The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-13

THE STU ATToN.

We are enabled to give to-day pretty full and
highly interesting account Of the late brilliant
naval affair at Port Royal. 1t appears that ON
Thursday last our feet engaged the rebel batteries
OF Hton's Head and Bay Point with tremendous
effect, and though the fire was brskly returned.
yet, owing to the guns being so badly mounted
and withal SO ineffciently served by the rebels
that large number Of our vessels, said to be ff
teen in number, passed up safely to Beaufort,
silenced the batteries and took possession Of the
place. After the forts we're slenced the rebels re-
tired upon the town, where hard struggle took
place.
In the attack upon the batteries one of Our
gunboats was burned, but with this exception no
material damage done to the feet. upon
passing the batteries vessels at once lockaded
the inlets leading to Beaufort Savannah and
Charleston. The rebel Commodore Tatnall. with
feet of small vessels, which he had living inside
Port Royal entrance and behind the batteries came
out tn line of battle, and after throwing an ineec
tive fire. scattered, and finally got of through the
inlet towards Savannah.
These facts reach MS entirely from rebel
sources-princpolly from dispatches to Southern
Papers-and they admit that, while the fire from
the feet was most effective, their own gunners
were wholly incompetent, and that the runs were
SO badly mounted that they were dismounted by
their own recoi
In the absence of official news by the despatch
boat. We conceive that our victory at Port ROYAL
Is amply verified.
balloon reconnaissance was made Yesterday
morning on lower the Potomac, near Budd's Ferry,
by Professor Lowe. He was accompanied in the as
cent by General Sickles. The result was the dir
covery Of large rebel force in Dumfries. and
extending from thence towards ocoquan and
Brentvihe.
General Heinszelman, with force Of lS 900 men,
Also made reconnaissance at an early hour yes
serday morning in direction southwestfr from Alex
andra, to look after force of rebels said to be at
Pohick church and on the bank of the Acotink, but
he did not find the rebels.
The recent battle at Guyandotte, Western vir-
ginia in which several of the Union troops were
killed, and which resulted in the destruction of the
town by Colonel zeigler proves TO have been an
achievement designed and carried out in the hasest
treachery. 1t seems that force of rebel cavalry.
variousy estimated at 500 to 900 had
tn the country back of the town. These proposed,
with the assistance of the rebel inhabitants of
Huyandotte, to annihilate the Union forces in the
hown, which consisted of $50 virginians belonging
80 Virginia regiment, and few Of Colonel
Zeigler's Fifth Virginia Volunteers. It was ar.
ranged between the rebel cavalry and the
rebel citizens to massacre our troops in
cold blood. Accordingly the rebel citizens
were very kind to our troops last Sunday even
ing, and invited them to their houses on
various pretexts, and all who were off duty ac
copied the invitation. While they were being
entertained, at about half-past eight O'Clock at
night the rebel cavalry dashed into the town.
Signals were AsDby Jed from every house where
the Union troops were, and into these the rebels
Fushed, numbering the unarmed soldiers in cold
blood. The rebel citizens-men, women and chill.
pren-rushed to arms, and aided the cavalry in the
slaughter. The Union troops in camp prepared as
boon as possible for Defence but were overpowered
and had to break. Very few men were killed in
the engagement with the cavalry, nearly all being
murdered in the houses. As lust retrbpton for
this Infamous act, Colonelzeipier. upon his arri,o,
set fire to the town aud reduced roor,,. a.,
of it to ashes.
, Our vessels continue to run the rebel bloc,o,o
Three schooners ran past the batteries in omen 5o
on Monday up the Swash channel, close Ia ,ho
Maryland shore, and, although forty.thrce shots
bnd shells were fred at them, they escaped nm.
harmed. The United States gunboat Dawn which
prrivcd at Fortress Monroe on The same day from
INDIAN Head, had TO run the gauntlet of twenty