The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-09-20
War Hlattrrs.
correspondence of the philada. Inquirer,I
LETTER FROM PORT ROYAL,
PoRT ROYAL, S. c., Aug. Is, 1862.

under the command of Major. General
Hunter, and nothing of Importance has
transpirc9 since the battle of James
Island. Some of the troops since then
have been sent to reinforce Mcclellan,
and it does not appear probable that
active operations will be speedily re.
sumed here.
Though this place and its ncighbor-
hood is not, at the present time, the
thcater of any very stirring military
operations, yet the island of Hilton
Head, or Port Royal, as it is sometimes
called, on which the grca er part of the
army of this Department is now encamp-
ed, is place of no small importance,
especially as it commands the entrance
to the finest bay on the Southern coast,
south of the Chesapeake.
The name of Port Royal is applied az
general term to all the places which
border on the bay Of that name. A good
deal of confusion, therefore, prevails at
the North in relation to the term. Hi on
| Head is the name of the island, and also
Of the place where one of the fors is.
which was captured by Admiral Dupont,
and near which Major General Hunter
now has his hcad-quar err On the island
of Bay Point, Immediately opposi Hill
ton Head, at the distance of three miles,
is the other fort captured by Admiral
Dupont at the same time. The real
island of Port Royal is hat on which
Beaufort is situated. The station at
Hill on Head, however. is called Port
Royal, and letters so directed are sent
there.
Since the capture of Hilton Head by
the Union forces last November, very
commodious and substantial wharf has
been bull. on piles, running out several
hundred fee: into the bay, and giving a
sufficient depth of water for our largest
ships to approach to receive and dis
charge cargo.
Our ships of war, the Wobash, and
The Vermont, with other vessels, inclu-
ding the gun boats generally, occupy
the anchorage between Hilton Head and
Bay Point. Hunting Island, across the
bay, is northeast from Bay Point, and
another one of the islands SO numerous
which skirt the Southern coast.
The length of the island. of Hilton
Head is about fifteen miles, with an
average breadth Of Ev, miles, con aiming
about sevcnty-fve square miles. OF
this area, probably less than half, say
thirty square miles, was under cultiya-
ton when cap ured from the Rebels.
The soil is unsurpassed in natural
richness, being light sandy loan, very
easy of cultivation. Sea Island co ton,
corn and potatoes have heretofore been
the principal objects of cul ivation.-
The cas- or oil plant, which a. the North
grows but few feet in highth, and lives
for a single year, here assumes much
more formidable Dimensions, becomes
tree, and, like her trees, has the APP
pearance of becoming perennial.
The palmetto in many places raises its
peculiar broom like top and gives char
actcristc appearance to the landscape.
The fan palm, and some ohcr species of
the palm genus, also abound. The live
oak is also met with. 1t is not generally
a tall tree, but divides often into several
large branches low down, like the letter
| V, which is one of the circumstances hat,
together with its great toughncss and
durabili y, makes it SO valuable for ship
building, especially for the supply of
knees. The leaves, individually, are
very small, but they grow so thick and
in clusters that they form a shade so
dense that the rays of the sun cannot
penetrate them.
Orange and fig trees are always found
surrounding the old mansions of almost
the size of forest trees, and arc generally
loaded with fruit in the dilfercns stages
Of ripenins.
The old mansions on the island, now
deser ed by their lac Secession owners,
are built all on nearly the same plan.-
They are generally elevated eight or ten
feet above the ground, supported by
brick pillars, and entirely open under
meath. The bricks were, no doubt,
brought, like everything else, from the
North The buildings arc all of frame,
and appeared to have been erected many
years ago, as they have ricketty and
tumble-d down appearance. The manner,
however, in which they were surrounded
by orange, fig, pomcgranate and other
beautiful flowers and fruit bearing trees
and plants must have rendered them very
pleasant to reside in. This much is evil
dent from their appearance now, though
the lower and smaller shrubbery is all
trampled down and destroyed in mos
instances.
All their mansions have the negro
quarters near them. They are generally
arranged in two rows, one on each side
of the principal avenue leading to the
mansion. They are about twelve feet
square, mostly frame, but some of them
arc constructed wi split sticks bent in
a peculiar way. At Drayton's planta-
ton, about three miles from Hilton
Head, about twenty frames of this de-
scription are ranged about equally on
each side of the principal approach to
the mansion. Two rows of splendid old
trees, Composed chiefly of live oak and
sycamore, form much more appropriate
and beautiful appenduge. The negroes
still inhabit these places, and some of
them, especially among the females, pos
sess fair degree of brightness and
intelligence. ls "sh
A'large portion Of the island is COW