Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-03
FRoM coMMopoRE DUroNr.

FROM COMMODORE DUPONT.
WASHINGTON, April 2-The following dis.
patches were received at the navy department
to-day =
FLAGSHIP WABASH, off Port Royal, March
q, 1862-.ST: On being boarded this after
noon while entering Port Royal harbor, by
Commander ellis of Seminole, had the sat.
isfaction to hear that the formidable batteries
on Skiddaway and Green Islands had been
abandoned by the rebels, the guns having been
withdrawn in order TO be placed nearer to Sa.
vannah. The abandonment of the batteries
gives us complete control OF Warsaw and Os-
sibaw sounds, and the mouth OF Vernon and
Wilmington rivers, which form important an.
proaches to that city. l enclose the report of
Commander ellis, and also memoranda of in
formation given by contraband, which may
be OF some interest to the department. Very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. +. DUPONT, Flag Officer.
UNITED STATES STEAMER SEMINOLE,
March 25, 1862 Sir: In obedience to your
order dated the ID inst, we proceeded from
Cumberland Sound to Warsaw Sound to
blockade, as directed Having waited some
days for the wind to lul we this afternoon
felt our way with the lead up the narrow
channel of the Wilmington river 10 the bat.
terry on Skiddaway Island accompanied by
the Norwich, lieutenant commanding j. NJ
handing w. ID. Whiting. sent out launch
with the howitzer and crew, under the charge
OF master McNar and acting master Steele
alongside the Norwich, and went on board of
her. She being the shortest vessel and of
lightest draft was sent ahead. After firing a
shell or two at some hOrsemen near the house
Oh the lett and picket guard at the fort,as we
approached, ! proceeded in the g, with
paymaster Sands, to the shore, followed by
the launch, and found the battery strong
Fashioned work Tor three guns, with bombproot
trenches, &c. The enemy had abandoned it,
leaving imitation guns covered with canvas,
10 position. The other boats from the vessels
coming on shore, we destroyed the works,
boats, lighters &c., of the enemy, and having
hoisted the Union flag over the fort and the
house with the red cupola, we returned on
board our respective vessels. l learn that the
confederate's battery on Green Island is aban.
doned. Several houses in sight are burning
this morning, the red cupao house included.
1 send to Port Royal prisoner taken in the
marshes by the "Release." His statement
accompanies this.
l am, sir, respectfully, &C.,
JOHN Z. GILLIs, Commander.
THE coNTRABAND's sTATEMENT.
UNITED STATES STEAMSHIP SEMINOLE,
WARSAW SOUND, GA March 90 Sr:-The
following statement is derived from Loudon
Middleton, contraband, picked up this after
noon by the Norwich, and sent on board this
ship His master was William p Fulton of
Savannah. He left that city on the 22d inst.
coming by way OF White Bluff and Green
Island to Raccoon Keys whence he expected
to reach sawmil which, it was said, we had
On Warsaw Island, with three thousand troops
All provisions are scarce at Savannah and
very dear, particularly rum, liquors, and such
like. Fresh beef is plenty, but costs twenty
five to thirty cents, for what used to sell at
six, eight, and ten cents per pound. Eggs
were selling at fifty cents per dozen chickens I
81 so per par Tea is scarce. Coffee is sell
ing at ST so to ST rs per pound
They very badly off for rum and liquors.
These, with bacon, they had expected from
the west, somewhere where the federals now
hold possession. The folks are going and
coming. Some who had lett are returning.
and they are sending the negroes and cotton
inland, and sending all the cash to Macon
They threaten to burn the city if they should
be unable to hold it, and are in daily expecta
ton of an attack. They had given IN the
idea of defending the Savannah river by tor
pedoes, because one of the principal men who
was sinking them got drowned while down in
in a diving bell, and they row talk of pilng
the river across.
He knows OF no raft near fort jackson, near
which Tatnall is on bard the Savannah, late
the Everglade. When he was last near Thun-
derbot, some time since, they had eight guns
mounted. There is battery, number of guns
unknown, at Costar's Bluff, and they said they
were mounting guns at the old fort above fort
jackson, below the gas house and near the
first ferry wharf; but he knows but little of
this part of the river, having been fisherman
about White Bluff and Green Island, but more
recently waiting on the soldiers.
All the approaches to the city, not only by
the main channel, but also the by roads, are
being fortified, ami they told him that they had
one hundred thousand men. Green and Skid
daway islands are abandoned. except by few
cavalry. The guns from Green Island were
taken TO fortify Bernley, and those from Skid
daway to Montgomery, a part of Bernley, but
about three quarters OF mile separate, both
OH the Wymangbern river, which runs from
Raccoon Keys up making Green Island the
first land to the northeast going up, and thence
running up to Bernley, Montgomery, and
White Bluff
They expect us to cross Skiddaway Island,
and they have guns and pckets at The two
bridges, to cut them away. and TO fight our
forces on their arrival. The first bridge is
reckoned to be five miles across from the
CupoIa House.
JouN p. GILLrs, Commander
PHtLApELPHIA, April Fifty wounded
soldiers from Winchester arrived here, to-day,
and were placed in the st. Joseph's Catholic