Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-11-29
Visit to BeaufOrt--COnditiOn of the Place
--Pillage of the Blacks, &c.


Correspondence ofthe New York Express.1
H1LToN's HEAD, Port Royal, S. c.,
November 13, 1861.
Yesterday Commodore Dupont and Gen
eral Sherman, accompanied by Captain
Davis, the fleet Captain, Captain John
Rodgers and Capt. G. P. R. Rodgers, of
the Wabash, and other officers of the nary,
went on the gunboat Seneca, Capt Am
men, as far up the Port Royal river as Beau
fort, to examine the condition of that desert
ed town. l was permitted to accompany
them, and make haste TO write down while
the impression is still recent an account of
one Of the saddest scenes l ever witnessed.
We got under weigh at about noon, and as
Beaufort is only some fifteen miles up the
river, in about an hour we were in sight of
its lofty porticos and clustering gardens
1t is a small place, occupied in summer by
many of the wealthiest planters Of South
! Carolina, who resort to it for its delicate
ocean air; 1000 or more are usually there
as late in the season as November, but in
the winter the population is not more than
500. The houses are mostly wooden, with
succeed fronts, spacious verandahs and
high porches, they stand along the shore
in gardens crowded with orange and lemon
trees, fragrant jessamines, magnolias and
huge cactuses, gorgeous in crimson and
yellow. AS we sailed leisurely along in
the admirable little craft, which is not yet a
month old, and has been chrstined already
in three fights, resulting so VIGOROUSLY, fiat
t, a1
with plunder could be seen making thei
way speedily across the stream. Two 9th
er gunboats lay off in the river, to guarC
against the return of rebel troops. On tho
wharves, lazy black or two stood basking
in the sun and staring at strangers. We
landed in small boats, the Captain of the
Wabash having brought his launch, which
was armed with rihed cannon, and filled
with sailors, each carrying a musket. The
> officers of the party were all armed. Nc
sooner had we put foot on shore than the
melancholy experiences Of the day began
A warehouse on the wharf had been broker
in and its contents pillaged; the relics o
stores of food were strewn around, empty
barrels, broken doors and windows, cases
of liquor or oil overset, and wsnton des
. truction of every sort perpetrated upon th'
. property and this is but sample Of wha
, we were destined to meet at every stop
: All the shops and stores were rifed; tn
Post Post Office despoiled, and on tho door
steps some fragments only told what hac
once been within. Not white man wa
/, to be seen, besides those of our party
) Capt. Rodgers of the Wabash, immediate
ly distributed his men around so as 4
guard against surprise. and gave strict or
5 ders that not an article should be removes
from tho village. The negroes whom W
It had seen before landing had got away will
their plundor, but other groups lounges
around, touching their hats to us, or in de
fault of hats, pulling their shaggy wool, an,
seemed anxious to talk. We asked wher
I were the white people: "All gone, masss
J. gone do day of the OBJ de fight, left we be
Q hind" Their story was uniform. Thei
! masters had fled with tho greatest precip
{ tation so soon as the firing commenced a
7 Port ROYAL. Some indeed had left eve
earlier, but no one now remained. The
= had endeayored to persuade or force th
: blacks to accompany them, but in vain.
The negroes remained, and others ha
come from the surrounding country, and a
indiscriminate pillsgeof the town had take
r place. The testimony of the blacks wi
unanimous that the "niggers" were robbin