Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-11-13
Gnnd News frnm the Fleet.

News which seems to DO reliable, has
been received from the feet. 1t had at
tackled and taken the islands of Port Royal
and Hilton Head, and had also taken the
city Of Beaufort The town is said to have
been bombarded and burned. Beaufort is
about fifty miles from Charleston. S. c.,
and about the same distance from Savan-
nah. Ga, and will be a point Of great i'm
portance as the base of future military OPP
e~rations 1t is also reported that the fed
cral forces have seized upon the railroad
between the two cities, thus cutting off all
communication between them.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. II.
The Enquirer has the following, from
Fortress Monroe:
On the morning of Thursday last, the
L. S. feet, numbering about AZ vessels,
headed by the flagship, approached the
mouth Of Port Royal entrance-this was
at half past nine o'clock. Several of the
transports remained off the coast. Upon
arriving at a suitable position, the guns of
the feet opened a continuous fire upon
Forts Walker and Beauregard, as upon
those of Bay Point.
Under cover of their fire an effort was
made to run the gauntlet of their batteries,
which they did.
A number of vessels passed the shore
batteries with very little injury. At last
Is of them succeeded in passing up beyond
| the reach of the land batteries.
As the Union feet sailed up, the Mus
quito Hect Of Tatnall opened fire; but see
ing the impessibility of making any resis-
lance, soon dispersed. Some were forced
to run on shore. others were driven up the
inlets out of sight.
Com. Tatnall went on shore with his
men to assist in working the batteries ant
using them against our vessels, which were
endeayoring to follow up the advance of the
others.
The passage of the feet through the
channel was not accomplished until the IL
ring had continued from half past four in
the morning till nearly five in the evening.
One of the Union gun boats IS believed to
have been burned. and three steamers dis
abled. 1t is acknowledged by the enemy
that they had 20 men killed in Fort Walk
er. but it is impossible to state what their
loss was. At the other batteries doubtless
their loss was very great, as our fire is said
to have been very effective, and the guns
well aimed and of heavy caliber.
No sooner did our vessels 60 past the
batteries at Port Royal entrance, and slide
into what is termed Broad River. than they
made for the mouths of the iulets leading
to Beaufort, Savannah and Charleston
These they Immediately blOckaded, though
not in time to prevent the escape of small
rebel vessels.
Not one of the Federal vessels was sunk,
and the only one believed to have been de-
stroycd, was the gunboat referred to above.
The crew are said to have passed through
a murderous fire to another vessel, winch
they reached with very little if any loss.
4 dispatch dated Beaufort, Nov. Z, to
the Charleston Mercury, says that at that
time the Union forces were preparing to
land, evidently with the intention of throw
ing. up intrcnchmcnts and attacking the
town.
We have no means of knowing the exact
loss of the Union forces; but the rebels
confess their own firing was very bad, and
that their artillery-men we're badly in want
of practice. They declare, moreover, that
the guns in the fort were not properly
mounted. When Com. Tatnall went to
assist the men and the forts, he found that
many of their cannon were dismounted by
their own rebound. To this fault the reb-
cl journals attribute their defeat, and loud
iy call upon the Confederate Government
to find out where the blame rests.