Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-19
LArER FROM LIsCOLNDOM.

LATER FROM LINCOLNDOM.
We are indebted to friend for the following extracts
from the Washington Star OF the afternoon Of the lS
FULL OFFICIAL REPORT OF TIE BATTLE OF
BEAUFORT.
The following Is Commodore Dupont's report Of the
battle of Beaufort that reached the Navy Department s
IL m. to-day:
PLAa SHIP WABAsH, orr HILfoS HEAD,
PoRr RoYAL HARBoR Nov, Str. 1851.
Sir: The Government having determined to seize and
OCCUPY one important points upon our Southern
coast where squAdrons might find shelter possess
depot and afford protection to loyal citxsns committed
10 my discretion the selection from among those places
which thought most avsabs and desirable for these
purposes 3,
Alter mature elaboration, aided by the professional
knowledge and great intelligence Of the Assistant Seere
t,ry Mr. Fox and upon taking into consideration the
magnitude which the joint naval and military e1Psd
ton had been extended TO which you have called my
tentiou came to the conclusion that the original ntep
ton Of the Department, il first carried OUT would fall
short of the expectations Of the country and OF the
bies Of the expedition, while Port Royal, thought,
would meet both In high degree.
therefore submitted 10 Brig Gen Sherman comman-
ding the military part Of the expedition, this mod6ca-
ton of our earliest matured plns and had the sasf.c
ton 10 receive his full concurrence though be and the
commanders OF the bgades very justly laid great stress
on the necessity II possible Of getting this frgste into
the harbor OF Port Royal
Ca Tuesday the 20 October, the feet under my COM
mand left Hampton Roads and with the srmy transports
numbered 6fty vessels On the day previous had dis
patched the coal vesses twenty-five in s under convoy
Of the vandalis Commander Haggerty. 10 rendezvous
off Charleston, not wishing to give the true point
The weather had been unsettled in Hampton Roads,
though il promised well when we sailed, but of Hstterss
IL blew hard Some ships got into the breakers and two
struck, but without injury
On Friday the lat November, rough weather soon
increased to gale and we had to ENCOUNTER one OF great
-. Xxi trn-a -
violence from the southeast portion oil WHOM
to hurricane Toe feet utterly dispersed, and Oh
Saturday morning one sail only vas in sight from the
deck of tho Wabash
On the following Gay the weather moderated and ships
and steamers began to reappear Orders mot opened
except in case OF ssparaon were furnished 10 the men,
ofwar by myself, and to the transports BY Brig Gen.
Sherman.
As the vessels roined, reports came In OF disasters
expected to hear omany but when the severity OF the
gale and the character Of the vessels considered we
have only cause for great thankfulness.
In reference to the msn-of var the Isaac Smith,
most efficient aud welarmed vessel for the GLASS pur
chased but intended to encounter such and wind
had 10 throw her formidable battery overheard 70 keep
from laundering, but thug relieved, Lieut. Commanding
Nicholson was enabled to 20 to the assistance Of the
chartered steamer Governor. then in very dangerous
condition. ana board Of which was one fine battalion
Of marines under hsjor Reynolds. They we're 6nsly
sscued BY Captain Ringgold in the Sabine, under diff
cult circumstances after which, the Governor
down. l believe seven Of the marines went down BY
their owa imprudeuce. Lieut. Commanding Nioholson's
conduct In the Isaac Smith has met with my warm com
mendations.
The Peerless, transport, In sinking condition. was met
by the Mohican, Commander Gordon. All the persons
board twenty six in number, saved under very
perlous circumstance in which service Lieut. 3. W.
Miller very favorably noticed BY his commander.
Ga passing Charleston sent in the Seneca, It. Com.
handing Ammen, to direc: Capt Lsrdner to jim me
With steamer Suequehsnn of Port Royal without delay
On Monday, at o'clock in the morning, anchored CT
the bar with t~eny6ye vessels in company with
many more hesvng in sight.
The Department ID that all the aids to naviga
ton had been removed, and the bar lies ten mills
ward with no features the shoreine with sufficient
promiuencs to make any bearings reliable. But b. the
skill Of Commodore Davis the Fleet Captain, and Mr.
Bruelle the able Assistant Of the Coast Survey, in
charge Of the steamer Dixon, the channel vas immedi
ately found sounded out aud buoyed By o'clock
received assurances from Capt Davis that could send
forward tbs loer transports, those under is feet with
all the gun-bqais sbich INN sdAtely DONE and be-
fore dark th yre securely anchored in the hoadsead
Of Port Royal s. q. The guu-boats almost Immediately
opened their batteries upsn two or three rebel steamers
under Commodore Tatna instantly chasing them under
the shelter Of the batteries
In the morning Commander John Rodgers, of the U.
g. steamer Flag, temporarily board this ship and act
ing on my staff, ACCOMPANY ed Brig. General Wright in
the gpnboat Ottawa, Lieut. COmmsndug Stevens, and
son made rsoonno sssnce in force and drew the FIRE
Of the batteries Elton Head aud Bay Point sufficient
" TO show that the Notifications works Of strength
and scientifically construct; d In the evening of Non.
day. Capt Davis and Mr. Bouele reported water enough
for the Wabash to venture in.
The responsibility OF bazTiing 20 noble frigae
not light one. Over prolonged bar, Of over two
mies there Dot foot or two Of water 10 spare and
the fall and rise Of tide such that II SIC he'd grounded
she would have sustained most serious injury from strain
ing II not totally lost. Too much, however at stake
10 hesitste and the result vas entirely suscessful
On the morning Of Tuesday, the Wabash crossed the
bar, followed closely by the frssts Sussushanus, the
Atlantic Vanderbilt ard other transport Of deep draft
I'D running through that portion Of the let already
H. the safe passage Of this great ship the bar
hailed by gratifying cheers from TIA cros ded vessels
We anchored and immediately commenced preparing
the ship fer ACTION but the d. Jay of planting buoys par
tcuarly on the Wishing Rip" dangerous shos We had
to avoid rendered the hour late before h possible 70
with the attacking tquadron. In our anxiety to
get the outline Of the before dark we stood 100 near
this shoa and the ship grounded By the time she was
gotten CT It too late in my Judgment proceed and
made signal for tie squadron TO anchor out Of guushot
from the enemy.
To day the wind blows gale from the southwark ami
westward, snd the attack is unavoidaAE postponed.
have tn, honor to b. sir, repe ;faly, ur obsdient
servant, DUPONT,
Flag 0Si,er Commanding,
goutb Atlantic pockadng Squadron.
Hon. GIpEos WILLIS,
Secretary Of the Navy, Washington.
FLAG SHIP WABASH CIR Hilton HAD,
Port Royal harbor, 1861, Nov. s.
Sir; have the honor to Inform you that yesterday
attacked the enemys batteries on Bay Point and Hill.
ton Hsad-For;s Bssuregard aud Walker and succ ,ed.
ed in senciug them after an engagement Of four hours
DURATION and driving away go iadron of rebel stan
ers, under Commodore Tattna. The Reconnaissance OF
YESTERDAY made us aeu tinted with the superiority of
Fort Walker and to that directed my sptcal effort,
engaging it ut distance Of first eight aud afterwards
SIX hundred Yards But the plan of attack brought the
squidron sufficiently near Fort Bssuregsrd to receive its
Gre and the ships were fsgu ny fghng the batteries
on both sides at the same tine.
The action was begun on my part at tventy-six min
ute after nine and at halpsst the American ensign
holsted on the ag staff Of Port Walker, and this
morning, at sunrise, on that of Fort BeauregArd.
The defeat Of the enemy terminated in utter rcu. and
confusion; their quarters and encampmens were absn.
doned without an attemp. to carry away ehOr public
or private property
The ground over which they n,d was strewn with the