Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-19
The following highly Interesting dispatches
reached the Navy Department this forenoon:
FLAG SHIP WABASH

reached the Navy Department this forenoon:
FLAG SHIP WABASH
Port Royal Ha'6or, s. C, April ID, 1862
srR: The dispatches from the comma ding
general OF this department 20 the Hon. Secretary
OF War viii convey the gratifying intelligence OF
the fall Of Fort Pulaski.
II was a purely military operation, the result OF
laborious and scientific preparation, and Of con.
summate skill and bravery IN the execution.
IL would not have pertsined 70 me to address
you In reference to this brilliant and successful
achievement had not Mai. Gen. Hunter, with q
generous spirit long TO be remembered, permitted
the Navy 20 be represented this interestinf or-
casion by allowing q detachment OF seamen
and officers from this ship TO serve one Of the
bresching batteries. have thanked the General
personally for this Kindness; and desire at the
same time 20 express nv acknowledgements TO
Brig. Gen. Benham and acting Brig Gen. GIL
more for acts Of consideration shown by them to
| enclose the report OF Commander C. RIP.
Rogers, who had the honor 70 command Battery
Siegel on the second and important day.
Very respectfully, your oeedient servant,
Flag ofcer Com'd,g 8. A. Bioci,S so,n.
Hon. GIBSON WILLIS, Secretary OF the Navy
FLAG SHIP wAsAsH,
Per, Royal Hareo,, S. C., April 10, 1884.
ment from this ship, which had the good fortune
70 take part In the bombafdnsnt Of Fort PULASKI
II reached Tybee on the morning OF the 10th, just
before the Ore was opened and the batteries
pate in the action Of the first day.
General Hunter, General BenhAm, and General
Gilmore, all manifested the most generous desire
to give the Navy share in the good work aud
on the 1lth, the most important day, four rlned
guns In battery Siegel, !" one Of the nearest and
most exposed batteries, and consequently one %
the Wabash. We occupied Il at dsybreaE, and
kept up q steady and well-directed are until the
fort hauled down In Gag, at2 p. N.
The officers and men Behaved well. beg leave
IN nd n liant IrExvfE,
Robertson, and Midshipmen M. s. johnson and
+. H. Pearson, Lewis Born, captain Of the fore
castle, and George II. Wood, quartermaster.
When the enemy holsted the white Jag General
Benham most cautiously invited me 70 detail a
naval oficer TO accompany the Officer sent by him
TO arrange the terms OF the surrender, and sent
Lieut. Irwin upon that honotab BILE duty
Ispent the FIRST day OF the bOmbardment in the
trenches with General Hunter, and In visiting ths.
different batteries, which caused to be visited
by several OF our ofacers and men, that they might
profit by the experience 70 be acquired
The bomoardment began If 8 q m on the 10Th
and continued during the day, but at nrst, while
procuring the ranges, IL was somewhat inaccu-
trained
On the second day, in spite Of high wind. the
firing from the rlfed guns and columbiads was
ersenent the former boring into the brick face OF
the wall like augurs the latter striking like trip.
hammers, and breaking of great masses Of ma
sonry which had been cut loose by the rifes
The four upper batteries were above sixteen
beyond the distance at which Il has hitherto been
held practicable 20 effect a breach, but which
proved an easy preaching range with these won
derful projectiles which we now possess
When the fort surrendered the barbette guns
bad been silenced, and many OF them had been
dismounted, the breach was practicable In two
places, and could have been stormed without
doubt Our proiectiles were passing through u,
and were knocking down the opposite wall
which protected the main magazine, 81 that the
garrison was convinced that In an hour or two
the magazine must be blown up.
The heavy thirteen inch mortan inflicted much
less Injury than had expected The classmates
did not seem at all shaken by them The parade
ground had been formed into deep burrows. into
which the shells rolled and burst, without the
power OF doing much harm. The guns used by
the men Of the WABASH were three 3O-pounder
Parrots and one 2i-puundet James
am, very respe :uullY, &C,
c. X. r. RoDGkRs, Commander.
Flag Ofhcer s. r. DUPONT.