New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-18
FROM PORT ROYAL.

" W. PoRT ROYAL Feb. II, 1867
Although the Baltic went North before 'ne e.-
,..,ed ISOLATION of Fort Pulaski 1t Is almost CERTAIN
a.. ,o-uorrows steamer will carry news oil The
.-.,,;on Of one of the blockading batteries. Extra
Urinary difficulties have delayed both the entrance
~ ,bs gnnboa,s into Savannah River and the placing
AZ the onns on Venus Point. The channel through
Wr;oh,,. p;ver WIS found to have only
Zoo, moro of water than that Of Mud River, and it
vss decided 70 make tie attempt by way Of the lat
Ter change was also made in the plan for moving
The ouns which were TO have been towed in fats
through Wrigbts River at night-an operation NOT
unlikely to have lost the guns by delays from the
shallowness of the water. The csuseway across
Joness leland is therefore used to transport them
To-day they are partly across, and BY tomorrow
morning are expected TO be i'll position.
the practicabllity of Mud River for the gdnooa's
depends wholly on the tides. strong north
westerly wind has retarded the entrance OF the tld
wave to such an extent that instead OF rise OF seven
feet as laid down on the Consistency charts, which
the tides of course are expected 10 follow tie differ
ence between high and low water this morning was
only two feet and half If the tide Goes not carry
them through tonight the battery will be lett to do
it, work unsupported at first by the presence OF the
feet in the river From the place where the vessels
now lie, however, their ll-inch shells will probably
cover the completion of the work.
Gen. Sherman went up last night on the Mcclellan,
10 examine the progress of the operations. The
steamer went as far as the junction Of Cooper River
with the narrow creek at the mouth of which tie
Winfield Scott was wrecked some days since in an
attempt to enter The bend is very sharp and the
Scott was too long TO get safely round Touching on
q bank that makes out from Pine Island she lay
until the tide fe H. and then broke IN anidshps.
A brig is now alOngsde taking ont everything Of
value from the lulk, which lies against the bank,
twisted and shattered. The passlge being imprac-
ticable for the Mcclellan, size anchored and next
morning we started in boat for Gen. Niele's head
quarters on Dautuskie Island, which are situated on
the only hill have seen in South Carolina. Thence
we pulled through Walls Cut into MUD River, and TO
Joness Island The Ottawa, Unadiila, Seneca, Penn
bina, Henry Andrews and L. Il. Hale were in the
river three of them aground. Through the cut Itself
the channel left between the sunken brig and the OPP
pcsle shore il so narrow that the gunboats have barely
room to pass. The Ottawa, never.h eess which goes
where and when Capt Stevens orders, went through
the cieyce at night just teuchng the brig to feel her
way. The whole width is not over 30 feet. II was
nearly low water, and we passed the Uuada, lying
deep in the mud, which showed on both sdes Of her.
She will float with an ordinary tide, and may be in
the river tomorrow. Capt John Rogers, who lie in
command of the squadron says that the channel is
quite as good as Nights River because the mud is
soft enough to be equal additional foot Of water.
Landing with some difficulty on Joness Island, we
crossed to the other side, over what was called
rosd-corduroy for twenty yards, and for the rest of
the way, about mile and quarter, constructed of
inch boards from three inches TO foot i'll width.
The width Of the board and the Favorable part OF
the road were the sane. The ground is covered
with sedge, or marsh ;rrass which been cut
away for the road. aud so soft that " ever the
wheel u guu-carriage slipped from tue track it
went in Up TO the axle. When the examination and
reconnaissance were completed, all of our party were
literally covered with deposits OF the island soil.
Platforms for the guns were down, q magazine
partly fnished and all preparations far advanced
thst, with ordinary good fortune, the first rebel
steamer, tomorrow morning, may find its voyage to
Pulaski rudely interrupted. The fatigue work has
been very severe on both officers and men. saw
detail lying fast asleep i'll the uarsh in the blaze
Of the sun. They Lad been on duty thirty hours
We heard on Daufuskie Island, that, dunng the
severe storm of Sunday, sentinel at bis poet was
killed by Lightning The relief was approaching at
the moment he was struck. No mark was Oh the
body, and tbs muskst was not discharged.
A force was sent this morning TO occupy North
Edisto-eitber Edis,o or Botany Bay Island or both.
On the latter island is tie large colony of negroes
now protected only by the gunboat lying in the har-
Dor The place has military importance which
would have caused it to be garrisoned long since if
troops could have been spared and the habor is val
usbIe. 1t is the fifth of which the army and navy
have taken joint possession. Nassau Sound may be
said be the fourth troops having been landed from
the transports now lying at anchor. Their condition
made this step imperative. They have been three
weeks on board 80 crowded that cleanliness, was i'm
possible, and the most ordinary precautions for tbe
preservation Of health were almost necessarily neg.
Iected. Five deaths have occurred in a single reg-
ment-the 9th Connecticut.
have twice referred 70 the accident Which befe
che Baltic on her last arrival but one especially with
reference to the conduct of the piot-boat Potomac
Capt Willis, and the United States sloop-of war
Susquebsnna, Capt. LaIdner. Nobody defends or
excuses the former Concerning the latter there are
two questions. First, whether it was by following
Gle direction of one of her officers that the Baltic got
on the bar. A report of Lieut.. Weaver the officer
IN command Of the boat which gave the order, has
been shown me, in which be states that after inquir
ing the draft of the Baltic, he advised her Captain
to anchor. His statement must be taken to be true
though it Is also true that bis direction was not heard
or was misunderstood on board. That however. il
of little consequence. The question Of inheritance