Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-12-12
Interesting and Important Official Dis.
patches from Port Royal.
The Navy Depa .tment this morning received
the following highly interesting oricial accounts
Of naval movements near Port Royal:


The Navy Depa -tment this morning received
the following highly interesting oficial accounts
Of naval movements near Port Royal:
FLao SHIP WABASH,
Port Royal Harbor, 3 C . Dec. 4, 1861.
sIR: The apprebe nsion OF losing posse,sion al
the bay Of 81 Helena-so exceedingly valuable
for harbor, for It's proximity to Charleston and
for the command II secures Of large rivers supply.
ing interior communication with the State OF
south Carolina-has induced me TO dispatch a
second expedition there, unde, Commander
Drayton with orders to hold the island until Gen
Sherman Is prepared TO assume military occupa-
ton Of IL, when he will transfer the fort to his
troops.
I have also despatched Commander G Rp
Rodgers to make a reconnaissance Of Warsaw
Inlet, In order TO ascertain the position and force
OF the enemy's battery there-information whic b
the Commanding General has expressed TO me
his desire To obtain before landing troops on Ty-
bee Island
The Department will have the goodness to OBJ
serve that In the necessary occupation Of 81. He
lena sound, and Of Tvbee roads, and in the ex-
animation Of Warsaw Inlet, large number of
the vessels Of my squadron IL engaged which
will be released and employed on blockading
duty as soon as Otter and Tybee islands ere held
Very respectfully, your most Ob't servant,
9. F. Dupont,
Flag ON er Com'dg, &C
THE REPORT or COMMANDER RI RODGERS.
o FsaS Ship "Wa6a,h." D
TOft nOytl hafDCf, ON Lee 1851.
Sir: On yesterday morning left Tvbee Roads
before DAYLIGHT, with the steamers Ottawa, sen.
ara and Penn bna, and crossed the bar of Ysrav
Sound at half tide, not having Iess than IS feet Of
saw Island within a mile, and seeirg neither
guns nor men, we did not fire, but I sent LENT
Barnes TO Ii, with q white dsg He found II an
inciosed octoganal work with platforms for eight
protected by abattis The work was well con-
structed. The guns had been removed, the plat.
forms cut, and the magazine blown up
From the freshness OF the foot prints and other
signs, IL appeared TO have bsen abandoned very
recently. Adjoining the fort are huts or sheds for
q large garrison. Some lumber and bricks re-
main; everything else had been carried away.
We Immediately pushed on 10 Cabbage Island
where we had been led to look for another bat,
tervj but there was nothing Of the kind there
We went to the mouth of the creek through the
Romilly Marsh, and to the mouth Of w ilmington
river.
From the mouth OF Wilmington river we OBJ
served battery, bearing from us about N w by
w 4 w and distant about three miles IL IL
on The riVer, and just above house with a red
euPola, which 10 one OF the Coast Survey points
q hisngulation, and is about ten miles from Sa.
vannah ~
Between the house and the fort was large
encampment, but we could not count the tents
We counted I'VE guns, apparently OF large calibre
on the face Of the battery towards Us. We could
only see one gun upon the other face, but there
may bave been more.
ramparts and the glitteriDg Of their bayonets
We saw several small vessels; some OF the m In
Romilly Marsh were in tow OF small steam-tug,
Snt they were all beyond our reach.
Upon Little Tybee Island we could see no
earthworks. but could not get nearer to IL than
two miles, because Of the shoals
In coming out Of Warsaw Sound, at high tide
we had not less than twentY-one feet Of water on
the bar.
Returning to Tybee roads at one O'Clock. I
landed and made reconnaissance on foot, with
the marines OF the Savannah and detschments Of
smail-arm men from that ship and the Ottawa
Jpn Feacafn9 the mouth OF the LuLafeth Creek,
having no boats in which To cross our progress
was stopped. We waited until low tide, but the
creek WINS unfordable. | was able however, with
the assistance Of Lieut. Luce, to obtain, from the
top Of q tree, the position In which battery has
been supposed TO exist, and am satis6ed that
there 10 no battery there. The spar which was
mistaken for derrick, 10 simply place Of look.
out, and there was no appearance Of any Earth
work or position for guns battery at such
place would be Of no use whatever. There may
however have been signal gun placed there, a.
toe point upon which the spar Is raised Is upon
the southeastern part Of Little Tybee Island, and
10 con manding paint Of observation.
have TO thsLk Lieut. Com z Stevens for the
most earnest, cordial and tficient cooperation,
and also Lieuts. CONG Ammen and Bsnkhead
whose vessels were always In the right place, and
always well handled
! have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
G. q. p. Rossss, Commander.
Flag -oHces ,. =. DrPoNr, commanding, &c.
REPORT OF cshxoDoax Dupont.
Y. FLAGSHIP wABAsH,
Poef Royal Harbor, s C., Dec. 6, 1851 (
slR have the honor 20 inform the Depart
ment that the Notifications Of Warsaw Island
have beea sbandoued by the rebels, after moving
the guns, cutting up the platforms and preaching
one face Of the fort
For the circumstances attending this important
discovery, and the temporary occupstion Of the
waters OF warsaw Sound, a. well a. for knowl-
cage OF the inner and ultimate line Of defence &C.
.ected by the enemy, have the pleasure to refer
70 tne accompanying report Of Commander c. z.
hooRers, upon whose judgment and skill
relied Tor the execution Of this undertaking
warsaw inlet and sound constitute second an
trance Int savannah river; and as 81 feet can be
carried over the bar at high water this passage
IL but little inferior TO Tybee entrance
The highest point reached by Com Rodre,s
was about Gig ht miles from Warsaw bar, about
ten from Savannah, and between four and Al Va
from Thunderbolt on one aide and Mcntgom.rv.
On the othsf These two last places are Described
In tbs Coast Survey Memoi . and Reports.
attach the highest value 70 this possssslos.
{ have the honor to be, sir, respectfully, yoar
obedfent sefvant p DUPoNr