Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-11-20
Report of General Sherman.

UEADQUARTERs ExPEDITIoSARY CORPS.
Port Royai, S. G., November s, 1861.
II the Adjtan General United States -Army,
Washington d. c.
Sri have the honor to report that the
force under my command embarked at An
napolis, Maryland, on the 2lst of October,
and arrived at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on
the 22d.
In consequence Of the delay in the arrival
Of some ofour transports ard the unfaVorable
state Of the weather, the feet was unable to
set out for the Southern coast until the 29th,
when under the convoy Of naval squadron
under the command Of Commodore Dupont,
and after the most mature consideration Of
the objects Of the expedition by that Flag
Officer and myself, it was agreed to first re-
duce any works that might be found at Port
Royal, South Carolina, and thus open the
finest harbor on the coast that exists south of
Hatteras.
1t was calculated to reach Port Royal in
five days at most, but in consequence ad
verse winds and periOus storm - day
and night of the first Of November, the feet
arrived at Port R)ya! bar not until the fourth
and then but in part, for it had been almost
entirely dispersed by the gale, and the vessels
have been Struggling in up 20 this date. The
transport steamers Union. BeiVidere, Osceola
and Peerless have not arrived. Two of them
are known to be lost, and it is probable all are.
1t is gratifying, however, to say, that none Of
the troops transports connected with the land
forces were lost, though the Winfield Scoot
had to sacrifice her whole cargo, and the Ro.
anoke a portion of her cargo, TO save the lives
Of the regiments on board the former will be
enabled to again put to sea. The vessels
connected with the naval portion Of the feet
have also suffered much, and some have been
lost After careful reconnaissance of Port
Royal bay, it was aScertained that the Rebels
had field works Of remarkable strength,
strongly garris0ned and covered by feet Of
three gunboats, under Captain Tatnall, late
of the United States Navy, besides strong land
forces which the Rebels were concentrating
from Charleston and Savannah.
The troops of the Rebels were afterward as.
eertained to have been commanded by Gener-
al Drayton. One of the forts, and probably
the strongest, was situated on Hilton Head,
and the other two on Phillips Island 1t was
deemed proper to first reduce the fort on Hill
ton Head, though to do this greater or less
fire might have to be met from the batteries
on Bay Point, at the same time our original
plan Of cooperation of the land forces in this
Gttack bad to be set aside in consequence of
the loss during the voyage of greater por
tlon Ot ear means Cf dIsembarkmcnt together
with the fact that the OnI point where the
troops should have landed was from five to
six miles, measuring around the intervening
shoal, from the anchoriag place of our trans
ports, altogether too great Il distance for sue
cassfu! debarkatiOn with our limited means
1t waH. therefore, ageeed that the place should
be reduced by the naval force alone. In
consequence of the shattered condition Of the
lect, aEd, the delay in the arrival Of vessels
that were indispensable for the attack. it had
10 he postponed until the 7th inst. | was
1nere spect tor Of the combat, and it is not
my province 10 render any report of this ac-
ton, but deem it an imperative duty to saw
that the firing and maneuvring of our fleet
against that Of the Rebels and their formida-
ble land batteries was master piece of actig-
jty and professional skill that must have ellie
ited the applause of the Rebels themselves as
a tactical operation. | think that to, much
praise cannot be awarded to the science and
skill exhibited by the Flag Officer of the Ma.
val Squadron and officers connected with his
ships. l deem the performance a mastery
one, and ought to have been seen to be fully
appreciated. After the works were reduced
4 took possession of them with the land for
crs. The beautifully constructed work on
Hilton Head was severely crippled, and man
OF the guns dismounted. Much slaughter had
evlCently been made there many bodies hav
ing been buried in the fort, and some twenty
or thirty were found some half mile distant
The Island for many miles wasfouud strewed
with arms and accoutrements aud baggage
OF the Rebels, which they threw away in their
nasty retreat. We have also come into DOS
'sesslon Of about forty pieces of ordnance
most OF which arc of the heaviest calibre aud
the most approved models, and large quaint
~ OF ammunition and camp equipage.
1t is my duty to report the valuable seryi
ces Of Mr.. Bouteile, Assistant in the Coas
Survey. Assisting me with his accurate and
extensive knowledge of this country, his ser
vices were invaluable to the army as we'll al
- the navy, and | earnestly recommend thai