The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-11-28
rHE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL.
Rebel Account Or the Affalr.
tFron shs chads..on Hsreuy.I

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Rebel Account OF the Affair.
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J tFron The chahsston Rercuyl
The battle Of Port Royal will be re.
membered as one Of the best fought and
best conducted battles which have signal
Iized the war in which we are engaged
| If General Ripley had been appointed q
General in oommsDd two months sooner,
Everything would have been in better
state of preparation. But these two
months were wasted in doing nothing for
our defense Within the time lett ohinl
Gen. Ripley did all that untiring energy
aud skill could accomplish to put our
coast in state Of preparation. The two
islands Of Hilton Head and Bay Point,
with their extreme limits, constitute the
Two points which guard the entrance to
Port Royal Sound, about three miles in
width. On these two points two forts
we're erected Fort Walker on Hilton
Head, and Fort Beauregard. on Bay Point
The time we possessed enabled us to make
them only earthworksa awishout any pro-
lection from shells or bombs. 'a is...
The Island Of Hilton Head was com
maudsd by Gen. Drayton. The officers
Immediately experimenting the artillery
and conducting the fires OF Fort Walker,
were Col. Wagner. Major Arthur Hugar,
aud Capt. Yates Of the Irregular service, es
Ipecially detailed By Gen. Ripley 10 aid 10
directing the artillery. Col. Dunovaut
commanded at Fort Beauregard, but he
generously allowed, Capt Elliott of the
Beaufort Artillery, ".o direct and conduct
the batteries of the fort. The day was
beautiful--calm and clear. with scarcely
ia cloud in the heavens just such day
as our invaders would havs ordained, il
they could. to carry on their operations
THE DAY OF THE BATTLE. e'ai
Thursday dawued goriously upon oul
wearied but undaunted gunncrs, and all
felt that the day of trial had a. last arriv,
ed. Scarcely had Breakfast been dis
patched. when the hostile feet was Oh.
served in commotion. The great war
steamers formed rapidly in single file, and
within supporting distance Of each other,
the frigate Wabash, the flag ship of Com
Dupont in the van. As the long line o.
formidable looking vessels, thirteen mum,
Der. most Of them powerful propellers,
with few sailing men-of- war in tow,
swept rapidly aud majestically 10, with
! ports open and bfisting with guns Of the
heaviest caliber, the sight was grand and
imposing. This was 81 O'clock. Until
the Minnesota came within range OF and
directly opposite our batteries on Hilton
Head, all was still. Suddenly the fifteen
heavy guns Of Fort Walker, which had
been aimed directly at the huge frigate,
IbelcbeG forth their Sisnultapeous fire, and
, the action was begun. "r~
Almost Immediately afterward, the bat
teries of Fort 3eauregard, on the Other
side OF the entrance, also opened theil
fire. The enemy at first did not re.
ply. But. as the second steamer came
opposite to Fort Walker, the hulls Of the
FIRST three were suddenly wrapped in
smoke, and the shot and shell Of three
tremendous broadsides, making. in all,
seventy five guns. came crashing against
our works. "
From this moment the bombardm
was incessant and terrific; one by one the
propellers bore down upon our forts, de.
livered their fire as they passed. until nine
had gained the interior OF the barbor,
, beyond the range of our guns, The
Minnesota still followed by the others,
then turned round and steemed slowly
out, giving a broadside to Fort Beaure.
, gard as she repassed. Then the ba tie
, was continued, the enemy's vessels sail,
, ing in an elliptical course, pouring one
, broadside Into Bay Point, and then
sweeping around to deliver the other a.
gainst Hilton Head. This furious fire
, from 400 guns, many of them the / |
5 inch DahIgreen pattern, and some even
D l3 inch bore (for sabot of that diameter
t was found in Fort Beauregurd,) was nam
!. tanned necessarily and the loar Of the can.
nonade seemed continuous.
Meanwhile our garrisons were making
a gallant defense. They kept up vigor
Gus and we'll ll.directed FIRE against theil
assailants, and, Notwithstanding thsi
best gun was dismounted at the begin
: ming of the action. they succeeded in set
ting fire to several of the ships. When
ever this happened. however, the enemy
would haul off and soon extinguish th,
flames. The effect of our guns was, il
many instances, plainly visible from lh'
Q forts. Although the sides of the MINES
ia are Of massive strength, several Of he
ports were knorked into one Nor wa
I she the only vessel upon which this evi
dence Of the power of our fire could b
seen. Many Of the other steamers wer'
likewise badly huled
After some time spent in sailing rounC
i. and delivering their broadsides in rota
y ton in the manner we have described, tn
enemy's steamships adopted another an,
q more successful attack. One Of then
n tJok o position insde the h-rbor. SO a
D. to enfilade the batteries of Fort Walker
8 while several opened simultaneous en-
!, 6ladiug Gre from the outside. Beside
u this terrific cross.fIre, two Of tho larges
's steamers maintained the FIRE Of the fort. =
q Thus three furious converging streams 0
}; shot and shell were rained amongst tn
J brave little garrison for hours. Tho yes
! sels came up within half mile Of tn
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