Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-01-11
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.
INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF MIL.
ITARY MOVEMENTS IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.

W. - ~ u AS
INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF MIL.
ITARY MOVEMENTS IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.
Official r eperts Of Commodore Dupont and
Commander Rosers-The Excellent Con-
duct of our Troops-High Compliment TO
General Stevens-Effective Aid Rendered
by the Signal Corps.
FLAG SHIP WABASH,
Port Royal Hdrbor, Jan. 4th, 1852.
Sir. have the honor 10 inform the Department
that the attention Of Gen. Sherman and myself
has been drawn for some time past to the design
of the enemy to shut up our troops In Port Royal
Island by placing distractions In Coosaw River
and w hale Branch; by constructing batteries at
Port ROYAL Ferry, at Seabrook, and at or near
Royd's Creek; and by accommodating men In this
vicinity In such a manner as TO be able to throw
force Of twenty hundred or three thousand
troops upon any Of these points at a short notice.
In q confidential communication Of the 2Sth
ultimo, the General informedNme that the time
had arrived for arresting peremptorily the designs
of the enemy, and for doing 10 In such a manner
as would serve a subsequent purpose; and he re-
quested me to furnish my quota Of the force to be
employed in the combined operation.
The plan Of conduct having been fully deter
mined in several conferences between the COM
manders-in- chief and the heads of the expedition,
and the first day Of the new year having been
selected for the time Of attack, appointed Com
mander C. r. p. Rodgers to the command Of the
naval forces, consisting of the gunboat Ottawa
Lieut.. Commanding Stevens, Pembina, Lieut.
Commanding Bankhead, and the four armed
boats OF this ship, carrying howitZers, under the
charge of Lieuts. Upshur, Luce, and Irwin, and
Acting Master Kempfi all Of which were to enter
the CoOsaw by Beaufort river; and Of the gunboa,
Seneca, ieut. Commanding Ammen, and the
tugboat Ellen, Acting Master Commanding Budd
both OF which were to move up Beaufort river
and approach the batteries at Seabrook and Por,
Royal Ferry by Whale branch. The armed tug
c. b. Hale, Acting Master Foster, under the
command OF Lieut.. Barnes, was afterwards dis
patched to Commander Rodgers.
The part assigned to the naval force was To mo-
tect the landing of the troops at Haywood's plan.
tatiOn, (the first point of debarkation y to cover
the route Of the advancing column and the second
point OF debarkation, and to assail the batteries
on their front.
/ refer you with pleasure to the official reports
for the occurrences Of the day, and have onIv 10
add that from the note Of Brig. Gen. Stevens, "a
various other sources, learn that the naval par
OF the expedition was conducted by Commander
Rogers with the highest skill and ability. have
the honor to transmit herewith bis led report
which the Department will read with pleasure.
Respectfully, &c, ST. DUPONT.
U. 8. FLAG SHIP " ABAsH
Port Royal HHTboT, s. C Jan & 1862 (
Sir reached Beaufort at noon on the 3Ist M
December with the gunboats Ottawa, Lit. Comd %
Stevens, and Pembina, 1t. Comd'g Bankhead
and the four large boats of this ship each carry.
ing 12-pound howitzer, under Lieuts IJnsbu,
Luce and Irwin, and Acting Master Kemnif
At sunset, Lieut.. Barnes Of this ship Joined me
with the armed steamer f. Il. Hale, Acting
Master COmd'g Foster.
In order that no intimatiOn might be given In
the enemy OF our approach, these vessels remain
ed at Beaufort until after dark, when thew az.
csnded the river 10 point about two miles from
the COOsaw, where We anchored to await day-
light.
AtfOur the n ext morning, I moved on with the
launches, and at daylight Joined Gen Stevens. AT
the head OF his column, at the appointed place of
rendezvous.
The troops having all embarked, we crossed tho
CoOsaw, and at : a. m. the first detachment nj
volunteers landed, under cover of our boat oun.
at Haywood's plantation, and with them went
the two light hOwitZers of the Wabash, to serve
as section Of flight artillery, under Lieut@Irwin
At sunrise, Lieut.. Commanding Stevens suc.
ceeded in getting the Ottawa thro1g b the al cnr
passage Of the "Brick Yard" and in joining me
In front Of the column. The Pembina and r n
Hale arriving shortly afterwards, we proceeded
to the next landing, at Adams plantation, where
tpe remaining troops were ordered to disembark
In our way up we thr.w few shells into what
see n an out post OF the enemy, near a long
Anchoring the gunboat at 10 O'Clock. 80 rs IN
cover the route Of the advancing column, and the
launches were stationed, went up in the Hale ~
within range Of the battery at Port oval ferry
at which 1t Barnes threw a few shot and shelf:
disiodging body Of troops stationed in the adj
ASAo1 WV CAASihuS HO response from The
battery. -
At l 80 p. N General Stevens being ready 10
move the gunbOats sheled the woods In front Of
his sklrmlshers, and then advancing we threw
rapid nre into the fort at Port ROYAL Ferry and
anchored In front Of IL at 2.40 D. m the Ottawa
passing between the heads Of the two causeways
The enemy had succeeded in taking of all their
guns save one, but could not learn whether any
except held guns had been removed on the day Of
the attack. We found a quantity of inch shells
and 3O-pounder rihed shells In the magazines
AT ha1-past two the Seneca, Lieut. Comm,p
Ammen, and the Ellen, Master Coming Budd,
(the other vessels which you had placed under
my Orders,l having passed from Broad River
through w hale Branch, came within signal dis
lance, and their commanders came on board the
Ottawa, having assisted in the destruction OF the
works at SeabrOok, but their vessels were n,s.
vented by the lowness Of the tide from Ioininu
me- The Ellen came up at s O'Clock, and the
seneca the next morning Immediately after the
Ottawa had anchored, the ferry was reonened
and the Pennsylvania Roundheads passed owe,
and occupied the fort, where they were Joined
about O'Clock by Gen. Stevens advance Suard
Ihe enemy appearing In force and in line of bat
Tie upon the right Of our troops at Is the OttaUa
moved down the river short distance with ths
Pembina, and opened fire with 11-inch and par
roa guns, their shells falling among tine enemv,s
troops with great effect, driving them into the
woods, and clearing the flank of our column
where the skirmishers had been engaged. and tbss
enemy had opened fire from a field battery of
several pieces "a
soon alter sunset we ceased firing for a while
ana the enemy sent flag of truce to one of our
advanced posts, to ask permission to caSrv az
their killed and wounded Just then the enn.
boats reoPened, and before General Stevens, mes
senger could convey his reply, that the firing
should cease for an hour, to enable the enemy TO
carry of their wounded, the officer who had
Drought the dag had gallOpped Off At sunset !
landed our heavy hOwitzers, directing Ljeut
CPshur to place tin battery with the guns already
on shore, under Lieut.. Irwin there being no
artillery with the briOade bnt that ~ r. yU.t.r
AT the same time, Lieut.. Luce, with the second
launch and It's rided gun, and Lent. Raines VIII