New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-14
Port ROYALS Capture Fifty Ago. Sent Joy Rg Through North
I'm This the Second Of Series Which Will RecaptuIate
Important Happenings of Civil War, Two Which
Brshtened Close of 1861 Are Discussed
and Their Effect Is Narrated.

saved. with tho exception Of seven. No
one on the latter was lost An effort was
made to deceive the South Carolinans by
stopping of Charleston. as II intending 70
make an attack there.
The Wabash continued on her way TO
Port Royal. and one by one the scattered
vessels appeared on the horizon. bringing
with them in many cases stories of narrow
escapes from destruction.
The entrance 10 Port Royal Sound. which
was more than two miles wide. was pro-
tected by two earthworks. considered % be
formidable. The one on the northeast. on
Baypoint, was styled Fort Beauregard. while
tho other on the southwest side. on Hill
ton Head. was called Fort Walker. The
commander OF these forts was General
Thomas F. Drayton, a brother Of Com
mander Percival Drayton. OF the Poca-
hontas. vessel in the feet. Brother was
fighting brother. There was also a NOS
quito feet under the command Of Commo-
dore Josiah Tattnall. who had been an Of
hcer in the United States navy. He had
three vessels.
Having located the channel from which
the Confederates had removed the buoys.
| Captain Dupont planned his battle. Tho
manpuvre which had proved so success
| full at Hatteras was 10 be adopted There
were to be two lines OF vessels, ono Of
which was 70 fire its broadsides at Fort
Bsauregard as they entered on the north
side OF the roads. After passing two miles
inside the forts, tho firing line was to
| circle back on the south side and crack
away at Fort Walker while the second
line took up It's position in the harbor IN
| order to keep the Confederate fotilla ae
bay
Everything worked to charm Tho
morning OF November was bright and
clear The broad surface OF the sound
was hardly broken by a ripple. At nine
o'clock the lines OF vessels started for
| ward at a speed OF six knots an hour.
The men were at their guns ready to obey
the order 10 gre Fort Walker. on the
south side OF the roads, opened with heavy
| guns and the shells came hurting across
the water. but they fell short. The plan OF
Captain Dupont was executed with tho
precision OF clockwork At the psyche
logical moment the sailors at the guns dis
| charged their contents in a mighty broad
| side at Fort Beauregard. AS the vessels
proceeded without hesitation. the mosquito
feet OF the Confederates fed precipttately
! I'D a creek When they saw the feet turn,
according to the programme, the COM
nander evidently gained the impression
that the Union vessels were retreating.
and came out again AS the Union line
passed in front OF Fort Walker IL sent ono
broadside OF metal after another into that
| work as fast as the guns could be re-
loaded The shells fell into the fortfnca-
ton faster than the feet OF gallopins
horse strike the ground. The sand rose In
| clouds.
| once more the line turned and passed
around. forming again that terrible circle
OF fire. changing their distance from the
| forts in order 10 destroy the range. The
sand few and guns. one after another.
were thrown out OF their places. Tho
earrisons would not have been human II
they had withstood II. In Fort Walker tho
Confederates were now working only two
guns. but they were doing that magni1-
Gently. For third time the evolution was
repeated, and once more the feet swung
around. The fankng squadron had taken
a position where IL could enflade Fort
Walker and keep of the Confederate no.
lila. AS It was only six hundred yards
distant. this crossfire annoyed and dam