, 1863-06-20
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA,
The New Federal Commander.
COL. M0NTG0MERY'S LATE
RAID.

le'Aeelea4oeaeeoA Va @ac N' /. A1ioane.1
BEArfonT, s. G.. June IA, 1868.
days from New York. arrived st Port Royal
on the evening Of the 1l1h, bringing as pas.
sengers Brig. General Gilmore, the new com
nander Of the Department Of the South, Brig
Gen, Strong, Col Tu1ner. and nnmber 81
officers.
Gen. Gilmore is already well known in the
department ns Chief Engineer on Gen. 6hcr-
ma1's stan; as the officer who had charge Of
the brilliant siege OF Fort Pulaski. md as the
nero o. somerset. hentucky. LIS presence
Wou1o seem 10 s1ho1ca1c Mofe acaEe opera
uons.
We take from tie Free South n sketch of
r., Aro,+oo,n.rr,. -o,a,
e..- 4"o 'a4u'
Mhat stoneman and Grierson are upon the
nolhe, M1, Col; Ak Jam montgomery is upon foot.
VIVA bnt ~ negro soldiers, on board the
Ile1 q. Meed ana eent1nei, be LETT Beaufort on
1hc evening ol the lot inst. and ut ? IL on
TIC following morning anchored his little
Heel ~ the Comba1ee River, 20 miles distant
from u'e point o. hls departure, 20 miles sfrom
Cnaf1csto9, r. a1a @ 10 IRON the village Of Ashe- e
road. The Sentinel, unfortunately got
aground at the mouth Of the Coosaw river,
mud was o1 no service to 1he expedition; the
troops On board Of her we're transferred to
The Jchn Adams and tie Harriet 4. Weed.
The village Of Ashcpoo i approached from
nc CemsabGe ,a,l S y three different roads, one
from Fields Point, where the rebels had con-
sfructed battery, but had deserted i-onc
from lar blutt1 tWo miles above Field s Point,
and one from Combahee Ferry, six miles fur
1hsf el' lue river.
;..ai IN accoroanee e WIN ne plan fully deter
1peo nn1 upon oc1ofe h.s departure. Col Mont
gomefy, amos, at Inc same instant, took pos
session q the three approaches to Ashepoo,
placlnE CApt. L. n: Thompson with one CON.
lanJ II the carthworks At Fields Point
Capt. Carver with company E in the rifle
pits 1T Tar Bluff, and then with the balance or
with the guns Of the John Adams and two
howitzers, under command Of Cant, Brayton.
completely covered the road and tic 40.
proaches TO the bridge.
These points were iii occupied without op-
position. To decei!e the enemy. and lead
him to suppose that lis force was much 1arrer
thau it really was, he instructed the olicef in
command at these difficult points to retain
but few men In reserve and throw out near
y their entire strength Us ekirmishers.
At Ashepoo the rebels had three regiments
battery Of artillery. Is Capt TInmn.on NM - nd. nd.
vapced m fhe road 1cadin, frcm F;eld's
Point c.aTalrv cnmr in eir1,f huf n faw ...e11
directed vpllcys goon sslt them trallonSnr
buck In confusion to their etronyhoI1 af
Ashep0O.
Al hait past D, N. q batterT of sir n,eces
arrived and Opened q brisk fire. Sot mao
finched. hnt fiom sncl, hid;nr-,s.,cee .s t1,a1 n
could find. nonred rn1lcv offsr rni1ar nno;,
Tie cunuers. killiur and Toundfnr a n;mher
In he midst Of {LIs uttle enpasrrnent the
Harriet a. Weed came up, and . Vel directed
Capt Hudson, caused q retreat Of the rebel
artillery. The rafd upon this road tl,en com
mtuced In earncst- 1he soldiers scoftered n
every direction, and burned and destroyed
everything Of value they came across Ttir-
ty-four large mansions known to belong to
notorious rebels. with ali their rich fnrnifnre
md rare wotls Of art, were burned to tie
ground. Nothing but smo1ldezing ruins aud
Iurcbcd and crieped skeletons Of once mae-
ntficent old oak and palmetto groves now re-
main Of these delightful county seats,
..Alter scattering The rebel artillery, the Har-
riet 4. Weed tied up opposite 1arrc p1anta-
tion, owned by Nichols d KirklaIsd. Major
Corwin, in command of comna1lies r and C.
soon effected a landing, without opposition
Of negro soldiers, wiih loaded mnsketg In
their hands, ran In every direction. While the
~laye population rushed to The boats with
every demonstration Of joy and gratitude.
Three rice houses, we'll filed with ricc, q large
amount Of ricks in the yard, and four large
mills Of different kinds, were DESTROYED,
Mansions, negro quarters, and every thing in
siuices we're opened, plantations flooded, and
broad ponds and lake made where, but a few
LUur6 btfOTe, 1u1uriant crous Of rice and corn
we're putting forth their leaves.
Capt Cal re: with Company C,1anded at Tar
Bluff. After skilliu1 disposition Of his nick
cts, the cnemy's cavn1ry appeared in sight.
and threatened to oyerwhelm his little party,
tut upon throwing out his whole force he
:11ccedtd in repulsing every charge, and final
y drove theM entirely out Of sight Upon