The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-11-20
tsarticulara Of the Success Of the
Expedition.
FoKrREss Monroe. Nov. .l2.


The steamer "Bienvilee' has just arrived
at Old Point from the Great Expeditiop--
She left Port Royal on Sunday morning and
brings cheering intelligence. Capt. Stecd.
man, however, left her at this place, and pro-
cecds drec. to Washington with dispatches
and trophies, two brass cannon and secession
| flags.
He reports that the gale enc untcrcd by
the fleet was very severe. The Union and
Osceola went ashore and were lost, as pre-
viously reported. The Governor foundered
at sea, but the Isaac T Smith succeeded
in saving all her crew, with the exception of
a few mariners.
| The feet arrived at Port Royal OH Monday
the 4th en- Tuesday the smaller gun-boats
rounded in the channel under a fire froEs
the forts, which did no damage. On Wednes.
day the weather prevented active operations.
but on Thursday morning 9th inst,) tie
men-of.war and the gunboats advanced to
the attack.
The attack commenced at 10 a. M, and
was hotly carried OIL on both sides, and last
ed about four hours, at the end of which
time, the rebels were compelled by the show
er of shells to abandon their works and beat
a hasty retreat
Our loss was eight men and one officer.
The Chief Engineer of the Mohican was
killed, and about 90 wounded
The rebel loss unknown 50 bodies were
found by our men and buried. All their
wounded, except two, were carried off.
Two forts were captured, Fort Walker, on
Hilton Head, mounting 81 guns, and Fort
Beauregard, on Bay Poins, mounting 10
guns of heavy calibre. The forts were new,
and splendid earthwork', of great strength
constructed IN the highest style of mill.
tary science, and pronounced by our engi-
neers as impregnable against any assault by
land forces.
The final retreat Of the rebels was a per-
feet rout. They left everything, arms and
equipments of all kinds, even to the officers
swords and commissions. All the letters
and papers, both publ: and private, order
Looks ard documents Of all kinds were left
in tteir flight, and fell into our hands, afford.
ing our officers much valuable information.
Among the papers was telegram from jeff
Davis to the commander of the post, inform
ing him ofthe sailing Of the feet, and that
he knew their destination t. be Port Royal.
The whole surrounding country was seized
with perfect panic.
The day after the fight, the Seneca and
two other gunboats proceeded TO Beaufort,
and found but one white man in the town,
and he was drunk. All the plantations up
the river seemed to be deserted except by
the negroes, who were seen in great numbers,
and who, as the boats passed, came down
to the shore with bundles in their hands, as
ifthey expected to be taken off, They seized
all the letters in the Post Office.
After the capture Of the forts, the whole
force, about $4,000 men, were safely landed
and established on shore. The forts were
but little injured, but the rebels could not
stand the explosion of our big shells.
The force of the enemy, as ascertained
from their papers, was 1900 men, under
Gen. Drayton, of South Carolina
Our victory is complete, the rebels leaving
everything but their lives, which they saved
by running. But four persons were found,
and two OF then, we're wounded.
AL hands of the feet are represented as
acting in the most gallant manner.