Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-12-04

Thursday dawned gloriously upon our
weared but undaunted gunners, and all felt
that the day Of trial had at length arrived
Scarcely had breakfast been dispatched,
when the hostile fleet was observed ia COM
motion. The great war steamers formed
rapidly in single file, aud within support
ing distance Of each other. the frigate Va
Jaah, the flag ship Of Commodore Dupont.
in the van. AS the long line of founida-
bic looking vessels, thirteen ia lumber
most Of them powerful propellers, with
few sailing men of-war in tow, swept rapid
y and maiestically in, with ports OPEN,
and bristng with guns of the heaviest cali
ibre, the sight was grand and imposing.
This was 81 o'clock. Until the Aianeso-
Ia came within the range Of and directly
opposite our batteres on Hilton Head, all
was still. Suddenly the 5 heavy guns Of
Fort Walker, which had been aimed direct
ly at the huge frigate, belched forth their
simultaneous fire, and action was begun.
Almost Immediately afterwards the bat
teries Of Fort Beauregard, on the other side
Of the entrance opened their fire. The en-
envy at first did not reply; but as the sec
ond steamer came opposite 10 Fort Walker
the hus Of tho first three were suddenly
wrapped in smoke, and the shot aud shell
Of three tremendous broadsides, making in
all seventy iive guns calne crashing against
our works.
From this moment the bombardment
was incessant aud terrific; one by one the
propelers bore down on our forts. deliver
Cd their fire as they passed, until nine bad
gained the interior OF the harbor beyond
the range Of our guns. The Minnesota,
still followed by the Others, then turned
round and steamed slowly out, giving
broadside to Fort Beauregard as she pass
ed. Then the battle was continued, the
enemy's vessels sailing in an eliptical course
pouring one broadside into Bay Point, and
then sweeping around to deliver the other
against Hilton Head. This furious fire
from four hundred guns, many Of them the
II finch Dahlgren pattern, and some even
l3inch bore. (for sabot Of that diameter
was found in Fort Beauregard,l was main
tanned necessarily, and the roar cf the can
nonadc seemed continuous.
Meanwhile our garrisons were making
gallant defense. They kept up = vigorous
and we'll directed fire against their assai-
ants, and, notwithstanding that their best
gun was diSmountel at the beginning of
the action, they succeeded in setting fire to
several of the ships. Whenever this hap
poned, however, the enemy would haul off
and soon extinguish the flames. The Of
feet 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 snocked
into one Nor was she the only vessel up
on which this evidence Of the power Of our
fire could be seen. Many Of the other
steamers were likewise badly hued
Alter some time spent in sailing round
and delivering their broadsides in rotation
in the manner we have described, tue tne-
mys steamers adopted another and moro
successful plan Of attack One Of them
took position inside the harbor so as to Is
en6adc tho batteries Of Fort Walker, while
several opened simultaneous enflading
fire from the outside. Besides this terrific
cross fire. two Of the largest steamers main
tanned the fire IN front Of the fort. Thus
three valious convcrging streams Of shot
and shell were iained amongst the brave
liitls garrison for hours. The vessels came
up within half mile Of the shore, but :
nearly all our guns had, Ivy this time be-
come dismounted, and were no longer able
to reply with serious efec.
Soon after / O'CLOCK the batteries Of
Bay Point were sienced The fire Of Fort
Walker, as far as the guns that remained
were concerned, was not whit slackened
until o'clock BY that time the dreadful
condition Of the fort was too apparent 70
be disregarded much longer. The guns
lay in every direction, dismantled and USE
less; the defenses we're terribly shattered;
the dead and dying were to be seen on ey-
ery side, aud still the iron hail poured pit
ilessly in.
= IN this strait it was determined TO aban-
don tie fort. A long waste, about mile
in extent, aud commanded by the enemy's
guns, interviewed between the garrison and
the woods. Across this they were ordered
to run for their lives, each man for him
self, the object being 10 scatter them as
much as possible, SO as not TO afford isry
oct for rfed gunners Of the feet. The
for running this perilous
were soon made. Each Of the
was placed i a blanket and car
RED off by four men. The safety Of the
living precluded the idea Of removing the
dead. And thus this gallant little band
Quilted the scene Of their glory aid scam
nerad OFF, each one as best he Could, to
wards the woods. The retreat WAS coyerei
~ small detachment, who renained in
the fort for an hoIr after their comrades
had left. Among those who remained
we're Capt. Harms, with six men; Lieut..
AIiche,s. with four men; and Lieut.. Bis
choff, with four men. These worked three
guns until about two O'Clock, when they
also Quilted the post.
The abandonment Of TT. Beaurcgard
was equally a necessity. The gar1ison
were exhausted, and il nomentary danger Z
Of being cut of. When Col. Dunoyant
ordered the retreat, tears Of morti6catiou
filed the eyes Of Capt. Elliott ~ tho sad
necessity