The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-07-25
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK-EYE

eI punt VI Oily lSlanu UeeIleu WIN lie.
Hundreds of spades and sbovels nightly
flashed in the moonlight, but not in sight
OF the Rebels. From Hilton Head, huge
mortars and Columbiads and PARROT guns
were put on board of transports, which,
under the light of the stars or the moon,
sailed for Stone Inlet discharged their car
goes, and before morning dawned were on
their return to the point of their departure.
From Stone Inlet these immense guns
were dragged to the batteries erected fol
them through sand roads over which it is
almost impossible to urge your horse faster
than a walk. Immense quantities OF
round shot and shell, heavy timbers, pom
derous derricks and cranes, in fact, every.
thing necessary to complete the works by
man and horsepower, were transported
during the night, at times through the ter
rife thunder-storms, to the exact position
required by the engineers in charge of the
works.
In less than three weeks ten batteries
in all containing forty-e;ght guns of the
heaviest caliber-were erected within four
hundred yards of the enemy's works with
out his having the slightest suspicion that
anything more formidable than light artil-
lery was within seven miles of him. The
earthworks erected, the guns in position,
the ammunition all on hand, nothing was
wanting but the execution of few slight
military combinations before the attack
upon Morris Island should commence.
AT the same time that Gen. Gilmore was
erecting these batteries, he was also trans
porting all his available infantry from St.
Helena and Port Royal Islands to Folly
Island. In the darkness transports heavi-
ly laden with troops left the bay of Port
Royal, and before morning disembarked
their loads on Folly Island. Whole divis-
ions were in this way transferred to the
field of action. The pine and palmetto
groves of this little island of the sea soon
swarmed with troops, but so well were
they protected by the shrubbery and sand
hills, that one might have sailed around
the island for weeks without having dis
covered anything more than a few tents on
the beach and along the margin of the river
Everything, so far as human foresight
could discern, connected with the eXpedi
ton had been successful. Artillery and in
tantry were all on hand, and deserters and
prisoners almost daily arriving told us
that nothing was known within the Rebel
lines OF the movement.
Gen. Gilmore, to insure perfect success
in capturing the lower batteries upon Nor
ris Island, decided not to rely upon the
of the works he had himself erect
ed but to bring to his aid storming par
ty from some of the best regiments Of the
old 10th Army Corps.
Gen. Strong, an experienced and brave
officer, who had served with Gen. Butler
in New Orleans asked permission to lead
the column. On the night before the at
tack was to be made, something more than
100 small boats and launches were towed
up Folly River, and before daylight were
TILED with detachments from the 9TH Con-
necticut, Lieut.. Col. Rodman in command;
the 9th Connecticut, Col. Chatfield; the 9th
Maine, Col. Emery; 10Th Pennsylvania,
Col. Strawbridge; four companies of the
h Nnl
mand, and the Sd New Hampshire, Col.
Jackson.
Sailors from the Ironsides, Wabash,
Powhattan, Canandaigua, and Pawnee
many of the boats and worked
the howitzers mounted on the bows of the
advanced ones.
AT five clock this morning we opened
upon the batteries of Morris Island from
our entire line Of works on Folly Island.
The first shot from 2O-pounder Parrot
the gun it had been trained
upon the day before, and highly complf
nented the gunnerS for their accuracy. |
The Rebels, entirely taken by surprise,
'prang upon the top of the sand hills to |
see where the fire came from, but as gun
dropped back, and were not again seen
Until they were prisoners within our own
ines.
For three hours we continued the can
lonade, nearly one-half of which time we
we're also assisted by the monitor fleet
Admiral Dahlgren, on board of the Cats
Kill, in communicated at an early hour
lad crossed the bar at the southern chan
lei, and had drawn up in line of battle
llong the southern end of Morris Island,
n order to deliver an enfilading fire. and
larrass the enemy on his left and rear.
n this naval attack the Catskill, the Ma
liant. the MOntauk, land the Weehawken,
we're engaged, and, if the prisoners taken
an be believed, did much to demoralize
he enemy, and hasten the capture of the
works.. AS soon as the fire from Morris
Stand began to slacken and grow wild,
ZEN. Gilmore signalled to Gen. Strong.
Who with his little boat fleet, lay concealed
n Folly River, to land his forces, and as
ault and carry the batteries at the point
# the bayOnet. The order was no sooner
,iven than executed. With shouts and
heers the troops sprang ashore, formed in
inc of battle, with the 9TH and 9th Connec-
icut on the right, the 9th Maine and 10Th
'ennsylvania in the center, and the 3rG
New Hampshire and 4Sth New York on
he left. In less than ten minutes the
light and center had carried all the bate
les, and the left all the rifle pits-captur-
ng ten columbiads, two 10-inch mortars.
me Whitworth gun, together with near
y the entire garrison, consisting OF the 1st
south Carolina Artillery and 10 companies
# the Dist South Carolina Volunteers, in
il numbering 1S5 men.
The unexpectedly quick and brilliant
uccess in capturing these strong works
nd obtaining so important footing upon
lpon the island filled the troops with the
greatest enthusiasm. Cheer after cheer
ent the air. Men ran through sand knee
eep as If they were upon hard macada-
nized road, in search Of plumber. mules,
sses and horses; pigs, chickens and ducks
we're soon running in every direction. The
ack Tars from the feet with pieces Of rope
n their hands diverted themselves by run
ing down some old mule, mounting his
,are back and galloping up and down the
each in sight of the Monitors and to the
Avy of the crews on board of them.
In few moments Gen. Gilmore and
taft crossed to the island, and on foot, un-
er burning sun, scrambled on the sand
ills, examined the works and ascertained :
he extent of the victory. The batteries
ad been in command of one Captain
1itchell, son of the Irish orator and trait
r John Mitchell, who, beneath a magnifi- {
ent tent was living in something like ORR I
ntal splendor, but who ran frightened and !
error stricken the moment Gen. Strong [
dvanced upon the works. {