The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-02-20
The following letter ba, beep kindI,

Furnished us for publication:
Bar PoIST, PoRT RoYAL HARBoR.l
SoUTH CAROLINA, Jan. 30, 'e2.|
i DEAR FATHER AND MoTAER:
Your letter
beating dats Gf tie ssIh of last month
came to hand yesterday and was; as usual,
thankfully received. Nothing in the
world pleaaes me greater than when re-.
cbits letter from you. telling me that
you are all we'll and enjoying good health.
As for myself, I am enjoying all the com
fotts and happiness Of life, due to man.
am also happy to say that out of three
huhdred and fifty men, (which constitute,
our Battalli1n.) there are but six Oh the
sick list. As for the other regiments on
the other side Of the hstbor. am sorry
to say that great many Of the men are
SICK. Upwards ofa hundred poor souls
have died from sickness since our oocupa.
ton Of this place. Nothing of any In.
portauce has occurred here since wrote
you last, with the exception Of fe Il skit.
misbes, in which case our boys always
came off victorious. The principal skir
mish, aud 10 fact the Oily one worthy Of
mention, took place about ten smiles up
the rive, at place called Port Royal
Ferry. Itappedrs from wha, can learn.
that the rebels had erected batter mount.
ing six guns. With the view of repulsiDg
our troops in case they attempted to make
d landing on the main Island. Our gal
liant Comodore. s F. Dupont, thinking it
would be the best policy TO nip the bud
in its infancy, sent three quo boats up
the river to engage the battle y aud if
possible drive them from their position /.
Our boats were not long 10 getting ready
for action, and taking up prominent po.
sition in front of the rebel batteries, they
at once commenced their work Of death
by throwing eleven inch shells 10 among
them. This they could net stsnd; neither
did they stand but took ID their heels and
made good Bull Run time towards the To-
terror, leaving their guns behind them.
We were not only successful in routing
them, but we also took their guns
The next movement will be against Fort
Pulaski as that must be captured before
the city oi Savannah can be taken. Ope
ratious will be commenced, in nv pin-
ion, before two weeks passes by, as gun
boats have been concentrating in large
numbers here for the last week. and the
cry is still they come. They already mum
Der over thirty. Some carry an arma-
ment Of four guns, some ten and some
twenty, While some carry as high as fifty.
For this reason | say that blow will be
struck before long. [ am exceedingly
anxious to hear from Gen. BurDside's s ex.
peditiop, and where its destination 10, and
what result it had upon tie enemy. |
only hope be came of victorious, and done
his work as uobly as we did at this place.
If be has been successful. we all think that
it will b. the cause OF Gen. Mcclellan
making an advance movement towards
Manassas. Manassas once taken. then the
back bone of secession is surely broken.
l should also be very happy TO hear from
our boys in Kentucky-in what part Of
the State they are, and with what sue
cess they have met. | have no doubt
that if they should have the luck TO be
brough. into an engagementf they will
fight to the last, as they have won laurels
Fin Western Yi,ginis. aud know they will
do it in Kentucky, should an opportunity
afford. must shorten my letter so as 10
enable ne 10 get ready for drill. will
therefore close. by sending you. one aud
all. my best respects, wishing you all a
happy New Year Good bye.
LEWIS EBEL,
In Major Reynolds Marine Battalion,
Port Royal, South Carolina.