The Portland daily press., 1863-04-15
The Charleston Expedition.

Inc .Shdthcstou Xpe0ithous
The following account of the recent opera
tions in the Department OF the South is drawn
from so many sources that it would be almost
impossible TO particularize. The statements
of correspondents on the spot and of partic-
ipants in the engagement of Tuesday, 7th
instant, have been carefully selected:
The pioneer corps of the expedition - the
Tooth New York volunteers, Col. G. B. Dandy,
(brevet major United States army took un-
disputed possession of Coles island, nine
miles from Charleston. On Friday morning
the 9th March, the Belvidere and Expound-
er steamed into Stonoriver, opposite Coles is
land. Under the direction of Commander
Bach of the Pawnee, they took anchorage
within a few hundred yards of the center of
the island. At Z o'clock A. M. the troops
commenced disembarking. The movement
was promptly made, and the regiment was
safely landed in one hour from tie time the
Decentralization commenced.
When the troops were dscmbarked, Col.
Dandy of the Tooth regiment, Commander
Balch, of the Pawnee, and Capt. Rice, of the
10th Pennsylvania volunteers, ION special do
ty on the Pawnee,) landed on the island and
reconnoitered In the vicinity. They discov-
cred a rebel battery situated near the end of
the causeway that leads from Coles TO James
where the troops were making their camps.
They also saw evidences of numerous con-
cealed works on Folly and James islands.
Coles island is at the confluence of the Stono
and Folly rivers. 1t Is about two miles long
and one-eighth of a mile wide. 1t might be
considered part of James island, as the di-
viding line lif II may be so calledD is marsh.
A causeway connects Coles with James island.
The island Is in proximity to kiawah, Johns
and Folly islands, and Stono, Folly and Kia-
wah rivers.
A scouting party proceeded in the direction
of Charleston next day. The party proceed
ed with caution, got an excelet view of some
of the rebels corps and forts, and returned at
night with valuable information The Union
gunboat Isaac p. Smith, recently captured by
the rebels in Stono river, was taken by them
through Wappo creek TO Charleston, where
she has been metamorphosed into an iron-clad
gunboat. She is nearly ready for service, and
1t Is the design of the rebels to send her back
to Stono to try and effect the capture OF our
wooden blockaders there. The water in Wap-
po creek is at the present time too shallow for
the Smith to pass through; but the rebels are
remedying this drawback, and are now dredg-
ing the shallow parts of the creek.
The rebels have been very busy of late in
erecting new and improving old Notifications
In Stono inlet. From Legareville to Wappo
creek there are no less than ten earth batteries
Between these points the batteries are placed
at such distances on each side of the river as
to enable each to support the other in case of
an attack. The rebels have also obstructed
the river at numerous points.
The steamers Cahawha and United States
arrived at North Edisto inlet on the 18th
March, bringing Gen. Stevenson's brigade
from Port Royal, and after the iron-clads Cats
kill and Nahant shelled the woods, landed the
troops, who sought encampment for the night.
The extreme distance from the mouth of the
North Edisto river over Seabrook's Island and
Johns Island to Wappo Creek, on the Stono
river is about seventeen miles in an air line.
Thence by Wappo creek 1t is nearly four
miles to Ashley river, opposite the city OF
Charleston.
On the 9th March, our troops on st. He
lena Island were under orders TO be ready TO
move in forty-eight hours. The Florida negro
expedition had been recalled to participate in
the grand struggle. A severe gale however
commenced at Hilton Head on the night of the
30th, and continued through the 3ist. The
feet sailed on Wednesday, LIST instant, for the
new base of operations on the North Edisto
inlet, where it was understood they would re-
main for some days. General Hunter left Port
Royal on the Sd April.
The ironclads, several of which had been
for some time patrollng the North Edisto, left
that point and were most Of them off Charles
ton on Sunday, 9th instant
Charleston is situated on low, level point
of land, at the junction of Cooper and Ash
ley rivers. No portion of the city is more
than twenty feet above the tide so that upon
approaching it from the harbor its buildings
and the beautiful spires of its churches seem
70 rise directly from the water. The Cooper
river joins the Ashley at right angle from
the north and the continuation of the lat
ter river, running nearly due east, forms the
lower harbOr n Charleston Wh
widens gradually from 2 to 5 miles to its
mouth, distant about 10 miles from the city
On the opposite side of the Cooper river
where 1t debouches into the harbor, short
mile from the city, is Castle Pinckney,a small
work, but mounting some heavy guns. Near
ly opposite, on the southern side OF the harbor
on james Island, about two miles distant, is
Fort johnson. About four miles from the
city, midway between Sullivan's and james
islands, Is Fort Sumter, and directly north
ward of it, on Sullivan's Island, at a distance
of two thousand yards, Is Fort Moultrie. Be
tween these two forts is the only channel fol
vessels to approach the city. Fort Sumter
has three tiers OF guns, and was constructed
In very superior manner, and supposed to be
inyunerable at the time TO the effects of any
naval ordnance then in use. Its reduction in
1851, was effected by hot shot from Fort Moul
trie setting fire TO the wooden roofs of the ca
pacious buildings allotted for officers quar-
ters, by which Anderson and his garrison were
literally roasted out. Care has been taken, in
the reconstruction Of the buildings, to avoid
all chance for a repetition of such barbecue
Fort Monltrie is a work Of inferior rank
The principal entrance to the harbor /.
through Ship Channel, the outer bar o
which is distant southeast from Fort Sumter
about six miles. Shortly after crossing tn,
bar, an enemy's vessels come under the fire o
the batteries on Marris Island, near and par
allel TO which the channel runs In westerl,
direction for two miles. II then makes an an
gle northward, running for more than mill
directly towards Forts Sumter and Moultrie
After passing the former, it turns to the ives
and passes beneath the Notifications, directl,
under their guns, and then bends to the south
west, in which direction it approaches For
johnson for upwards Of two miles, while OIL
the right 1t is under the fire Of Castle Pinck
ney.