The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-21
+ u ) ! + II.
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OPERATIONS ON "HE SOUTH
CAROLINA SEA COAST.
BATTLE OF GRECORM's LANDING.
H-..---H--ar ra..Hs-r-a.rHa---..a-aae--
Severe Struggle for the Possession Of
the Charleston aud Savannah
Railroad,
OUR FORCES VICTORIOUS.
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The Capture of a Position Com
manding the Railroad.
BATTLE OE GRECORM's LANDING,
OUR FORCES VICTORIOUS.

from sherman, which will GLADDEN. your hearts
before you receive this letter win dwarf into
comparative iusiguidcance tbeQUugs OF our little
army, which, small As itfs has been doing its
little utmost TO create o diversion, and thus with
draw from Shermaus mont some Of the troops
concentrated there Co bar his march 10 tho ocean
still, as our operations here ON the sen coast
are part of thegCucra grand plan for securing
the perfect success Of Sherman's auilcl1us
march, and as u knowledge of our collateral
effort, ID necessary 10 q comprehension ut the
whu.c scheme, % sketch of our last three weeks
operations cannot be entirely devoid ut interest
even though our hi.yemenJs DC cc.ipSed by the
brilliant succession another leader. A short
TtyUUit Of our work will bn requisite.
On tie igLt Of November 2o General Hatch
embarked ms small force OF about thrty-dyc
hundred lighting men at Hilton Head, with urti-
lery, engineers, and small, very small force of
cavalry. iLtCnCed 20 do scout duty. tt WAS late
ON the morning uf the 2Jfh before the force
landed az Boyd Neck, sUme eighteen mile, up
the Broad river.
Suudry murchiugs and count, rmarchlugs ia
wrong directions suppra1ded 10 the inevitable
delays Of Discrimination, occupied the time til
midnight, az which time we bVouackCd for the
rest Of the night NJ Euhav Church, O. SIN Ill barn
of building at % cro,s road which vas selected
as the base at our operations for the following
day. At dgyNr,ak OF she 3Ofh forward move
mCnt began, and the enemy soon developed his
strength, and then eusuld the battle Of Honey
Hill, which WIS dC.CH Ell In a former let Cr
Our generals had intended, II feasible, to move
forward to GruhHmsylIIe, ana at that point cut the
Charleston and Savannah Railroad Tho Honey
Hi, battery, however, stood ia the way ; and the
emphatic objections of the Rebels, announced in
their customary expressive manner In the Ian
Ruage of muskc'ry, grape, olniser, shell, and
runud shot, were potent to persuade our leaders
not to advance further IN hat direction on that
occasion.
RThe argument being concluded, our forces fell
miles in the rear of the ear FOrks of the enemy.
Our losses in this engagement We're rather serious,
considering the small number If mO1 actually
engaged at one time, bat by no means up to the
Rebel estimate, which | append. A late Sivau-
nah paper has the tOllowug:-
"TIE BATTLE or HoNEY HMTn-A friend
from Grahamsylllc informs US that there hlyo
been buried In and near the recent battle-ground
in the vicinity Of that place, two hundred and
four black and white Yankees, and the number
was being still added to a. the circling flight OF
the huZzard indicated the spot to which another
OF these wetches had crawed and died. Whom
it is rccO,lected that the fight lasted from A. NJ.
until dark, and that the enemy had ample time
and means for the removal Of dead and wounded,
IL Is but reasonable 10 estimate their loss nc least
fifteen hundred. The sum tota orSour loss Is
eight Killed and thiTty-slN wounded
as in this report the yankee" loss Is over
stated only three or four times, it may perhaps
!. considered a comparatively fair estimate Tor
the Rebels.
slight picket firing, and some annoyance - our
scouting parties, AL was quiet for nearly week
the time from November 80 10 December
being taken up by the operations OF rec JnuOltrug
parties
In these services the Navy Brigade were first
and foremost, rendering most Efficient assistance,
accomplishing their perllous tasks with perse-
yeTng gallautry which mcrited and received the
thanks OF the leaders OF the expedition, and won
the sincere admiration of all behoders. With no
exceptions did the officers and men Of the Naval
Brigade sailors and marines, stand nOOly up %
their work, and untlluchingly 90 through with
their dangerous duty.
The nature of thls country, and the clay Of the
Mrd,' is ,uch as TO render the services OF sailors
indie speusablc TO the safe progress Of an army.
lnIe are inuumeraOle little streams, creeks, and
arms setting back from The sea- the banks Of
which afford most dangerous shelter for bush
WhuCkiug enemies. These nirrOR streams were
nayiguttd in advance OF our march by oar armed
launches, each carrying II puunder howl zer,
ana about sixteen men armed with rides, cut
lasscS, and TevUlyeTs.
The crews Of these boats we're sailors from the
U S. guubOat BTdNieyG, aud they were COM
munded by Acng Master Gillespie, and by OH
GERS WilOOur, Garter, Furbur, and others. TnCir
duly was arduuus, the greater part OF J falling in
the night time; but in no case was there any de-
sire 10 avoid it. The whole Naval Brigade " IS
under the charge of Commander George III.
PTCbc.
Tue. day, December The two launches with
twCuly-eiRht men, uuJer Acting Master Gi espie,
went Six miles up i cad river 10 reCOnnOi 70.
Wednesday, December 3.-Iue two launches,
under command OF Acting Master Fur0er, AS
Cen'Cd the river twelve miles, for the purpose u
burning bridge. Meantime the army h "a in
iyI Chtu themselves securely, and were awaiting
developments.
A ciuuRe Of base had been now determined on,
and he General. Commanding had rc,O we'd to
ascend the Broad river "a few miles higher and
eEOcuyor 20 stnbe the Charleston and Stvt1nIh
laiuOad from different point Accord ugiy on
the evening of the 9TH, the suhiOined order was
Promulgated 10 the Naval Brgud', which was TO
lend the advance, and which brigade now con-
sisted Of 4H2 men, officers, sailors, and marines,
and = no bad with them eight pieces Of artillery,
six Il pound brass guns aud two l2-ppund rifles.
ELAGeuW PHILADELPHIA, BlO4d River, $. C.,
Monday, December 5.-OldCr No. llj-Ihe
Naval Brigade will prepare g. embark with Its
guns Immediately on receiving this order.
Vessels will be detailed for the purpose.
G,ueral Foster kindly offers the use OF scOws
and horses, for the convenience Of landing and
removing the hlWi'zers
The Naval Brigade will land on the west bank
Of the Tillhuny, at point designated L am in
formed by General Foster that all of the white
regiments of the department. now here are 10
land at the same time.
The Mmg0a will prepare to leave for the site Of
operations. The liiHg0e and LOr0ma will advance
a. far as possible up the stream, to cover the
landing and advance.
The boat BiUiSiOH will be tOWed up TO precede
the steamers, sounding on each bow Of the ad-
vance, and giving timely notice Of distractions
In the channel
They will be preceded by the DqGolH, Pe,rsl,
and other tugs, keeping their guns ready for in
slant use.
The howitzeTs viii be landed aner the squad
ron infantry, and under cover Of the gunbOats,
and are 70 cooperate in the advance of the troops.
The Commissary OF the brigade will see that
the men are properly proyisioned
JoIN IL. DAHLGRBN,
Rear.Admiral, Commanding South Atlantic
Blockadng Squadron
A landing was effected alta place called Devan's
Point, on the ground OF a hue old plantation,
known as the "Gregohe property" The place is
sometimes known as GregOries Landing.
Before going ashore, some Rebels were dis
covered partially concealed near the houses ap-
parentlyi in anxious consultation as TO whether
they should resist tho landing Of our men OF run
a discharge OF shrapnell from one OF the l2-pound
boat hOwilEers soon persuaded them 10 adopt the
last named course Of action.
As usual, the sailors were the first 10 land, but
they were speedily followed by the soldiers.
Pickets were II once thrown out, aud on the
morning Of the 9th a sufficient number Of troops
having been landed, General Potter led his
brigade inland for mile or two, his advance
being disputed Al every step, until at a point
about three miles from the landing, the enemy