The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-11-14
BY i telegraph.
Afternoon Report.
Further from the Fleet.
Fl. Monroe, Nov. 12

=. AuoHfot5 NOV. LIZ
The steamer BIenville has just arrived
at Old Point from the great expedition
She left Port Royal on Sunday morning
and brings cheering intelligence Capt
Steedman however left her at this place
and proceeds direct to Washington with
dispatches and trophies-two brass can
non and secession flags. He reports the
gale encountered by the feet as being
very severe. The Union and Osceola went
ashore and Were lost, rs previously repor-
ted. The Governor foundered at sea, but
the Isaac /. Smith succeeded in saving all
her crew with the exception of few
mariners The fleet arrived at Port Roy
al on Monday the 4th Tuesday the
smaller gun boats rounded in the channel
under heavy fire from the forts which
did no damage. On Wednesday the
weather prevented active operations, but
on Thursday morning. the It'll inst, the
men of-war and the gun-boats advanced to
the attack. The action commenced at 10
q m. and was holly carried on on both
sides and lasted about four hours, at the
end of which time the rebels were COM
PEELED by the shower of shells to abandon
their works and beat hasty retreat
Our loss was eight men and officers.
The Chief Engineer Of the Mohican was
killed and about twenty wounded. The
rebel loss is unknown; SO bodies were
found by our men and buried. All their
wounded except two were carried Off
Two forts wern captured, Fort Walker
on Hilton Head. mounting 60 guns. and
Fort Beaurega,d on Bay Point, mount
ing ls guns, and Of heavy calibre. The
forts were both new and splendid earth
Works OF great strength, constructed In
the highest style Of military science, and
pronounced by our engineers as impreg-
nable against any land attack.
The final retreat of the rebels was a
perfect route. They left everything.
arms and equipments of all kinds, even
10 the officers swords and commissions
All the letters and papers, bonds, public
and private, order books, and docu nents
of oil kinds we've left in their flight and
fell into our hands. affording our officers
much reliable Information. Among the
payers was telegram from jeff. Davis |
TO the commander Of the post, informing
him of the sailing Of the fleet and that |
he knew their destination TO be Port
ROYAL.
The whole surrounding country was
seized with perfect panic. The day af-
ter the fight he Sereca and two other gun
boats proceeded to Beaufort and found |
but one white man in the town and he
was drunk All the plantations up The
river seemed 10 be deserted except by the
negroes, Who were seen in great numbers
and who, as the boats passed, came down
10 the shore with bundles in their hands |
40 it they exp. cted to be taken off -
They seized all The letters in the pos,of
fee.
After the capture of the forts, the
whole force, about $1,000 men. were
safely landed and established on the
shore. The forts were but little injured,
bat the rebels could no, stand the explo-
sion OF our big shells. The force of the
enemy, as ascertained from their papers.
WIS 1000 men, undar Gen. Drayton of
South Carolina.
Our victory is complete. the rebels
leaving everything but their lives, which
they saved by running. But four pris-
oners were found and two Of them were
All hands Of the fleet are rep.
resented AS acting in the most gallant
manner. The reporters who accompan-
led the expedition from New York are on
the Bienyile with full details.