Evening star., 1865-03-07
SIXTEEN GUNS FALL INTO OUR POS.
SESSION.
GEN. SHERMAN TEN MILES FROM
GEORGETOWN ON THE OATH ULT.
PREPARATIONS MADE BY THE NAVY
TO OPEN COMMUNICATIONS
WITH HIM
official Dispatches from Admiral Dahl.
gren,

Admiral Dahlgren has forwarded to the
Navy Department detailed report of the cap
ture Of GEORGETOWN, =. o., writing on board
his flag ship Havest Moon, Off that place, un-
der date Of February 18th, from which we
make the following extracts:
The Admiral says that as soon as the occu
patton OF Charleston left his thoughts he gave
his attention to this point (Georgetown) as
likely to be the preferable communication for
General Sherman, in case such became desira-
bic to him before entering North Carolina.
Accordingly, he soon began to collect suit
able force from other stations. The McDonough,
Geraneum, and two launches were ordered
iato the Santee, being the only class OF vessels
whose draft admit Of passing the bar OF the
river
On the e2d inst. the Pawnee was ordered to
Georgetown, and all the marines the Admiral
could collect were embodied in q battalion.
Detachments OF seamen were also detailed.
The object being to pass up the Santee with
this BODY Of men, take the road to Georgetown,
which traversed the rear OF the rebel work.
and assault it, while the vessels attacked ia
front.
On the 23d February the Pawnee crossed the
bar and Joined the Minjoe and Nipsic within,
upon which the rebels abandoned the work,
(Baitery White,l and the Mipjoe steamed up
the bay and took possession. The marines
were landed and the municipal au thorites ten
dered their submission to the Government of
The battery was found to be a well con.
sgueted and formidable work, mounting Is
guns. of which two are 10 inch columbiads.
Admiral Dahlgren In speaking OF the
strength of the fort says:
s'Generally 1t had been much underra.ed, and
supposed 70 be unable to resist the attack of
single vessel and a few men. But we can now
understand that ii was we'll placed, we'll con-
struced and strongly armed, 40 that we should
have had some tronble to reduce it, if we'll
manned
The Admiral, In referring to GEORGETOWN,
sass mat ait has exhibited every indication of
hourishing place, and, though with less than
e,OC0 Inhabitants. is the third town of the State
The rice and cotton and lumber of a large scope
o. S county is foaed ga, ID, here by the rivers that
There was a rumor, the Admiral says, that
Gen. Sherman was not far distant, but NO ii.
dings had been received direct from the Gen
eral or his army.
Accompany ing the report Of Admiral Dahl.
gren Is the report Of Capt H. s. Stellwagger.
OF the U. S. steamer Pawnes, written on board
that vessel off North Islard, 8. O., under date
OF Feb. 22d, in which that officer says, after
referring to the capture Of the fort:
81 have despatched the tug Catalapa, with
sase n henry AND E1s,Sa by .Ss
army code OF signals with General Sherman,
who is said to be some ten miles Off. / have
sent detachment of 50 marines under Lient.
Breeze. to occupy the fort"
Commander ]. b. Creighton, of the United
States steamer Mipgoe, in reporting to Admi-
raj Dahlgren, under date Of February 2i, OF the
part taken In the capture OF the tort ty his yes
sci, says:
Yesterday morning 1 was informed by
some deserters that they bad evacuated, or
were eyacuating Fort white, near George
town. Immediately got under weigh, with
out pilot and on my approaching the bat
tery sent my boats sweeping for torpedoes
Finding none, l steamed past the battery
firing four roun DIS at it, with NO response; an
chored and sent armed boats ashore, and took
possession. X
"Found the battery abandoned and guns
spiked-16 in number, OF the folio wing callber:
One IS pounder, smooth bore; two 1O-inch CO
luMbiads; one l8-pounder long siege gun; three
~ Founders, rified; one 2i-pounder, rified six
"a. FOUNDERS, smooth bore; one 12-pounder
siege gun, smooth bore, with three cornered
files Found a large quantity of shot and
shell, and the fort TO be OF large dimensions,
well constructed and very formidable. We
have dismantled it by dsmounting the guns,
breaking the carriages" &c.