The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-01-16
The Late nnt,le at Port Roral.


engagement ut Port Royal Ferry, on tho lst
inst, has reached Washington olficiallyi
Port Royal Island on which Beaufort is
situated, is - miles long, aud seven miles
wide, and In formed by the Bi Dad river on
ito western side, aud the Port Royal on its
eastern shore. These are connected at the
north of the Island by the Coosaw river
and the Port Royal itself, which is really on
ly strait, loses It's name in its upper por.
ton, aud is called Brick Yard creek.
just opposite tho junction Of the Broad
and the coosaw ~ Royals Mock. To tho
north of Port Royal Island is the main land
and about half way between the two points
where the Coosaw intcrsects the Broad and
the Port Royal Tor Brick-Yard crcek) is Port
Royal Ferry. distant ten miles across the Is
land from Beaufort A correct apprehen-
sion of the geography of the country Ia
necessary to render ineligible any account
Of the fight.
At Port Royal Ferry the rcbes intrcnch-
ed themselves as soon as they recovered in
the slightest degree from the panic into
which they were thrown by the affair at Iii
ton Head. Various reports ws,e made at
various times Of their strength. The pick
cts on the two sides Of the rivcr--here 200
yards wide-were in sight of each other.
and occasionally halloed across. Finally
about week or ten days ago, the steam
boat Mayhower, Capt Phillips in making the
circuit of Port Royal Island for sounding
! purposes, was fired into from the rebel bat
terry, and man killed. The firing was re-
turned, but with what effect there was no
means of ascertaining The Maynower pro-
ceeded on her, way around the island. This
insult has now been avenged.
| m,
Seneca, Capt Ammcn; the Ellen, Capt.
Dudd tho Pembha, Capt. Bankhcad and
| the Ottuwa, Capt. Stevens--werc ordered to
approach Port Royal Ferry, the two former
| by the way of Broad River, and the latter
| by Brick Yard Creek the Seneca was to
fire into Boyd's Neck on her way up, and
| distract attention for awhile after which,
| in conjunction with the Ellen, she was to as
sist in silcncing u battery at Seabrook, on
the Coosaw, some two or three miles west
of Port Royal Ferry.
| The other two gunboats were to go through
the Port Royal River, and cover landing
of Union troops opposite the mouth of
| Brick Yard Creek General Stevens brig
| ade, consisting of the Roundhead Regiment,
under Col. Loasure the Eighth Michigan,
| Col. Fenton the Fiftieth Pennsylvania, Col.
| Crist, and the Seventy-ninth New York Ma
.jor Morrison commanding, were already at
Beaufort, distant, as have said, about ten
miles by land from the Ferry; the Forty
seventh New York, Col. Frazier, and the
! Forty-eighth Nav York, Col Perry, were or
dered up from Hilton Head, and the entire
force placed under Gen. Stevens orders
Capt. Raymond Rogers of the Wabash
was the senior naval officer present in the
action. The troops were marched from
thN OF ,f u
the mouth Of Brick Yard Creek, within
which had been prepared flats and other
boats for the transportation of Gen. Stevens
command. They crossed early on New Years
morning, having accomplished the passage
| by 8 A. NJ. They had then some four or
| five miles to march before reaching Port
| Royal Ferry. The Ottawa and the Pembina
were meanwhile delayed by the state OF the
tide at or near tho mouth of the creek, one
OF them getting aground.
A delay also occurred in the movements
OF the troops, owing, it is stated, to mis-
apprehension by Col. Fenton of the orders
issued to him. This delay, however, was
but slight and occasioned no serious incon-
venience. The Seneca, in this time, had per-
formed her portion of tho task, fired into
Boyds Neck in an alarming manner, and af-
terward i'll conjunction with the Ellen,
shellod the work at Seabrook, mile or two
west of the Ferry.
The troops under Gen. Stevens advanced
toward the principal battery lat the Ferry
in advance of the gunboats, and on the way
skirmish took place, that still longer i'm
pcdel them. 4 force, Judged by Gen. Ste
vens to be about l 900 strong, was posted
in some woods OH his right, and the first
knowledge he obtained of its existence was
by firing from light battery. A part
at least halt--of the Michigan Eighth was
deployed as skrmshers to ascertain more
particularly the position of this battery, and,
despite it's firing, advanced to within hun
drcd yards of it, acting with great GOODNESS
and courage, and succeeding entirely in dis
covering the positions of the guEs, and also
in drawing heavy fire from a body of mus
kerry. Having thus accomplished their OBJ
ject they retired as skirmishers, rapidly, but
i'll complete order.
BY this time the Ottawa and the Pembina
had gotten up within range of the fieldwork
at the Ferry, and opened fire on it. This
was done with such effect that if any force
had remained until then in the battery, it
was driven out before our troops arrived,
the enemy not attempting to come from un-
der the cover of the woods, nor manifest
ing any desire to interrupt our further ad-
vance-having wounded nine or ten of the
Michigan regiment, including Major Wat
son, seriously, and one man who has since
died. The Seventy-ninth New York was
sent forward as sdirmishers to enter the
fort first Con. Stevens, as yet, being I'M
aware of its dcsertion.
This regiment emulated the behavior OF
the Michigan soldiers its advance also
proved a complete success for the new sys-
tenn of signalzirg Lieut.. Taft of the sig
nal corps was in charge of this department,
and arranged men who carried the signal
flags, so that they were able to telegraph COL.
stantly to the gunboats which had now come
| mp in a line with our own troops. Capt.
Rodgers was informed exactly what range
to give his guns, and was able to do effect
i've service in covering the troops in their
advance, shifting his aim rs the men pro-
ceeded. The firing from the gunboats was
uncommonly accurate during the entire en-
gagement.
When the roth Regiment reached the fort,
it was found TO be entirely deserted, the
guns that had been there were removed,
with the exception of one iron 2 pouader
but platforms for others remained, and had
evidently been recently used. Indeed, Gen
cral Stevens reports that his pickets had
observed the disappearance of several of
the heavy guns previously visible in this
battery day or two before the fight When
the other Union regiments were in possess
! sion of tho fort the 0unboats were sipnnled