, 1861-11-16

battle, The flagship led the main columu4
having her position on the suequehanna'sst star !
tire action. They were drawn up in the fol- |
lowing order:
afaia Cozmnan.-Wa sneqnehauna, Mo-
hican, Seminole, Pawnee, Unadilla, Pembiua.
Ha75odrd Colunn.-Bienville, Seneca, Cur
lew, Penguin, Ottawa, Vaudalia-
The ships made the entrance Of the Port !
Royal channel At the point between the
foris it is twenty i've hundred yards wide. As
the feet moved up the rebel batteries on both
sides Of the river opened fire on the head of j
the column, With heavy guns Of long range.
It was the plan Of battle to engage the bat /!
their relative positions, were to move in cir
cles before the foe This mode Of procedure
was decided upon, because the current sets
swiftly In the etraits between the dfcations,
which are about two miles aud three quarters
apart, and it Is Impossible, even had it been
desirable, for the vessels to remain stationary
long enough to silence one battery before at
tackirg the other.
The Wabash was brought as near Hilton
Head battery IS the depth Of water permitted;
during the whole time The ship was in action,
aa regularly as upon ordinary occasions.
Within distance Of nine hundred yards from
the rebel guns, the Wabash threw in her fiery
messengers, while the other higates, no fur
ther away, participated In the deadly strife;
and the gunboats, from their sheltered nook,
raked the romparts fightfuly. Thus the frs
Of eboat my guns vas concentrated every
1ca1ly, never wavering in his reply, except
when The Wabash Was using her batteries di:
rectly in front Of him. Then it WAS too hot
for flesh and blood to endure. Shells fell al
most as rapidly as hail-dropB within, and for
mile and halt beyond the battery. As they
struck and ploWed into the earth, dense
pillar Of sand would shoot upward, totally OBJ
Ah~ f1- d.
blinded gnnneTs from their pieces.
I Iheard frequently, during the hottest Of the
fight, most unqualified expressions Of appro-
val for the manner in which the rebels served
their guns. That their Workmanship was
good, the torn halls and cut rigging Of our
vessels, rather than the number of Killed on
board, furnish full evidence.
After the second round had been brilliantly
fought on both sides, the Wabash gave a sig
nal 10 the vessels which had been most active
II engaged to cease firing and give refresh
1nenta to their men. Then it vas that the
gunboats did their most Efficient canuonading,
| Their she'll and round shotaew straight ACROSS
I The parapet of the fortifcation, driving the
men from their guns aad making dreadful
havoc.
1nandipg Martin, gallantIy stesmed into q
shallow bay to the left Of the fort, not more
than half mile distant, and presenting her
| diminutive figure to the rebel guns, opened
I upon them with her 80 FOUNDER Parrott, which
was fired rapidly and with good effect. From
probably the frat to see that the rebels were
preparing to evacnate the place. In rear Of
| The forti1cations, extending about shrca-
tourths Of mile, is broad meadow, bounded
By Gense woods Across this open space the
enemy was carrying his dead and wounded,
and wagons were hnrTlId!y removing the
eguipaEe OF the emp;
The Mercury, steaming closer to the shore,
found fhat the battery had been deserted, and
Immediately took the news to the flagship,
which, By this time, with her sister vessels,
was coming up like 2 destroying angel to re:
simultaneously received confirmation Of the
tieipgs from other sources, and even while
listening to the words Of the messenger, the
rebels struck their fsg. The signal to cease
firing was at once hcieted, and 1t being pre-
cisely 2Sl O'clock, the bombardment had been
nearly tive houls in progress.
The flag-Bhp lowered boat and sent it
ashore, carrying flag Of truce in the bow, and
CUR own proud banner at the stem. Its mis-
sion was to inquire # the enemy had surren
Eft Oh tie Wabash. who had come down te
join his vessel. the Flag. now blockading Of
| Charleston, ard had been acting during the
fight Us cid to Commodore Dupont, was as
signed the duty Of taking the flag ashore
Himself and crew were urazmed. but they
found no oac TO receive thea. He pla1tei
the American ensign upon the deserted ram
gataSs a1u e9oA poeesse.on ~ ~ ieost -. 9ou
eoun e etola 49, .1S 1n,ra a5a:s ~ tns s. uss.
n -. 1a9 gatea-a-de d J5sn,asad I'D pnn -,
tsm Dta sta+f az hrI1d;ng ] feH rGds ~ the 1aft a.
where the rebel standard had waved durin4
the combat, and whence it had lust been ta
ken down.
Commodore Tatral1 ard his gunboats disar
. peared in the early part OF the engagement
He cent u few shots towards the feet, but 8
; | usual his boats were not near enough to do d
; Injury. Much regret Has felt that nelthe
: : OF our fast steamers pursued and captured til
! Commodore. He would have been m intel
l cstipg prisoner. Among the papers found i
tie eeceesicn garrison was one from Mt. Ia,
mali. in which he promised emptatically t
: Gen. DraJton, who commanded the rebe
9 tcIces, that bis gunboats should be brough
9 down from Savannah, and that they shoul
Share the tate OF tie forts. The promise Wa
t eallier than was necessary
. From the bsst data that could be obtained
two thousand shot and smell were deliVere
by the fleet. Individual cases OF gallantr
F. were numerous. Inc men lougns Win q
: tefmlneo b1aFery; tney Wofhed On coon.
! and 1ne silence Was only prohen OF an occ
:. sional cheer when some marked effect Wa
# noticed By the firing.
d Every Eessel easagGa III Iae ac1lon ~
4 more OF lefs cut up, aisnouga none were u
il jared 50 badly IS to make It necessary 10 =
q turn 1one ior repairs. me aoasn, II
h largest vessel IN the heet, was singled OUT
j Inc epecid ta1get OF the eaem7's nfe. inHC.
four shots struck her.
TIE LANDING.
The traneports had been living dutiug Il
IL eroeramenf With their anchors u hove short
+. resdS n r77n mn fo t1e f;,Tt NTH their frno
n at ti;e first sisn Of Victory Inmed;ate]v th
=, ont nnder waP- and the 6oats were hei13y e,
of fected for th. ;,nrnose Of disembarkation'
y The limited means for Iandinr made t
e have ever Witnessed, Wrights BriSaie y
81 frs4 NJ ash"re cnnc;a1;nr =? the Na@ A. ~ ~
II eh;ra fonrfh. Cni' Thomas r Whfnnla. Co
9ant;cnt si13n i;ant ri Wm r fE1v. ~
e. reos;e11t Saranth Co1 A1frna II TarrE. Maj
H. Ninth Cn1 R;chworth Ricb 1oA4-' +'1NA
q, ~ 49,.
fe Eo.nces "a tn9 ~ -, eoniuslon Ia
of aoecs masn Ins teoe1e ~ .e'1 ~,
nj .oIa, wets sounuans S etsty waele ins ths.e &c
& gun5 5,1aa ~ 1as "91h, r. ouis ~ saaee
q, "ueu ns1 4Le an,a;a y ~ baa,, es;,-.
a 5ct one of me remainder naa oeen splhs
q. se'e1ai' .Eoseo, were !oaneo, leaog 1os G
n. men tc ceieno thsthseiSes IN case laey eaou
a. &c attacked; while the magazines, oi VIII
III there were tnfte IN ine 1ofs, contained auau
~ ri.lon enough to Withstand very long sleE
te The encampment, conslsting OF aoout eiga
nf tents, 70 1he lett o. the fortanGasious, n
Gated, It an3thlng, more plainly tnao me TO
row hprrsdlI its iate occupants mad
camFed. Most Of the tents had been uno
he turbsd. Officers furniture, uniforms, drs
lc- ewcrdE, small stores, with here and there
y articie which told that evea In camp the =
re fiors bad not been berett OF the society OF tn
od w:Tes, mothers and sisters,-Were Lett aa 8
OF riilcart tell tales Of sudden departure o
he the meadow, to Which before atsuaea, y! Y