Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-11-21

D
and covered By feet OF three gan
! boats. under Capt Tatnall, late Of th
United States Navy, besides streni
land forces, which the rebels were con
centrsting from Charleston snd SaFan
nah.
The troops Of the rebels were after
wardss aseertsfned to have been com
nanded By Gen. Drsyton. Que o
the forts, and probably the strouges
point, is. situated on Hilton Head an,
Che other two on Phillips Island. I
was deemed proper to first reduce III,
fort on. Hilton Head although TO d
this a greater or less FIRE might have 3,
be met from the Batteries on Bay Poin
At the same time. Our original plan 0
-cos6perRtiod 70 isnd me forees "a tis'
attack had to be set aside, in eonse
quence OF the loss. during the voyage
OF greater portion OF our means o
disembarkment. together with the fact
that the only point where troops should
have landed was from Eve to six miles,
measuring around the intervening shoal,
from the snchoring place of our trans
ports; altogether too grests distance
for successive debarkstion with ourlim.
tied means. 1t was therefore agreed
that the place should be reduced by the
naval force alone. In consequence OF
the shattered condition Of the feet and
delay in arrival Of vessels, that were
indispensable for attack. it had TO be
postponed until the 7th inst.
was a mere spectator Of the COM
bat, and lis not my province to render
any report of this action; but deem il
an imperative duty TO say that the
firing and maneuvering Of the war feet
against that Of the rebels and their
formidable land batteries, was a mas
ter-piece of activity and professional
skill that must have elected the ap-
plause Of the rebels themselves. As a
tactical operation, think that too much
praise cannot be awarded to the sci.
ence and skill exhibited by the flag Off
Ger of the naval squadron and the off,
GERS connected with his ships. ] deem
the performance a mastery one, and
ought to have been seen to have been
fully appreciated. -G s'g-T 81
After the works were reduced, /
took possession of them with the land
forces. The beautifully constructed
work on Hilton Head was severely
crippled, and many of the guns dis
mounted. Much slaughter had evil
dently been made there, many bodies
having been buried in the fort, and
some twenty or thirty were found some
half mile distant.
The Island for many miles was
found strewn with the arms and accou-
termenls and baggage of the rebels,
which they threw away in their hasty
retreat. We have also come into pos
session Of about forty pieces Of ordi-
nance, most Of which are Of the heaviest
caliber and the most approved models.
and large quantity Of ammunition
and camp equipage. 1t is my duty to
report the valuable services of Mr..
Bontello, Assistant in Coast Survey,
assisting me with his accurate and ex-
tensive knowledge of the country
His services are invaluable to the army
as well as to the navy, and earnestly
recommend that important notice be Ia
ken Of this very able and scientific off,
Ger by the War Department. l am
very respectfully your obedient servant.
T. W. SHERMAN,
Brig. General Commanding.
Adjutant- General U. s. A.
After landing and taking possession
Of the forts, Gen. Sherman issued a
proclamation to the people of South
Carolina. saying: ain obedience to
the orders of the President, ! have
landed on your shores with small
force of National troops. We come
among you without feelings of personal
animosity-with no desire to harm your
citizens. destroy property or interfere
with any of your lawful laws, rights,
or social or loyal Institutions, beyond
what causes herein alluded to may rem
der unavoidable. . '..
Gen. Sherman then reviews the ac-
ton of South Carolina in the present
rebellion, and implores the people to
pause and reflect upon the conse-
quences Of their acts, and says, we
have come among you as loyal men.
fully impressed with our constitutional
obligations to the citizens Of your
State.
These obligations shall be performed
as far as in our power, but be not de-
ceived; the obligations Of surprising
armed combinations against eonstiiu-
tioual authority. is paramount to all
other. II, in the performance of this
duty, minor but important obligations
should be neglected. it must be attrib-
uted to the. necessities Of the case, be-
cause the rights dependent on laws of a
State must necessarily succumb to
military exigencies created by insurrec-
ton and rebellion.
oAMRos IN FAVOR OF ENAs-
cIPATIoK-A PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATION
OF HIS THEORY.
Col. John COchrane. in his speech to
his regiment this afternoon took
ground in favor of emancipation OF the
slaves. After be had concluded, Gen.
Cameron said. al approve Of every
statement uttered by your noble COM
mander. All the doctrines he has laid