Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-11-27
THE BATTLE OF BEAUFORT.
Further Particulars and Incidents.

Further Particulars and Incidents.
ATTACK BY REBEL GUNBoATs.-Whilst sew
efal of our gunboats were engaged in taking
scundings, previous to the engagement, five
Rebel gunboats suddenly appeared from be-
hind head which had hitherto concealed
them. They boldly ran down, and. without
hesitation, engaged our gunboats. The skir-
quarters of an hour, and terminating in the
complete triumph of our boats, and the retire
ment of the Rebel steamers.
The PLAN OF ATTACK.-The attack was
simple, admirable and effective, being neither
more nor less than for the ships to steam in a
circle, or ellIpse, running close to one shore
as they came doDn the river, drifting or steam
ing as slowly as possible past the batteries
there, and paying their fiery respects, then
making the turn to go back, and as they went
up the river, favoring the other batteries with
similar compiment-the game to be contn-
ued I'D la blum, or until the rebel flag came
down.
The VESSELS MOVE INTO LINE.-At about
half-past nine O'Clock they began their mag
nifcent march. in an appointed order, as near
ly as it could be preserved. After making the
first round it was found feasible and more
effective to change slightly the plan, and pro-
ceed in single line, which was done in obe-
dience to orders signalled from the flagship.
The strangeness of the sight of this fine feet,
now so quiet, bnt bearing a more destructive
armament, moving so gracefully in precise
lines 70 bloody slaughter, the moody shores
where as yet the only moving things were the
waving palmetto trees and the fitting birds
and butterflies; and the know ledge that the
white decks were SO soon to be slippery with
blood, and the whittier sands of the beach so
soon to drink deeply of the same precious
fluid, was scarcely thought of by the excited
throng that looked so eargly on, and were on
ly anxious for the deadly work to begin.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE ACTl oN.--The action
commenced at precisely ten a. M, the first
shot being from the Hilton Head fortifcation
at the flag ship, and three guns were fired be-
fore We replied. The shots then elicited a
reply. The entire broadsides Of the Wabash,
composed of two batteries of twenty y-siX guns
each, and the pivot gun, at once poured in
their fearful storm of shells upon the batteries
on both sides of the river at once. The men,
who had stripped to their work, instantly re-
loaded the guns, and the frigate moved
with just sufficient speed to give her steerage-
way, and keep her under control, she bad the
battery in range for twenty minutes. After the
first fire she used only the starboard guns.
MORE REBEL BATTERIEs.-As soon as the
action fairly commenced, fact, that had be-
fore been merely suspected was plainly DEM
onstrated-that in the gunboat reconnaissance
of Tuesday morning, though that brisk affair
before its close assumed almost the proper
tions of battle, the rebels had, with their
customary shrewdness, concealed, or rather,
had not shown, the full strength Of their bat
teres. They now brought their full force in
to play, and disclosed several more guns than
they had used in the affair of Tuesday, but,
luckily, no more than we were fully prepared
to attend to.
The LoCATIoN.-The peculiar make of the
river is such that not more than eight of our
hrin fhair To fba
shore batteries at the same time, but even
then the sight was one of the most magnificent
conceivable. Eight vessels would deliver a
broadside of not less than fifty guns at single
fire, led by the battery of the Wabash of TWEEN
ty-seven guns, and each gun could be load
ed and discharged once in minute at the very
lowest estimate, and being in range about 20
minutes, it will be seen that more than fifty
bombs and other terribly destructive projec-
tiles were rained into the Hilton Head fortifi-
cation every minute that the feet was within
range.
EFFECT OF THE FIRING.--N othing could
stand before this fiery storm-guns were hurl-
ed from their carriages houses were Knocked
into heaps of mortar and brick, and beams and
boards the formidable fort walls, of the soli-
dest masonry, were in places torn and splin-
tered, and the tough trees, of the pitch pine
woods, were shivered twisted, wrenched, and
cut off like slender reeds.
REBEL ExpECTATIoNs.-The rebels had con-
fidently calculated on being able to sink the
entire fleet in twenty minutes, as we learn
ed from some copies of Southern papers, and
from some Of the rebel letters, many of which
fell into our hands, and in several of which
the result is confidently predicted, and was
looked upon almost as an accomplished fact.
The utter destruction of the entire expedition
was considered so positively assured, and
their belief in the ability of their batteries to
put effectual quietus upon Lincoln's fleet
was so perfect, that in one or two of the doc
uments the writers lamented the necessity
they should be under of sending the ships to
the bottom, when the Confederates are so
much in need Of ships. 1t was taken for
granted that the tremendous execution to be
done by their heavy guns would perforate the
hulls of our ships, and send them to the bot
tom instantly. Having this confident expec-
tation, the rebels looked eagerly after each fire
to see some of our ships go down. They espe-
cia lily concentrated their guns on the Wabash.
CHAGRIN OF THE REBELs.-The prisoners in
formed us that their officers were much sur
prised that the Wabash persisted in remaining
af1oat. When the ships had all passed their
battery in safety for the first time, and had
sspeppered them well," and had all got off
without apparent injury, the astonishment was
great, and the universal impression began to
prevail that there was some mistake. For the
second time the feet came steaming down;
for the second time they poured in that terrible
fire, dismantling the guns, shattering the
buildings, and stretching in death numbers of
their men and for the second time the fleet
passed on in safety, showing not the slightest
sign of any intention Of going to the bottom.
THIRD TERRIBLE ROUND OF THE FLEET
Without paying more attention to the barking
of the battery at Fort Beauregard, on Bay
Point, than to pitch them an occasional shot
merely to let them know they were not forgot
ten, for the third time the feet rounded their
circular track, and came slowly down to pay