New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-18
THE RATTLE OF PORT ROYAL.


one of the best fought and best conducted battles
which have fignalized the war in which we are en-
gsged. III Gen. Ripley had been appointed Gen.
era in command two months sooner, everything
would have been ia better state OF preparation
Bat these two previous months were wasted IN
doing nothing for our defense. Within the time
lef. to bin, Gen. Ripley did all that unlrine energy
and skill could accomplish TO put our coast IN stare
Of preparalion The two islands Of Hilton Head ana
Bay Point with their extreme limits constitute ue
two points which guard the entrance 10 f0rt hoy"i
Sound about three miles in width. On these t Two
points two forts were erected-Fort Walker on III
ton Head and Fort Beaurgard on Bay Point. Inc
time we possessed enabled TO make them
only earthworks without any protection IRON sueii'
or bombs.
The Island of Hilton Head was commanded by
Gen. DraytoD. The officers Immediately supeiih-
tending the artillery and conducting the lire OF Fort
Walker, were Col. Wagner, Major Arthur Hqgar'
and Capt Yates of the regular service, etpeciaity
detailed by Gen. Ripley to aid In directing the artl
lerv Col Dunoyant commanded at Fort Beaure-
gnard. bu, be generously allowed Capt Elliott, OF
the Beaufort Artillery to direct and conduct the bat
,eries of the fort The day was beaulful-calm ana
clear. with scarcely cloud in the heavens-Jutt sucn
day as our invaders would have ordained, II they
could to carry on their operations In sueh sHelch
of the battle a. amid the excitement and the thons-
ands of baseess rumors are enabled to present 10
our readers brief review Of the earlier events OF
this memorable week will not be undressing.
PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS OF THE EMMY.
The great feet Of the enemy passed our par on
Sunday the Sd inst, and on the following dny was
anchored off Port Royal entrance. About O'Clock
! on Monday afternoon, Commodore Tatnall, Win MS
" nnske,o feet :" ran out from the harbor aud maze
the fret hostile demonstration. The immense armaca
of the invaders. numbering, at that time thrty'sN
yessels was drawn up in line OF battle ana ms our
IittIe Aotilla steamed up TO within mile OF them
and opened it, fire. the scene was an inspiring one
bnt almost ndicrous in the disparity OF the size OF
the onposinp heets. The enemy replied to onr hre
almost Immediately. After an exchange OF some
twenty shots, Commodore Tatnall retired, and was
not pursued.
| largest Yankee war steamers having come Wltbln
range the batteries of Forts Walker and BeauIegard
were opened, and the steamers threw IumOer oI
shells in over our works, nbictlng 10 damage on
Fort WALKER and but slightly wounding two OF the
garrison of Fort BoauregaTd. This engagement
lasted with short intervals, for nearly two noun,
when the enemy drew of. The steamers made a
! similar but shorter reconnaissance on wednesday
evening hut without any Important resnlis. Oh tue
next day the weather was rough, ana the Meet iay a.
anchor five OF six miles from Shore During the Gay
,eyeral struggling transports came up, swelling the
number of vessels to H. All Tuesday night, ana all
dsy Wednesday aud Wednesday night, our men
stood at their guns, momentariiy expecting an at
tack and obtaining only such sciy resi- aud refresh
ment chance afforded.
THE DAY or THE BATTLE.
Thurslay dawred glonOusly upon our wearied,
but undaunted gunners, and all felt that the day oil
trial had ut lasi arrived Scarcely had breakfast
been disua'ched when the hostile fleet was observed
in comrnotion. The great war steamers formed ra-
pdly in single file, and within supporting distance oil
eacb other the frigate Wabash the ag-ship OF Com
Dupont, in the AZ the long line OF formidable
looking vessels, thirteen III number, most OF then
powerful propeers, with a few sailing men-o wal
ia tow swept rapidly and mhjesti1ay IN, with ports
open and brstling with guns Of the heaviest caibef
tie siQbt wa, grand aud imposing. ms was at u
Il o'clock Until the Minnesota came within the range
OF and directly opposite our batteries on Ilitot
Il Head all WAS siil Suddenly the fifteen heavy gnn
IL Fort Walker. which had been aimed directly Al
the hinge frigaie, belched forth their h'nuIt"heou
hfe. and he action was begun.
Almost Immediately aiterward, the batteries o
Fort BeaurePard, the other ride Of the entrance
also oponed their fire. The enemy at first dil mol
reply. But as the second steamer came opposite e
Fort Walker the bulls of the fret three were sud
denly wrapped In smoke aud the shot and shell o
three tremendous broadsdes, making, Ia al, seven
70 ty-ive guns, came crashing against our works
From this moment the bOmbardInent Was inoessan
land terrific: one by one the prope'lers bore dowt
mon our forts, delivered their FIRE as they passed
mill nine had gained the interior OF the harbor
beyond the range Of our guns. The Minnesota, sal
followed by the Others then turned round and steamed
flowly out, giving Lroadsile 10 Fort Beamegara
IA she repassed Then the battle was continued, th'
euemy's We ssels sailing in elptcal courfe, pour
ing one broadside into Bay Point and then sweep
ing around TO deliver the other against Hilton HEAD
This furious fire from 400 guns, many OF them TN
l.inch DAhlgIen pattern, and some even i3-lnci
bore for a sabot Of that diameter was found IN or
Beaure gard, was maintained necessarily ana th'
roar Of the cannonade seemed continuous :,
Meanwhile our garTisons We're making Pallan
defense They kept upa vigorous and well-dlrecteo
fire AGAINST their asa iilants and notwithstanding
that heir best gun was dsmonnied at the beginning
of the action they succeeded in setting lire 70 seYe
raj Of the ships. Whenever this happened, how
ever the enemy would haul oil and soon eAiingulsl
, the flames. The effect Of our guns was, In man,
instances PLAINLY visible from the forts. Although
the sides OF the Minnesota Of massive strength
several Of her ports were Knocked into one. No
was she the only weasel upon which this evidence
the power of our FIRE could be seen. Many OF tn
other steamers were likewise badly hulled.
After some time spent in sailing round ana deliv
erng their broaduides IN rotation, IN the manner W
have described the enemys steamers adopted anothe
and more successful attack. One OF them took
positon inside the harbOr 20 a. to ennlade the 0ate
lies of Fort Walker, while several opened simul
taneous enhladng FIRE from the outside Besides III
terrific crossfre two Of tie largest steamers main
tained the fire in front If the fort. Thus thre
firious couyerging streams OF shot and she'll wer
raned amongst the brave little garrison for hours
The vessels came up within half mile OF the shore
bnt nearly all our guns haO, by tins time, becon
dismounled, aud were no longer able to reply wit
serious effect
Soon after IL o'clock, the batteries Of Bay Poin
were slIenced. The lire OF Fort Walker, as FAR a
: the guns that remained were concerned. was not
whit slackened until one o'clock by that time th
dreadful condition of the fort became too apparent
be disregarded longer The guns lay in every direc
! ton, dsmantled aud useless the detenses wer
terribly shattered the dead aud DYING were to b
seen on every side. aud still the iron bail poure
pitilessly in. ..
FORT WALKER ABANDONED.
| T.. al. q dat a abandon
. fort. A long waste, about mile IN extent, an
! commanded by the eDemy's guns interviewed be