Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-03-24
Letter from the South Atlantic Squadron
CAPTURE OF GEORGETOWN.
t.. S. STEAMER MINGoE, y
GroRdETowN, S. e.,
March -, 1865.

inlhhlhS perhaps t
description Of our taking possession o
Georgetown might be acceptable to you
personally, coming from an eye witness, ]
sill cndeayor briefly to give few Of thu
myilents attending it, and the preparation,
fec the attack from our first coming in ovel
,hc Bar from the Atlantic into Winyah
Bay about II miles below Georgetown
We lcti Port Royal ON tho 23d of .Ianuar,
arriving here ON the 24th, and crossed the
Bpr and anchored in Winyah Bny on the
5h abreast the lighthouse. On the
.6th and 9th shelled tho woods and some
buildings ON ---- Island, then landed
and reconnoitered found we were monarch
a all we surveyed A brief description
mHy interest you Of this place, the Island
nih. west side OF Winyah Bay is noted
place for summer resort; it is about ten
miles lona and thickly covered with trees
and gamc, such as squirrels, deer, rabbits,
ducks, (wild,) in the numerous ponds and
tsy, shore and river, also brant and wild
geese and turkeys, Abreast of where we
we're anchored, there were about so houses
aud stabling to each house, in the midst of
the woods, with the walks and carriage
roads laid out in Il tasteful us well as neat
manner. Most Of the houses have portion
If furniture in them now; the place was
admired by all who saw it. ! for one
wondered why people who had such IA
delightful place TO rusticate at home would
fatigue themselves to go so far as Cape
May or New Port On the east side is the
ght-housc, and high bluff for about two
miles, and heavy woods an elegant position
for Il fort the rebels had commenced to
erect battery but concluded that the two
situated three miles below the city were
aahcient 10 hold the place When we
were all ready to explore and nothing on
either hand to hinder, the next thing was
10 rig torpedo netting and get our netting
ip to keep the rebs from boarding us BY
surprise at night, and sweep for the
Drpcdocs which the rebels had laid down
l'l US to run upon and destroy our ships;
hat re Ind reliable information in which
mnnel tho torpedoes we're laid, and
'gcpt the west channel and left the east
channel and the torpodoes to themselves.
We Lad things for making tile attack
nearly completed by the 22d, which was
W'-hinglon's Birthday, and just got extra
flags loslcd on board OF our ship in honor
tho event, when the senior oiIicersicnalled
Us TINT Charleston had fallen into our
lands The rigging Of our ship was
@anuod and six as hearty cheers rang out
Heror heard from human throats. The
H Nlsc, another glnboat at anchor about
lpyfts ahead Of us manned their rigging
ai chocrcd ship in like manner after
which everybody on the ship, officers and
rev. were eager to 20 right up aud take
rrorgetown at once; but the captain of
te sIoop'ol-war Inscarora was flag officer,
Ni his consent was necessary, but the
nrxl day he sailed and our captain was then
~ command, aud this morning, 23d of
February, q boats crew Of rebel descrters
i,m the lower fort came in and surren-
delcl to us. They told us the officers
.err destroying The ammunition to evacuate
II" lvri We We're ordered to get up
'l.'m' and put the ship in fighting trim
@hcn v' moved up slowly towards the
lower Iml, and as soon as in good blank
Wnee GENT them shell from a l00-pounder,
Which burst inside of the fort, when some
lall riding took place by the chiynlry.
Unly lew musket shots were fired. We
cent another shell after the flying rcbs
through the woods, and passed to the upper
Tort at " =. NJ We had riddled the
quarters 0nd knocked down considerable Of
'hcr earthworks, and shcllcd the neighbor-
mood OF the fort and sent the boats and
ncn well armed and took possession, spiked
The guns and brought of some prisoners
4nd at night five more came in and surren-
'ercd. The fort had lG guns, two of them
were ten inch bore heavy columbiads, they
pointed down the channel, and could have
faked any vessel approaching the fort, but
hanks 10 their ill-timed prudence and
HInblo heels We had an easy time taking
.h'r citadel The next day, Gath, the
aoats crews were armed and sent ashore
to destroy the ammunition and buildings,
most Of which was done, the guns dis
mounted and carriages broken, and tho
buildings nearly all burned. At night we
started for Georgetown, or 4 miles
lI'iant and got aground; 25th at daylight
loated and at Z o'clock, A. NJ. anchored
about 100 yards from tho Market house
"haii; at 3 A. NJ. had ship oored head
alu stern and two boats crews went on
shore, previous to which t., Of the promi-
1ent citizens of the place came on board of
The Mingoe and conferred with the Captain,
aud on their going upon shore some Of the
crew Of the boats wandered of back of the
town and were attacked by the cavalry who
had been about the place before our
ARRIVAL they took one of the men prisoner,
Ihelr captain wasShot and one other woun-
aed and two taken prisoners, the captain
returned on board, and crew beat to quar-
'e'' when few shell were fired over the
Town IN to the woods where the rebels had
fetreated. The head men of the town
were then informed if IL repetition OF such
conduct was to take place he would burn
Tho place; this had salutary effect hs
everything on shore has remained perfectly
l0ct On the 25th Admiral Dablpren
alryed and on Monday We went up the
Naccamaw river 80 or 40 miles and
leconnoitered: and on Wednesday, the LIST
q March, we got back to Georgetown. We
Atlled nothing but poultry in our rounds.
which, although raised in seeesh was as
paletable as any ever ate at home.
3, To-day while the Admiral's boat, the
harvest Moon, was going down the bay
with the Admiral and staff on board she
N0'ek torpedo and was sunk the ward
'oom Stewart was killed About two days
sace boat and crew went outside on
business and 10 get the mail, and on coming
n through the breakers the boat was cap
'ls' ana all but ono man drowned; The
"ail which was a large one was lost there