Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-11-22
sketch of Port Roval and Beaufort.

! Port Royal is fifteen miles northeast from
the entrance Of Savannah river, and is per
haps the most important point on the Atlantic
coast of all the Southern States which border
upon that sea, for the purpose of hostile
visit.
The entrance to Port Royal is the best
channel for ships through the bars in the whole
range of ports below Norfolk, and the harbor
is sufficient to float the whole expedilionary
feet. Its accessibility, its capaclOusness, and
its coniinguity TO Charleston and Savannah
cause it to be looked to with much fear and
/ diGiruEt by the citizens of South Carolina and
| Georgia, for they-if correctly or not remains
to be seen-have selected it as the rendezvous
| of the expeditionary feet. The town of Beau
fort stands on the west bank of Port Royal
river, and is connected by rail with all the
principal towns and cities in the Southern and
| Southwestern suites. re1atIeFs-tle-
scmbling Of feet on Port Royal, and the
occupation of Beaufort, peculiarly dangerous
TO the rebels of those regions. Port Royal
was the original point of settlement of South
Carolina in 1870, and its great superiority as
an entrance and harboE has always been ac'
knOwledged. Why, indeed, it became subor-
diBate to Charleston and Savannah does not
clearly appear, unless it was for the reason
that it was not central to South Carolina, it
occupying the southern extremity Of the State,
and was too near to the only good harbor in
Georgia for commerce. A glance at the map
will show that more Vulnerable spot for stri-
king at the rebels could not be selected. On
either hand lie Georgia and South Carolina,
81, q
the hotbeds of secession. The communication
between the cities would be the first to be
seized, the distance between the two cities l04
miles, and force moving up the waters frQm
Beaufort would strike the road at POcoaegO,
6fty-fve miles from Charles on, and forty y,nine
from Savannah, by which means Charleston
and Savannah could be t:ken on the rear
The forts and batteries of both harbors would
thus be rendered useless as defcnccs to theiE
reRFGctive citiOa.
The town Of Beaufort is built on the west
bank of the Port Royal river, narrow branch
of the ocean, fifty miles northeast of Savannah
and ffty-ive southwest oi Charleston. The
town is old. with less Than a thousand inhabi-
tants, and of far less importance in trade now
than its name+ake of NQrth Carolina. 1t is
nevertheless, within easy DISTANCE of both
Charleston and Savannah, and but ten miles
from the railroad which connects those cities.
Beaufort is situated in the district Of the
same name. one of the most PopuIous and fer
tile in the whole State. II. 1850 this dis
trict produced more rice and more sweet po-
tatoes than any other county in the United
States, or district within the Slate. Its chief
staples are cotton, rice, indian corn and sweet
potatoes. The Savannah river runs along its
border and is navigable for steamboats,.
There is no strong position near the town
capable of rebel occupation or defence, and
therefore the movement Of our forces on either
Charleston or Savannah would he easy fiom
this point should the reduction of those places
be on the prog ramme o! Sherman's and Du-I
pOutIs coming operations.