The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-01-21

4aAAs NAAth Was ~ iAAe pace ~ ~ NJ
and a. this time We got under way and
steamed slowly up the small, but very
beautiful and winding river. followed BY
7 The Pen,biaa. Hale aud the Transports
The mert'ing was warm and pleasant, and
Tie river and scvnrry along its bank, the
most delightful, 20 that We cnJoysd sur
NV Years ride very much, ll,uugh We
missed the merry music uf the sleigh bells
that iancled was then vibrating through.
out the valley OF the Bathukill The
stream Is very winding ia il, course. 50
much so that the vessels closely iol owl z
a., would often be lid entirrly from our
view as We iutuei the sharp bends IN the
river. Soon We entered CoosaN river.
and alen about five miles di>taui from our
anchoragr q tho previous night We came
up win the lauuches and buais Of lie Wa
bash and just rs ia, troops were landing
o" Chisi olm'- plantation. This was about
I : A. NJ, aud in short time the Delaware
aud Boston came up with their troops. but
! they did rot make landing here. As
soon q, lev hundred troops had landed
from III, Island, they torm,d in line OF
march, and were soon III motion with n
few pieces Of light artillery as ,oon AS they
commenced marching. we steamed ahead
up the river keeping good lookout Tor
masked batteries and cncampments, and
in short time discovered what was sup.
POSED 10 be small enrampmcllt about two
miles OFF aud directly in front Of the troops,
aud when nearly opposite We opened up.
ON il with our Parrou and | | inch guns.
Three o. ioLr she'll were all that we're nec-
es>ary and ia half an hour the American
fag WAS waving there. The army now
came To a halt and detachment came
down to the river nearest Us, to the plan
lation OF VIM. Adams, and sgnallcd US OF
their uninterrupted march so far, aud thai
Gen. Stevens would not be ready TO move
under an hour, SO We came TO AN anchor
off the plantation, which is about three
miles from Port Royal ferry. The troops
now landed from the transports and were
soon parlaking Of a hasty dinner OH shore.
just opposite OF US, on the island, was IA
detachment OF Sherman's battery y ing in
ambush, and pickets were extended all
along the shore. Our pickets have been
so near those Of the rebels here that they
have held conversation with each other
across the narrow Coosaw river, and the
latter tell the /" Yankees to "cofnr over
and bring spade along 10 dig their
graves" &c, and also say, "you may drive
US off the islands, but we'll meet you Oh
the mainland any time you choose TO come"
&c.
Gen. Stevens hour proved TO be much
longer, So that il was nearly two Z. NJ. be- |
fore we got under way again which we did
as soon As he commenced lis march, and |
steaming along a little ahead OF him we
shclicd the woods in front as he advanced. !
Our htle army consisted Of only about
2500 men, being portions of the 47tli. Ash
aud 10Th N. u, 50th Penn. and 9th Mich
igsn regiments, with detachment OF Skir- |
rnishers thrown out IN front, support
cd by few field pieces and follow ed by |
the main body. with "a small reserve in the
rear. We could see the main body OF the
army occas onally through the openings
about mile off and moving IN fine order
with bay onets glistening and colors flying
and after the gunboats had shele out
pretty effectualIy any OF the enemy thai
might have been al the Ferry house aud
intrcnchments there, and soon alter the ar
my had entered the woods We heard the
report Of light artillery in that direction,
and saw the smoke rising through the trees,
and also an occasional shell bursting in the
air. The REPETITION OF this firing followed
10y vollrys Of musketry, was evidence that
/ he skirmsI,ers had met the outposts OF the
enemy, but they soon fell back. and in a
few minutes our soldiers were IN sight
again, marching toward the ferry where
we supposed the hardest fighting was TO
be- dom. by this time we had reached
the terry. and Two or ihrer hundred troops
WI re SON after transferred across the fer
ry in flats and were marching up the cause.
way 10 tile deserted battery that had been
thrown up at the ierry-hou>e to command
the ferry, and a detachment of the army
reached there about the same time. In
short time afterwards il was discovered
from the masthead That body of rebel