The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-11-22
Capture Of the Fortiflcations at Port
Royal by the Fleet !!
The Right Blow in the Right
PlaCc!!

/
Captain Stoadman, who brings the do.
spntches, is tho son of a former mayor of
Charleston.
! On the reception of the official dispatches
the following ordor was issued:
Tho Department announces to tho navy
and to the country its high qualification at
tho brilliant SUCCESS of the combined navy
aud army force, respectively commanded
bv h'g ofiicer s. F. Ddpont, aud Brigadier
General W. II Sherman, in the capture of
forts Walker and Beauregard, commanding
tho entrance to Port Royal harbor, South
Carolina. To commemorate this signal
victory it is ordered that National salute
no hrod from zach navy yard at meridian on
tho day after the reception of this order
OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.
FLAG SHIP WABASH,
off Hilton Head. Port Royal,
November 6,h.
SIR:-Tho Government having dotcr-
mined to seize and occupy ono or moro i'm
portant points upon our Southern coast
where our squadrOns might fnd q shelter,
aud possess depot and afford protection to
loyal citizens, committed to my discretion
the selection from among those places il
| thought available and desirable for these
purposes At:or mature delburation. aided
by tho professional knowledge and great in.
| iolligencu of tho Assistant Secretary. Mr..
Fox, and upon taking Ito consideration
the magnitude to which tho joint navai and
military expedition mad been extended, to
which YOU have called my attention, [ came
to the conclusion that the original inten.
tions of tho Department, if carried out,
would fall short of the expectations of the
country, and Of tho capabiIity of tho oxpe.
dition; while Port Royal, l thought. would
meet both in a high degree. | therefore
submitted TO Brigader Gnneral Sherman
Commanding the military part of tho ex.
podtion. this modification of our earliest
matured plane, and had tho satisfaction to
receive his full concurrence.
On Tuesday, Oct. 29th the fleet undor
my command left Hampton Roads, and
with tho army transports, numbering fifty
vessels. On tho day previous l had dis.
patched the coal vessels, twonty i've in
numher. under convoy of tho Vandaliu. to
rendezvous off Savannah. not wishing to
give the true point of tho feet The wealth.
or had boon unsettled in Hampton Roads,
though it promised we'll when We sailed, but
| off Hatteras it blew hard. Some ships got
on to the breakers, and two struck, but
without injury.
On Friday, Nov. lst, tho rough weather
increased into a gale, and we had to on
counter one of great violence. The fleet
was utterly dispersed, and on Saturday
morning ono sail only WAS in sight from the
deck OF tho Wabash On the following day
the weather moderated, and the steamers
and ships began to ro.appear.
No orders wore opened except those 10
case of separation. These last wore tur.
nishod to all tho men of war by myself and
to the transports by Brig Con. Sherman.
As the vessels rCjoined reports camo in of
desertcrs. In reference TO tho men of war,
tho Isaac Smith, a most efficient and we'll
armed vessel for tho class, purchased, but
not intendod TO encounter such sea and
wind, had to throw her formidable battery
overheard to keep from foundering. but
thus relieved she was enabled to go to the
assistance or the steamer Governor, then in
a very dangerous condition. aud on board OF
which was our fine battalion of marines
under Major Reynolds They were finally
rescued by Capt. RInggoId in the Sabine,
under difficult circumstances. after which
tho Governor went down. | believe tha,
seven of tho marines were drowned by their
own imprudence.
Lieut.. Commanding Nicholson's conduct
in the Isaac Smith has met nv warm CON-
mendaton.
The Peerless transport. in sinking con-
ditio.' WAS net by the Mohican, Commander
Gordon, and all tho people on board, 26 in
number. were saved under very peculiar
circumstances, in which service Lieut.. H.
W. Miller was very favorably noticed by his
commander
On passing Charleston sent tho Seneca.
Lieut. Commanding Ammon. to direct Capt.
I.nr IN inin vii hs. Oh G,a
quehanna off Port Royal without delay.
On Monday. at 8 o'clock IN the morning.
anchored off the bar with some 25 vessels |
in company with many more heaving in
sight
The Department is aware that all the aids |
to navigation had boon removed, and the
bar lies ton miles to seaward, and no features
on tho shore line of sufficient prominence
to make any bearings reliable. but to the
skill of Commander Dove. the feet Captain.
and Mr.. BOuIette, the able assistant o! the
Coast Survey, in charge of the steamer
Vixen, a channel was Immediately found
By three O'Clock | received assurances from
Capt. Dovo that could send forward the
lighter transports. those under eighteen feet.
aud all the gunboats. which was immediate
ly done, and before dark they were securely
anchored in the roadstead OF Port Royal, S.
q.
The gunboats almost Immediately opened
their batteries upon two or three rebel
steamers under Com. Tatnall, instantly
chasing him undor the shelter of their
batteries.
On the morning of Tuesday tho Wabash
crossed the bar. followed closely By the frig-
ate Susq uehannah. The Atlantic, Van
derbit, and other transports of deep draft,
running through to that portion of the fleet
already in. The safe passage of this great
ship over the bar was hailed with gratifying
cheers from the crowded vessels. We ar.
chored, and Immediately commenced pre-
pairing the ship for action. In our anxiety
to get the outline of the forts before dark,
we stood in too near these shoals, and the
ship grounded. By the time she got of IL