New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-13
Or rICfM REPORTS OF THE NAVAL OPERATIONS
IN THE PORT ROYAL FERRY AFFAIR

rapport OF FLAG.oFFICER S. ?. DUPONT.
FLAG.sHIP WABASH, PoRT ROYAL HARB9R' Jan g. 1907
SIR: have tie honor 10 Inform the Department
that tie attention of Gen. Sherman and myself bas
been drawn for tine past 10 tie design OF the
enemy 10 shat up our troops III Fort Royal isiah1,
by pIa Jog distinctions In CoOsaw RIVER ana uale
branch by constructing batteries at Pot kOy al
Ferry at SeabrOOk, and al or near Boyds creek,
and by accommodating men IN this VICINITY IN such
manner as 10 6e able TO throw force oil 2,1OO or
5000 troops upon any OF these points al snort no
Gee. In a confd, niial communication Of the 9Th
ultmo, the General informed Inc That The Tine mao
arrived for arresng Ieenptorly the designs Of the
enemy, and for doing 1t III such manner ar wouin
serve subsequent purpose, and re requested me 10
fur ish NY quo OF the force TO be employed III the
combined operation. =,
The plan VI conduct having been fully determined
M several conferences between the ComInander Ia
Chief and the beaos Of the expedition and tie mt
day Of the new year having been selected for the
time Of alta. k. appointed Commanoer {. X r.
Rodgers 10 the command OF the naval Orces, cons 81
ipg Of the luHbOats Ottawa, Lieutenant COMMAND
ing Stevens; Penlina, Lieutenant Commanding
B..u cad aud the four armed boats of this ship,
carrying bowitzsrs, under the haige OF Leutetauis
Upshur, Luce, aid Irwin, and Acllug-Mastcr
.mun al OF which were TO enter the COOsnw J. y
Beaufort river; ard Of the gunboat Seneca, LleuteI
ant Commanding Ammen, and The tugooat Ellen,
AcIihl Master Commanding Budd, botn oil wnich
were TO move up Beaufort Iiver and approach TIE
batteries at SeaLToOh and Pot Royal Ferry BY
Wl41le DrtLCD. Tue hIutu thS ~ 'i"i' -h'''"E
Master Foster, under the command OF Lieut. Barnes,
Was afterward dispatched To Commai der Rogers.
The Dart assigned to tie naval force was 10 protect
the Landing OF TIE troops at Haywood llanlt lOni
the first point of debaI ktiioD 10 cover the route OF
the advancing cOlumn aud the second point OF de'
barkauOn aud as.iul tie batteries on Their IfOht
refer you, viii PLEASURE u Inc OH il reports lOI
the Occurrences OF tie day, and hive oriy to odd
that from The note OF Brighten. stevens, cory u
which accompanies this rel ort, and ifO.n VARIOUS
\ uat a. naval Dart OF tile
pedi ion Was conducted by Com. kOdgers with TIE
highest skill and ability. have the honor 70 trans
Hi herewith his detailed report, wnicn the Depart
nsnt vii read with pleasure. Respectfully, &e:,
5. r. DUPONT.
REPORT OF COhMASDER {. X. 7. RODGERS.
UNITED STATES FLAG.SHIP WABASH. !
Pom ROYAL HARBok, 5 G, Jan g. 1907.
SIR: / reached Beaufort at noon on The 3lhl OF
December, with the ganboats Ottawa, lleuteuanl
Commanding Stevens, and Pembina, Lleu,euahl
Commanding BaLkLead, aud the four large boats q
this stip, carr Ing l2-pound howiller, under
Leuenauts Upshur, Luce, and lrwl1, aBd Actlbe
Master Kemph. ~ sunset Lieut.. Barnes Of tLi'
sLip ioil Ell ne viii The armed steamer r. IL. Hale
Acting Mater Commanding Foster. la order tha
no iutiinaiOn might be glNeI to tie enemy VI oui
approach, THESE vessels remained al Beaufort un'i
tfler DARK, when they assembled the river 10 POM
tbou, two miles iIOm the COOsaw, where we an'
elor.c TO await day light. At the next morning
moved on With the launches and at day light Joined
Gen stevens at the mead OF his column, ana al the
6Ip,iaied lace Of rendezvous
Tue froops having all embarked, we crossed The
Coosaw and al Il. III the fret detachment OF voun-
.eols landed under Of our boat guns, at Hay
wool planld,ion and with them welt the Two
Ggtt boWIlzers of the Wabash, 20 terye as section
OF lgat artillery under Lieut.. Irwin, Of this ship.
At eubrise Lieutenant Commanding Stevens sue
eeedtd In getting the Ottawa through the difficult
passage Of the BricSyard aud in yining IN front
OF tie column, the Re nbina ana T.. Is. Hale arriving
shortly afterward. We projected to the next land
ing, at Adams's plantation, Where the remaining
troop were ordered 10 disem ark. On our Wy up
We threw a few shells in'o what seemed all outpost
Of The enemy, near d long em jaikineut.
AnchOripg the gunDO4t at ~ o'clock, 20 M 10
cover the route 81 the advancing column, ara The
second point Of GebsrkatiOn, where s-o our launches
were sta'iOred. | went up In the Hale 10 wlt.in
range Il tre battery at Port Royal Ferry, at Which
Lieut. Bames tbTew few hot aud she'll, dlslodglrg
BODY OF troops stationed IN TIE aolJinIug held, Dut
encl1ug no Spouse from the battery.
AT a y. NJ, Gen. Stevens being ready 10 move,
the guDOais slelied the wCCds H. front OF hs krm
tters, and q e. advancing threw a RAPID fire into
the iort at Pom Royal Ferry, and anchored Ia front
OF II ~ 2:lO ?. H., lie Ottawa passing tot weca The
Leacs ot the two Causewayf. Tie enemy had I'll =
cected ~ liking oil all tbcir guns we one, bul
could rot learn whether any excat field pieces had
been removed on the day Of atia.k. We f)uhd q
quani Of eight-iEch sbelle and 3O-lounder Ii..ed
sLee ~ tie magazine.
AZ; tie Seneca, Lieutenant COnmanding IN.
sEe', ADD ale tlleu, N.nri Commanding Budd, toe
other vessels hIch yp1 La1 placed under NY orders
having lG.sed from BlJai River thrJugi Wilde
Branch, came witin Jgnal distance, and their com
lna deIs caue on boGri The Ottawa hay.g assisted
81 the destruction Of he works ~ Setbrook; bm