The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-02-26


inee last attempted to portray the peculiar
,eauties of the great rebellion. Yet every day
brings With it, startling and strange occurrences.
The truth is that our life is so exciting, so full
Il interest to those of us who in the days gone
we're wont 70 follow peaceful avocations, that
We fail to appreciate the deep interest With
.hich al our movements Are regarded by those
It homo. To night voice says unto me write,
md will
When your correspondent arrived At New
York, be found his SLIP had sailed for Port BOY
a three weeks previous; and he vas ordered to
Join her by the first conveyance. Itook passage
on board the Steamer "Westsrn World" leav.
inn n. Y. January 10th. The passage out WAS
rather stormy but full Of laughable incidents.
OF ali the places in the world for down right
fun, . ship at sea is decidedly the best
And of all the persons to make fun Of, sea sick
passengers promise the richest returns ON .
sman investment.
On board the "World" was q Masters Mate,
appointed from civil life, one who had never seen
sals water before, and thought it fine thing to
be sailor. On the passage from Sandy Hook
to the capes Of the Chesapeake, he had been re-
markedly communicative, giving US green ones
any quantity of information As to tides, points OF
compass, winds, &C.; every whit OF which had
been learned from books. Soon after leaving
Cape Henry, We experienced heavy gale and
we're driven in shore. One night l went out on
deck, bearing the order given to throw the lead to
gel sounungs, xun saw s"V PC. eOns that eeer-od
busily engaged. One was a sailor, with the lead
line in hand, awaiting the order to heave 1t,
and the other was this knoring Masters Mate,
standing just aft the sailor-his hands on the pit
of his stomach and looking as if something ~as
on his mind. Soon the order was given,
"heave!" and they both obeyed. The sailor
struck bottom at six fashoms, the knowing mate
q little quicker! Your correspondent proceeded
to retire and have good hearty laugh over it,
congratulating himself upon the blessings of ig-
norance, and his exemption from the evils that
attend such a thorough and complete knowledge
of navigation.
OF Cape Hatteras another terrible gale tossed
Us about, and We were twenty four hours in pas
sing the shoals at that point 1t was grand,
though terrible sight. The good ship behaved
nobly; for miles she held her course within
two hundred yards Of the breakers. Sunday,
January 10th, We entered H.tteras inlet, and on
the Thursday following made Port Royal Hsr.
100
The first two days were passed in an examina-
nation of the noted forts that were supposed by
the rebels to constitute an etfectual bar to our
entrance That on the north side, is located on
Bay Point" and was formerly known as Fort
mounts fourteen guns Of Charleston manufacture
and credtable appearance.
"FOrt Welles," known by the rebels az "For,
Walker" 10 on Hilton Head, two miles south Of
Bay Point, and of about the same strength as
Fort Seward. Our people are building q new
and strong fortress, about eighty rods from Fort
Welles, to the westward. General Sherman has
commenced the construction Of large wharf Al
Hilton Head, to be built in the most substantial
manner. If Congress will repeal the laws
constituting Charleston and Savannah ports o.
entry, and extend that favor to this new point
in five years it's commerce will exceed that o.
both the rebel cities, in their palmiest days.
have not yet found time to visit our 9Th reg
iment, now stationed two miles from Beaufort
yet their praise is on all lips, and our State may
well feel proud Of the gallant fellows. At the
Port Royal Ferry affair, early in January, ouI
boys were sent out as skirmishers. This CUR
boat covered their approach to the main land
and sent the shot and shell whizzing over Their
heads, into the rebel ranks. The officers of thi.
ship speak gloriously of the Michigan men and
their cool daring that day. If some young men
of my &C auaintance, now active members of the
stay at home guard, would enlist for the war and
join this regiment fancy that their reputation
for courage and patriotism would be slightly i'm.
proved.
Sunday, February I'd, We weighed anchor, and
in company with the "Andrews," "Ottawa,
and "Pembina," started on a reconuoitering ex
petition toward Savannah. Monday morning
that city was in sight, We having approached i,
BY an inlet channel, through Scull Creek and
Mud River. In tho afternoon the look out from
our mast head reported a battery in sight mount.
ing two guns. By unanimous consent, the Fort
which We soon intended to capture was named
Fort Winter, and soon the shot we're crashing
through the trees, and shells exploding in the
heart Of the work. Our firing failed to elicit q
response, and the small boats were sent in ad.
vance-the crews being armed, to take posses.
sion. The battery proved to be two pork bar.
rels painted black, with one head Knocked out for
Q muxxle!
On inquiry from the contrabands about the
place, We learned that the earth work was built
BY . company of infantry who aed at our ap-
proach. One of the dsrkies when asked where
his master was, replied, "Mas'r done gone
run like the debbil when foun' out dam Yankee
comm" Your correspondent has one trophy of
the fight, in the shape Of "negro persuader, "
some eight feet in length, heavily loaded with
lead at the large end-in fact. FIRST class slave
whip. If We can get hold Of live rebel, shall
be tempted to try a little exercise with it
'twould be something new you know, and apt to
awake in ones mind reeoections Of his youthful
days.
Tuesday, Feb. 4.
This morning We entered "Nev River" our
scouts having learned last night tina. body Of
rebel infantry we're concealed in the wood At the
rear of the earth work bombarded YESTERDAY.
0ur 0unho>t Lad thu sd~sr~a .nd .ha. th.o-;,,