The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-02-07
FEoM HILTsy HEAD, CHARIEsToS, &c

E0N HILTON HEAD, luARiESIOS,
The news from Gen. Hunters depart
ment is interesting at least, if not encour-
aging. On the 9th January the Monitor
Montauk left Hilton Head in company
with four wooden vessels and went down
to the mouth of the Ogeechee, 20 miles
south of Savannah, 20 destroy some bat e
ries. and, if possible, destroy the Nashville,
cooped up there. Montauk attacked Tor,
MciIister, and after a four hours bonn
.bardment, Withdrew. The rebels say her
turret was injured, while reports from
Hilton Head say, the Moutauk lay under
the rebel fire four hours merely 70 try her,
and that their balls had no more effect on
her than haiistones. Nothing was seen OF
the Nashville. Tie expedition had not
returned at last advces
Rebel dispatches from Charleston of the
S9th say the federal gunboat j. P Smith,
Carrying l | guns and $50 men, was sur
rounded on the 10Th by an artillery force
Of 81 guns in Stono river, and after losin
Smen killed and IL wounded, surrendered
Nothing was known of this at hilton
Head on the lst lust.
In reference to the capture of Major
Reid Sanders, by the Charleston bIockad-
ing squadron, and from whom the inipor-
tant rebels dispatches la:.l. published
were taken, the same rebel kilograms say
Maj Reid Sanders WIS captured hy be.
ing betrayed by the crew OF hi, watch A,
soJu as they got out OF Charleston i,arbor
the crew tied TAI and steered Tor the tieei
and delivered him up 10 the Yankee
This Will account for his dispatches net
being sent TO The bottom"
From similar rebel dispatches to the
Richmond papers we have the following
important account of occurrences off Char
iesten harbor OF the 3lst
On that morning the new rebel iron
clads Palmetto State and CLicora. accom-.
panied by three small steamers, moved
out of Charleston habor and attacked our
blockading fleet. The gunboat Mercedita
was tirs. engaged and sunk, with all OF,
board except Capt Stslevosen and small
portion OF his crew, who 90, of in boa,
and surrendered. Another federal gun
boat the rebels think was sunk, and til.
Quaker City was disabled, so that sh,
raised white hag, but Afterwards escapeo
with one wheel. The rest of the blockad
lag fleet then In great haste Withdrew
The rebel fleet returned to CharIesto
wherenpon there was great rejoicing, an,
Com Ingraham and General Beau,esar,
issued a pompous proclamation, announc
ing Ito the world that the blockade G
Charleston haroor was legally raised b
asuperior force of the Confederate States.
again appeared in sight, though actin
"sby"
As an of set to this, however, the rebG
dispatches also announce the capture, b
the federal blockade off Charleston. O
18th, of the British steamer Princess Ro,
al, running the blockade with a most valua
bic cargo The pilot and one of the ere,
escaped. and arrived at Charleston wit
dispatches from Capt Mau,y" Tn
Princess Royal is one of the steamers tn
Navy Department has been PARTICULAR
looking for. She had on board eipI
Wbitworth cannon, four steam engines f,
Runboats, rifles, powder. dc party
English workman skilled in the manufs
ture Of prcjectiles, were also captured.
Nothing Is said about the movemen,
going on or contemplated by Gen funte
but from the large reInforcements he
receiving, it is eyiden, some big job is
hand