Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-11-21

relieved, Lieutenant. Commanding Mich.
olson was enabled to go to the assistance
of the chartered steamer Governor, then
in very dangerous condition, and board
of which was our fine battalion of mar
ines, under Major Reynolds. They were
finally rescued by Capt Ringold, in the
Sabine, under difficult circumstances, soon
after which the Governor went down. ]
believe that seven of the marines were
drowned by their own imprudence. Lieut..
Com'd'g Nichison's conduct in the Isaac
Smih has met my warm commentator.
The Peerless, transport, in a sinking con-
dition, was met by the Mohecan, Com
mander Gordon, and all the people on
board, twenty-six in number, were saved
under very peculiar circumstances, in
which service Lieut.. j. w. Miller was
very iavorably noticed by his commander.
On passing Charleston, sent in the
Seneca, Lieut.. Commanding Ammen, to
direct Capt. Lardner to join me with the
steamer SuSquehanna, off Port Royal,
without delay.
On Monday, at o'clock in the morn
ing, l anchored off the bar with some
twenty-five vessels in company, with
many more heaving in sight.
The Department is aware that all the
aids to navigation had been removed,
and the bar lies ten miles seaward, with
no features on the shore line with sui
ficient prominence to make any bearings
reliable. But through the skill of Com
mander Davis, the fee- Captain, and Mr.
Boutelle, the able Assistant of the Coast
Survey, in charge of the steamer Viren,
the channel was Immediately found,
sounded out and buoyed. By o'clock,
I received assurances from Capt. Davis
that / could send forward the lighter
transports, those under eighteen feet, with
all the gunboats, which was Immediately
done, and before dark they were securely
anchored in the roadstead of Port Royal,
South Carolina. The gunboats aim ost
immediately y opened their batteries upon
two or three rebel steamers under Com
modore Tantnall, instantly chasing him
under the shelter of the batteries. In the
morning Commander John Rogers, of the
U. S. steamer Flag, temporarily on board
this ship, and acting on my staff, accom-
panied by Brig. Gen. Wright in the gun
boat OHopa, Lieut.. Commanding Stevens
and supported by the Seneca, Lieut.. Com
manding Nicholson, made reconnois-
ance in force, and drew the fire of the
batteries on Hilton Head and Bay Point
sufficiently to show that the Notifications
were works of strength and scientifically
constructed.
In the evening OF Monday Capt. Davis
and Mr.. Boutelle reported water enough
for the Wabash to venture in.
The responsibility of hazarding so no
bic fiigate was not light one, over {
prolonged bar Of over two miles. There
was but foot or two Of water to spare
and the fall and rise of the tide is sucl
that If she had grounded, she would hav,
sustained most serious injury from strand
ing if not totally lost. Too much, how
ever, was at stake to hesitate, and the re
suit was entirely successful.
On the morning Of Tuesday the Wa
bash crossed the bar, followed closely b,
the SusQuehanna, the atlantic, Vanderbilt
and other transports of deep draft, run
ming through that portion of the fleet al
ready in. The safe passage of this grea
ship over the bar, was hailed with graft
flying cheers by the crowded vessels. W.
anchored, and Immediately commenced
preparing the ship for action. But th'
delay of planting the buoys, particularly
on the Fishing Rip, dangerous shoal We
had to avoid, rendered the hour late be
fore it was possible to leave with the at
tacking squadrod.
In our anxiety to get the outings of th'
forts before dark, we stood in too nea
these shoals, and the ship grounded. B,
the time it was gotten off, it was too late
= in my judgment, to proceed, and | mad
, signals for the squadron to anchor out o
gunshot from the enemy. To-day tn
wind blows a gale from the southwark
: and westward, and the attack is unavoid
ably postponen.
g | have the honor to be, Sir,
| Respectfully your obedent serv't,
, S. f. DUPONT, Flag Officer,
, Commanding South Atlantic Blockadin,
t Squadron.
. SECOND DISPATCH.
!. FLAGSHIP WABASH, OFF Huron HEAD,
+ PoRT ROYAL HARBoR, Nov. s, 1861. (
e Hon. Gideon Wells, Secretary Of tic Na,g
Washington
e SIR; have the honor to inform yo
that yesterday l attacked the batteries G
the enemy on Bay Point and Hilton Hea
and Forts Walker and Bcauregard, an
9 succeeded in siencing them after an en-
! gagement Of four hours duration, an
, driving away the squadron of rebel steam
= ers under Commander Tatnall.
, The reconnaissance of yesterday msd
t us satisfied with the superiority Of For
} Walker, and to that directed my specia
efforts, engaging it at n distance of eigh
e hundred, and afterwards at six hundre'
a yards But the plan of attack brough
the squadron sufficiently near Fort Beau
F., regard to receive its fire, and the ship
0 were frequently. fighting the batteries OIL
e both sides at the same time. The actiol
T was begun on my part at 26 minute
l after ., and at half-past 2 the American
a ensign was hoisted on the flag staff a
= Fort Walker, and this morning at sun
S rise on that Of Fort Beaurcgard. The de
> feat of the enemy terminated in utter rou
# and confusion. Their quarters and en-
G campments were abandoned without q,