The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-11-22
THE WEEKLY, PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.

of the Marines were drowned by their own
imprudence. -, %
Lieut.. Commanding Nicholson's conduct
on the Isaac Smith has met my warm com.
mendation. The Peerless transport, in
sinking condition, was met by the Mohican,
commander Gordon, and all the people on
board, 26 in number, were saved under very
peculiar circumstances, in which services
Lieut.. H. W. Miller was very iavorabIy
noticed by his commander.
On passing Charleston, sent in the Sem
eca. Lieut.. Commanding Ammen, to direct
Capt Gardner to join me with the steamer
Susquehannah off Port Royal without de-
lay.
On Monday, at eight o'clock in the NORM
ing, l anchored off the bar with some twen-
ty- five vessels, in company with many more
heaving in sight. The Department is aware
that all the aids to navigation had been re-
moved, and that the bar lies ten miles to
seaward, and no features on the shore line
of sufficient prominence to make any bear
ings reliable, but to the skill of Commander
Dove the feet Captain, and Mr.. Boulette,
the able assistant of the Coast Survey in
charge of the steamer Union, channel was
Immediately found.
By three o'clock, received assurances
from Capt. Dove, that I could send for
ward the lighter transports, those under
eighteen feet, with all the gunh boats, VIII ch
was Immediately done, and before dark
they were securely anchored in the roads.
The gunboats almost Immediately OPEN
ed their batteries upon two or three rebel
steamers under Com. Tattnal, instantly
chasing him under the shelter of the batter
les.
On the morning of Wednesday, the. Wa
bash crossed the bar, followed closely by
the frigate Susquehanna, the Atlantic,
Vanderbilt, and other transports of deep
draft, running through that portion of the
feet already in. The safe passage of this
great ship over the bar was hailed with
gratifying cheers from the crowded vessels.
We anchored Immediately and commenced
preparing the ship for action.
In our anxiety to get the outline of the
forts before dark, we stood in too near the
shoals and the ships grounded. By the
time she was got of, it was too late, in my
judgment to proceed, and made signals
for the squadron to anchor out of gun shot
of the enemy.
To-day the wiud blows a gale from the
southwark, and the attack is unavoidably
postponed.
have the honor to be, Sir,
Respectfully, your obedient servant.
s. F. DUPONT.
Flag officer commanding South Atlantic
Blockading Squadron.
WASHINGTON, Nov l3.
The Associated Press reporters account
Of the recent victory and movements of our
fleet is substantially the same as others, but
gives few more particulars.
The steamer Winfield Scott reached the
rendezvous on the evening of the Sd, with
the loss of masts and bow stove in. She
threw over her three rifed cannon, all her
freight, the muskets and equipments of her
500 men, and everything but her rations,
to keep her from sinking and but for the
labor OF the soldiers in bailiDg, her fires
would have been out, and nothing then
could have saved her.
The steamer BienviIle went to her relief,
when her chief engineer, his assistants and
thirteen seamen jumped aboard the Ben
vile, leaving the Scott TO her fate. This
action nearly created a panic among the
soldiers, who gave up all for lost; but the
Captain of the Scott put the chief engineer
10 irons and brought him and the crew
back, when things went on better.
Col. Clark, OF the fifth Pennsylvania re.
giment, all of whom we're aboard the Scott,
describes the night as one of horror. The
gale was terrible, and the vessel mere
she'll
the Scott was taken in tow by the Van
derbit, which had cut clear from the Great
Republic in the gale.
The steamer Governor went down with
twenty men, the Pembina taking off all who
could escape.
The Seminole had FIVE shots in her hull.
The Wabash had her machinery disabled.
Five of the twenty guns ol the fort on
Hilton Head were dismounted.
There were 1900 rebels on Hilton Head
and 1900 on Bay Point.
We have captured IS cannon, 5000 mus
kets, and any quantity of ammunition. The
road by which the rebels escaped is covered
with riAed muskets, knapsacks, &C. We
have taken at least $500 blankets, and
tents for 5000 men.
The rebel guns we're all 32-pounders, four
being rifed, and cast this year at Rich.
mond. The others were from Norfolk, in-
cluding an English gun captured in the last
war. The musket ammunition is English.
The chief engineer of the Susquehannah
was killed. Thirty dead rebels have been
found, and more are being found, having
been hastily buried in the sand.
The Georgia troops ran first and the
South Carolina last A German artillery
company who served the guns stayed till
the last.
ACCOUNTS FROM REBEL SOURCES.
Fort MONROE, Nov. l3.-The Norfolk
Day Book of yesterday contains the follow
ing dispatches
RICHMOND, Nov. 12th.-There is noth-
ing of interest from any of the camps or
from the coast.
The naval attack on Port Royal was a