The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-01-23
Special correspondence to the Philadelphia Press,

PORT ROYAL, Jan. 9TH 1867,
A veryly skillful planned and skillful-
ly executed little movement has ust
occurred here, which begins the New
Year in the pleasantest manner possi-
ible. Beaufort lies on the eastern side
of Port Royal Island, and about ten
miles north of it, on the Coosaw Riv>
er, is Port Royal Ferry, which affords
the best means Of crossing from the
Island to the main. The rebels began
entrenching themselves on the farther
side of the Ferry; here they crossed
whenever they visited Beaufort, pre-
vious to it's occupation by our troops,
and, since this has been prevented,
they have established themselves con-
spicuously, in sight Of our pickets,
and attempted to comwand the navi>
CATION of the Coosaw River. Some
two weeks ago they fired into the
little steamer Mayfower, used for
transporting purposes, and one
man, In her convoy Of small boats
was killed.
The expedition consisted of six gun
boats and five regiments, who proceed
ed to the scene OF operations and
crossed over The account Goes on
to say:
Gen. Stevens now threw out
skirmishers from al! his regiments
along the right of his line; lie had be-
tween four and five miles to march,
and a great part Of the way across
broken fields, over two creeks amid
bushes and thickets, and probably in
the face of an enemy. His skirmish>
els soon drew fire from rebels con>
cealed IN the woods about a mile to
his right. Nearly the whole Miehi-
gan 9Th regiment, under Col. Fulton.
was thus engaged, when a heavy fire
from field artillery opened upon them.
Under this fire, the regiment still ads
vanced as skirmishers, and were fired
INTO at last by musketry, not hun
dred yards of, but completely under
cover. The Michiganders returned
the IRE, scrambled through bushes,
and tore their faces and hands with
brlers, dared the enemy to come out
in the open field and show fight, and
finally, when nobody came, retire1 in
good order, but rapidly. They had
lost one man killed and twelve
wounded, including Major Watson.
Their behavior was the subject of
universal admiration from the navy
and their own comrades iEa other reg
lments. No attempt was made to
pursue them. Meanwhile. the fiftieth
Pennsylvania was pushing on in adj
vance OF the Michigan people, and in
consequence of Information offered to
Den Steoens by u negro, deviated
from the route origin ally proposed.
1t seems trap had been prepared for
them. A small body of about 400
rebels showed themselves outside of
the woods, and endeavored to decoy
the tiitleth; behind them, and in the
woods, could be seen, from the mast.
heads of the gunboats, as many as
2,00e troops drawn up in line. Had
It not been for the negroes, Stevens
would have known nothing of this
force; as 1t was, he allowed the ffftieth
pennsylvania to drive back the de-
eoying party, bur before it reached
the larger torce, lying in ambush, a
well aiIned shell, from the vessels,
BURST in the advance party OF the reb>
els who broke and fed at once. Af~
er this the gun-boat proceeded to
'bel! the woods, signals being con~
'tantly nnade them from shore of the
progress OF the diminishing, and Of
he direction to be be given to their
,rlus. Every company Of Federal
roops carried flags, so that there
was no danger of iniuring our own
men. The force of rebels in the
woods was effectually dispersed by
this shelling, which was remarkably
accurate, and must have done great
damage to the enemy. When the |
field was visited next day by some of
our officers, it was covered with frag- |
ments of human bodies, and blood |
stood around in puddles, rs If it had |
been slaughter yard. No other OPP
position was offered to the advance
IF our troops, and the Seventy-ninth |
\. y. was sent on to the fort.
They advanced without fiinching
.oanwhile, however, the gunboats had |
,een pouring heavy fire into the bat
ery: but it was still uncertain whetherl
t had been abandoned, when the Sew
entered and ran up the
american flag. Immediately two com
anies of pioneers and the whole
oundhead Pennsylvania regiment,
,ol. Leasure, crossed Port Royal Ferry
n the ferry boats, as had been previ-
usly arranged, and set to work de-
-roying the fort. They completely