The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-12-20
News from Port Royal,

~ NcW L OIhs VIC uoVC duUtu6C week 6
news from Beaufort. We condense from
the voluminons correspondence of the New
York papers, the principal matters of inter-
est that have transpired. The health OF
the soldiers is not so good as might be de-
sired, and we find list of deaths, amount.
ing to siGty.three, since the expedition de.
parted from New York and Annapolis,
principally from congestive fever and pneu-
monia
Correspondence of the Tribune.
Reconnaissance of all the islands this
side of Port Royal Harbor, and of the main
land from Savannah River up to Beaufort
have been carefully made. The damages
to the captured forts have been repaired,
and both put in perfect condition for de-
tense against any possible attack. Hilton
Head Island, about twelve miles by seven,
is wholly in military occupation, strong
pickets. occupying all important points,
and Braddock's Point, at its extreme end,
where guns were pointed to prevent the
landing OF our troops, is permanently held.
lntrenchments strengthen the positions and
encampments OF the whole of our force, not
completed, but already extensive. Immense
quantities Of stores of every description
have been landed from the transports, in
the most difficult circumstances, within adj
equate means and only by incredible labor.
Not less than 1,500 soldiers have been
working day and night, much of the time in
the water, and without any but the simplest
help for lifting and transporting heavy
weights. Everything has been brought on
shore in small boats, the beach shelving
gradually, and, until the wharf is finished,
no launches or lighters being able to apr
proach within considerable distance
The wharf is we'll advanced in construc-
tion, built of huge pine ogs, cut three or
four miles away, partly dragged and partly
fioated down to the beach. A great guam
tity OF lumber for other purposes has been
got in the same way. That of which the
storehouses were built was brought in the
transports. Of the storehouses, two are
250 by 80 feet each, two others each l25
feet by the same width. The stable is 600
feet long and % feet wide, and about as
much more is to be added. The heavy
labor imposed upon the soldiers by the
refusal of the War Department to furnish
laborers, and the large force required for
the pickets, has interfered to some extent
with drill and the regular routine of camp
life, yet great deal has been done to i'm
prove the soldierly condition of the division.
Five to eight hours day I am assured has
been regularly devoted to drill, battalion
and brigade movements, and other instruc-
tion for the exigencies of special service.
The picket duty may be divided into two
classes-the inlying, that which is immedi-
ately about the brigades +; the outlying,
much heavier and harder, all over the ISL
and, holding roads, and ferries, and other
important points. Add to this summary
the expeditions in all directions, naval and
military, the occupation of Tybee Island at
Savannah, and the possession of St. Helena
Sound to the north, twenty-five miles nearer
Charleston than this harbor, both having
Notifications which have been abandoned
by the re bels, and l believe some general
notion may be formed of the work accom-
plished up to the present date.
The condition of the troops here, their
health and spirits, cannot say much about.
The sick lists have been largely increased
by the character OF the work the men have
had to perform, much of which might have
been done by contrabands, if the General
commanding had chosen to avail himself of
their services to a greater extent. Some of
the regiments are much better off than
others and it is plain that their condition
when leaving home has very much to do
with their present state. The best armed
NJ IA. horo ho, hol
the very hardest work to do, and still has
not suffered so much as others. The tone
of feeling remains as it was, and carries
them through every thing.
Correspondence OF the Times.
Lieut.. O'Rorke made his reconnaissance
under an escort of three companies of the
New York Seventy y-ninth and three gum
boats, the Pauuee, flag ship,) Capt. Drayo
ton the Pembina, Capt. Bankhead, and
the Curew, Capt. Boutelle, of the Coast
Survey, whose intimate knowledge of this
coast renders his presence almost indispen-
bic on such occasions, also accompanied the
expedition in his vessel, the Vixen. Lieut..
O'Rorke first travelled the length of st.
Helena Sound, where he was met by the
SuuOootSs euStOaiCSh, LIS PiOSiCoS partly
by land and partly by water. On Otter
Point, the Northern extremity Of St. Hele
ma Sound, he found a small field work,
which had been mounted with four or five
guns, but Was entirely abandoned. From
here the party sailed up several of the riv-
ers that penetrate the interior. On the
Ashepoo they found a Fort, and on the
CoOsaw another, both in the condition
of that on Otter Point. The greatest dis.
tance travelled inwards from the sea was
twelve or fifteen miles, but at one time the
party was only thirty-twO miles from
Charleston. Everywhere the whites had
deserted their residences, leaving the ne
groes behind in several instances they set
fire to the cotton houses at the approach of
the Union forces, but with these exceptions,
their property remained undisturbed. No
pillaging had taken place. National troops
were sometimes quartered in gentemens g
houses, where the furniture of the drawing
rooms was scrupulously guarded from use,
and the silver plate that, in their haste, was
left on the sideboards, was subjected to no
damage. The blacks told the same story
here as everywhere else; their masters had