the giant steamer (Vanderbilt) by her side, which had so much excited our admiration by towing with apparent ease, through the opposing waves and howling winds of the previous Friday, her noble sister the Great Republic, which was now coming up the bay; the smaller vessels of the naval squadron were forming into line in obedience to the order signalled from the Wabash; the transports were crowded on deck, and shroud, and spar with soldiers and officers of every grade; glasses were in great demand, and every eye was strained to witness the impending conflict.

At length the Wabash, which had been prepared for action two days before, was observed in motion; steaming slowly in on the northern side past the Bay Point batteries, followed by the Susquehanna, Vandalia, (in tow of the Isaac Smith,) Mohican, Seminole, Pawnee, and others.

A few shots were exchanged with the battery on their right and with the rebel gunboats that hovered around below Parry Island; but it was not until they had rounded above in a graceful sweep, and returned seaward past the Hilton Head fort, that our ships appeared really in earnest. The guns of the Wabash were opened upon this battery a few minutes before ten A. M. After delivering her broadside, she turned her head toward the centre of the channel, up again on the Bay Point side, again rounding above and returning as before to throw another torrent of shells into the enemy's position. The remaining ships-of-war followed her in beautiful order, so that while one was resting her men and cooling her guns, another was belching forth with terrible precision on the camps and cannon of the foe.

From twelve to two o'clock the firing from our side was perfectly terrific, and after the latter hour the enemy responded only at intervals.

The unwonted emotion with which the assembled thousands beheld the emblem of their country's power floating serenely over the "sacred soil" that first dishonored and defied it, was quickly evinced by the loud and repeated cheers which rang from vessel to vessel throughout the magnificent harbor. Our joy was tinged with a feeling of sorrowful apprehension for the many who, we supposed, had helped to attain this result by the sacrifice of their lives; and it was not until a few hours later that we learned, with astonishment, that our loss in killed and wounded did not exceed thirty.

The enemy's loss is not exactly known, but is probably from fifty to a hundred. They left their batteries in extraordinary haste, not even delaying to spike their guns.

Upon seeing the Hilton Head battery abandoned, the rebel forces retreated from Bay Point-their commander assigning as a reason, (in a note, subsequently found in the hospital, addressed to the General commanding the forces of the United States,) that they could probably find an opportunity elsewhere to render more important services to the cause of the Confederacy than by endeavoring to hold a position which was no longer tenable, and thereby securing for themselves quarters in Fort Lafayette.

A great amount of property has fallen into our hands, comprising about forty guns of large calibre, considerable quantities of ammunition, provisions, tents, and personal baggage.

Gen. Wright's brigade was landed on Thursday evening at Hilton Head; that of Gen. Stevens at Bay Point early this morning; the rest of the troops will doubtless be landed to-morrow.

The work of the navy has been splendidly performed. The army will now have to put forth all its energies to secure the foothold we have gained against the forces which we fully expect will soon be sent to "exterminate" us. Being already in possession of fine fortifications, ready made to our hands, beside having almost undisputed control of the waters around us, commanded by Generals in whom we repose the fullest confidence, the forces now here will doubtless be able to maintain themselves against any force of the enemy. But in order to avail ourselves of this point as a base of operations against Charleston and Savannah, should any such operations be contemplated, large reinforce

At three o'clock (just five hours after the commencement of the engagement) a boat from the Wabash was seen making for the shore, with a white flag at the bow and the American en-ments should be promptly forwarded. sign at the stern. She soon touched the sandy beach, and a moment after we thought we could discern our flag upon the ramparts. Our men could not help giving utterance to exclamations of hopeful joy; but the less sanguine waited a few moments in eager suspense, until suddenly, from the roof of a conspicuous old mansion by the fort, a great flag, that could not be mistaken, displayed the Stars and Stripes in all their glory, in beautiful contrast with the green woods beyond.

As a centre of operation by land or water, as a place of refuge for our blockading squadron, and for merchant vessels in distress, and as a port for the re-opening of the cotton trade, this position is unrivalled. That the moral effect of the victory will be great, both at home and abroad, can hardly be questioned.

Hoping that a death-blow has thus been dealt to the cause of the rebels, and to the tyranny and misery which at present prevail here, I remain, with much respect, yours, G. M.

fleet, the principal gun of the battery was dismounted. The engagement lasted five hours, and all of our guns on Fort Walker excepting two being dismounted, the fort was no longer tenable.

COST OF THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL.-The Wabash fired, during the entire action, nine hundred shots, being all eight, nine, ten, and eleven-inch shells, with the exception of a few rifled cannon projectiles of a new pattern, and which were used simply as a matter of experi- Previous to the concentration of the fleet, ment. The Susquehanna fired three hundred however, an arrangement was made for the shots, the Bienville one hundred and eighty-blowing up of the magazine, in case the enemy, five, and the average of the gunboats and the other smaller ships may probably be set down at one hundred and fifty each. There were, in all, sixteen vessels engaged on our side, and probably from all of them were fired not far from three thousand five hundred shots and shell at the two forts, Walker and Beauregard, the four-gun battery, and the three steamers.

The battle of Port Royal may be set down as having cost the country not less than twentyeight thousand dollars. Reckoning, then, a few items of this battle, beginning with the immense cost of this fleet, which has been preparing since August last, the pay of the soldiers, the value of their food, and the expense of the two lost vessels on a very moderate scale, it will be seen that battles are an expensive amusement, even for a "great country." A few, a very few, items of the expense of the show would foot up something like this:

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SAVANNAH, Friday, Nov. 8, 4 P. M. The following particulars of the battle of Port Royal have been received here up to three o'clock P. M.:

Capt. Turner, of the Berry Infantry, and other officers who were in the engagement, have arrived in the steamer Sampson, which brought a number of the wounded up to the city.

The action took place on Thursday, between a portion of the enemy's fleet, consisting of fifteen vessels inside the entrance, and Fort Walker, beside a large number outside the island. There were five hundred men in Fort Walker, which was the total force engaged with the enemy, there being but about one thousand eight hundred men, all told, on the island. The steamship Minnesota (Wabash) was the first to enter the port, which engaged Fort Walker, discharging shot and shell from three positions, front and rear, beside discharging a terrible hail of shot and shell into the woods and thickets, as also into a cotton field outside the fort, where our men were stationed, expecting the enemy to land from their transports. After the second round from the broadside of the

on taking possession, should attempt to open it. Our men outside of the fort were exposed to a heavy fire during the whole action, without any means of defence or protection. The whole number of killed, wounded, and missing, did not exceed one hundred men. The names of the missing and wounded, as far as we have been able to collect them, are as follows:

Berry Infantry: Sergeant T. Parkerson, wounded in the hand; private Hess, wounded in the foot, slightly.

Georgetown Forresters: two missing. Thomas County Volunteers: J. W. Fontaine, missing.

Seventeenth Patriots: private A. Thompson, missing.

South Carolina Volunteers: Captain Radcliffe, Company A; two missing.

DeSaussure regiment: fifteen missing from one company.

We learn, in addition, that Dr. Buist, of Charleston, was killed by the explosion of a shell in Fort Walker, while dressing the wounds of a soldier. Lieut. T. H. Smack, of the South Carolina Volunteers, was struck in the leg, below the knee, rendering amputation necessary.

The total number killed in the fort was about fifteen.

In Capt. Reid's company of regulars there were sixteen killed, wounded, and missing, out of forty-eight. Private Kelly, while working one of the guns in the fort, had his head shot off. Capt. Reid's company, immediately on landing, pushed through the enemy's fire into the fort, and worked the guns of their battery in an admirable manner for four hours, and were highly complimented by the Commanding General. They drew their brass pieces on retiring twelve miles, and then abandoned them. Capt. Wagner's company of artillery was also engaged in working the batteries, and behaved with the utmost coolness and gallantry, and did effectual service. Capt. Wagner was slightly wounded in the face, and the blood was trickling from the wound as he was working the battery. One of Gen. Drayton's aids was shot from his horse, and a piece of shell grazed the General's cheek. He received also a slight wound in the arm. The force on the island consisted of Heyward's Nineteenth, and DeSaussure's and the Fifteenth South Carolina Volunteers, Style's Twenty-seventh Georgia regiment, and a company of regulars. The men were taken off the Bay Point battery to the mainland. No particulars relative to this battery have been received, only that it had been in constant action, receiving and returning a heavy fire.

Doo. 137.

CAPTURE OF BEAUFORT, S. C.

A CORRESPONDENT of the New York Herald, gives the following account of this capture:

FORT WALKER,

On these facts being known to Captain Ammen, he returned, and reported them to Commodore Dupont, who immediately ordered the Unadilla, Captain Collins, the senior officer of the gunboats, to proceed to Beaufort and suppress any excesses that the negroes might commit in their efforts to retaliate against their masters, and to take particular pains to assure the white inhabitants that we had no intention to disturb them in their rights or in the enjoyment of private property, and in the spirit of these instructions, and, in accordance with these principles, to use every effort to restore confidence, to bring the people back to their homes, when order should be reëstablished and personal safety and the rights of private property secured to all. We have not heard from the Unadilla as yet, but there will be no more excesses committed if Commodore Dupont and the forces under his control can prevent it; and I am sure that General Sherman is controlled by the same sense of duty.

PORT ROYAL HARBOR, S. C., November 11, 1861. On Saturday noon last, in pursuance of the orders of Flag-officer Dupont, the gunboats Seneca, Lieutenant-Commanding David Ammen; Pembina, Lieutenant-Commanding John Bankhead, and the Curlew, Lieutenant Whortmough, proceeded up the Beaufort River to reconnoitre, and to take possession of two lightboats, which had been removed there early in the summer. The boats proceeded rapidly up the stream, cleared for action, and ready for any emergency; but the banks of the river were found deserted save by groups of negroes, who were observed to gaze upon the novel sight of three war vessels bearing the Stars and Stripes on South Carolina waters, with curiosity, if not with lively fear. No whites could be seen, and While the Seneca was returning a boat load no defences of any kind could be described, of negroes came aboard the vessel, and they beside a battery near Beaufort, where the guns were distinctly informed by Captain Ammen had been taken out and transferred to Bay that we had not come for the purpose of taking Point. On arriving at a point about half a mile them away from their masters, nor of obliging distant from Beaufort quite a number of per- them to continue in a state of slavery, and that sons were observed to leave the village, and they might go to Beaufort or to Hilton Head, as hastily take to the woods. Soon thereafter, on they pleased. They left, saying that they would approaching the village a little nearer, Captain return to Beaufort and make arrangements to Ammen, of the Seneca, sent Lieutenant Sprot- remove, and they thought that all the slaves son in a boat to the shore, with a flag of truce, would come down to Hilton Head. Some of to communicate to the people and to assure them have already arrived, and others will pour them of perfect safety to their persons and in here until we shall be overrun by them. property, and inviting them to return to their Nearly two hundred contrabands have already homes. On landing, Lieutenant Sprotson was arrived within our lines, and the accessions met by a number of negroes, who seemed increase daily. And these fat, sleek, well-to-do greatly rejoiced to see him, and who cheered darkies are the favorite slaves of the wealthlustily for the Stars and Stripes. They informed iest and largest slave-owners in South CaroliLieutenant Sprotson that there were but two na, where the institution is said to assume its whites left in the village, and took him to one, mildest form, and where, consequently, the who met the Lieutenant at the door of his store slaves are more contented and happier than in waving a flag of truce, and exhibiting in his any other part of the South. The negroes here manner every indication of deep fear. This would never leave their masters, they would man, a Northerner by birth, reported that the fight and lay down their lives for them, if nenegroes were perfectly wild, and were plunder-cessary, before they would allow "Lincoln's ing stores and dwellings, wantonly destroying property of every kind, and carrying off every thing of a portable character that they could lay their hands upon. They had been worked up to a pitch of frenzy by their masters, who had shot several negroes who refused to accompany them into the woods, and away from the village, to prevent them from communicating with the United States forces; and that the negroes were retaliating in this manner, and that the lives of the remaining whites and their property were horribly insecure. A perfect saturnalia had begun.

The negroes reported that the rebel force which lately occupied the fortifications on St. Philip's Island had, with the Beaufort artillery, retired in a hasty manner to Port Royal ferry, about ten miles distant, where there was a force of about a thousand men.

hirelings" to land upon the sacred soil. How correct they were in their estimate of the strength of these black scoundrels' love and affection for massa, and the "little log hut," may be easily appreciated when I state that one of the first negroes that came in was the driver on Mr. Seabury's plantation, and among others were body servants of General Drayton and Coatesworth Pinckney, whose plantations are within ten miles of us. These come, and go into ecstasies of joy, when they feel that they are safe. There are a good many cooks among them, who can get up a "hoecake" in a style quite gay and festive, and who know how to give that exact turn to bacon which is arrived at only by long experience, and a peculiar talent that rises to the height of the science, and embraces within its comprehensive grasp the coordinate branches of turkey roasting and

oyster-frying. Those there be among us to | State tremble. God grant that it may forever to-day. float there!

But to return to the expedition up the Beaufort River.

These oleaginous darkies that come in are Hilton Head, upon which the south fort well cared for in every respect, and we expect stands, is ten feet above high water. The at no distant day to see the results of their new parapet of the fort is some twenty feet higher. freedom manifested in throwing up intrench-It is protected by a deep ditch with a stockade. ments and constructing fortifications. A cou- It is constructed on approved scientific prinple of thousand negroes will be just the article ciples, with angles, traverses, a curtain, bombwe need in intrenching ourselves, and by the proofs, well-protected magazines, well supplied time we are ready every shovel, spade, and pick with ammunition and rifle-pits. Twenty-five that we have will be in contrabands' hands, as guns were found in the fort, fifteen of which they come in by fifties and hundreds. (with an equal number in the fort at Bay Point, on the north side) swept the channel of the entrance; of these the flanking guns were rifled pieces of the heaviest calibre, eighty-pounders; while an enormous ten-inch columbiad occupied the centre, with a nine-inch shell gun beside it. The remainder were forty-two-pounders and thirty-two-pounders, navy patterns, taken from the artillery park at Norfolk Navy Yard. There was a furnace for heating shot. The rifled guns were cast in the moulds of nine and ten-inch columbiads, and rifled with a six-inch bore. These and the columbiads are new, and bear the stamp of Anderson's Tredegar Iron Works at Richmond. Abundance of shot and shell, grape and canister, was left about all the guns. The scene on entering the fort was extremely interesting. Every thing bore testimony to the terrible effect of the "feu d'enfer" of the preceding four hours. The sand was strewed with fragments of exploded shells, which had perforated the wood-work and torn up the turf from parapet and traverses everywhere. Five guns, of the fifteen just named, were dismounted, the ten-inch columbiad among them. thirty-two-pounders were thrown down, with their carriages in fragments lying upon them. Twenty-four bodies were left unburied in the enclosure, while others and many wounded have been found in the groves beyond the camp.

It was ascertained that both of the lightboats for which the gunboats were sent, were burned by the rebels immediately after they had received intelligence of the capture of Fort Walker and battery Beauregard, on Bay Point. So one of the objects of the expedition was not attained. Lightboats will undoubtedly be sent down from Hatteras Inlet at an early day, so that one may be placed on Martin's Industry, and the other at another important point. The surveying steamer Vixen, with Captain Boutelle, is now engaged in laying out buoys at the entrance of, and in the harbor. This work will soon be completed, and no difficulty will be experienced by masters of vessels in getting into the harbor by aid of the chart, although there will be pilots to brings all vessels in.

The Ottawa, in command of Commander Stevens, is covering Scull Creek, and thus the water communication between Savannah and Charleston is effectually cut off. This will cause a great deal of trouble and annoyance to the rebels, as the railroad between the cities of Savannah and Charleston is miserable enough, and not capable of doing the business that will now be demanded of it.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

BY AN OFFICER OF THE FRIGATE PAWNEE.
STEAM-FRIGATE PAWNEE,

PORT ROYAL BAY, November 11, 1861. Our gunboats went up to Beaufort yesterday, and found the town and the river banks deserted by the white residents. Parties of negroes were breaking open houses and plundering at leisure. The panic exceeds description.

We are informed that the families on the mainland as well as on this group of sea islands have fled to the interior, in some cases taking their negroes. These generally, however, remain, and some dozens have come into camp and have been set at work by the army.

Truly South Carolina's day of reckoning has come. She has sown the wind; she is reaping the whirlwind. There is a singular fitness in striking the effective blow at this bold iniquity here in its birthplace. In April last our flag was, for the first time, dishonored on her soil, that the palmetto might flaunt above it. On Thursday last it was raised again upon her soil, with such pealing shouts of triumph and such thundering salvos of artillery as made the whole

Two

I was more than ever surprised and gratified with our success after my visit, and well appreciated the remark of a veteran officer, who exclaimed, after examining the position and force of the batteries, "How did we ever survive that fire and take these forts!" But the very boldness of the attack assured its success, Instead of fighting the forts at anchor, and exposed to their enfilading fire in the channel, Flag-officer Dupont steamed the entire squadron through the passage and attacked the batteries in flank from the inside of the bay, thus preventing half their guns from being brought to bear upon us, and keeping entirely out of range of one fort, while raining shells upon the other. The vessels followed each other in slow circles, the Wabash leading, each delivering its fire as the guns would bear, and as long as within range. As the tide rose the circles swept nearer to the shore, and the most effective firing was done at one thousand or twelve hundred yards.

The enemy stood gallantly to their guns, but their hopes sank when the boast of their officers, that they would sink our ships if they tried to

pass their line of fire, was falsified by our bold | thanks to the invincible little band of soldiers dash through. Our near approach saved us there, the whole scheme was frustrated.

from being struck by most of their shot and shell, which were aimed high and whistled harmlessly over our heads. A movement of two gunboats up the bay, after their fire slackened, caused them to desert the forts and flee across the islands to avoid being cut off. Had we pilots for the creeks in which their steamers were concealed, the entire force of three thousand men might have been captured.

The fort on Bay Point is similar to the south fort, and as heavily armed. I have not visited it yet.

The bay is magnificent; it is as accessible as Hampton Roads, with as deep water, and our squadron rides as safely as there. We have heard but little of it, but there is not a better harbor on the coast.

Doc. 138.

THE SHELLING OF URBANNA, VA.

REBEL ACCOUNT.

ONE of the most recent outrages, worthy of being classified with the outrages of some of the bloody butchers who lived in centuries gone by, was visited on the little village of Urbanna, Middlesex County, Virginia, on Friday last, by some of the chivalry who now bear commissions in the Lincoln navy.

One of the steamers and a tug, that have been blockading the Rappahannock, steamed up to the quiet little town of Urbanna, which lies back a few hundred yards from the river, on the creek, and, without apprising the people in order to a removal of the women and children, commenced hurling their missiles of intended destruction in the shape of round shot and shell. After some hundred discharges of their cannon, the chicken thieves and lawless adventurers attempted a landing of their boats, but they were met by a small body of militia or volunteers stationed there, and soon sought shelter in their piratical craft, far out of the reach of the musketry of our soldiers.

Having been baffled in their thieving visitation, they sought revenge in trying to destroy the little town with bombshells; but we are happy to say not a house was injured, much less destroyed, except a small free church, which, we understand, was struck three or four times. The Yankee shots were alike ineffectual in the destruction of life, as not a soldier or citizen was killed or wounded by the bombardment.

Urbanna is a village containing about one hundred, so that the attack was altogether one of those fiendish, malignant affairs worthy the instigation of the devil, and worthy the execution of the braves who now figure luminously in the Lincoln navy.

The attack was one most likely based upon pure piratical ideas. First, to drive out the few citizens, then rush in, spoil and plunder, and destroy what they could not carry off; but

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-Fredericksburgh, Va., Herald, Nov. 12.

Doc. 139.

CAPTURE OF MASON AND SLIDELL.

CAPTAIN WILKES' REPORT.

UNITED STATES STEAMER SAN JACINTO,
November 15, 1861.

SIR: I have written to you, relative to the movements of this ship, from Cienfuegos, on the south coast of Cuba. There I learned that Messrs. Slidell and Mason had landed on Cuba, and had reached the Havana from Charleston. I took in some sixty tons of coal and left with all despatch on the 26th of October to intercept the return of the Theodora; but on my arrival at the Havana, on the 31st, I found she had departed on her return, and that Messrs. Slidell and Mason, with their secretaries and families, were there, and would depart on the 7th of the month in the English steamer Trent for St. Thomas, on their way to England.

I made up my mind to fill up with coal and leave the port as soon as possible, to await at a suitable position on the route of the steamer to St. Thomas to intercept her and take them out.

On the afternoon of the 2d I left the Havana, in continuation of my cruise after the Sumter on the north side of Cuba. The next day, when about to board a French brig, she ran into us on the starboard side at the mainchains, and carried away her bowsprit and foretopmast, and suffered other damages. I enclose you herewith the reports of the officers who witnessed the accident. I do not feel that any blame is due to the officer in charge of this ship at the time the ship was run into; and the brig was so close when it was seen she would probably do so, that even with the power of steam, lying motionless as we were, we could not avoid itit seemed as if designed.

I at once took her in tow and put an officer on board, with a party to repair her damages; this was effected before night, but I kept her in tow until we were up with the Havana, and ran within about eight miles of the light, the wind blowing directly fair for her to reach port.

I then went over to Key West, in hopes of finding the Powhatan or some other steamer to accompany me to the Bahama Channel, to make it impossible for the steamer in which Messrs. Slidell and Mason were to embark, to escape either in the night or day. The Powhatan had left but the day before, and I was therefore disappointed, and obliged to rely upon the vigilance of the officers and crew of this ship, and proceeded the next morning to the north side of the Island of Cuba, communicated with the Sagua la Grande on the 4th, hoping to receive a telegraphic communication from Mr. Shufelt, our Consul-General, giving me the time of the departure of the steamer.

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