The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-05-23
Gallant Ictof a Negro Pilot.
Interesting Report Fru1n
Com. Dupont.

l0ce1e0EA0H 6kefO4C ~
Com. Dupont.
The following is Commander Parrot,
official report forwarded through couno'
dore Dupont to the Navy Department o.
the capture Of the steamer Planter of
Charleston by eight eontrabands
Z. s. STEAMSHIP AUGUSTA,
Of Charleston, Mayf3. Il
Sill, have the honor to inform you
that the rebel armed steamer Planter VA
brought ont to us this morning from
Charleston by eight contrabands, and de-
livered to the squadron. Five colored
women and three children are also on
board. She carried one 32-pounder and
one 24-pounder howitzer and has also on
board four large guns which shs was on.
gagged in transporting. ] send her 70
Port Royal at once, in order to take ad.
vantage of the present good weather. !
send Charleston papers Of the 18th, and
the very intelligent contraband who was
in charge will give you the information
which he has brought Of. ! have the
honor to request that you will send back
a. soon as convenient the officer and crew
sent on board.
Commander Dupont, in forwarding this
dispatch, says in relation to the rebel
steamer Planter:
She was the armed dispatch and trane-
portation steamer attached to the engineer
department at Charleston, under Briga-
der General Ripley, whose bark short
time since was brought to the bloekading
feet by several contrabands. The bring
ing GU. of this steamer, under all the cir
eumstances, would have done credit to
any one. At o'clock in the morning,
in the absence Of the captain, who was on
shore, she left her wharf, close to the
Government Office and headquarters, with
the Palmetto and Confederate flags flying.
passed the successive forts, saluting. as
usual. by blowing the steam whistle
After getting beyond the range of the
last gun, she hauled down the rebel flags,
and hoisted 4 white one. The Onward
was the inside ship Of the blockading
squadron in the main channel. and was
preparing to FIRE when her commander
made ont the white flag. The armament
Of the steamer is 32-pounder, or pivot,
and fine 24-pounder howitzer. She has
besides on her deck four other guns, one
finch riHed, which were to be taken, on
the morning Of the escapesto the new fort
on the "Aiddle Ground" One of the
four belonged to Fort Sumter, and had
been struck on the rebel attack on the
fort on the muzxle. Robert Small, the
intelligent slave and pilot of the boat.
who performed this bold feat SO skillfully,
informed me of this fact, presuming il
would be matter Of interest to us to have
possession of this gun. This man, Rob
ert Small, is superior to any that have
come into our lines, intelligent as many
Of them have been. His information has
been most interesting, and portions Of il
of the utmost Importance. The steamer il
quite valuable acquisition to the squad.
ron BY her good machinery and very light
draft. The officer in charge brought hel
through st. Helena Sound and by the In
land passage down Beaufort river, ARR.
wing here at 10 o'clock last night. On
board the steamer when she left Charles
ton were eight men, FIVE women. and
three children. / shall continue to Elm.
ploy Small as pilot on board the Planter
for inland waters, with which he appears
to be familiar.
! do not know whether in the view oil
the Government the vessel will be consid
cred prize but if SO, respectfully sub
init 10 the Department the claims Of tn.
man Small and his associates.
Very respectfully your obedient servant
+. s. DupoNr,
Flag Officer Commanding, DC
Port Royal Cor. N. Y. Tribune.
| Hilton Head, May IA, 1862.
This morning there appeared in GU
harbor . new steamer, and curious eye
soon found it to be the Planter, of Charles
ton, worth some Sl2, 900, and ssplanted'
in this bay by a black pilot and engineer
BY previous engagement, it seems til
two families belonging to these men wcr,
ready on the pier at Charleston befor
daybreak yesterday. and while the whit
Captain and officers were ashore. car,
on board. They got up steam, and ate
passing the range Of Sumter's guns viii
the rebel flag, hoisted white one an,
stood for the blockading squadron, afte
which they ran in here. She is capabl
of considerable sery;ce-moupts four guns
one Of which Is PARROT 100. pounde,
/ The pilot, who seems very intelligent
states that he saw the day previous, o
the bulletin boards Of that city, an An
! nouncement Of the burning Of Norfol
Navy Yard, and the destruction Of tn
Merrimac He brings Charleston morn
ing papers Of the day previous, and state
also that the principal inhabitants wer
much frightened md vera lca riny 40 e.