The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-05-27
A Gallant Act.

GS" On the 18Th inst, tile Steamer
Planter was brought 10 the blockading
squadron off Charleston, and delivered
up to our forces there, by negro pilot
named SMALL, assisted by seven contra
bands. Commodore Dupont gives the
particulars of the occurrence in the fol.
lowing to the Navy Department
She was the armed dispatch and transporta
ton steamer attached TO the engineer depart
ment at Charleston, under Brigadier General
Ripley, whose bark short time since was
brought to the blockading fleet by several con.
tabands. The bringing of this steamer, under
all the circumstances, would have done credit
to any one. AT o'clock in the morning, in the
absence of the captain who was on shore, she
left her wharf close to the Government office
ard headquarters with the Palmetto and Con.
federate flags flying, passed the successive forts,
saluting, as usual, by blowing the steam wills
tie. After getting beyond the range of the last
gun, she hauled down the rebel flags, and hois-
ted white one. The Onward was the in
side ship of the blockading squadron in the
main channel, and Was preparing to fire when
her commander made out the white flag The
armament of the steamer is a 42-pounder, or
pivot, and fine "a FOUNDER howitzer. She
has besides on her deck four other guns, one
finch rifed, which were TO be taken, on the
morning of the escape, to the new fort on the
Middle Ground" One of the four belonged
to Fort Sampter, and had been struck on the
rebel attack on the fort on the muzzle Robert
Small, the intelligent slave and pilot of the
boat, who performed this bold feat SO skilfully.
Informed me of this fact, presuming it would
be matter of interest TO us to have possession
of this gun. This man, Robert Sma L. is su.
pefior to any that have come into our lines. in
tclligent as many ofthcm have been. His in
formation has been most interesting, and por-
tons of it, of the most Importance. The stea-
mer is quite a valuable acq uisition to the squad
ron by her good machinery and very light
draft. The officer in charge brought her
through st. Helena Sound and by the inland
passage down Beaufort River, arriving here at
10 o'clock last night. On board the steamer,
when she left Charleston, were eight men, five
women, and three children. / shall continue
to employ Small as pilot on board the Plan.
ter for inland waters, with which he appears
to be very familiar.
do not know whether in the view of the
Government the vessel will be considered a
prize but if so, | respectfully submit to the
his associates. Very respectfully your obedient
servant, f. s. DrpoNT,
Flag Officer Commanding, dc.
We are glad to see that Senator GRIMES
has introduced bill awarding the usual
prize money, for captures, to SMALL and
his fellow ,contrabanis. The Senate
passed the bill promptly. but the Demo
Gratis of the House have succeeded in de.
laying it. 1t is deeply humliaiing to
contemplate what would have been the
result to SMALL and his associates, in
this bold, admirably-executed operation,
had they been compelled to present
themselve before the commanders Of
some of the divisions of our army. I'm
de- tiea. HALLEcK's orders they would
have been turned back, to reap in death,
and, probably, torture, the reward of
their daring and sagacity. What a with :
erng commentary upon HALLEcK's order
No. 3, is the contemplation of its evident
operation in such case as this