The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-09-17
9ashpiIIg Stuiuu.
WEDNESDAY, MORNING, SEPT. II, l8o2.
Port Royal Letter.


speciHl Correspondence Of the Pbiladophh lpouirer
PoRr ROYAL, S. G., Aug. l8, 1862.
All is now quiet in the Department un.
der the command Of Major General Hum
ter, and nothing of importance has tran
spired since the battle Of James Island.
Some Of the troops since then have been
sent to reinforce General Mcclellan, and
it does not appear probable that active
operations will be speedily resumed here.
Though this place and its neighborhood
is not, at the present time the theatre of
any very stirring military operations, vet
the island Of Hilton Head, or Port Roval,
as it is sometimes called, on which the
greater part of the army of this Depart
ment is now encamped, is a place of no
small Importance, especially as il com
mands the entrance TO the finest bay on
the Southern coast south of the Chesa-
peslNe.
The name of Port Royal is applied as
a general term TO all the places which
border on the bay of that name. A good
deal of confusion, therefore, prevails at
the North in relation to the term. Hilton
Head is the name of the island, and also
OF the place where one Of the forts is,
which was captured by Admiral Dupont,
and near which Major General Hunter
now has his headquarters. On the island
OF Bay Point, Immediately opposite Hill
ton Head, at the distance Of three
miles, is the other fort captured by Ad-
miral Dupont at the same time. The real
island of Port Royal is that on which
Beaufort is situated. The station at Hill
ton Head, however, is called Port ROYAL,
and letters 30 directed are sent there.
Since the capture Of Hilton Head by
the Union forces last November, very
commodiOus and substantial wharf has
been built on piles, running out several
hundred feet into the bay, and giving
sufficient depth of water for our largest
ships o approach torecciye and discharge
cargo.
Our ships of war, the Wabash and the
Vermont with other vessels, including
the gunbOats generally, occupy the an
chorag0 between Hilton Mcca uHa BAY
Point Hunting Island, across the bay,
is northeast from Bay Point, aud another
ape OF the islands so numerous which
skirt the Southern coast.
The length of the island OF Hilton
Head is about fifteen miles, with an aver
age breadth of five miles, containing
about seyenty-fye square miles OF this
area probably less than half say thirty
square miles, was under cultivation when
captured from the rebels.
The soil is unsurpassed in natural
richness, being a light sandy loan, very
easy of cultivation. Sea Island cotton,
corn and potatoes have heretofore been
the principal objects of cultivation The
castor oil plant, which at the North
grows but few feet in height and lives
for single year. here assumes much
more formidable dimensions becomes a
tree, and, like other trees, has the appear
ance Of becoming perennial.
The palmetto IN many places raises its
peculiar broom-lille top and gives a cha
raoteristlc appearance TO the landscape.
The fan palm, and some other species of
the palm genus, also abound. The live
oak is also met with. 1t is not generally
tall tree, but divides often into several
large branches low down, like the letter
V, which is one OF the circumstances
that together with its great toughness
and durability, makes il so valuable for
ship building, especisllY for the supply of
knees. The leaves, individually, are very
small, but they grow so thickly and iu
clusters that they fQrm a shade 50 dense
that The rays Of the sun cannot pene-
trate them.
Orange and fig trees are alwaya found
surrounding the old mansions Of almost
the size Of forest trees, and are generally
loaded with fruit in the different stages
of ripening.
The old mansions on the island, now
deserted by their late Secession owners,
are built all on nearly the same plan.
They are generally elevated eight or ten
feet shove the ground, supported by brick
pillars, and entirely open underneath.
The brickg were, no doubt, brought, like
everything else, from the North Tho
buildings are all of frame, and appear to
have been erected many years ago, as
they have a very ricketty and tumble
down appearance. The manner, howey-
er, in which they were surrounded by
orange, fig, pomegranate and other beau
titul flowers and fruit bearing trees and
plants must have rendered them very
pleasant 20 reside in. This much is eyi-
dent from their appearance now, though
the lower and small shruhhery is all
trampled down and destroyed in most in
stances,
All their mansions have the negro
quarters near them. They are generally
arranged in two rows, one on each side Of
the principal avenue leading TO the man
sion. They are about twelve feet square,
mostly frame but some Of them are con
structed with split sticks bent in a pecu-
liar way. AT Drayton's plantation, about
three miles from Hilton Head, about
twenty frames Of this description are
ranged about equally on each side Of the
principal approach 10 the mansion. Two
rows Of splendid old trees, composed
chiefly Of live oak and sycamore, form
much more appropriate and beautiful ap-
pendage. The negroes still inhabit these
places, and some OF them, especially
among the females, possess a fair degree
Of brightness and intelligence.
A large portion Of the island Is covered
with beautiful pine timber IL is said
that the Government is making the ar
rangements necessary 20 have the timber
cut and sold for the purpose Of contrib
ffum a. tha FuwFnamf nF aha aH=uanana of