Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-22
The Federal Coast RaId-gorshern
SpecuIatiOns

SpecuIations.
The 81. Louis Republican of the 18th inst,
in announcing the landing Of the Federal
feet at Port Royal, INDUCES in some dreamy
speculations, which give us fair idea OF the
Northern mind regarding the true status of
affairs in the South. 1t also developes a
marvellous ignorance of the spirit of our
people and the determination with which
they have entered into this war. The fol-
lowing is the article, the preface being
mere description of Port Royal harbor and
the adjacent country:
Port Royal is fifteen miles northeast fro m
toe mouth of the Savannah river, and is, in
all respects, the most eligible point along the
southern coast for effecting hostile landing
The entrance TO the harbor is one of the
best below Norfolk; and the harbor itself is
large enough TO admit of The anchorage
and movements of the whole fleet. The city
of Beaufort is situated on the east side OF the
harbor, on Port Royal Island with popula
ton of about one thousand. The harbOr
runs into and commands Beaufort county,
which constitutes the southern extremity of
South Carolina. The population OF the dis
trict in 1850 was Sc, S05, of which only $500
were free.
The chief staples of the district are cotton,
rice, Indian corn, and sweet potatoes. Beau
fort is one of the most popuious districts in
South Carolina. The surrounding country
is level plain. but little elevated above the
sea; the soil is alluVial and sandy, well
adapted, apparently. for quartering troops,
and for the movements of an attacking army
Port Royal communicates almost directly.
by railroad, with both Charleston and Sa-
vannab a force moving up the river from
Beaufort city, would strike the Charleston
and Savannah railroad at point about fifty
miles from Charleston on the one hand and
fifty miles from Savannah on the other. The
acquisition of that road will, of course, be
enc of the first movements OF the eXpedi-
tionary army. giving, as it would, the COM
mand of both cities, and easy access to
them, besides cutting off the facilities of
transit and transport from the rebels.
A glance at the accompanying map shows
that the possession OF this point will give
Gen. Sherman access to the most important
part of the Southern coast, and enable him
to attack in the rear the Notifications of
Charleston aud Savannah. The possession
of Beaufort, in fact. must result in the spec.
dy possession of the whole of South Carolina
and Georgia This point of the coast is sit
uated directly opposite the most Southern
extremity of Kentucky. A military line
drawn from Port Royal TO the Cumberland
mountains would cut rebellion compile ely
in two, and thereby annihiate rebellion. The
intention Of the War Department probably
is rather to make this a base Of operations
for securing the whole Southern coast.
So long as onr troops may find it necessa-
~ to remain in the district of Beaufort they
are sure of fine quarters. 1t is the most fer
tile part of the State, and abounds in the
neeessaries of subsistence. The probability
is that they will capture no ineoGsiderable
amount of valuable commodities. They will
probably find few thousand tales of the
finest Sea Island cotton, which, at the pres
ent price of that staple would prove most
valuable prize.
The annual value OF crops raised in this
district is $4,000, 900, very large proportion
of which must now be accumulated there. II
the property owners should prove persistent
in their disloyalty. the gains of the govern
men by confiscation must be considerable.
The possession of this harbor will enable
the North to open a new cotton port, where
the experiment may be tried as to how far
the cotton planters would avail themselves
of an opportunity OF selling their crops.