The palmetto herald. (Port Royal, S.C.) 1864-1864, June 02, 1864, Image 1
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x-} PORT ROYAL, S. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1864. { Five Cents. -
the palmetto herald
Pt m.isun> my
K W. MAHON & CO..
KVEftT THURSDAY MORKIX6,
AT PORT ROYAL, S. C.
Ofisr Sezt south of the Set* Theatre IiuiUliitQ.
TVrms s
Nintrlo Copy Five Cents.
One Hunarod Copies jJCJ 50
Per A imam to any Address 60
Payment invariably in Advance.
A limited number of ADVERTISEMENTS re- j
cpiiwl at Twenty-five Cents per Line, JOB |
PRINTING executed neatly and promptly.
THE SCHOOL. FOR IDLERS.
BV SIMOX WKK.
" Why, brother Miles," asked the Pre- !
vdent of our one-armed soldier brother,
after the school had adjourned to a social
capacity, ami were smoking and imbibing,
luxuriously, 44 Why, brother Miles,
do we never hear from you ? Your exjierience
as a soldier would, no doubt, be
very profitable to us. :uid many things
might t?e related of the bloody fields of
Pocotaligo, where you lost your arm, j
which would be very touching or anius
iug."
Brother Miles replied that the only
thing at Pocotaligo, that touched hint,
was a piece of shell, that tore his arm off,
.Mild he didn't think it was very amusing.
The life of a soldier, said the brother,
though made the most of in romances,
and supposed by sentimental voung girls, i
> t i? 1...4
lit ik* very (u'uguuui, is um n tcximusnut*, j
The dismal monotony of camp life on the i
one hand, and the fearful excitement of !
sin active campaign, on tlie other, are
tan jXHir exch^nifto) Jnf t,l^> "id
amenities oThotne. I n, most nrticulbttK
r presentations of the soldier's career, are
some of the gaudily painted pictures,
which are for sale at the fan03- shops.
The ignorance of the designer is strikingly
evident, or else the credulity of the
public is wonderfully presumed upon.
One of these pictures represents a soldier
wounded on the held. In the back
ground is the fight raging furiously, heaps
of fallen He about the field and all seem
to l?e dead but he. To his rescue comes
a beautiful vicnndlprt alxmt sixteen .years
of age. who gives him something to drink.
When I went to Pocotaligo, continued
ISro. Miles, I didn't sir anv riramtiert*.
Another of these beautiful pictures represents
a company of soldiers, starting off
lor the war, every man carrying a sword
I a sides his musket, and wearing shoulderstraps.
Perhaps it was a representation
of A. Ward's company. Another picture
represents a soldier dressed in very fine
clothes, sleeping with his feet to the fire,
his niusket ami blanket lying by his ride;
the rest of the regiment are in their tents,
but he seems to have a fancy for sleeping |
outside and catching the "shakes." The :
moon is shining very brightly, and the
d ig is flapping in the raoonliglit. Prob- j
ably they torgot to take it in, oy. it may ;
be. they had "nailed it to the mast."
The "brother said his own remarks re1...1
ii.m tKai li?> liuH ? enner in his
IIII Illicit mill tuui m M.*v. M ^ ... ..?
jMwktU which he had composed and
?aug hi camp, in his own rough way.
< >n aeeouut of the loss of his arm. he was
not able to get at the document, but asked
tl?e chairman to feel in the southeast |
corner of his right-hand pocket. The
honorable brother did so, and the following
was produced:
THE FLAG AT SUNSET.
With drain-bent and life-note.
Advance the color guard :
For the golden miu ha* left hie post. *
And night Is pricing hard.
And the banner floats from dewy dawn
Until the dav is done:
For we never lower fbe bonny flc?,
Bm to the netting ?nn.
At unset the gtm booms, ?
The bugle sings adieu.
To the polden sun and nnrple elonds.
The fields and sky of blue .
At d the banner leaves its giddy height.
Whene'er the day !k doue,
\
j Though we uever lower the honnv flag
But to the setting sun.
With strong voice and heart-voice,
The soldier siugs at eve.?
For the night comes to weary limbs.
From toil a kind reprieve;
I He sings the haulier bright that floats
Until the day is done.
And swears to lower the bonny flag,
But to the setting sun.
i
Let foes come and death come
To stare us in the face,?
* -t -! .U-.4 --.-1
? t'"ii iricfl iflf Willi *iiul aim 9i(T-ii,
The other with a arace;
But never while a mau remains
To fire an evening gun.
Shall any say we lowered the flag
But to the setting win.
FRO.R 01R EXTRA OF SATURDAY*
|
IMPORTANT CHANGES.
We briefly announced the arrival of
Mnj-Gen. J. G. Foster, to take command
Af Owi T\f,r?ortmr>nt in rnir rpirnlnr edition.
VI IUV/ i/V J/li? % ?* ?. * ? ^ ... ....
On the same day he assumed command,
and announced his Staff; the orders will
be found elsewhere.
Gen. Poster's abilities and experience
are too well known to soldiers everywhere
to need recounting here. He has
proved an able General wherever he has
(>een. and has a rare faculty of making
nimself beloved by his troops. Some of
the regiments in * the Department have
served under him before, and rejoice at
his arrival hen*.
Brig.-Gen. John P. Hatch, whose assignment
to the command ol the Department
was only Intended to be temporary,
has been announced as commander of
the District, and has assumed command
in the following onler:
ilkaoocatttkrs, u. 8. Forces, iiiltov
TT? *n Vr?.t Pri^SKL Pr, SKO.si iM/
Ty i :kjj WLlWlW, rt iLTos TTeaIV K
May 27, isi;4. General Orders, No.
17.* In compliance with General Orders,
No. 70, Headquarters Department of
the South, the undersigned hereby as
l
sumes commanu 01 iui? i/ismti.
The following offlcera are announced
on his staff:
Major E. L. Rogers, 104th P. V., A.
A. A. General.
('ait. H. V. Pickering, A. A. Inspector
General.
1st Lieut. E. B. Van Winkle, 103d
N. V. Vols., A. D. ('.
1st Lieut. Daniel G. JIcMartin, 21st
C. T., A. D. C.
Jno. P. Hatch,
Brig.-Gen. Coui'g District
Brig.-Gen. BiVney and Brig.-Gen. Pott/.i?
n-'iii ilmilitlms. heassitrned iniDortant.
commands, but they have not yet been !
made public.
EXPEDITION VP THE A SHE POO
RIVER. g
On Wednesday last Brig.-Gen. Birncy,
commanding the District, with his usual
activity, went on an expedition up the
Ashe poo Iiiver, with several transports,
a gunboat, and a considerable force of
cavalry and infantry, under orders troni
General Hatch. - Arriving
from several directions, the
boats were to rendezvous during the
i night at Bennett's Point, at the mouth of
the Muwjuito C reek. Gen. Birnev liad
the armed steamer Plato. Captain" R. 1.
Getty, lor his Hag steadier, Nearly all
i.? t?vitc arrived at the nroDer nlace in
good time, ready to land a portion ot'
I the troops. Hut the Mary A. Board man,
Captain Gratia to, loaded with troops,
i got aground on Cotubabee Bar. Some
: difficulty being found in getting her offi
' General Birnev took the troops out of the
; Edwin Lewis/placing some 011 the flagj
boat, and the ludance on the Croton.
f He then directed the Edwin Lewis to go
rtdwa and take (he troops off the Bonid,
man. Ascertaining that the pilot of the
Lewis was not very familiar with the
channels. Win. C. Maude), pilot of the
Hlato. was sent down to the Boardmau.
! with orders to pilot the Lewis up the ri
r m ver,
toft being perfectly familiar with all
the channels.
Th&Lewi*. yas ordered to proceed to
Bennett's Point, and the Boston, which
had )t}*t come up, and had on board a portion
of the 4th Mass. Cavalry and other
troops, mder* dommand of Col. Montgomery,
was ordered to follow her.
the wt instead of obeying
his oHx reponft that he had lieensent
(lownTR) the Mary Boardman off,
went on boarcHher; and stayed there.
The Edwin Lewis proceeded up the river
under direction or her own pilot, passed
Bennett's "Poin# where the river
turns at almost a right angle, and
kept en np the stream. After going several
miluS, a rebel sentry oil board hailed
therai the hail was answered and the
boat kept on. Another hail farther on
was answered in the same way, but still
I teJti'tn T ammo Irnrvt nn knr />nnroa
LUC iiuniu ixrnu ivuut i/u utif wuiiV]
till she had proceeded some six or eight
milda and some obstructions had been
passed. It was judged that as his
boat 3fas very light draught, the other
boats?ould not have passed over the obstructions.
and the EdwinLewispiitabout.
In going down the river they lound the
Boston ashore near where a rebel battei^
Jras located.
In the meantime Gen. Birney had
landed some,of his troops. When he
received news of the Boston's condition
he withdrew to the landing,
considering it to be his first duty to save
the Boston, if possible, and the troops
and ptoperty on board her.
At day light the rebels opened on the
Boston with much energy. Oue shot
struck the safe, went through Captain
FaiivfcjI.h'B room and info the boiler.
11 the l^yr^voluri^^^TWpia^^ great^c
coolness and bravery, and the troops
were landed on the marsh and marched
a mile and a half down the shore. The
men showed good discipline and great
pluck.
C'apt. P. F. Young, A.D.C., was sent
up with the Plato to aid the Boston,
if possible. When over a mile from
the Boston she got aground. She immediately
opened on the battery with
alioUa fmni ? rifled ynn. wllicll WHS
worked very effective^', the shells, how- |
ever, falling short. Atter firing about an !
hour and a half the Plato got off but in the
meantime the gunboat Dai Ching, Cupt.
Chaplin,had come up and shelled the rebel
battery vigorously.
The Boston was hit about seventy
times, with solid shot from three 9iuall
rifled pieces. She hail two men of the
34th U. S. C. T. killed. Six who jumped
overboard were drowned, several were
wounded, and some horses killed. Capt.
Young, when it was found that the boat
was to be destroyed, made strong effort
to save the colors, but could hot succeed.
On the Plato, Win. Herbert, of the 3d
11. I. Artillery, while putting a shelly in a
gun, was severely Injured by a premature
explosion. The fuse of the shell was
ignited, but Herbert, with commendable
presence of mind, threw the shell overboard
and it burst in the water. The
sponge of the gun whs blown overnoaru,
and another member of the .Id R. I., recovered
it by swimming -'00 yards at the
risk of his life.
The troops, officers and crew were
taken off the Boston, many escaping by
swimming, but it was found impossible
to save the horses. When the condition
of the steamer was reported to General
Bimey, he reluctantly gave the order to
have her burned, considering that she 1
was too much damaged to be got off, !
and that it would be impossible to save j
her under a tire from a shore buttery
j which could be easily strengthened.
Capt. Cbfl.s. B. FcHsendon, Jr., A.D.C..
| was sept up with a skiff to set her on
t ?i*. imh enr-ramlbllv nerforaicd the duty, j
j Much valuable property belonging to !
the Government.witM the 'personal effect 9
ot the crew, ano her officers' money and
papers were destroyed.
The Boston was a fine boat, which has
Ion# been doing good service in the Department.
She was formerly on the line
between Boston and Bangor. Her loss
will be much felt in the Quartermaster's
Department and by the public, but her
destruction is believed to have been a
military necessity, after the mistakes
committed, had placed, h**r where she
whs. We do not nnderi&ind tlmi' the
least blame tafts on apt. Fairclotfc. who
seems to have done all in his power to
save his steamer.
The Boston having been destroyed, the
expedition returned.
Mandel was put in, irons, and will
doubtless be tried for wilful disobedience
of orders.
We have given what we believe to be
a correct narratve of the expedition, so
far as it goes, obtained from sources
which should be reliable. We abstain
from any criticisms, as out of our province,
leaving the matter where it belongs,
in the hands of the military court which
we understand will investigate all the circumstances.
Besides the staff officers above mentioned,
General Birney was accompanied by
Captain Hennessv, District Inspector:
Lieut. Geo. A. Fisher as Chief Signal
Officer, and Lieut. Thomas Carrique,
also of the Signal Corps, Captain John C.
Dutch, of the Navy, Volunteer Aide, and
Ensign Niel, ot the Navy, Chief of Armed
Transports, all of whom did efficient
service and deserve much credit.
LATER FROM THE SORTH.
The steamer Beaufort arrived here
warils us New York papereoitne i?3a.
and a letter from which we extract the
following in regard to the 10th Ann}*
Corps:?44 Since the 10th Anny Corps
landed at Bermuda Hundreds it has been
engaged, in constant and severe lighting,
and it has come out of the ordeal with
freat honor and an enviable reputation. ,
t has never been beaten. It has lost
nearly three thousand men since it arriveiC
and has made most gallant fights.
Col. White, 55th Penu., is a prisoner;
Col. Osborn, 39th 111., is wounded; ditto
the Lieut.-Colonel, Major and Adjutant
of the regiment, and a host of good
m.n 1 ?
UlCUt
The latest news at Fortress Monroe
was to the effect that Gen. Grant, had
succeeded in turning Lee's flank; that
Lee was retreating toward Richmond,
closely followed by Meade and Grant;
and that Gen. Butler had fallen back
toward Fortress Monroe.
Following are the latest dispatches
in the papers of the 23d.
War Department, Washington. May
22?10 P. M.?To Major General Dix
On Friday evening General Grant commenced
a movement lor the purpose of
compelling Lee to abandon his position
at Spott8vlvania(the details of which, lor
obvious reasons, should not be made public.)
It has thus far progressed successful^.
Longstreet's corps started South
' -'-i?u P?i,lnw n.svM on linur and
&l OI1C O C'iUi'<K 1' 1 ivui? ik-iii) uii uu?. ?
a half after Hancock moved. Ewell's
corps followed Longstreet last night. The
indications are that the relx?l army has
fallen hack beyond the North Anna.
Hoke's brigade has joined Lee.
The movement of General Grant has
thus far been accomplished without any
severe engagement or serious interrap- ,
tion. We now occupy Guinness Station,
and south of the Mattapony on that line.
No despatches have been received to-day
from Gen. Butler. Despatches from
Kingston, Ga., state that Geu. Sherman's
forces are resting and replenishing their
supplies. Edwin M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.
frovrrvrr.D ON forrth PACK.]
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