Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-08
sKErcn oF nuLLis IN.

Few OF our navigatoFs have ever entered
he waters Of Bulls Bay, because, though ex-
lending for some ten or twelve miles from
north to south, by about half that distance in
width, there are no towns or settlements
along its interior coast, and nothing TO at
tract commercial vessels. Il is situated some
tweRty-three miles northeast OF Charleston,
and is connected with that harbor by numer-
Gus creeks. It Is easy Of approach from the
sea for vessels Of less than fifteen feet draught
affords very good anchorage and can be easily
pat in state Of complete defence. At high .
tide the bar has fifteen feet Of water. If one
Ot the objects of the expedition be-as we
have heretofore stated and still believe to |
provide havens for our vessels and winter |
quarters for our troOps in those Southern !
latitudes, this point has been well selected.
rhe bay is studded with islands, some Of
which-particularly Bulls Isand-can be
made available for defensive purposes. We
have no doubt that formidable intrenchments
are already in course OF erection by our troops
At the most suitable points. Il was for such
purposes that the feet took with it such an
immense amount oil lumber, brick and other
building material, tools, mechanics and la
bOrers
1t must not be supposed that the occupation
Of this point at the present time indicates an
immediate land movement upon Charleston.
We do not believe that any such movement
is contemplated. Besides the fact that the
division of the army under Gen. Sherman is
not Of numerical force sufficient to warrant
any assumption OF the kind, the nature of the
land bordering Bulls Bay would forbid it
For miles from the coast stretches in ward an
impenetrable morass euphonIousy and not
| inappropriately designated He'll Hole Swamp.
| There is not a road or path through it, nor,
! perhaps, is pathway practicable. The creeks
/ that wind from the bay in the direction of
| Charleston might be nav gated by small gun
/ boats, bat we do not believe that such de-
| sign is contemplated. The only real object
of our taking possession of the bay is, we inn
/ agine, simply TO constitute a rendezvous for
our vessels, and winter quarters for our troops,
/ in connection with similar establishments
| yet to be made farther south las, for instance,
at Port Royal, which is, we presume, the next
point to be occupied.
The entrance TO Bulls Bay is hanked on
its right by large fertile island called Rae
coon Island, and on the lett by Bulls Island.
/ The latter is some five or six miles in
length, and is well calculated for large
military incampment. It is here, particu-
larly, that we look for the erection Of
strong Notifications.
The marshy nature of the soil adjacent to
the bay while it would interfere with any
land movement OF our troops-if such were
contemplated will also prevent their being
interrupted in the erection oftheir intrench-
ments by any formidable force of the rebels.
So that what might at first sight appear to
be a disadvantage, will be, in reality, an ad-
vantage to US.
SKETCH OF PORT ROYAL AND BEAUFORT.
| Port Royal is fifteen miles northeast from
the entrance of Savannah river and is per-
haps the most important point on the At
antic coast Of all the Southern States which
border upon that sea, for the purpose Of a
hostile visit.
The entrance to Port Royal is the best
channel for ships through the bars in the
whole range OF ports below Norfolk, and the
harbor is sufficient 10 float the whole expe-
litionary feet. It's accessibility, its capa-
ciousness, and Its contguity to Charleston
and Savannah, cause it to be looked to with
much fear and distrast by the citizens of
South Carolina and Georgia, for they-cor-
racUed it as the rendezvous of the expedition
ary feet. The town of Beaufort stand1 on
the west bank OF Port Royal river, and is
connected by rail with all the principal
towns and cities in the Southern and South
western States. This renders the assembling
OF feet on Port Royal, and the occupation
OF Beaufort peculiarly dangerous to the
rebels of those regions. Port Royal was the
original point of settlement Of South Caroli-
IA in 1870, and its great superiority as an
entrance and harbor has always been &C
knowledged, Why, indeed, it became sub
/ ordinate to Charleston AID Savannah does
not clearly appear, unless it was for the
reason that it was not central to South Car
olina, it occupying the southern extremity of
| the State, and was too near TO the only good
/ hsrbor OF Georgia for commerce. A glance
at the map will show that more vulnerable
spot for striking at the rebels could not be
! selected. On either hand lie Georgia and
South Carolina, with their capitals, Charles
| ton and Savannah, the hotbeds of secession.
The communication between the cities would
| be the first to be seized. the distance between
| the two cities being l04 miles, and force
moving u9 the waters from Beaufort would
strike the road at POcolalego, ftty-fve miles
from Charleston and forty nine from Savan-
nah by which means Charleston or Savan-
nah could be taken on the rear. The forts
and batteries of both harbors would thus be
rendered useless as defences to their respec-
tive cities.
The Town of Beaufort is built on the west
bank of the Port Royal river, a narrow
branch of the ocean, fifty miles northeast of
Savannah and fifty FIVE southwest of Charles
ton. The town is old, with less than a
thousand inhabitants, and Of far less import
ance in trade now than its namesake of
North Carolina. It is nevertheless, within
easy distance of both Charleston and Savan-
nah, and but ten miles from the railroad
which connects those cities.
Beaufort Is situated in the district of the
same name, one OF the most populous and
fertile in the whole State. In 1850 this dis
trict produced more rice and more sweet po-
tatoes than any other eouty in the United |
Ststes or district within the State. Its |
chief staples are cotton, rice, Indian corn and |
sweet potatoes. The Savannah river runs
along its border, and is naYigable for steam
boats.
There is no strong position near the town |
capable of rebel occupation or defence, and |
therefore the movement of our forces on |
either Charleston or Savannah would be easy |
from this point should the reduction of those /
places be on the programme of Sherman's |
and DupOnfs coming operations.
Fremont.
Special Dispatch TO Chicago Tribune.I
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 6.
At the Pacific Railroad depot tonight,
about 5000 people, principally Germans,
awaited the arrival of the train, expecting
Fremouts arrival. Being disapp pointed, they
gave three cheers and dispersed.