Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-22
The Pert Royal Affalr.
INTERESTING BEHEL ACCOUNT OF THH BEAUFORT
VICTORY.

The Pert Royal ARalr.
INTERESTING nEHEL ACCOUNT or THH BEAUFORT
VICTORY.
(From the Charleston Courier November H.
Thursday dawned gloriously upon our
wearied bnt undaunted soldiers, and all ielt
that the day of trial had arrived. Scarcely
had breakfast been dispatched when the hos
tile feet was observed in commotion. The
great war steamers formed rapidly In single
line, and within supporting distance OF eacn
other, the frlgate Minnesota, the flagship OF
Com. Dupont in the van. As the long line
of tormidable looking vessels, thirteen In num-
ber. most of them powerful propellersi with q
lew sailing men-of-war in tow, swept rapidly
and maiesucally in, with ports open and /
| bristllng with guns OF the heaviest oalibre, |
the sight was grand and Imposing. This was |
at hali-past eight o'clock. Until the Mime |
sofa came within the range OF, and opposite |
our batteries on Hilton's Head, all was stlll.
| Suddenly the fifteen heavy guns OF Fort walk
er, which had been aimed directly at the
/ huge irigate, belohed forth simultaneous
/ FIRE and the action was begun. Almost i'm
mediately afterwards the batteries on Fort
Beauregard, on the other side of the entrance,
also opened their FIRE. The enemy OF hrst
lid not reply. But as the second steamer
passed Fort Walker the bulls OF the first three
were suddenly wrapt in smoke, and the shot
and shell of the three tremendous broadsides,
making in ell seventy-6ve guns, came crash
inc against our works. From this moment
the bombardment was terrific and ineessant.
One By one the propellers bore down upon our
forts and delivered their fire they passed, IN
ill nine had gained the inside OF the haroor,
bevond the range of our guns. The Mime
sofa. followed by the Others, then turned
around and steamed slowly out giving a
broadside to Fort Beauregard as she rspassed.
Thus the battle was continued, the enemy's
vessels sailing in an ellipticsl curve, pouring
a broadside into Bay Point, end then sweep
D ing around to deliver the other against Hill
4 ton Head. This furious fire from some tonr
hundred guns, many of themof the ll-inch
Dalpbren pattern, and some even of l3-inch
! bore flor a sabot of that diameter was found
4 in Fort Beauregard) was maintained ince5s-
e | antly. and the roar Of the cannonade seemed
g most continuous. Meanwhile our garrisons
made a gallant defence. They kept up vig-
e orous FIRE against their Rssailants, and not
: withstanding some Of their guns were dis
! mounted at the beginning of the action, they
succeeded in setting FIRE to several OF the
ships. Whenever this happened, however,
D the enemy would soon haul of and extiu-
e guish the flames. The effect Of guns was, In
It many instances, plainly visible from the forts
Although the sides of the Minnesota are oi
massive strength, several of her ports were
g knocked into one. Nor was she the only YES
e sel upou which the evidence of the power oi
|. our FIRE could be seen. Many OF the 9th
er steamers were likewise badly hulled.
! a,,,a tiv,a upont in sailing r0und and
delivering their broadsides in rotation, in The
d manner we have described, the enemy
e steamers adopted another and more success
!. tul olan of attack. One of them took posi-
= ton inside the harbor so as to engage th'
II batteries Of Fort Walker, while several open
Of ed a simultaneous enflading from the out
a side. Besides this terrific cross fire, two 0
the largest steamers maintained the fire II
- front of the .ort. Thus three furious con
8, yerging streams ofshot and shell were raineC
b among the brave little band for hours. In
NJ vessels came up within half 6 mile of th
- shore, but nearly all our guns had, BY thi
!! time, been dismouDted. And we we're NJ
i longer able to reply with serious effect
g Soon after eleven O'Clock the batteries G
70 Bsv Point were silenced. The fire of For
. Walker, as far as the guns that rename
/ GOQCeTQGus
D. until one o'clock. By that time the dreadfu
lie longer disregarded, The guns lay IN ever
re- condition of the fJrt became too apparent to
=. direction dismsntled and useless the defence
we're terribly shattered, the dead and dyin
o. we're to be seen on every side, and still th
iron hail poured pitiIessy In.
FORT wALkER ABANDONED.
81 In this strait it was determined 10 abau
AT don the fort. A long waste, about q mile i
o. extent, and commanded by the enemy's I'M
q. Intervened between the garrison and th
woods. Across this they we're ordered t
~ run for their lives, each man for himsel
o. the object being to scatter them as much q
rk possible, so as not to afford target for th
riAed guns of the feet. The preparation
for running this perilOus gauntlet were 500
ue made. Knapsacks were abandoned, but th
,se men retained their muskets. Each of th
ait wounded was placed in blanket and car
:. ried of BY four men The safety of the liv
~ ing precluded the idea of removing the dead
" And thus the gallant little band quilted th
scene of their glory, and scampered of, eae
one as best he could, towards the woods. =
b. The retreat was covered by small detach
ss ment who remained for an hour after thei
comrades had left Among those who re
mained were Captain Harms, with six mer
Die Lieutenant Melchors with four men, an
to Lieutenant Bischoff, with four men. Thes
of worked the guns until about two O'Clock
=, when they also Quilted the post.
The abandonment of Fort Beauregard we
er equally q necessity. The garrison we're ez
lis hausted, and in momentary danger of bein
he cut eff. When Colonel Dunovant ordered
retreat, tears cf modification and indigRstio
filed the eyes of Captain Elliott at the sa
n necessity. The retreat was admirably cor
6ucted and rendered entirely successful b
us the prudent energy of Captain Hanckel, on
us of General RIpley's aids who had got tt
.io gether some twelve fats at Station creek, b
which the troops passed over to St. Helen
II Island. From there they passed to Beaufol
be Island, and reached the train at POcstalig
tn without the loss or injury of man. !
an this fort none were killed, and but five weT
wounded and two of these were wounde
eU by negligence in loading cannon, by whic
he hot shot was driven on the powder, withor
the wet wad preceding it.
EVACUATION OF BAY POINT
to The rest of the story is briefly told. Lat
q On Thursday night the garrison of Fol
:, Walker had collected at the landing, in th
=. hope of being able to reach Blufton BY wa
10 ter. Luckily several small Confederai
Ir- steamers were within hail. But here ID
dicrous mistake occurred. The retreatin
troops imagined the little steamers to b
re Yankee gun boats; while the crews of th
steamers were convinced t5atthe troops wer
ID a body of disembsrked Yankees. Actin
n upon this double delusion, deal of mutul
he reconuoitering was made, and It was onl
.lv after a vast variety of strategic approaehe
y that they reached the conclusion that it We
all right" A quick trip TO Button follow