Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-11-14
LATEST NEWS FROM THE SOUTH

SOUTHERN ACCOUNTS OF THE ATTACK ON PORT
RoTAL-PRo6REsso OF THE NsAGEMENT-HI6H
LII INTERESTING DETAILS.
We have the following highly interesting ex-
tracts from late Southern papers
From the Charleston Mercury Of Friday
THE PORT ROYAL AFFAIR.
With regard to the fighting on yesterday the
accounts which we have received vary quite ma
toriallv as to the time at which the cannonade
opened Our kilograms from the scene Of action
represent that the enemY's fire upon our batteries
at Hilton Head began at half-Past nine in the
morning, whereas the bombardment is said to
have been heard in the city at much earlier hour
Once begun, however, there is no doubt about
the cannonade having been heavy and continuous
until late In the afternoon. The results, thus far
would seem, from our dispatches, to be as fol-
lows: The enemy's feet, consisting OF forty-two
vessels in all, approached our batteries between
nine and ten O'Clock Yesterday morning, and un-
der osver Of a tremendous fire made the attempt
TO run the gauntlet Of our batteries either side
Of the entrance to Broad river. In this effort sew
en- steamers lone account says ffteen) succeeded
and gained a point In Broad river out Of range of
our guns at the Bay Point and Hilton Head bat
teries. This, however, was only accomplished
after sharp fire on both sides, bv which one Of
the enemYis gun boats was burnt and several steam
ers crippled, while among the casualties on our
side, we hear Of twelve men wounded at Fort
Walker, Hilton Head. Once in, the Lincoln
steamers betook themselves to closing the creeks
tributary to Broad river, and which have hither-
70 afforded 90 convenient an "inland passage
Ina promiscuous chase they seem to have driven
commodore pdIDdil'S 'mueQultO Qeet' up tne
creeks leading to Savannah, and have cut or
water Communication with Charleston. by "her-
metrically sealing" Skull creek. Although the
Yankees have, as yet, effected no landing, It is
certain that they have made some progress, and
IL behoovEs Immediately to send such reinforce
ments as may be needed TO checkmate any move
ments they may make towards gaining even the
smallest foothold upon our soil.
The following were among the dispatches re-
ceived by the Mercury:
HKNDERsoNvnIE Nov m
tice Of our artilleris's at Hilton Head has been
very bad, hence the passage Of seven Of the enc
mys men Of war. The transports are still outside
The loss on our side thus far has been slight; and
our troops are in good heart. The q ing of the
Yankee war vessels was very accurate Hill
tons Head and Bay Point, as first reported, re-
ceived the orunt OF the enemys attack. Our fail
ure to sink any Of they vessels which our batter
les owing to the poor practive Of our artlerists
BEAUFORT, Nov. :, p. m.-(yia Pocataligo y
The enemy's ships which have passed our bate
ries can be distinctly seen from Beaufort Forts
Walker and Beauregard are still firing. The en-
emy has lost one eun-boat, which was burned.
The shells can be seen from here bursting In the
woods. Our lines Of communication are COM
pletely cut on unless more troops are sent here,
with artillery and cavalry. Four ships are now
In sght over the land and up as far as Skull
creek.
There IL reason 70 believe that the enemy are
now making preparations 10 land large force
at Hilton Head either tonight or tomorrow
morning.
From the Charleston Mercury Of Saturday
SOUTH CAROLINA AND HER INVADERS.
South Carolina began the war; and Il 10, per-
haps, fitting, In the nature Of things, that she
should end H. The rage and hate Of her enemies
have precipitated them on her coast They came
TO punish her, for daring to assert her Iiber-
ties and Independence. Hence, as General But
Ter, Of Massachusetts,, saws: E'The war 10 to be
illuminated by her burning cities and villages -
We have foreseen. ana deprecated the wreiched
policy which has induced the inv sion OF the
state We have wished that IL could have been
OthRrEiRe. and that the rpdomnfion ~ nd
and the protection OF South Carolina, had been
accomplished by fighting on the Potomac
But since all our efforts to shield South Caro-
lima from ilvasion have failed, we await with
cheerfulness the fate which is upon US. There
are few calamities, without some redeeming ad.
vantages, TO those who suffer. We can and we
will make this Invasion another occasion for illus
trating the characteristics Of southern soldiers
I" Let the invaders come" Is the unanimous feel
Ing OF our people Our Yankee enemies will
sooner or later, learn TO their cost the difference
between invaders for spoils and power, and de
tenders Of their liberties, their homes and thei
native land IL they can take Charleston witt
Is ,OOO men, let them have IL. We are unworthy
70 possess il; and IL will be a fitting memorial
laid In ashes-of our imbecility and base degen
eracy
But H. on the contrary we shall give 10 ever,
one Of our invaders, who shall remain on our sol
prison above IL, or grave beneath It, will II no
end the contestl Carolinians. the great cause O.
the confedeIacy rests on your arms. Strike fol
the Independence Of the Confederate States youl
homes and your native land. 1t has pleased Goo
to place upon you the responsibility OF closing, a
He did that Of commencing this glorious war
Free and far, let your names spread amongst tn
nations OF the earth as one Of the freest, braves
and most enlightened people that has lived In tn
tide Of time Let US all, with one heart, repea
the noble sentiment Of one Of her dead sons: H |
10 better for South Carolina to be the cemetery o
freeman than the home Of slaves"
From the Norfolk Day Book, November Ill
DIsHoUNTING GUNS IN sHoRE BArrKRIEs.
We know 90 little about military matters tia
we are 10th TO express an opinion without fr.
consulting practical men on subjects which ma
arise for consideration, preferring In all cases
have the best views we can get TO spread befor
our readers. In the accounts which have reache,
rs Of the engagement at Hilton Head and Ba
Point, we have seen good deal about our gun
being dismounted. Now, the engagement ther
happens not to be the first we have had durin
this war so that we safely refer to precedent
Attic attack on Sewall's Point, in this neie hbol
hood, which took place at a time when every
thing was new TO us, and when, II there had bee
any greenness, IL should have there shown itse
we believe in that instance no such announcemer
reached Us as = guns dlsmounted." ;"
Well, further along in the progress Of event,
brings Us 10 Hatteras, and without menIionin
the innumerable other Instances In which engage
menn were had with our shore batteries Of heav
ordnance, without our guns being dismounted-
Hatteras, being an engagement in which quite
formidable force was brought to bear az again:
Hilton Head, we were not informed Of anythin
Of that kind taking place there The natural IL
ference 70, that there was some considerable wal
Of management on the part Of those in authorii
at the batteries at Port Royal, and that the CUR
dismounted themselves by their rebound, fror
not being properly secured on their carriages
or this, we are not told, however in any Of ID
communication from that quarter But how
battery Of 30 or % guns could be dismounted otf
erwise, appears too much Of mystery to pract
cal minds with whom we have conversed.
We have been 90 often told that one gun o
shore Is more effective than five or ten on shiy
board, that we are forced to credit the assertion
and how the thing was possible for those ships
dsmount our guns one after another, 10 a matt
altogether unaccountab BILE, unless the rebound di
mounted them, We could not see how the shi
could have possibl obtained such positions as
have accomplished that result, and do not beliey
they did; however, from what we have had @
subject so far, we believe the dsmounting Of tho,
guns was the means Of allowing the enemy's shi
to pass our batteries, aud IL our surmise shoui
prove correct In ths case, it may be the means
teaching our people a lesson at other point
which viii prevent the recurrence Of such anoth
disaster.
We see by some accounts that Commodore TIA
nall, after his little feet could no longer be efev
i've took his crew OF and sent the vessel up Il
river out Of harms way, and then went into q
batteries with bis men. Now, IL occurs 70 U
L.. haffa rfaaxU st0uns