New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-14

them. Their tents were left standing and they hai
le in their hurried departure even thing not actually
upon their persons The teuts were filed with
csoibine arms, food, bedding and everything usually
pertaining to a camp. In some Of the tents were
tables With everything laid for dinner and covered
with boustiful supply Of cold meats, bread, bis
cut, etc. and 10 srDdry bottles and demjohns were
certain iqud comforts thai caused special reoicngs
70 tie hearts of tie captions.
One Of our soldiers discovered 81 600 IN gold and
silver; and Others were lucky or unlucky, il Is
vet decided which, as to discover considerable suns
II South Carolina paper money.
The search for trophies was universal, and there
were few who visited he shore on that memorable
DAY Of the battle, who have not secured mementoes
Il the act on, more or lees valuable.
The road the Rebels took was strewn for miles
with mgskes, Lnapsaoks, blankets, cartridge-boxes
md other valushles that they had thrown away 10
their flight. They had rereated across tie island to
Seabrook, distance Of half dozen miles, where
they took boat for Savannah. Even the wharf al
Seabrcok was strewn with valuables, carried even
90 far and abandoned st the last moment. The
troops who were in charge OF this fort and who Ger.
tanly fought most calamity were the l2tb Regiment
Of South Carolina Volunteers, under Col. Jones, and
the 9th South Carolina Volunteers, commanded by
Col. Haywood, and a battalion of German Artillery
under Col. Wsgener. They had in the fort about
$50 men in all-enough to serve all the guns in the
most efficient manner. They bad also a field battery
with 500 troops stationed at point a short distance
above Hilton Head, where they anticipated our
transports would undertake to send troops attempt
a flank movement for the assistance Of the navy.
On the opposite side Of the river they had 400
Ii cannot be denied that the resistance was as gall
liant as the final panic complete; but the hardest
fighting on the Rebel side was all done by the Ger
man Artillery they being the last to leave tie fort
which they cid not do until long after the greater
part of the valiant Palmetto Chivalry' had taken
TO the woods to save their precious neCks.
They had spiked but one gun, most valuable
rihed cannon which they temporarily disabled with
steel pike which can with difficulty be extracted
The other guns were, most Of them, cOumbiads OF
the very largest size, l30pounders, and of the most
admirable finish, being the finest and latest produc
tons of the Tredegar Works, Richmond, and fully
equal to any guns owned by the North. There were
20 of these guns in the fort.
The fertilization is Of most admirable construction
evidently planned and built under the superintend
ence of thoroughly able engineer, and is one of the
strongest works of the kind in the whole country
Under the efficient command Of Gen. Sherman, the
force here is ample for PRESENT emergencies.
The whole of the military force was put ashore as
rapidly as possible and met with no hndrance what
ever.
The fate of the Hilton Head Fort decided as we
anticipated the fate of the force on the opposite side
Of the river. The two batteries were that night
abandoned without further struggle, and at daylight
in the morning the Stars and Stripes Aoated over
both toe two points and St. Philips Island
The works there vera two well-constructed earth
works, the one on Bay Point mounting q
heavy columbiadS, and the other mounting four
columbiads.
When our men took possession on Bay Point they
discovered Characteristic trick of the enemy, which
most luckily failed TO succeed. The Secession flag
was hauled partly down, and the halyards were con-
rected with ingenious percussion-cap apparatus,
SO arranged that the complete hauling down Of the
flag would explode the cap, which was intended to
ignite train Of powder connecting with the powder
magazine. BY some unforeseen accident, quantity
of sand was thrown over part of the train of powder
30 that though the cap exploded and fred part Of
the powder, and blew up neighboring house it did
not communicate with the magazine, and little harm
was done.
These three batteries are amply sufficient TO pro-
tec the boraganst any but such another immense
naval force as has once subdued them, and may be
considered impregnable against any power the
Rebels can at present command.
We took a few prisoners about p in all, most Of
them being the sick in the hospital.
They informed us that Gen. Ripley had given bis
promise to bring down 900 men ON Tuesday night
TO repel the Yankee invaders but did not keep bis
pledge Had he done 80, the only result would have
been an increase of the Rebel slaughter for no such
force could have long held out against the hail Of fire
that was poured in the devoted place. More men
would have been Of in the fort for there were
an abundance to fully man, and well handle all the
guns and the fire from ships would have covered
the debarkation of our troops who would have far
outnumbered the Rebel force.
Among the spoils are 800 muskes, the complete
camp equipage Of regiments, 20 cannon, and in
mense quantities of ammunition.
1t is noticeable fact that all the powder is the
very best English powder, that many Of the car
tridges are Of English make, and that some Of the
proiectiles for the ridcd cannon are Of kind un-
known in our service, but which answer to the de-
scription Of certain new English inventions.
The muskets are our own Springfield ried mus
ket, and, together with the camp equpage, and the
clothing found, are of the very best quality.
Our own loss in the affair il s killed and about p
wounded, more or less severely while the Ices OF the
rebels was very much greater, the estimates being
10 killed and 100 wounded large number Of their
dead having been buried by our men. The South
Caroliuia1s and other dead In tie fort were buried
by CAPT steeduan Of tho ship B.enville, hiH.sef