The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-11-26
HILI1SDALE, MICH, TUESDAY, NOV. 90, fS61.a
men from their guns aud making dreadful

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havoc. .f.f fFr q
The little steam tug Mercury, Mastor Com.
mandirg MARTA, gallantly steamed into a
shallow bav to the left Of the fort, mol more
than half a mile. distant, and presenting her
diminutive figure to the rebel guns, opened
upon them will her 80 FOUNDER Parro,t, which
was fired rapidly ard wi h good eject -
From her proximity to the fort, Capt. Mar
tin was probably the first to sce that the
rebels were preparing to evacuste the
place. In rear of the Notifications, ex-
tending about three fourtbs of mile, is q
broad meadow, bounded by dense woods
Across this open space the enemy was carry
ing his dead aud wounded. and wagons were
hurricdly removing the equpage Of The
camp. ...r..H - ..,I.....
The Mercury, steaming closer to the shore,
found that tho battery had been deserted,
and Immediately took the news to the flag
ship, which, by this time, with her sister
vessels, was coming up like Destroying
angel to renew the conflict. The Com
,nodors almost simultaneously received con-
firmation of the ,idings from other sour
ces, and even while listening 10 the words Of
the messenger, the rebels struck their flag
The signal to cease firing was at once hoist
ed, and it being precisely q o'clock, the bonn
bardment had been nearly five hours in pro
gress.
Tie flagship lowered boat and sent il
ashore, carrying flag of truce in the bow, and
our own proud banner at the stem. It's mis-.
sion was to inquire il the enemy bad surren
dere'. Comnaut John Rodgers, psssen-
ger on the Wabash, who had come down to
join his vessel, the Flag, now blockading on
Charleston, and had been acting during the
fight ms aid to Commodore Dupont, was as
signed the duty Of taking the flag ashore
Himself aud crew were unsrmed, but th ey
found no one to receive them. He planted
the American ensign npon the deserted ram
parts, and took possession Of the rebel soil Of
South Carolina in the majesty Of the United
States. Another and larger Star Spangl"d
Banner was afterwards displayed upon the
f,g staff Of building few rods to The left !,
VIII re- the rebel standard had waved during
the combat, aud whence it had just been tax en-
down. U
Commodore Tatnall and his gunboais dis
appeared in the early part of the enpaUe
ment. He sent few shots towards the flee,
but as usual his boats we've not near ennugh
to d. us injury Much regret was felt that
neither of our fast steamers pursued and cap.
tured the Commodore. He W, uld lave been
an interesting prisoner. Among the papers
found in the secession garrison was one from
Mr.. Tatnall, in which be promised em
phalicalIy to General Dray'on, who COM
manded the rebel forces, that tie gun
boats should be brought down from Savan-
nah, and that they should share the fate OF the
forts. The promise was kept, and the fate was
shared-tbe latter much earlier than was nee.
essary.
From the best data that could be obtain
ed. two thousand shot and shell were de.
vered by the feet Individual cases Of gal
lantry were numerous. The mea fought with
determined bravery; they worked on coolly,
and he silence was only broken BY an occa.
sioual cheer when some marked effect was
noticed by the firing.
Every vessel engaged in the action wa.
more or less cut up, although none we're in
jured so badly as to make it necessary to re.
turn home for repairs. The Wabash, the
largest vessel in the fleet, singled out az
the special ts,get Of the eaemy's fire. Thir
ty-four shots struck her.
TUE LANDING.
The transports had been lying during the
engag, ment with their anchors shove
short" ready TO ruB up TO the fort With their
troops at the first sign Of victory. Immediate
ly they got under way, and the boats were
being collected for the purpose Of disembarks
tion.
The limited means for landing made the
operation one Of the sloweI and most tedius
I have ever witnessed. Wrights Brigade was
first put as ore, consisting of the New Hamp
shire fourth, Col. Thomas J. Whipple; Con.
nectcut Sixth. Liert. Col VIM G. Ely Con-
nectcut Seventy, Col. Allied H Terry: Maine
Ninth, Col. Richworth Rich.
Evidences Of the wild confusion-nay, the
alrct teror-in which the rebels had left the
fort, were abundant everywhere. There were
twenty three guns in the work. only three of
which had been dismounted by our FIRE, and
not one of the i,Uiainder had been spiked
Several, indeed, were loaded, ready for our
men TO defend themselves in case they should
bs attacked; while the magazines, OF which
there were three 10 the Fort, contained avn
muniton enough to withstand very large
siege.
The encsmpment, consisting Of about 80
tents TO the left of the fortificalions, indca;.
cd, if anything, more plainly than the fort,
how buriedly its late occupants had decamp
ed. Most Of the tents had h'en undisturted :.
Officers furniture, usiforms, dress swords,
small stores, with here and there an article
which told tha. even in camp the war; io,s
had not been bereft Of the society Of their
wives, mothers and sisters. were left a. sig.
nfcsut tell tales Of a srdden departure
Over the meadow, To which before alluded
we're scattered blankets, knapsacks. (some Of
which. singularlv enough. we're recognize d NJ
tLosc which had been cast away by our panic
stricken troops at Bull Bun,) muskets bay
oneis, cartridge boxes, and a few dead mules
and broken yehicles-not mp wagons but
family carriages which had been used to carry
away the dead and wounded. was after
wards told by slave that the rebels, be.
leved their position to be impregnsble, and
confident of sinking the ships, had invited
the lalIes Of the peighborbood to CONS down
AID see our cbastisement. Many did
so, and the broken carriages in the field that
had conveyed them tbitber, but in view of
ha raanlt oe ha 61bt tbaao