Year: 1861

A French traveller, formerly attach ed to
the Crimean army, happening to be on one
of the vessels which captured Port ROYAL,
writes to one Of his friends in this city let
ter from which we translate the following
extracts:


"The affair which have just witnessed
does great credit to the American navy.
have been particularly struck with the spirit
of system and ensemble which has presided
over the operations Of the fleet from beginning
to end The positions taken Commodore
Dupont before and during the battle show
him to be not only competent officer, but
man Of inspiration, perfectly acquainted with
the strength Of his own resources, and trust
ing in them for the accomplishment of the
most daring deeds His breaking the circu-
lar line which he first adapted as his plan OF
battle, and his rushing to the batteries with.
in few hundred yards Of the enemy as well
as the distribution OF the gunboats along the
inlet, the fire Of which, after taking the reb-
els en- esha'pe, spread death and terror
amcng them, must be considered as master
strokes.


As the Northerners had lost the greatest
part of their material of disembarkment in
the gafe, they could derive no assistance from
their land troops and 1t is exclusively to the
navy that this victory is due. Though a
cosmopolitan in opinion, | cannot loi bid
certain ceiling OF national pride at the idea
that the man who planed ard executed this
operation, Commodore Dupont, is OF French
descent, his ancestors, believe, came to this
country little after the settlement Of Mary
land by Lord Baltimore.


sin my estimation the Northerners have
displayed in this brilliant affair sturdy
courage, allied to quick perception Of mar
thine evolutlons, and to great skill in the
management of artillery. Though too far
off to Judge Of the Seutherners, am inclined
to think, from the way in which they direc-
ted their fire and exposed themselves to that
Of the feet, that they were deficient in the
pointing of their guns, and quite inexperien-
ced in the art OF protecting themselves
Had their intrenchments been properly COW
cred, d,and their trenches differently construc
ted, their gunners would not have suffered
so much, and night have resisted longer
However, the fire from the fleet was SO accu-
rate and so rapid that it would have been
difficult, not to say impossible, even bad their
fortifications been made stronger, to with
stand it and escape destruction.


"And now my friend, let me say word
OF that burning question of slavery, which,
happily for the fame ol our common country,
and for the interests Of the French planters
themselves we disposed Of thirteen yrsrs ago.
| say happily for the French planters, for |
was six months ago in one Of the emancipa
ted colonies, and could ascertain with my
own eyes, that she now produces three times
as much sugar as before the emancipation
Excuse me If refer to that event, but can
not forbear thinking that il the rich soil which
/ tread was cultivated by free handsit would
in few years, like the French colonies, yield
three times as much as it does now. The
negroes, who flock from all parts of the coun-
try to meet their lberaiors, and who are
now surrounding the staff OF Gen. Sherman,
have as intellectual an appearance as any
French negro Of my acquaintance. lave
Just talked to French creole from Louis
lana, who goes as body servant to New
leans every year with his master. lie had
basket OF oranges under one of his arms and
a dozen of unleathered chickens on the other
which be wanted me to buy. Seeing that
was talking French to one Of the officers, he
undertook me in that language-that is to
say, in creole---a kind OF brogue with which
my numerous travels have made me fa-
miliar. You cannot imagine how interested
was with his conversation. There was
such feeling Of gratitude in his whole Con-
duct, such contentment, beaming IN his
eyes, that notwithstanding the weafiness OF
his nature and the simplicity OF his language
could not help being moved to tears.


"He said to me that every negro in the
South turned every day his eyes towards the
horizon to see whether he could not discover
the Star Spangled Banner looming up in the
distance, and the Yankees coming TO deliver
them. Every negro, male or female, is con-
scious of the struggle now going on between
the North and the South, and relies upon
the results for the recovery OF his freedom---
The expedition OF Port Royal, Tor instance,
was known TO them as well as by jeff. Davis
bmseli, and though they could neither read
or write, they knew by the conversation the
rebels had between themselves, perhaps
through other channels unknown to me, the
place Of landing OF the expedition, and more
particularly the name OF the officer who com
manded it. IL seemed, however, that they
have not very exact idea OF time for when
asked the creole negro how long he bad
been waiting Tor Conmondore Duponts ar
rival, he told me that he thought be would
have come six months ago, in July last
Though perfectly ignorant Of the material
means OF action Of the blacks Of the South
l think that there is in them hidden force
calculated to display itself sooner or later.
which il the American government choose
20 Use now, would undoubtedly transform H.
self into mighty instrument Of war"