The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-19
Federal Operations at Port Rsyat and
the Vicinity Of Savannah.

Ne"s Hom fors Royal mp to the 4th inst.
hiss been received In the North The New
York 7imss's correspondent gives the follow
ing:
There were no gunboats remaining at Per.
Royal, all OF them having been sent up War
saw Sound to intercept Intercourse and cut
on supplies between Fort Pulaski and Sa-
vannah. the result of this movemei {, IL
successful, u Ill b. exceedingly disastrous to
the fort, as u receives all its supplies from
Savannah. This boats, to the mum Der o; i5
were stationed about five miles to the rear of
the fort, awaiting further orders About
tensthousand troops embarked On the expe-
dreon. -
1t is generally believed at Port Royal that
Savannah will be in possession Of the Natioa-
al force within a short time. The troops un.
der Gen. Sherman are sery much dissatisfied
with their present inc ctivlty. They were
greatly disappointed in not receiving orders
weeks ago. to march either upon Savannah
or Charleston.
On the 2lst day Of January, the emea,ka.
taon OF several n giments OF troops, and oth''r
a.tive preparations betokeniII an expedition
OF some naEnitude, Eave rissl.o iiyely hopes
that something was dbout to 3, accomplished
after SO long period OF inactivity. Savan.
nah was generally supposed ~ De Its destina-
tion. Notwithstanding, however, thst pe~
riOO OF nearly three Weeks has eta psed since
the $. ling Of the expedition, as yet nothing
important has been accomplished.
1s would not, perhaps, be pradent 10 give a
numerical statement OF the entire force, mas.
much as the Objects of The expedition have
not been accomplished; sutfice II to say. that
It consists OF BON land aad naval tofces, ci
such strength as TO indicate u very import
ant movement. The troops were quietly and
expeditlOusly embarked, every pl pleparatioh
was hurriediy made, and the fiset wouia
comment had not five days Of stormy w.a,n.
or prevented its Departure. The troops are
under command OF Gen. wright, whit.
the naval force, consisting Of SIX gunooals--
tho Ottawa, Seneca, Petanaka, western
World, Isaac Smith, and Eilen-were com.
manded by UspI. DAVIS.
The morning OF the 26 !h proving clear and
prOpitlOuS-aftera period Of Stormy " ea the.
vi longer duration than aEy we haveye
perieAced hefe-the 1leet sailed, and on lhe
Afternoon OF the same day cast anchor liz
warsaw SOUND, large bay which maAes III
south OF Ty5ee Island. curing the nigh,
soundings were mace, and the next NOR IIng
the gunDOats entered wilmington NarroWs--
narrow channel Will. h IEns wlttiL two
miles OF Fort Pulaski. and nearly paiaiiei
with t0e Savannah river, which 1t enters
about three miles above For; Js.kson. poE
passing Fort Pulaski great bustle and &C Ily
" as 6 bser we'd, as II they were endeav orirg "
get heavy gun TO beal upon this channel in
order 20 gave US d salute as We passed tu !,
our active Httie guDbC We're out Oi run : e
before their purpose CO uid be accom- y, ,sA ed
| Following lbls river, which WINDS LnronX h
fai, sWampy lands, The gonboats proce
| tor q distance of f1ve miles, " nen d row OF
piles was discovered stretching from bank to
bank, ,obstructlng the enamel nnJ preventing Z
| our Iurther progress. Here the gunboats
CANE TO anchor, and General Wright, W ho
had accompanied the RECONNAISSANCE ou los rd
| the ottawa, o,sem oarked TWO companies OF
| the Sixth LOnAec tiSut Re- imeGL To reVouU.i. &.
| are on each bank of the river, White lie p,o-
| cteled in q rowboat 10 vA.hin a short dIs-
| lance OF the Savannah, aseertaining tne
] depth and position OF the channel ana the
| nature OF the o0structious placed thsre tju
i nv "a ~ ,Iuy ff-..,
and house, but the ,I.a. was deserted, ana
no Signs OF liie con.a % seen any where. e
river, except 1T high water, they re.
manned here ALI hixat. ia the mex;
l morning TatnaPs h-et of Ave side. v n .;
steamers were seen coming down the Saya,,.
| nah river, putting forth voiunies Of de. SO
| black smoke. Iney we1e tyWlAs TWO nulks
| evidently intenoed for sinkiaH somewhere
| A strip OF swamp land, Only IniIe ana q
| half Wlde, separated ,nem from our sun boa u
| and as they passed within good raEge DO ID
| sides were ~ their gus, eacn wal tip Z tor IN.
other 10 speak first. Our officers ere anx
iOus for The order from .apt. DAVIS, to che,
| upon the saucy little rebel craft; but ii d, /,
| not come, and a shade CT GIsappointIne ai
| passed over their faces as they saw then
| passing without shot from either side
| Bat TalnaIl had no in ten ton vi allowing IN,
oppor tunity to pass, and Turning bacs, hi
| little steamer-tne navannan--Glsch=rsa ,
| solid shot, which fell short THIS fr!.nul,
token was rep.isd to by a she'll from tn
| Ottawa, which reached them, but did II
| damage. 1t was received with grim salis ;
| faction by the officers of our other gunboa,s a
| the signal tor an Interchange OF shot, an
l they opened on tee rebel ieet with 4 we'll
| directed fire Of shells, which proved yer
damaging to them, while all their shot tel
! short ana did US nc injury whatever. TIA,
nails vessel was struck twice, once amid
, ships by a shell from the Ottawa, and dam
aged SO severely that her nag was lowese
and another vessel came to TER assista Nc
AID tOwed her off. The other vessels wei
/, all more or less damaged, many of our sh III
, striking them frequeL tlv and silencing th.
fire They sCoI Wi.hdrew from their position
and made their way buck TO savannah.