The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-11-21

dispatches he had sent gunboats to
Beaufort to take possession of the town
and protect its inhabitants, but found
the place abandoned to the me-
groes, who were reported to be in
lawless condition.
Commodore Dupont's official dispatch
to Secretary Welles contains nothing
of additional interest, being merely a
short narration of events. Accompany
nying the dispatches were several tro-
phies, captured flags, and two brass
cannon lately belonging to the State of
South Carolina. A list of casualties is
also received; the total killed, g.;
wounded severely, 6; slightly wound
ed, II. Total killed and wounded 81.
THE NEGROES WILD WITH JOY.
The, following is an extract from
private letter from an officer engaged
in the bombardment.
"Our success has been complete, and
terror runs over the whole country.
The negroes are wild and plundering
their masters houses. The whites have
been driving the negroes away by force,
and shooting them down, but they still
come to the gunboats. The moment
Gen. Drayton took to his horse, in the
panic of the 7th, his 200 servants went
Immediately to the Wabash. This is
worthy of notice, as putting down the
nonsense that the slaves were ready to
fight for their masters. They surround
ed Captain Ammen in crowds at Beau
fort. One of them calling out in the
Joy of his heart-"I didn't tink you
could do it, massa."
OTHER ACCOUNTS BY TELEGRAPH.
To the Associated Press
FORTRESS MONROE, Nov, 12.-The
steamer Bienville has just arrived at
Old Point from the great expedition.
She left Port Royal on Sunday morn
ing, and brings cheering intelligence.
Capt. Steadman, however, left her at
this place, and proceeds direct to
Washington with dispatches and tro-
phies, two brass cannon and secession
flags. He reports that the gale encoun-
tered by the fleet was very severe.
The Union and Osceola went ashore
and were lost, as previously reported.
The Governor foundered at sea, but the
Isaac @. Smith succeed in saving all
her crew, with the exception of few
marines. Ha-
The final retreat of the rebels was a
perfect rout. They left everything,
arms and equipments of all kinds, even
to the officers swords and commissions.
All the letters and papers, both public
and private, order-books and documents
of all kinds were left in their flight,
and fell into our hands, affording our
officers much valuable information.
Among the papers was telegram from
jeff Davis to the commander of the
post, informing him of the sailing of
the fleet, and that he knew their desti-
nation to be Port Royal.
The whole surrounding country was
seized with perfect panic. The day
after the fight, the "Seneca" and two
other gunboats proceeded to Beaufort,
and found but one white man in town,
and he was drunk. All the plantations
up the river seemed to he deserted ex.
cept by the negroes, who were seen in
great numbers, and who, as the boats
passed, came down to the shore with
bundles in their hands, as if they ex.
pected to be taken off. They secured
all the letters in the Post Office.
The fleet arrived at Port Royal on
Monday, the 4th; On Tuesday the
smaller gunboats rounded in the chan
mel under fire from the forts, which
did no damage. On Wednesday tn,
weather prevented active operations
but on Thursday morning 9th inst.
the men of-war and the gunboats ad
, vanced to the attack. The action com
menced at 10 A. NJ, and was hotly car
ried on, on both sides, and lasted abou
e four hours, at the end of which time
: the rebels were compelled by the show
: err of shells to abandon their works an
> beat hasty retreat.
Our loss was eight men and cne off
y Ger. The Chief Engineer of the s'Mo
hican" was killed, aud about twent
8 wounded. The rebel loss unknown
Q Fifty-two bodies were found by on
g men and buried. All their wounded
b except two, were carried Off Tw
:, forts were captured-Fort Walker, o.
Hilton Head, mounting "a guns, am
d Fort Beauregard, on Bay Point
D mounting 10 guns of heavy calibre
g. The forts were both new, and splendi
e earthworks of great strength, construd
y ted in the highest science, and pre-
y nounced by our engineers as impregns
2, BILE against any assault by land force.
a After the capture of the forts, tn
h whole (about Is, ,0OO) men were safel
e landed and established on shore. Th
!. forts were but little injured, but til
q rebels could not stand the explosion {
of our big shells. The force of til
x enemy, as ascertaincd from their p:
'e pers, vas 900 men, under Gen. Dral
d ton, of South Carolina. Our victor
is complete, the rebels leaving ever,
g thing but their lives, which they save
er by running. But four persons wei
ly found, and two of them were wounde,
ID All hands of the fleet are represente
IN as acting in the most gallant manner
r BALTIMORE, Nov. l3.-From an of
s. Ger just come up we gather the follow
n ing additional particulars: None
n VI