The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-19 00:00:00

AMERICA.

The Charleston Courier publishes an interesting
Confederate account of the evacuation of Savannah
by General Hardee :
" Our fortifications extended from the Savannah
river, some four miles above the city, on our right,
to the Little Ogeechee river, near the Gulf Railroad,
some eight miles from the city, on our left. We held
Fort M'Alister, on the west bank of the Ogeechee,
a few miles below the Gulf Railroad. We had also
strong batteries at Rose Dew, between the two
Ogeechees, at Beaulieu, Thunderbolt, Causlin's
Bluff, &c., and troops stationed on Isle of Hope and
Whitinarsh Islands. Our newly erected fortifica-
tions on the land side of the city were very strong
and capable of turning back almost any kind of as-
sault, though they were not commenced till after
Sherman had nearly reached Milledgeville. Sher-
man's army appeared before these works about the
Bth or 9th December, and on Saturday, the 10th,
considerable fighting occurred. Several severe as-
saults were made, in which the enemy were signally
repulsed. Early on Sunday morning the 11th a tre-
mendous cannonading began and was kept up for
half the day. It was supposed in the city that a heavy
engagement was going on, but it proved to be only
a general shelling from the heavy guns on our lines.
Sherman was in no condition to attack our works.

He was scarce of ammunition and had no heavy
guns, as well as other difficulties in the way of his
giving battle. During the siege severe assaults were
several times made on particular points, with a view
of storming our works and breaking through our
lines, but all these were handsomely repulsed. On
Saturday, the 17th, a flag of truce was sent in by
Sherman, demanding the surrender of the city, and
on. Sunday, the 18th, a reply was given by General
Beauregard, refusing to comply with the demand.
On Monday the evacuation commenced, the first squad
coming out about midday, another came out at 4
p.m., and two other at night. How rapidly the eva-
cuation was thereafter conducted I know not except
from report. It is said the evacuation took place on
Tuesday night. I fear all our soldiers did not get
out. Some of them were 12 or 14 miles from the
city, while many were eight miles off. The heaviest
fighting of the siege took place on Monday evening
and night, the 19th. The enemy were repulsed in all
their attempts on our lines, so the soldiers must have
been there, and not on the retreat. If so, I cannot
perceive how it is possible for all to have come off by
Tuesday night, though they may have done so. We
had several boats, capable of carrying 500 to 1,000
each across the river at a trip, and a pontoon bridge
besides. Very few of the citizens left the city. Many
would have done so if they could, but the realisation
of their position came too late. It found them all
unprepared, and escape impossible. There was no
alternative but to submit to their terrible fate. It
does seem to me that our military authorities should
by some means have given some notice or hint to the
people, or time allowed those who desired to do so,
either to get away or set their houses in order if
they intended to stay. Perhaps lam wrong in this
conclusion ; I will not say, positively. As before
stated, the people were in the dark as to what was
going on. They hoped we would be able to force
Sherman to the coast, either to the right or left, and
save the city, and in this belief very little private
property of any sort was sent off. Neither of the
newspaper offices were removed, and all the material
of both—including a considerable quantity of paper
—fell into the hands of the enemy. If they remain
there long, we may expect soon to have them issuing
Yankee newspapers from the offices of those hitherto
substantial Southern journals. The last issue of the
News was on Saturday morning, the 10th. The enemy
had cut all the railroads and telegraphic wires, thus
cutting off any outside information by mail or other-
wise, and the military authorities desired nothing
concerning the situation, or what was there taking
place, to be made public. •Under these circumstances
the paper was stopped, and editor and printers went
into service. The Republican continued to issue a
quarter sheet, but it contained no news, either local
or from abroad, and was, under the circumstances, the
most unsatisfactory newspaper that I ever tried to
read. I never witnessed such a forcible illustration of
the value of newspapers in a communityl Everybody
was in a state of suspense. There was a pretty general
hope that the city would be saved, but no one could
give any substantial reason for this hope, having no
certain grounds upon which to base it, and igno-
rance of the real condition kept them from arriving
at a different conclusion, and preparing for the
worst. All was uncertainty and doubt. Hope was
mingled with fear, and it was difficult for any one
to decide which preponderated in his own mind.
Every man, when he met his neighbour, inquired
and was inquired of after the news, and neither
could gratify the other. All were the victims of
every imaginable kind—rumour and opinion, from
the best to the worst. I hope never to pass through
such dreadful days again. Such suspense is worse
agony than any reality, be it ever so dreadful."
The following account of the Federal attack on
Fort Fisher is from the Richmond Dispatch of the
4th inst. :

" Wilmington, Dec. 25, 8 p.m.

" The Federal fleet which had been lying off this
port for some days, and which consisted,' it was sup-
posed chiefly of transports, was found to be com-
posed of over 50 ships-of-war, including two Moni-
tors, several armoured vessels, and a large propor-
tion of heavily-armed frigates and sloops. This
formidable fleet stood in at 11 o'clock yesterday
morning, and at 20 minutes to 1 it opened a furious
fire upon Fort Fisher, the principal work at the
mouth of the Cape Fear. An English naval officer
who was with Sir Charles Napier in the Baltic, and
at Sebastopel, says the fire exceeded anything he
had ever seen. It was maintained with unabated
vigour until half-past 5, when the fleet drew off.
The enemy's shot averaged 30 to the minute, being
9,000 for the five hours he engaged the fort. The
space above the fort was filled with white puffs of
smoke from bursting Aliens, many of which

like men who knew not what fear was. We have
no report of the casualties to-day, communication
with the fort by telegraph having been interrupted;
but there is reason to fear that they have been
heavier than they were yesterday. Unofficial tele-
grams received during the afternoon, however, be-
fore the wires were broken, stated that all was well,
and that the garrison had *plied tdthe enemy's fire
less frequently than on yesterday. But the most
serious part of the fight to-day remains to be told.
A portion of the fleet, moving up the beach 2k miles
above Fort Fisher, swept the shore with grape and
canister for an hour, at the end of which boats were
lowered, and a force (estimated to be three brigades)
were landed. This force was immediately engaged
by Kirkland's brigade ; but at half-past 5 o'clock
the enemy still maintained his footing on the beach.
It is not improbable that other troops will be landed
to-night, and possibly some artillery. The enemy
is now between Wilmington and Fort Fisher, and
has cut off communication by land with the latter.
If he is not dislodged soon, Fisher must fall as
Fort Morgan did, and with its fall the port of Wil-
mington will be sealed. Once firmly established
on the narrow spit of sand upon the outer end of
which Fisher stands, the closing of the river above
will be only a matter of time ; and then away
go Fisher, Caswell, and all the other works by
which, the harbour and town are defended. There

has been gross dereliction of duty between here and
Richmond ; but whether the military or railway
authorities are responsible for it remains to be seen.
But more of this hereafter. General Whiting is in
command below. His report of the operations to-
day has not been received as I close. General Bragg
is doing all he can with the handful of men present
to hold the place. I omitted to mention that one of
the Federal blockaders got aground on Friday night,
while chasing the Little Hattie, and was abandoned
and blown up. The Little Hattie got in safe."
Further Confederate details of the affair are given
in the Wilmington Journal.
" On Christmas morning, as the bells began to
ring, summoning the worshippers to church, the deep
booming of guns from, sea announced that the
enemy's fleet had re-opened on Fort Fisher, and the
deep, heavy, and incessant roll was kept up with
terrible rapidity during the whole day, and away
into the night, and all day yesterday, with little
abatement until about noon, when it is probable that
the gradually rising sea compelled the fleet to haul
off, or at least slacken their fire. Up to 3 o'clock on
Sunday the casualties in the fort were 43. On Sun-
day afternoon the enemy succeeded in effecting a
landing at a point not far from the head of the
Sound, and just below the site of old Camp Wyatt,
say five and a half to six miles above Fort Fisher
and 16 to Wilmington. They were confronted by
General Kirkland with such of his gallant men as were
then with him, their object being to interpose
between Wilmington and Fort Fisher, ours to pre-
vent their doing so. Their force became swelled by
new regiments landed from their transports, ours by
arrivals of some of the most gallant veterans on the
continent. On Monday General Bragg assumed
command in person. The communication with
the fort is uninterrupted, with no Yankees in-
terposing between our troops in the field and
our troops in the fort ; the fort is all right, and
the men in fine spirits. The enemy's proud ar-
mada and terrific bombardment have so far been
powerless to effect anything against the scientific
sand-hills which guard the New Inlet to our
river, and which stand a proud monument to
the scientific genius of the able engineer
under whose eye our defences have been mainly
planned and executed, and who himself was also in
Fisher to watch the performancces of his works.
Fort Fisher and its defence will always be associated
with the names of Major-General Whiting and Col.
Lamb. During the night of Sunday and on the
morning of Monday two attempts were made to
take Fisher by storm, but both were gallantly re-
pulsed by our junior volunteers. Yankee prisoners
say that the land force with the fleet consisted of
four brigades of four regiments each, each regiment
numbering about 560 men. Of these three landed,
all under command of General Ames. The fourth,
composed of negro troops, under Weitzel (captured
at Plymouth), had not yet landed."
The Richmond Sentinel of the 2d instant, reports
the repulse of a Federal expedition to the Roanoke
River :

" The Yankee gunboat movement up the Roan-
oke River resulted, as is known, very adversely.
From an interview with a deserving and efficient
officer from that locality, we gather some interest-
ing items, which we present to our readers. The
expedition comprised 12 gunboats and several
barges, the latter of 20 oars each. Two of the
barges which went ahead as torpedo hunters, were
vigorously attacked by our sharpshooters, and lost
31 killed. The crews then displayed the signal of
surrender, but -before the barges could be secured a
gunboat approached and shelled our forces so furi-
ously as to compel the relinquishment of their prizes,
which drifted down the river to the gunboat. The
barges exploded several of our torpedoes, but failed
to clear the river. The gunboats continuing their
progress, several of them were blown up. Deterred
by these losses and by the hazard of still greater,
they then beat a retreat to Jamesville, 12 miles
above Plymouth. Up to last dates only six of the
42 boats had returned. Their officers stated to the
citizens of Williamston, 22 miles below Fort Branch,
that they had lost four boats by torpedoes. When
asked where the other two were they made no reply.
They also admitted the loss of 1000 men. Admit-
ting their statement—which is believed to be true
—we can account for the other two missing boats.
The officer in charge of the torpedo force, in recon-
noitring, discovered a sunken boat, of which no one
was aware, and cut from her about 15ft. of her board-
ing nettings, of very large size. The sixth gunboat
was sunk by our light field battery. Among the gun-
boats destroyed was the powerful Otsego, a double-
ender, bearing 14 11-inch guns, and manned by 3irna
crew of 300, reinforced by the same number o
picked up at
fantry. Four of her men, who were
on board not
dif-
ferent times, agree that of
metilhe wreck. A
more than 60 escaped with life from
pressed into
was
se
officers and
worthy and reliable mechanic e 6wo:
up from the wreck declares
Yankee service to make coffins for
release over 200 had been
boxes for the men
that up to the time o
Plymouth; the men to be buried
made and shipped to
there and tile officers to be sent to
fisfhehdis
the 'United States.
The work of fishing up the dead was still being pro-
Many of the bodies
scented. of those blown up on
the different boats had floated down to Jamesville.
Thus has resulted an expedition doubtless designed
for the reduction of Fort Branch and the capture of
Halifax. The torpedo bureau has in this one ser-
vice merited a claim upon our gratitude and praise
which it. gives us pleasure to acknowledge, and the
brave men who co-operated in the defence of the
Roanoke and the signal repulse of the foe have won

" Notwithstanding the alleged ceaseless vigilance
of the Yankee navy in watching blockade runners
on the Atlantic and Gulf coast of the Confederate
States, their close attention has amounted to com-
paratively little.. Setting aside all that has been im-
ported on State and individual account the pro-
ceeds of the blockade have been very great. The re-
strictions imposed upon foreign commerce by the Act
of Congress of last session, prohibiting absolutely,
during the war, the importation of any article not
neecessary for the defence of the country—namely
wines, spirits, jewelry, cigars, and all the finer
fabrics of cotton, flax, wool, or silk, as well as all
other merchandise serving only for the indulgence
of luxurious habits—has not had the effect to reduce
the number of vessels engaged in blockade-running ;
but, on the contrary, the number has steadily in-
creased within the last year, and many are under-
stood to be now on the way to engage in the busi-
ness. The President in a communication to Con-
gress on the subject says that the number of vessels
arriving at two ports only from the Ist of November
to the 6th of December was 43, and only a very
small proportion or those outward-bound were cap-
the Ist of July
tired. Out of 11,786 bales of cotton shipped since
last but 1,272 were lost—not quite
11 per cent. The special report of the Secretary of
the Treasury in relation to the matter shows that
there have been imported into the Confederacy at
the ports of Wilmington and Charleston since
October 26, 1864, 8,632,000 pounds of meat,
1,507,000 pounds of 1ea,c1,4,933,000 pounds of salt-
petre, 546,000 pairs of shoes, 316,000 pairs of
blankets, 520,0001 b. of coffee, 69,000 rifles, 97
packages of revolvers, 2,639 packages of medicine,
43 cannon, with a large quantity of other articles,
of which we need make no mention. Besides these,
many valuable stores and supplies are brought by
way of the northern lines into Florida, by the port
of Galveston, and through Mexico across the Rio
Grande. The shipments of cotton made on the Go-
vernment account since March 1, 1864, amounts to
$5,296,000 in specie. Of this, cotton to the value
of $1,500,000 has been shipped since the Ist of July
and up to December 1. It is a matter of absolute
impossibility for the Federals to stop our blockade-
running at the port of Wilmington. If the wind blows
off the coast the blockading fleet is driven off. If
the wind blows landward they are compelled to haul
off to a great distance to escape the terrific sea which
dashes on a rocky coast, without a harbour within
three days' sail. The shoals on the North Carolina
coast are from five to 20 miles wide, and they are,
moreover, composed of the most treacherous and
and bottomless quicksands. The coast is scarcely
equalled in the world for danger and fearful ap-
pearance, particularly when a strong easterly wind
meets the ebb tide. It is an easy matter for a good
pilot to run a vessel directly out to sea or into port ;
but in the stormy months, from October to April,
no blockading vessel can lie at anchor in safety off
the Carolina coast. Therefore supplies will be
brought in despite the keenest vigilance."
The New York Times publishes the following re-
specting the Confederate steamer Shenandoah arid
her exploits :
" Captain S. J. Gilman, of the schooner Charter
Oak, of and bound to San Francisco, from Boston,
called at our office yesterday and gave us informa-
tion respecting the capture of his vessel by the rebel
pirate Shenandoah, in lat. 7 deg. N., long. 27.50
deg. W. The Charter Oak had a cargo of coals and
hardware, furniture, and preserved fruits. On the
sth Nov., about 5 a.m., when the wind was very
light from the south-west, saw a large ship (looking
for all the world like a clipper) astern, which ship
the captain, half an hour later, discovered was get-
up steam and making for the schooner. At 6 a.m.
the stranger, ran up alongside to the windward, fly-
ing the English flag, having fired a gun for the cap-
tain to heave to, which the Charter Oak did, when
the steamer ran up the Confederate flag. A small
boat with an officer and several men, all armed,
then came up alongside, and told Capt. Gilman that
the schooner was a prize to the Confederate States
steamer Shenandoah. The captain and crew were
then ordered on board the small boat, and taken to
the steamer, the former being allowed to gather up
and carry with him his papers, &c. He was con-
ducted to the cabin of the steamer, and introduced
to the captain, Waddell, who, after duly examining
his schooner's papers, gravely informed that nothing
could save the schooner, and that after taking
what he wanted from her he should burn her.
After removing a few things from the schooner
she was set on fire, the pirate remaining in sight
until she was dismantled and nearly burnt to the
water's edge. Capt. Gilman and his crew remained on
the Shenandoah seven days, during which time she
burnt the bark D. Godfrey, of Boston. Capt. Hal-
lett, bound to Valparaiso, and sunk the brig Susan,
of New York, bound to Rio Grande, S.A. The
course of the Shenandoah was of course very erratic ;
but her principal cruising ground seems to have been
from 26 to 32 W. long. It is probable, however,
that by this time she has crossed the line, following
the Brazil coast, and cutting across to tie Cape of
Good Hope. (Capt. Gilman comes to this conclu-
sion from the fact that the pirate chief took his
chart, which was the first and only one he ever had,
giving this course, and seemed to be highly delighted
at obtaining it.) On the seventh day Capt. Gilman
and his crew were put on board the ship Kate Prince,
of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Capt. H. Libby,
bound to Bahia or St. Salvador, Brazil, where they
arrived on Nov. 23. The Kate Prince was bonded
for $40,000, which would seem strange were the fact
not known that her cargo (consisting chiefly of coal)
was English. Capt. Hallett, of the bark D. Godfrey,
of Boston, and Capt. Staples, of the bark Helena
(captured eight days before the Charter Oak), were
put on board a Danish brig and sent to Rio Janeiro.
Capt. Gilman and his crew reached this city on
Sunday last, in the bark Grace. Her crew was as
follows :—Zairil Burges, mate : Charles E. Burse,
second mate ; John M. Sampson, Manuel Tratus,
John Ennis, and Frank Rogers. The Shenandoah
(formerly the Sea King, of the Bombay trade) was
built at Glasgow in 1863, by Stephens and Son ;
has an iron frame, planked with teak wood ; 220 ft.
length deck, 33ft. beam, and 22ft. hold ; is a full-
rigged ship, carrying three royals ; iron lower mast,
topmast, bowsprit, lower and topsail yards ;
standing riggings ; a very high poop, which runs
about 10ft. forward of the mizenmast ;
topgallant
is
forecastle, 6ft. from her foremast.
She
is v,telescopie
called an auxiliary steamer,
smokestack 6ft. abaft the mainmast, capable
above the rail.
having
of being
lowered so that it will be only
6f yili
to clear
capable of steaming
but with steam and sail can
Her propeller can be hoisted so as the water
whenever not used. She is
about 7f knots an hour,
make 11 knots, though never 12. Her propeller has
two flues, and her engine is about 250 horse power.
Her bulwarks are of white pine, an inch and a
quarter thick, and therefore easily penetrated. The
id
Painted black. Her arma-
menttsou: of the vesselonsistso f fours
smooth-bore 68's, two rifled
32,8, and two smooth-bore 12-pounders. The
Shenandoah was purchased (Capt. Waddell stated)
in England for £45,000, which was an enormous
price, with the understanding that she was to be a
pirate. She was taken to Madeira by her captain,
and delivered to Capt. Waddell, who came thither
with his officers in the Laurel, an English steamer
chartered by the rebels, it is supposed, to bring her
officers, guns, &c. The following were some of her
officers and men :—Capt. Waddell ; First Lieut.
Witten, lately a prisoner at Fort Warren, having
been captured on the Mississippi River ; Second
Lieut., name forgotten, of Charleston, South Caro-
lina, formerly of the Alabama ; Third Lieut. Lee, a
nephew of Gen. Lee ; Master Bullock, also late of
the Alabama ; and first and third engineers, names
forgotten, also of the Alabama. At the time Capt.
Gilman left her she had 43 men—seven from the
bark Helena, all of the D. Godfrey's drew, except
the officers, and three from the brig Susan. Capt.
Gilman is confident that the Shenandoah was for-
merly the Sea King ; the hub of the wheel had this
name engrossed upon it, as also the locks of her
two 12-pounders, and one of her bells."