Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-11-14


was blown off. do not regret it now, except
on their account ! "beleye my plan was
clever
Their confidence was extreme that they
could drive us away. They fought bravey
and their ritled guns never missed. An S0.lb,
rifle bail went through our mainmast in the
very center, making an awful hole They
aimed at our bridge, where they knew they
could make a hole, if they were lucky. A
shot in our hell let water into the after maya
zine but | saved a hundred lives by keeping
under way and bearing in close. We found
their lights gradually at six hundred yards.
When at last they broke. the stampede was
intense, and not a gun of theirs was spiked.
In truth, | never conceived Of such fire as
that OF this ship on her second turn, and l am
told that its effect on the spectators outside of
her was most intense.
learn that when our troops saw our flag
flying on shore they were powtress to cheer,
but wept. Gen. Sherman was deeply affected,
| aud the soldiers are loud and unstiulug in
| their expressions OF admiration and gratitude.
| The works are most scientifically constructed
and there is nothing like fort Walker on the
| Potomac | did not allow the victory TO check
our ardor but dispatched some vessels under
| Capt. Gis, over to the other side today. |
sent an expedition TO Beaufort to save the light
vessels, but they were fired Instantly after tho
surrender Beaufort is deserted.
The negroes are wild with Joy and revenge
They have been shot down, they say, like
dogs because they would not go off with their
masters. l have already boat at Sorre
Creek and the communication between Sa-
yannah and Charleston is cut off
PARTICULARS OF THE Battle.
Dispatches sent from those who came in the
Bienvil'e give the following account of Com
FORTRESS MONROE, Nov 12-The steam
ship Bienvlle has arrived at Old Point from
the great expedition She left Port Royal,
Sunday morning, and proceeds at once to New
York. Capt. Steedman left her at this place,
and proceeds direct to Washington with dis
patches and trophies.
The fleet arrived at Port Royal on Monday,
the 4th inst. On Tuesday the smaller gun.
boats rounded into the channel under a fire
from the forts, which did no damage. On
Wednesday the weather prevented active op.
eratons but on Thursday morning, the TN,
the menofwar and the gunbcats advanced to
the attack The action commenced al ten
o'clock, and lasted about four hours, when the
rebels were compelled by the shower OF shells
to abandon their works and beat hasty re.
treat. Our loss was eight men aud one officer
1.-THE chief engineer OF the Ohican) killed, and
twenty wounded The rebel loss is not
known. Fiity-two bodies were found by our
men and buried. All their wounded except
two were carried OIL.
Two forts wore captured--Fort Walker, on
HiltOn's Head, mounting 20 guns, and Fort
Beauregard Cd Bay Point mounting 10 guns
The guns were OF heavy caliber. The forts
are both new aud splendid earthworks, Of
great strength, constructed in the highest style
OF military science, and are pronounced by our
engineers rs impre enable against any assault
by land forces.
The final retreat of the rebels was perfect
rout. They left everything, arms and equip.
ments of all kinds, even to the officers swords
and commissions. All the letters and papers,
both public and private, order books and doc.
uments Of all kinds, We're lett in their flight,
and fell into our hands, atlording our officers
much valuable information Among the papers
was telegram from jeff Davis, to the com
mander OF the post, informing him of the sail
ing of the fleet, and tn he knew their deSti
nation to be Port Royal Query-Who was
the traitor
The whole surrounding country was seized
with perfect panic. The day after the fight
the Seneca and two other gnnboats, under the
command OF Lieut.. ADmem, proceeded up TO
Beaufort, aud found but one white man in the
town, and he was drunk All the plantations
up the river seemed TO be deserted except 5y
the negroes, who we're seen in great numbers,
and who as the beats passed, came down TO
the shore with bundles in their hands, as if
expecting to be taken OIL Oar men seized all
the letters in the post office at Beaufort.
After the capture Of the forts, the whole
army, about fifteen thousand men were safely
landed and established On the shore. The
forts were but little injured, but the rebels
could not stand the explosion of our shells.
The force Of the enemy, as ascertained from
hon 4rft To- tlt,,,,g
men, under Gen. Drayton Of South Carolina
Our victory is complete, the rebels leaving
every thing but their lives which they saved
by cunning.
}. S. Bradford, of the coast survey, bearer
OF dispatches, and Lieut.. r. II. Wy man. com
mander of the Pawnee, also arrived in the
Benvie, and take the boat to night for Baltl-
more.
The boats fl ON the Wabash were the first
to land after the fight, and CAPT john Rogers
was the first man on the shore. The boats
returned loaded with valuable trophies OF all
kinds, one OF our officers finding elegant
cavalry sword with solid silver scabbard
Swords, pistols, &C., were scattered about in
every direction, and in any quantity. But
four prisoners were found, and two of them
wounded.
Commander Drayt ton, who commanded the
Pocahontas, is the brother OF Gen Drayton,
who commanded one of the forts. Capt. Sted.
man, who brings the dispatches, is the son OF a
former mayor of Charleston.
The rebels retired across Skull Creek to a
village about twenty five miles in the interior,
where it is supposed they intend to make Il
stand. The negroes had already begun to
plllage and destroy Beaufort, while the inlab.
ltants fed to Charleston in small steamers, by
the inside route. Gen. Sherman has hundreds,
perhaps thousands of negro laborerS.
Ilprp i n. ot =, 10,
lieved its capture would be easy 1t is uuder.
stood that General Sherman will improve the
detenses OF his position before making any
| forward movement. In the forts was a large
| supply Of ammunition and stores OF the best
| description.
Commodore Dupont will Immediately sur.
vey the harbor, placs buoyS and erect lights,
and the position will be made permanent
basis Of operations. Every one entered tue
| fight with the determination that the forts
should be slenced though it cost our entire
feet. The fleet used five seconds fuses. and
| poured shells into the forts at the rate OF 1000
per hour. Not Il single shell sent by the reb.
els burst in ship
When our troops took possession of the forts
| they found the flag flying on lhe fort on Hill
tons Head. The rebels had mined the works
and fixed the halliards of the flag so that when
it should be drawn down the mine would be
| sprung. But in this they were disappointed
The halliards sprung a mine in the house used
by Ile officers, but did very little damage and
hurt 10 one. The magazines did not explode
large quantity Of powder was found in the
forts, with a large amount of English amInu-
milton and projectes