Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-11-14
THE DAY OF THE BATTLE.

only such scanty rest aud rereShment chance afford
cd
THE OF THE BATTLE.
| Thursday dawned glorously upon our wearie4 but
undaunted gunners and all felt that the day of trial had
at last arrived Scarcely had breakfast been despatch
ed, when the hostile feet observed in commotion.
The great war steamers formed rapidly in single file,
and within supporting distance Of each other, the fri
gate Minnesota, the flag ship of Com. dupont. in the
van AS the long line of formidable looking vessels,
thirteen in number, most Of them powerful propeers,
with few sailing men-ofwar in tow, swept rapidly and
ma3stlcay in, with ports open and briStIng With guns
OF the heaviest caibre the sight grand anl imp0s
ing. This at half past eight o'clock. Until the
MianesOta within The range Of and directly OppO
site TO our batteries Hilton Head, III still
Suddenly, the fifteen heavy guns of Fort Walker,
which had been aimed directly at the huge trigate
beched forth their Simultaneous fire, and the ac-
ton WIS hgun. Almost immediately afterwards,
The batteries Of Fort Beaurcgard, the other side
OF the entrance, also opened their fire. The enemy
at first did not reply. But as the second steamer came
oppos e to Fort Walker the hus Of the first three
suddenly wrapped in smoke, and the shot and shell Of
three tremendous broadsdes making in AL, seventyfve
guns, came crashing against works. From this
moment, the bombardme1t terrific and incessant.
One by one the prOpeers bore down upon our Forts,
delivered their fire they passed. until nine had gained
tie interior OF the barbOr beyond the range OF our
The Minnesota still followed by the Others then tur0ed
round aud steamed slowly out, giving br0adsde to
Fort Beauregard as she repassed. fhaS the battle was
continued, the enemy's vessels sailing IN an elptlcaI
curve pouring one broa3sle int0 Bay Point and then
sweeping around to deliver the other against Hilton
Head This furious fire from four hundred guns,
many o. them of the ll-inch Ddhgren pattern and
some of 13-i0ch bore (or sab0t of that diam
eter found in Fort Beauregard) main
tanned necessarily, ed the roar OF the cannon
AIDE seemed most continuous Meanwhile garri-
sons making gallant defence. They kept ~ q
vigorous and well directed fire against their assaiauts
and Notwithstanding that their best gun was dsmount-
ed at the beginning of the action they succeeded in set
ting fire to several OF the ships. Whenever this hap
pened however, the enemy would haul off and soon ex
tingush the flames. The effect OF our guns was, ID
many instances, plainly visible from the Forts. AL
though the sides OF the Minnesota Of massive
strength several Of her ports knocked into
Nor she the only vessel upon which this evidence
of the power OF our fire could be Many OF the
other steamers were kewis badly bucd,
After some time spent liz sailing round and delivering
their broad5ides in rotation, in the manner have de-
scrbed the eneys STEAMERS adopted another and more
successful plan OF attack One If them took position
inside the Dor 50 as nade the batteries of Fort
Walker, while several opened simultaneous eniadlng
fire from the outside. Besides this terrific fire
two OF the largest steamers maintained the tire N front
of the Fort Thus three furious convergng streams Of
shot and shell raind amongst the brave little gar
rs0n for hours The vessels came ur within half-mt
of the shore, but nearly all guns had by this time
become dsmOunted and no longer able to reply
: with serious effect.
!, Soon after | | O'clock the batteries of Bay Poin
, were senced The fire of Fort Walker, far tht
t guns that remained were concerned, was not viii
slackened until o'clock, By that time the dreaeu
condition OF the Fort became too apparent to be Longer
dsregarded The guns lay in every direction, dlsman
tied and useless the deenses terribly shattered TIT
dead and dying to be every side, and still
J. the iron hail poured pitilessy in.
FORT WALKER ABAND oNED.
In this strait it was determined abandon the fort
A long waste about mile in extent and commando
by the enemys guns interviewed between the garrison
and the woods. Across this they were ordered to ru
for their lives each for himself the object being
1t scatter them as much as possible so as rot to afford
target fer the ried guns of the fleet The preparation
is for running this perilous gauntlet soon made.
KnapsackS Abandoned bat the men retained thel
re muskets Each of the wounded placed in blanke
and carried off by four men, The safety of the ivin
b precluded the idea OF removing the dead. And thu
the gallant little band Quilted the of their glory
10 and scampered off, each best he could toward
1t the woods. The retreat was covered by small de
es tachment who remained IN the Fort for an hour ate
ID their comrades had left Among those who RENAME
were Capt. Harms, with six men, Lieut. Mechers wit
ne tour men and Lieut. Bischof with four men, Thes
worked three guns until about two O'clock when the
m also Quilted the post.
n The abandonment of Fort Beauregard was equally
A necessity The garrison exhausted and in rnt
te mentary danger OF being cut off. When COL Dune
~ want ordered retreat tears of modification and inde
nation filed the eyes of Captain Elliott at the sad nj
ve cessity. The retreat admirably conducted, an
rendered entirely successful by the prudent energy
Capt Hanekel, one of General Ripleys Aids who ha
q GOT together some twelve fats at Station Creek
st which the troops passed safely over to ST. Helena
land From there they passed to Beaufort Island, an
reached the train at P6cotaigo without the loss
D. Jury of man. In this Fort none were killed. and bl