Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-17
From the Charleston Mercury.
The Rarlle ~ Rn-r nsnraI

From the Charleston Mercury.
The Rattle OF Fort HoyaI
The battle Of Port Royal win be remembered as
one OF the best fought and best conducted battles
( gagged
! If Gen. Ripley had been appointed a Gensral in
command two months sooner, everything yTnuld
have been in 8 better state Of preparation. Bui
these two previous months were wasted in JoinO
nothing for our defence. Within The time left 10
him, Gen. Ripley did all that unfiri.E emerge and
skill could accomplish, TO put our coast in state Of
partial preparation our eneniss win enesua;er
The two Islands Of Elton Head and Bay Point with
their extreme limits constitute the two points which
guard the entrance to Port Royal Sound about three
miles in width. On these two points. two Forts
were erecte2-Fert Walker on Hi.aa Hsad-snd
Fort Beauresard on Bay Point Ths tins We pos.
sessed, enabled as TO make them oaly esrthwOfk *
without any protection from shells OF bombs.
The Island of Hilton Head was COMMANDED by
Gen. Drayton. The officers Immediately superint
tending the artillery and conducting ire IRE CT For
Walker, were Col. Wagner Major Arthur Huger
detailed By Gen Ripley TO aid in directing the ar
tillery. Col. Donovant commanded at Fort Besu>
regard. but he generously allowed Capt. Elliott of
the Beaufort Artillery, to direct and conduct the
batteries at the Fort.
The day was beautifnl--cslm srd clear with
scarcely cloud in the besyens-just such day as
our invaders would have ordained, if they could
TO carry on their operations.
In such sketch Of the battle rs, amid the ex
element and thousands of baseless ruuOrs we are
enable to present TO our readers brief review Of
the earlier events Of this memorable week viii not
be unintsresting.
PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS or TIE ESBNY.
The great feet of the enemy passed our Bar on
Sunday, the 81 inst. and the following day wss
anchored of Port Royal entrance About o'clock
on Monday afternoon, Com. Tatnsll, With bis mos
quito feet" ran out from the hsrbor and made the
l..
Of the invaders, numbering at that time thirty six
vessels, was drawn up in line of battle; and as our
little fotilla steamed briskly up to within mile of
them and opened its fire, the scene was an inspirit-
ing one, but almost luderous, in the disparity of
the size OF the opposing fleets. The enemy replied
TO our IRE almost immediately After sn exchange /
of some twenty shots, Commodore Tatnsll retired /
and was not pursued.
About eeVen o'clock on Tuesday m1rung, sew
eral Of the largest Yankee war steam sea having I
come within range, the batteries of Forts Walker /
and Beauregard were opened, and the steamers |
threw a number of shells in and over cur works |
infionng no damage upon Fort Walker, and but |
slightly wounding two Of the garrison Of Font
Beauregard. This engagement lasted. with short |
intervals, for nearly two hours, when the enemy |
drew eff. The steamers made similar but shorter |
reconnaissance, on Wednesday evening, but with~ |
out any Important results. On the next day WED I
DesdayO the weather was rough and the feet lay
at anchor five or SIX miles from shore During the !
dsy, several struggling transports came up, swell
ing the number Of vessels to f0rtysons. All Tues
day night, and all day Wednesday, and Wednesday
night our men stood on their guns, momsntsrily
expecting attack, aud obtaining only such scsaty
rest and Fefreshment as chance afforded.
Tbs DAT OF TaE BATTLE.
Thursday dawned gloriously upon our wearied
but undaunted gunners and all f1lt that the day of
trial had ct last arrived. Scarcely had breakfast
been despatched, when the hostile feet was OBJ
served in commotion. The great war steamers
lN-s- =
distance Of each other, the frigate Minnesota the
flag ship Of Com. Dupont in the van. As the long |
line of formidable looking vessels, thirteen in mum
Der, most Of them powerful propellers, with fe "
sailing men-of war in tow, swept rapidly and ma
Jestcaly in, with ports open and bFstlng with guns
CT the heaviest csIbre, the sight was grand aRd
imposing. This was at half past eight O'Clock. |
Until the Minnesota came within the range Of and
directly opposite to batteries Hilton Head.
all was still Suddenly. the fifteen heavy guns of
Fort Walker which had been aimed directly at the
huge frigste, belchld forth their simultaneous Are,
and the action was begun. Almost Immediately 81 |
forwards, the batteries of Fort Beauregsrd the
other side Of the entrance, also opened their fire.
The enemy at first did not reply. But as the Sec
ond steamer opposite to Fort Walker the hulls
Of the first three were suddenly wrapped in smoke /
and the shot and shell of three tremendous broad |
sides, making in all seyenty-fve guns, came crash
ing against our works. From this moment the |
bnmbardment was terrific and Iaeessant. One BY |
the propellers bore down upon our Forts, deliT
cred their fire they passed, until nine had gained
the interior CT the hsrboP beyond the aDge Of our
guns The Aianesots, still followed By the Others
then turned around and steamed slowly out giving
! broadside to Fort Bssuregard as she repassed i
Thus the battle was continued the enemy's vessels
sailing in an eliptcsl curve, pouring one broad
side into Bay Point, aud thea sweeping around TO
deliver the other against Hilton Head This furious
fire from some four hundred guns many Of them
of three I1inch D1hgreen pattern and sane even of
l3-inch bore flor sa6et Of that diameter was
found in Fort BeauregzTd,) was maintained inces-
sanity. and the roar of the cannolzde seemed most
continuous.
Meanwhile, our garrisOns Wera making gal |
LIANT defence. They kept up vigorous and well
directed fire against their assailants, ard notWith
standing that their best gun dismOunted at the
beginning OF the action, they succeeded ia setting
fire TO several Of the ships. Whenever this hap /
pened, however, the enemy would haul of add
soon extingulsh the flames. The effect Of oar guas
was, in many instances, plainly visible from the
Forts. Although the sides Of the Ainnesots are of
massive strength, several of her poTts were knock
ed into one. Nor was she the only vessel upon
which this evidence Of the power Of our fire could
be seen. Many Of the other steamers were likewise
badly hulled. ,
After some time spent in sailing round and deiv-
eFing their brosdsides n rots.ion in the manner
we have described, the enemys steamers adopted
another and more successful plan Of attack One =
Of them took position inside the harbOr so Gs 20
snfIade the batteries of Fort Walker while seve-
PSI opened asimuts1eous enfading fire from the
outside. ,
Besides this terrific cross fire. two of the largest
steamers maintained the fire in front Of the Fort
Thus three furious conTerging streams of shot and
shell we're raIned amongst the brave little garrison
Tor hours. The vessels came up within half mile
Of the shore, but nearly all our guns had By this
line, become dismounted and we were no longer
abe to reply with serious effect !
Soon after IL O'Clock, the batteries Of Bay Point
we're silenced. The fire Of Fort Walker, as far as
be guns that remained were concerned was not
whit slsckened. until O'Clock. By that time the
Dreadful condition of the fort became too apparent
10 be longer disregarded. The guns lay in every
direction dismounted and useless; the deences were
erribly shattered, the dead and dying were to be
een every side, and still the iron hail poured
1Itilessly on. =
FORT WALKER ABANDONED,
In this strait, it was determined to abandon the
ort. A long waste, aSCut 3 mile in extent and
by the eaemy's guns. interviewed be-
Eeea the garrison aud the Uoods Across this they
we're ordered to for their lives, each man for
nmself; the object being 70 scatter them az much