The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1862-03-15
The Situation.

announcing IN their daily issues the situation of mill
tary affairs, that nothing else have so great
interest for their readers. We not promise to
be equally explicit in our developments, though per
haps we mi 5ht be equally accurate without OCCASION
ing much harm; but instead Of attempting to tell sl
that we know and great deal more that guess in
regard to operations in s vicinity, it has occurred to
us that synopsis Of what has already been accom-
plished here since the 18th of last November, may well
supply the place of an article the Situation.''
Since the capture of Port Royal and the landing of
the Expeditionary Corps have not been aggard.
A great harbor, previously almost unknown to the
world, has been opened; light ships and buoys esab-
lshed the results of the coast survey VERIFIED piers
have been built for the landing Of stores, and many
as seventy eighty vessels may be constantly seen
in the bay-men-of-waf, Transports merchant ships,
steam tugs, schooners, &ioops, &C. Since the battle
Of Hilton Head the Navy has reconnotered the entire
coast between Fenandina on the South and Stono
Inlet on the North; has penetrated into other bays
and nlets often far as ten twenty miles taken
the first possession of Tbee Island and North Edisto;
driven the enemy out of the town of Rockville;
sisted in the dash madS upon Port Royal Ferry on
the 1st of January sunni the stone fleet in Charleston
Harbor; supervised th3 colony Of Negroes at North
Edisto, and played its pt in the movements at Fer
nandina.
Since the 7th of November, a town has sprung up
on Hilton Head, where 3t least thousand civilians
must be now employed, IN one capacity or another
Transfers carpenters mchinists aborers, newspaper
reporters, sutlers post masters and editors and, Of
late even women and Children have been seen within
the limits of the commata. Long lines Of hospitals,
stables and store houses Tor quartermasters and
missaries' use, bakerie$ negro quarters and other
buildings have been erted, quite Transforming the
appearance of the spotD Negroes haze been set TO-
varlons tasks and become entirely accustomed
to their new condition. cotton to the value of hun
dreds of thousands of dollars has been obtained from
the Sea Islands, the blacks laboring vigorously and
willingly, collecting, ginning and baling.
Since the 7th of November, long lines of fortifca-
tions have been thrown up on this island and lined
with armament which defes any attack; Beaufort
the Newport - of South Carolina, has been occu-
pied by federal troops Tybee Island has been held
and put into position of defence; Otter Point has
been seized; Bay Point occupied and strongly fort-
fed; troops have been thrown upon nearly every one
of these famous Sea Islands " and the entire coast
definitely abandoned by Rebel forces.
Since the date of our arrival here, there has occur
red one brisk little engagement with the enemy at
Port Royal Ferry in which the National forces, both
Army and Navy manifested pluck and GOODNESS
the most desirable qualities in soldiers or sailors.
The nerve of officers was equally apparent The re-
suit proposed was completely accomplished and
the enemy driven back from an annoying position,
his battery destroyed and his mpertinence chastised
More important however than any purely military
movement made here since the 7th ofNovember, has
been the blockading of the Savannah River effected
by the erection of two forts Jones and Bird islands,
within eight miles of the city Of Savannah; works