The national Republican., 1862-05-09
mlLLlANT NAVAL Exr2DrT.
AYANKrRouNBoAT RUNS THBeAUN1
LII OF REBEL BATTERIES, md D$'
SfRoY8 ONE OF THEIR FOn11FloA'
T1oNs, WITHOUT LOSING A MAN!
FULL DBTA-lLey~

=
the Navy Department yesterday; - o.,
|, ~ im'Ii Il fIII ' rlAo snp wAalsa,; y "
| = las ... PORT RorAL Harmon, SO, ~
ID sgrr6t',t ....... Nay 2. 1861 e"
| slI7 Secretary Of the Navy, y.
| SIR: enclose another interesting report IRON
Lieutenant Commauding Rhind, Of The Crusa.
der, giving the particulars Of an expedition, on
the 29.h ultImo, with the nsle, 70 capture q
battery on Grumbsll's plaatation, nsar The
junction Of the Dswho, Pow Pow, and South
Edisto rivers. The enemy opened on the Hale
when within 800 yards, aud continued their
Gre as she winded her way 10 engage them ct
close quarters. But when the Hale reached
the Lest bend, and was making 3 straight course
for the battery, the rebels fed in haste. tieu.
tenant Gillis landed with party Of twenty
meu 10 destroy It. ~ g.,..'gf T.
river bank, aud mounted Two ane long "a
FOUNDERS, on excellent field carfisgss, ons Of
them being loaded and prined. ,r'a u d, Nv.
Owing 70 the msrshy character Of tbs ground
between the battery and the river, the guns
charged the one loaded as.iust the other,
Knocked of the cascabel, and took large
piece out OF the breech. Both wore then
spiked with rat.tail Hles, ond large Gre vas
made under them Of The carriages, lumber, 30.
The ammunition left was brought away.
Lieut.. Commanding Rhiud next attempted 10
ascend the Powpow river, but, owing 70 the
Ignorance Of the pilot, grounded Alter get.
ting cf he retrsced his steps, endeavoring 10
pass through South Edlsto river, but finding
the pilot knew nothing Of the channel, gave
that up, determined to return by the DAwbo 10
North Edisto. IA
Expecting an ambuscsde At . point near
Slaun's Bluff, he made the proper dIsposition
10 receive the close 6re OF ihs enemy. He
reached the point about eight In the evening,
and, ss anticipated, was salutsd BY heavy
arc Of feld-pieces and musketry. The men on
the Hale we're kept under cover tlll the enemy
had delivered their fire, when they replied With
grape, canister, and she'll. The point was soon
passed, and the Hale returned TO her anchor.
age without having bad q man Injured.
Lieu. Commanding Rhind commends the
ofi,ers and men, aud particularly Lieut.. Gillis
temporarily In command Of the Hale, whc
managed his vessel we'll In the very narrow and
crooked stream OF the Dawho. :. ....
As the Department is aware what small
vessel, and how lightly armed the Hale Is, Il
will appreci this spirit affair Of Lieut.
Commanding Rhind. / have given him my
commendation, and will add that bis manner
Of holding the waters Of North Eds,o, for sev
eral months, has been most sstisfsctory 10 me
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't
| ST. DuPoSr,
| ....-. Flag Onioer Cong,
| .r..a.g. South Atlantic Block'g Squad'n.
LIEUT.. CONG RIIlND's REPORT.
,.H' ''.' U. 8 SrEANIR CRUaApER, :
| ira, North Edisto Riur, April 80, 1862.
SIR: : Az an early hour yesterday morning,
started, In the United States steamer E. D. Hale
Lieut.. Cong James H Gillis, 70 destroy bat
terry Of the enemy on Dawho river. Actiue
Assistant Surgeon Br,enhiali, AastsI's Mat,
Henry Parsons, and twenty-five men, with ih,
fat aud hoWitSsrs OF the Crus ,der, wcrs udaet
to the force Of The Hale. :"
On coming In sight Of Grumball's planta
tion, pesr the junotisn Of tn Dawho, Powpow
and South Edisto rivers, the battery was dis
covered The enemy opened Ore on us at
turn in the river distsut shout !, 800 yards from
the battery, and continued bis Are st the w
rious points in the bsnds where sdyantsgeou
opportunities were afforded. One long react
We bad to make un er q rahing Gre. but OH
she'll had been planted 80 effectively BY LIEUT.
4Gillis, wh1 sighted most Of ihs glns himself
that, by the time we reached the last bend, snG
vrre making straight course Tor the battery
the lock out reported the enemy dessrting II
haste.
We then threw few shells iuto the woods
| In the rear of the works, ran The Hale along
ride the bank abreast Of It.. aud landed party
Of about twenty men. uuder Lieut.. Glllls, tC
destroy 1t.
The work was found TO be $50 to 400 yard
from the banks. mo1nti g two fne long "a
p,undsrs on excellent GeId carriages Lieut.
Gillis found one OF the guns loaded and pr,m d
A..~n IA Al
cascnhel aud took q large piece out Of th,
breech Both were then spiked with u rat.tai
dle, good Gre made under them Of the cor
riu ,es lumber. &C., the powder LEFT 10 th
magpzine brought away. and every fort mad
to render the guns uuf; tor llss, that our m an
afforded. Ir.,
Iland,d shortly after, and found the fire vel
at work. on the guns and platforms Il contin
ued TO burn during the whole day, 20 10 IL.
Having finished our lAbors st this point, "
started, about II q. m, 10 60 up tbs Powpo,
river, to capture or destroy small soho oner q
the .hsrf OF MoIris's rioe mill but owing +
The ignorance OF the pilot, We eot bar,
aground about . mile up the ytver. w
remained In that position, unable to ,bripg
gun to bear on either eide, until about 8 p, q
o wing to The lateness Vi ,hs night, we reluo
tantly gave up that portion u the expedition
| nuu btakseu ~ v oV w iutouuluk W R
round by the South Edists river. After pro
ceeding short distance through that stresm
fpuld the pilot ignorant Of the channel, ant
urned the Hale back to the Dawho. to run tb
gauntlet Of an ambuscade that we well knew
would be prepared for us at q favorabla poin
near Slsnn's Bluff We reached that an ou
return, about 8 p. m, and bad made pfope
disposition TO receive the close fire OF the enemy
there. As We anticipated, when close abreas
the place In the narrow river, they opened upoI
"a heavy fire Of field pieces and mufketry
Our men kept under cover till their fire wa
deliv red, when, manning our guns, we CAV
them In return some grape, canister, and shelli
The point was soon passed, and VIC came Gu
iuto the North Edsto river about . p. m, with
out having single man hurt
During the engagement with ths battery, th
Hale went through very close fire; but on
hot sriklng her. however, and that glancinl
shot On the port bow, doing no damage. :
While under fire oa our return. one Of th
guns 1872 pouuder) was struck 10 the muzz,e b.
a solid shot from field piccs, knccking out
piece and cracking the muzzl. badly for som
distance. ! fear the gun Ia rendered compare
lively useless $50.
Canister and rife balls struck her 10 severa
places, but no damage wac sustained. The Hal
was we'll handled 10 thai very narrow On,
crooked stream, by 1t ellis and bis able ex
acutiye officer Mr. Rullars ()ffi nara and ma,