Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-03


4th N. II. regiments are also passengers.
A rebel boat came down Warsaw Channel,
on the 23d, from Savannah, accommodating to
see If there was any way clear for the English
steamer Fingai to get away with he cargo Of
cotton. The boat was chased by a gunboat,
the former running ashore and the crew es-
Gaping to the woods, except two, who were
put IN board the Wabash.
Port Royal letters state that another i'm
portant gunboat reconnaissance has been
made. which pushed to within Ii miles of
/ Charleston, at town called Rockville. Here
/ a force Of 400 rebels was found, who fed in
panic when the inferior force of our men was
landed. The following is the official account
of the affair
q. S. STEAMER PAwNEE,
Port Royal, S. c., Dec. 81. !
Sr-ln obedience to your order OF the
l4th inst | left this harbor on the night of
the 18th, accompanied by the gunboat lSenGcd,
| Lieut.. Danl Ammen commanding, and the
! coast survey steamer Viren, Capt. C. o. Bou-
/ telle, but at the bar found that the heavy
northeast wind was blowing, and had raised
such sea to render it out Of the question
to attempt entering the river was directed
to examine. | therefore returned to my an
chorage. which | left second time, however,
on the following morning and reached the
| North Edisto at two o'clock Shortly after
! crossed the bar with the Seneca, piloted in
by Capt. Boutele in the Viren, which vessel
ne, however, left, when we were inside, for
the Pdionee, his vessel remaining astern of us
at the time. We could plainly see fortifca-
tons ahead on Edisto island. distant | 2
miles as IL was reported to me- They were
filled with men. l commenced firing slowly
from my guns, as did the Seneca. but receiy-
ing no answer soon ceased, and running bv
the battery anchored in the No. Edisto river.
l found the fort, which was entirely de-
serted, to consist of two redoupts e. sra
guns each, connected by long curtain, and
protected in the rear by double fence Of
thick planks, with earth between, and loop
holed. The guns, as the negroes informed
me, had all been removed towards Charleston
few weeks back.
While l was making this examination,
Lieut.. commanding Ammen had proceeded up
the river about miles, the effect of which
was Immediately apparent in the firing of
J cottnn, houseo aud outGuiidings As during
the night some negroes came on board and in
formed us that at the small town of Rock
vile, which was in full sight, there was
large encampment of soldiers-at least 500
and Capt. Boutelle offering to go up the creek
on which it was, | determined to make them
| a visit in tho Piren, and at daylight of the
| 8th went on board Of that vessel for the
purpose of taking with me the boats of the
Pdi0n'e and Seneca, under the charge of act
ing master Smell. Owing to our running a.
shore, we did not reach the town till near
eight o'clock, little above which was a sloop
laden with cotton and provisions which took
possession of and had what remained remov-
ed to the Viren.
Being then informed that the camp, which
was mile from the water, was entirely des-
erted, | went there. but although so far as
could learn the troops had left at daylight
and it was then only little after eight-fha
"esroos' wnom round busy as bees" had
removed the most valuable part of what had
teen left, which was nearly everything ex
ceptng their arms. The encampment, which
was large one, had been occupied for many
days, and its late tenants had evidently been
in the possession of every comfort | re-
moved to the boats 40 Sibley and four ordina-
ry tents. besides quantity of articles of no
particular value which we're lying about, and
found at a neighboring house, which seemed
TO have been used as the headquarters a Con-
fedefate flag.
Having pretty well cleared the ground of
what was worth removing and being DESTROYS
OF examining above. | left at two o'clock and
proceeded up the river with the Hren, not
liking to trust the Pd,onee in so narrow
channel. We soon came upon the Seneca
which had left at nine o'clock to explore, fast
on mud bank. We remained by her till
nine O'Clock in the evening, but found it i'm
possible to pull her off, owing to the night
tide not being as high as the morning one
While lying here, however, | sent boats and
burned the sloop, which had been run ashore
some distance beyond, while attempting to
escape from the Seneca, and which could not
be got aAohf Tae Ffuvrt afterwards returned
for the night to the nelghborhood of the Pato.
nee, but went back at daylight the following
morning, with a party of men and boats
from this vessel, to tighten the Seneca.
which vessel was got off at high tide
While the Viren was coming up the river. she
came on a small sloop laden with cotton. from
which men were taken, whom | now have on
board as prisoners. As in the meantime
nearly $50 negroes, all in a great state of
-larm, had collected on board the different
vessels, | determined to land them on the
Point, and called on the u. S. steamer PEN
gum which was cruising off the coast, and TO
leave Lieut.. commanding Budd in charge of
the river, after my departure, until he could
hear from me. Captain Boutelle was kind
enough to go out in the Viren and pilot the
Penguin into her anchorage off the fort.
where she now is
On the morning Of the 10th, ran down
to the South Edisto, and leaving the Pawnee
and Seneca at the bar, went in with the Vren.
| found the Notifications, which are on Edisto
Island, entirely deserted and partially de-
stroyed. They consisted of two redoubts
which mounted, so far as | could Judge, four
guns each, but the guns had been removed.
The Dale being in sight across Otter Sound.
IN the Asbepoo river, made signal, and
Lieut.. Commanding Truxton hauled over with
four boats. He reported that everything was
quiet in the neighborhood of his anchorage,
and that the fort on Otter Island was rapidly |
beng placed in state Of defence Up to
me present time, although they had been in
sight OF the South Edisto forts. where we
were lying, they had not yet landed there.