The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-15
OUR SPECIAL EXPEDITIONARY DISPATCHES.
OUR BIENvILLE DISPATCHES.
UNITED STATES Vessel OF WAR B,ENvlLLE, |
HILroN HEAD, Thursday, Nov. I, 1851.

OOh DIEM llIlIE lSHEo.
UNITED STATES Vessel. OF WAR BEyviIIE,
HILTON HEAD, Thursday, Nov. I, 1851. !
GAAPnc ACCOUNT OF THE ENGAGEMENT AT PORT ROYAL
HFADs.
At about eleven O'Clock this morning commenced an
engagement with the enemy in peculiarly well construct
ed ntrenchcd positions on st. Philip and Hilton Head
islands, South Carolina coast, (enrance TO Savannah
eleven miles from herc and defended by upwards OF
twenty nnc hundred troops artillerss included The bat
te lasted for about four hours Besides tents small
arms, &C., took the whole Of their guns, rnspiked
nve Of which superior rifle cannon, three mortars
which, after we had dismountcd, they buried. The re-
mainder, fifty in all both islands, Of immense cali
bre, ncnc being low thrty-six FOUNDER. We cap
tured no more than eight prisoners Who for
sons best known 10 themselves did effect their escape
with the rest they might readily have DONE Our
in killed and wounded board the fleet probably |
amounts to about twenty thirty in all whilst that Of
tho enemy cannot be properly arrived but supposed
TO be not far from two hundred and fifty In order TO
screen the havoc made in their ranks they adopted the
modern cxpedent Of bringing many Of their dead from
of the field their ambulance wagons could
contain. Not than sixty found
around their in,rcnchmcnts all Of whom received their
dread from time TO eternity by their heads
being completely shot away have ere now, shared the
dangers Of than hotly contested battle field; but
no previous occasion have had greater reason te
thank the Almighty for bringing me through masy
hairbreadth escapes as this day experienced during the
-four hours which remained under tc well directed
fire Of the enemy's guns which assurealy,
casons, could only be skencd shower Of hail. The
death dealing missiles thick and fast tha; to the
eaccdess OF our alcre attribute M niracu
ousnes Of our mt having TO ort the gaining Of too
dearly bought victory. Too muos praise possibly be
given to nokae Commander his Iieuten
ant. Their unsrching bravvy nerved cveg.y heart Or
Captain was second in command and so bTavcly did he
tion that be received for himself and hssrcw the special
appreciation OF the Commodore He came among
raj times, and, after having with unerng aim brought
gLs right TO bar the enemy, fired them Off with
his own hand. Tue briancy OF this pcory reflects tie
greatest possible amount Of credit all concerned it,
and tho result o which, IN strategic sense could not be
easily exaggerated Strange to relato that board of
had only two killed, viz: Patrick McGuigen AID Alex
andcr Chambers. and four 9th RS woundej. Tho Bicn
vile good deal damaged; and the honor Of bearing
the glorious Intelligence 70 the Empire City will be
ded to hor she j. likely to b. object If much interest
wien she shall have reached there. Three shots
right through her one more took the after side and cut
spanker, another went through her bulwas close to the
deck and bounded into th Sea- whilst 9th ,rs carried
away various pieces Of rigging gear the galley smoke
all who witnessed it, more beautiful pctrre than the
sccnery presented 10 our Wow an artist eye could
scarcciy wish to lotk upon. About O'Clock a. NJ.
with tile exception Of and then odd signal from
the icet all seemingly heshcd in breathcss repe
Iookin up into clear, bec sky with the sun as hot
June days about New York, and rejecting its lowell
al around Us well in the waters beneath,
person could not avoid cxcainnr .Whata tity tnaanv
thing should t0nar the tranquility of such
asecncn Glancng tha to either right left could
easily discern our enemy movements oa ,th islands
masng all necessary rrula:ations TO bow the Yankee
ships out Of water, in which operation. the prison
ers VIC took Informed us they EXPRESSED themselves
most sanguine q success. Locking over this broad
sheet OF iec-lkc surface. on which scarcely rppc
slsttrts the crct Of The wa,cr-ynt wihal tho air in
stead oi feeling heavy, j. rather nvgoatiagthe islands
look beautifully picturesque, tie tented shores both
sides with th6ir tail trees amongst which be easily
distirg hcd tic dfooiiig form of tic lane stretch
ing fur away in the distance Tho ee troop
i'll The Inlet numbering ii aia'ou loo Is presented
In thp m tsrTu yD,Gi Giftr, Va
not howe ser, let long 70 ENJOY these peaceful pic
turcs, for in minute Or two (ten minutes t. eleven
A. NJ a signal from the flagship summoned pa
f1ar cnn,nodrc (orong wi,s,ts ane ebin no II ,bash
the rst to lead the assault then followed the Bicn
vile, Capt Stcedman second u command. Amongst the
vessels engage ,cre the following viz:fagship
Wabash ftigatc Slsg hanna r oqsofwar Banvil and
Van!alia gunboas Mohcan, i.slneo, Seminole Unnda.
Seneca, pcnbna Angesta locahoa;as and Penguin (hc
latter cook part in the a:ison} ug guubois K H.
Forbes, Curew AID Isaac smith, nthe whose
.Ihave not ascertained Thcscs iograed ana into
Commodore. Now came tue SIGHT which not many
livc q sec IN a lifetime Ihe gNaha.h has fired
ssecnna more and too ,cngaacd and the fght
is almost geuesal. Harc up to the very centre
.cf their blIcFfg. shot, she'll Ere ,gni smoke arc
.now al that oc either d. card. We gradually
pass, the remainder come up and e.iacS IN sceession
N Ills nanns that we kept u,.st Tor ti tour hours
,a3d eah time sarel the centre oc tharba cries oar
iads could lie heard remark what "a ppeiiar Hslike
,ler-tbe rele's-slve for thr nsnville. re fhs it
amy every aliVs that longer under and re.
=
a-L.ousss gong dusk we lay to fo- Agvards wenly
lanates ud that, toe IA the very testh their guns
Hei.eh 'hsp had time t4ranare for 40m tho m crval
Siic,h cIaFsd bctge4L the wabash nd SasgueA auna
hie g passad untii iloi time TO ,erp Wclg no
otf~a cssc conveniently, near 70 divert arsm o.-
tonet TIER fire. and didht we get II? Jhb ami LIE lii
the rr @ rG. their hatC ries envelope Balls asl1g
the rg.-l4g and gong tiasgh the shia tcrc AMI aE
Numbers ,pud hc witAl mpctuos i.citrlfy ss,u.
ming the se -iaoc.f the waite, mill hy dgteos distance
would hide th'il from ls-5 ght. THIS Wa teir last
grand Effort Aftersye passed delivering trtsls!c
tiey asked no more. but re sfed prucptately which
they could not haze gene whils undc the tie ef
guns. The Nabash aaa Sssauauinna rounded agasn TO
the attack, but aftc if!lga gun or two found cy
could elicit rery.
The Commodore. seeing lh's Immediately despatched
10. with Office and ier ig cf truce. bGt colh
n1t. as they ante and nnd guy there TO receive
than. Now for the great o;Sent Of e,ctemet Oh 01aci
the tcst The glorious. the stainless, The ulaarod
and Wlcon1 flag o fre N atrec the
Startand Stripes, now gracefully unurs heir broaa ios
10 the breeze from what but es3ent ago lie
stronghold Of the enemy and which hour S0 /
hence wiz be occupied by $1,000 Union ts0ops. und,T /
command Gf General sherman. Tho hearts chat bat an
instant before ncrved to steel pray, for forgive
ness 70 the wfetchcs who have brought .ch desoation
~ their noble csuntry The iron hand which ws- ready
to- plunge with tue most deadly effect the breast OF
the cueniy casfa that Of stlunch old friend
and as they stand there moouoss lcsf,r their
hearts arc TOO full t0 spesgazing at tho flag rising cere
moniousy en- shore, with eyes which not long ago sho