The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-11-14

inc hihheld scott narrowly escaped SINH
lar fate, having her masts carried awav her
bows stove in, and being otherwise rendered
unseaworthy ny the fury OF the tempest The
two East River fauy-boats dsappearcd duting
the HUim, and were both supposed 10 have
iounder,d a. the crew Of one OF them were
taken OF by gunboat, AID the boat left to its
fate. IL was subsequently ascertained that the
other had returned to Hampton Roads in safe
~, rs did ALTO the steamer u ilerc, which put
back From the southern paper we afterwards
learned that the Osccola, with % IN N, and the
Union, with 40, crew and tcamltrra ran ashore
on The inhospt"lle .horcs Of South Carolina,
and all on board were taken prisoners, both ves-
s,ls being complete wrecks.
Up to this time every vessel hal remained in
Ignorance Of the place of destination, having no
other orders than to follow the Lad Of the flag
ship though Ill were provided with sealed
directions to be opened in clsc Of separation
from the rest oi the feet. These were now
referred To, and Port Royal s. c. at The en-
trance oi l'cauiutt, discovered to be- tbs ap-
POINTED lace Of rendezvous On the morning
ol Monday, Nov. 9TH, the F1ig-.hp Wabash and
the rest Of the guntunts arrived OF Hilton Head,
at the entrance to Port ROYAL, and durin, that
day and through Tuesday the transports con-
tiuucd to come Ia from tho various directions
e. which they were scattered 10y The storm and
10y the evening Of Tuesday alf were in sight
90" pt one or two Of the sailing vessels, and
III g Of the feet which had been overcome by
tn ale
Monday md Tuesday, the I h anil 9th inst,
, were occupied In sounding for the ch inncl and
marking II with buuys, and tccunnOi'e ting the
lusition Of the enemy, who wcrc found to he
strongly ,n'rcnchod ON Hilton lIcnl where
they had well constructed carthwoik, mount
inT--.s was afterwards found -. twelve 81
utund,ts, 3-iOry-iwos, = army siege pieces,
ritcd sO-lounlnfs otc 1O-nch AMI ten s-inch
Cclunl laGs and one coast howitzcr, On the
oIIusi,c side Of the cbInnI a., BAY Point or
IlltTk Isl - x.it
cdftlNoIks at inst sup oscd to he rep ira,e for
tii',ati,n-, mounting ia all 70 guns, many Of
item 81 heavy caliLrc, with several ritied pieces
, among h,m.
On the afternoon before, while the vi<en
was lu,icd in marking the channel wi buo,s,
Three r'bcl steamers IAN out of Beaufort river
AID, keeping at safe distance, pcppcrud
away ut our y,ts,ls lying farthest an tho
chainCl, MLO returned the fire, tho balls on
10th sides falling short, with the exception
of u Iiiicd shot from the PaWncc which is sup
POSED to have hit one OF the rebel steamers
as it sent the whole party padding oil in tho
utmost Taste.
The weather was delightful on Monday and
Iucsday, ard the deck Of every vessel in the
fleet of transports was crowded with soldiers
aud Others come forth to watch the progress of
the diminishing between our vessel, and the
r,hcls and to gather new lift at or their long
confinement on ship-boIrd from The fresh aud
balmJ brcezes OF the South, which toll US of
the bcuu,ilul land We had come to conquer
back to peace aud good government. Every
man was impatient for action, AMI after their
experience OF the trials, the ptiyations and the
dangers Oi the ocean, the troops seemed ready
10 lace thousand bal ,crics, anil rush to dslth
itsoli, rather than to endure for anO. her hour
their life on ship-hOard. The Reconnaissance
over it wa arranged that the rebel batteries
should lie attacked on Tuesday, the 9Th inst,
AMI the fleet malc ready for action that after
llul tln Wnlttgl tf.gt
falling into The line Of battle, it was found ne
cessaIy to pO-tI one the affair until another diy.
But the n grew rough on Wednesday and
duhnE q at day and the might the fleet lay
inactive waiting for weather which should cna-
hlc Them to mHuuuNTC their vessels 10 the best
aiyonini against the iorndal lc batteries which
ollo.D their course. Meanwhile the army
Nitl'd mn ai'n'ly the busy preparations max
is for cur reception on shore, AMI observed
with olhilin the rebel vessels hurr,in. down
i,m Charleston and savannah with their loals
o. u,oI' Com. Dupont was voted too slow an
old iopy, 10y those Who did not understand tho
rra,uis causing thc delay and with spirits rapid
~ ditO ling, the officers ct the army sighed to
think OF ,lnc golden opportunity We were losing.
But hey cid not know their man, and in their
imlali'ic', i.'lid to consider the Importance Of
waltz l"r the OPT ortuEc moment.
ca liiu.,y, ION, the sun rose goriously, and
III" calm SEA and still air put every motion of tho
Ncssrls at command, Nhilu in The clear attnn3-
phcrc every object could he distinctly observed
upon the shore The night bctorc, it had been
decided that the weather EyoiiG-, the attack
WIS TO he commenced hat mornirr, aud we were
early up, waiting and watching for IL. By
O'CLOCK the vessels began 10 gather in the order
OF laitl", forming two columns, one headed by
the Walsh, followed by thu Susquehannah
Mohlcar, seminole, IlWnrc, lnadilla, Ottawa
and i,mhinn, and the o,hcr ilauking the first
lead 10y the Hionyllc succeeded by the Seneca
Curlrw, P'u-uin, Augusta, l.. Is. Forbes Mcr-
curry, and IL, Nmdalia tuwcd by the Isaac
Smith and tie l"'lhon,as which came in at the
latlyi par ol tar action and took position in he
lluku,- column.
Shorty hiuic 10 o'clock the vessels ,y,r,
under way aud at precisely 10 minutes 20 ~
the action commenced by gan from the rrlrl /
batteries on Hi on head. III, fife wasrc.tirnci
ron three Of our guns, AMI in another moment ,
tle nc ION bad become general Seamin: up
the chlnn,l On the right near Phillips Island |
within halfa mile Of the tort, our vessels deli |
Ncr,d 'he fire from their stariolrd guns, anl |
then sweeping round 10y Fort Walker as il is |
cail,d hy tie rebels, on the opposite side
poured their shot AMI sh, II into that, AMI somc-
times a hroadside Mt both the forts at once.
The main attack was directed against this fort
and the fire against Fort Bciuresard ON tho
opposite side was designed simply 10 engage tho
attention Of the batteries there, wlile ii ~ were
as.niliuE ~.
The fire Of our guns was returned with spirit
Ivy the forts who sent thcir shell and shot tly.
ing thickly about the vessels, dirrctin,, thcir
Efforts mainly against the nr.,rr steamers Tho
wabash receiving the principal share Of attcn-
non som" Oi their guns were finely handled
ana heavy riilcd piece at Bay Point was PAR
uculaIlN conspicuous for the excellence OF its
shots. One Of them went clean through the
main mast Of the Flag Ship, ami another passed
directly over the bridge, where the Commodore
the ilcel captain, the captain of the Wahash and
other important officers were stationed. IL was
evidently intended for thcm AMI had it been
little suTci in It's aim, would have deprived tle
icot Of all it, flag officers. Durin, the engage
mchi WITH the batteries, five rebel steamers
lowered about the outskirt, Of our fleet. watch.
ing lhcir opportunity for mischief, and occa-
sluInlIy sending a shot ut our vessels Thew
disi llyrd during the whole engagement, how
over, the caution which has distinguished them
all rlonF, and wisely kept beyond the reach of
our guns, rrtrcaiius rapidly up the river when
over am attempt was made to approach them.
ll'N received but little attention, ~ their
re" nee was 10 inpodimcnt to the operations
Of our ilcct.
During the first round our ships fired ten
secon fuses, and many Of the shells fell far |
lryond the fort into the woods back of IT, where |
Ms wa afterwards discovered large bodies of
infantry were advancing TO reinforce the fort:
20 that this circumstance proved a most fortu-
rate onc--~iaying the progress of the enemy
ara cary Ing confusion all through their rluk;.
Mo.l Ci the rebel shot flew wide of the marx |
tholr guns being fired NJ too long range, and
th,ir shot going over our vessels, 80 that when
nil OF the fleet had delivered their fire and pass
ed the fort to como again on the other side,
not man wa injured, aud scarcely single
shot had rcnch,d our ships.
The fleet. nCgpr limo In tho y, !