Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-11-20

taneous fire., and the action was begun. AL
most immediately afterwards, the batteries of
Fort Bcauregarj, on the other side Of the
entrance. a!su' opened their fire. The enemy
at first did not reply. But as the second
! steamer came opposite to Fort Walker, the
hulls of the first three Wei suddenly wrapped
in smoke, and the shot and she'll Of three
f; tremendous broadsides, making mall, 15guns,
came crashing against our works. From this
moment, the bombardment was terrific and
incessant. One by one the propplIers bore
down upon our Forts delivered their fire as
they passed; until nine had gained the in'e-
,ior Of the .arbor beyond The range Of our
guns.
The Minnesota, sill followed by the others,
! then turned round and steamed slowly ont.
giving hroadsde to Fort Beauregard, as she
repassed. THUS the battle was continued,
Tic enemy's vessels sailing III al eliptical
curve, pouring one hroadsile into bay Point,
and then sweeping around to deliver the other
| against Hilton Head. This furious tlo from
some four hundfcd guns, many Of them Of the
/ inch Dahlgreen pattern and some even of
IL inch bore tfora sabo! Of thai diameter was
found in Tor, Eeaur gardl, Was maintained
| necessarily, and the roar Of tue cannonadc
seemed most continuous. Meanwhile our
garrisons were making gallant defence.
They kept up vigorous and we'll directed
| fire against their aSsaiants and notwittstan-
! ding that their best gun was dlsmounted at
the beginning Of the action, they succeeded
in setting fire 10 several OF the ships. When
ever this happened, however, the enemy
would haul off and soon extinguish the flames.
The effect Of Our guns was in. many instances,
plainly visible from the Forts. Although
the sides of the Minnesota are of massive
strength, several Of her ports were knocked
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 i'll sailing round and
delivering their brosdsdes i'll rotation, in The
manner We have described, the enemy 5 steam.
ers adopted another and more successful plan
of attack One of them took q position ia>idt
the narbor so as to en6lade the batteries OF
Fort Walker, while several opened Simulta-
neous enfilading fire from the outside. Be
sides this terrific cross FIRE. two of the largest
steamers maintained the fire i'll front of the
Fort. Thus three furious convergilg a!rraln>
of shot and shell were rained aiuun;st the
brave little garrison for hours. The vcssr!s
came up within half mile OF the shore, but
nearly all our guns had, by this tii"c, Income
dismonntci, and We We're TO longer able TO
reply with serious effect.
Soon after II o'clock, the batteries Of Bay
pviat were siiencca. The fire Of Fort Walker,
as far as the guns that remained we're con-
cerned, was not whit sackeuef, unlil oHe
! clock. b. that time the dreadful condition
Of the for; became too apparent to be longer
disregarded. The guns lag in every direction
disnautcd and useirss; the leienscs were
terribly shattered, tue dead and dying we:c
to be seen Oh every side, and still tue iron
hail poured piticssly in.
In THU strait, it was determined u abaE-
don the fort. A long vase, about a mile in c!i-
tent and commanded by the euemy's guns,
intervened between tile garrison and the
woods Across this they were ordered to run
for their lives, each man Tor himself; the OBJ
iect being to scatter them as much as posi-
BILE, so as no, to afford a target for the rifle
guns Of the leet. The preparations for run
ming this perilous gauntlet were soon made.
Kuapsacks were abandoned, but the men re-
tained their muskctS Each of the wounded
was placed in blanket and carried off by
four men. The safety Of the living prccluded
the idea Of removing the dead. Aud thus,
the gallant little band quilted the scene Of
their glory, and scampered oil, each one as
best lie could, towards the woods. The re.
treat was covered BY D small detachment who
remained in the Fort for an hour after their
comrades had left. Among those who re-
msiueI wore Capt, HARMS with six men,
Lieut.. MelcherS With four men, aud Lieut..
BischoG with four men. These worked three
guns until about two O'Clock, when they also
quilted the post.
The abandonment of Fort Beauregard was
equally necessity. The garrison were ex-
hausled and in momentary danger of being
cut Oh When Col. Dunovaut ordered . re-
treat, tears Of modification and indignation
filed the eyes Of Captain Elliott at the sad
necessity. The retreat was admirably con.
Quoted, and rendered entirely successful by
the prudent energy Of Capt. Iianchcl, one of
! G. neral Riplcy's Aids, who had got together
some twelve Hats at Station Creek, by which
the troops passed safely over to ST. Helena
Island. From there, they passed to Beaufort
Island, and reached the train at Pocotaligo
without the loss OF injury Of man. In this
Fort none were killed and five were wounded.
and two of these were wounded by ncgli.