Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-01-16
The War on the seacoast.


The War on the Seacoast.
Up to late hour yesterday evening, all
was quiet at the various military ports
long the sea coast. The enemy have threat.
ened to burn every house and out-build
ing they Gud deserted, and have already be-
gun their work of vandalism, having ap
piled the torch to the foe residences OF
Mr.. Adams, Mr.. Chaplin and MIR, VIM.
Fripp. The last named gentleman is we'll
known as having first introduced into use
an excellent seed for Sea island Cotton.
Three negroes from Barnwell Island, who
were taken at Pages Point on Monday,
report MIR. Trescot's house to have been oc-
cupied by party of Yankee officers
A few days ago, Major Jones, (from York
District Of Col. Duuovaut's Regiment
South Carolina Volunteers. sent three men
10 canoe, to small island of Cunning
hams Bluff, to burn the cotton house and
barns, which they succeeded in doing. The
enemy turned out as soon as they discovered
the fire, but they we're too late the party
had returned in safety, and the Major
merely threw a couple Of shells at the be
wildered Yankees, to let them know be
was there.
= On Monday evening, eight gun. boats
were reported of Mackay's Point Their
object in coming there was not known.-
Mackay's Point is on Port Royal River, at
the confluence of Pocetaligo, Coosawhstchie
. and Tulydnuy Rivers. Vessels drawing
twenty feet can come up as high as this
point. Near the spot where Col. Jones
lost his men, on the 1st, just at the side of
the causeway, lies 12-inch she'll, which
failed to explode. When discovered, it
created some surprise, owing to its being so
much larger than usual. 1t was thought
, at first to be 13.iach she'll, but being mea-
sured, proved to be nearl'' rty.slx inches
in circumference, and must uave been fired
from an 1linch Columbiad. This shows
the heavy calibre of the ordnance used by
the enemy. 1t also indicates that they
have larger and stronger class OF gun
boats thau had been generally supposed to
be in our waters The rapidity of the FIRE
proves that the Que gun boat 10 view on
New Years Day carried more than sim
gle gun.
While on the subject Of projectiles, we
may mention that quite number OF rlfed
shells have been found at Pages and Gun
pingham's Points. In length they mea-
sure twelve ioches, and in diameter about
four inches, with the end pointed. The
soldiers have veutured to open some OF the
many found uuexploded On the sharp
point is a percussion cap, which possibly
does not produce sufficient conclusion In
striking the earth to explode it. The IN,
terror is filled with charge of powder and
musket balls, as many as l7S of the latter
having been obtained from a single she'll.
This il furnishing contrabaud of war for
the Confederate States on quite liberal
scale.
Port Royal Ferry, on the North side, is
to our army of the coast what Mason's and
Muuson's hills were last September to the
advanced guards of the army of the Poto-
mac. At both points the hostile plckets
have frequently spoken to each other. Here
is specimen of a recent conversation at
the Ferry.
Yankee.-Halloo over there.
Southrou. yourself.
Y.-So you've got Lee over there, eh !
S.-Yes, stree.
Y.-Right smart man he is, too. Amt
his headquarters at Coosawhatchie
Swell, he is some.
Y.-Say amt his headquarters at Coosa-
whatchie?
S.-Can't say, come over and see for
yourself.
Y.-How are you off for tobacco aud Ii.
quor?
S-Got plenty of both.
Y.-We want some tobacco, won't you
trade some for whiskey!
S.-.Don't want any Of your liquor.
Among some other pertinent questions
was the following, which effectually broke
up the strange colloquy:
Y.-HalIoo! over there. How many
did we kill of your men in the fat!
S-Halloo! say. What made you run
at Bull Run?
We have heard touching incident rela.
ted of the fight of the lst instant. A Lieu
tenant in COL Jones regiment was mortal
ly wounded by shell, which broke his
sword iu half; he survived but few min
utes; but before his death, he took gold
ring from his finger, aud banding it with
bis broken sword to Lieutenant Colonel
McGowaD, made dying request that he
should forward both to his fancee.
A letter from member of the Palmetto
Guard says, that detachment of sixteen
men, under Sd Lieutenant b G. Webb,
manning an eight.inch howitzer, were sta,
toned at Port Royal Ferry, on the lst in.
stant, with Leake's Virginia battery, and
that Notwithstanding the bombardment of
that position, on that Gay, no one of the
detachment was injured On the "a IN
stsut, they had fallen back to the cross road
lesdino To pape's Point, where their gun