: "f Jft-K A fl W__B U LI a.
fORTROYAL,SATtaU>AY, FEbI 7, 186A
L_ , ' . 1
The AcuiETEXKxrs OF the Colored Troofs.We
yield a considerable portion of our paper to
. day to the report of Col. Higginson, whose expert
dition returned from the St. Mary's ltiver a week
a. o. From all accounts the negroes acted bravely
throughout the fight, or series of fights, which they
had with the enemy. It was difficult to keep them
in ine; but this difficulty arose from their ardor
an 1 their zeal, rather than from cowardice or
fear. As bushwhackers they realized the highest
expectations of their friends. They brought away
~ with them no small amount of captured property,
and left behind such evidences of their determination
as must be convincing to the rebels, if not to
ourselves, of the fact that negroes can be made
effective soldier.'. In a nocturnal contest with a
company of rebel cavalry, at quai ters so close that
bayonets were used, thirteen saddles were emptied
and the enemy put to utter rout; and in d spending
the river St. Mary's, many a confederate
sharpshooter was brought down by Sambo s unerring
aim.
But the saddest feature of the expedition was
the death of Captaiu A. P. Clifton, commaudcr of
the steamer John From Major Brucn, of
Gen Saxton's staff, we learn concerning this sorrowful
event some particulars which are unnicntioned
in Col. Higginson's report. It was on
Thursday, the 20th, while returning homeward,
that he was shot. He was standing ouUide the
> wheel-house, care.ess of the leaden stotm about
h in, when a minie ball entered his bia'n and
another struck him in the abdomen. He fell and
never spoke again. The fatal shot was fired by a
sharpshooter concealed in a tree-top on the bank.
'I ho Lifter's rifle had .vcareelv been discharged
v.h n one of the negroes drew a bead on him, and
down he tumbled to the ground.
Captain Ciifton h.ul served iu this department
since its occupation by our forces. Having in
former years been a pilot between Charleston, Savannah,
and New York, his intimate knowledge of
tiie coast re ! dercd his services unusually valuable.
Added 10 this he was as geni il and open-hearted
as he was crave and cool-headed. He was a true
friend, as well as a true patriot. I'jh): hi> family,
ie i !ents of Beaufort, the news of his death must
have fallen overwhelmingly. In common with
cverv one in the Depa:tment, we t.nder them what
condolence our heartfelt sorrow and sympathy
inav give.
Thk Cu aelks ton At fair ?The Galveston affair,
in which the rebels were so successful, seems to
have revived for the time being, the rebel navy,
and on Saturday last, January 31st, it manifested
an unexpected degree of vitality at Charleston,
| and decidedlj^at our expense. The vague rumors
of rebel iron clads have become to us, by the
recent foray, painful facts. Briefly, the facts are
these : On Saturday morning about half past four
o'clock, the look-out on the gunboat Merced ia,
Capt. Stellwagen. one of the cordon of blockaders
otf Charleston bar, discovered through the foggy
obscurity of the morning a strange craft, bearing
down on the ship from the direction of Charleston^
and only a f.-w hundred yards distant. The guns
were immediately trained upon the suspicious vessel,
the Captain was called, and preparations made
to slip cable, for chase. On nearing, she was hailed,
but no respouse elicited. Instantly she was
hailed for the second time, and a third, and a
fourth, and ordered to stop or she would be fired
bhell . "
steam. The jmjTOtlle^tselfexpl^^I<>:: the other
' side of the ship, and killed the gunner, Mr. Aniee,;
, in his state room. Tho Alercediti was at once
i disabled, and began rapidly to sink from the water
! running iuto her through the ragged and yawning
hole in her side caused by the prow of the rani.
' 'Ihe rain having taken her position under the quar.
ter of the Merceditat where the guns could not bo
brought to bear upon her, demanded the latter's sur- [
render. After some parley, this demand was acceded
to, and in compliance with an order from the
rebel, a boat was sent to her from the Merced it a, J
in charge of Lieut. Com. Abbott, the executive !
officer of the ship. Lieut. Abbott gave the parole !
demanded for the officers and men of the Mercidita, j
and returned to his ship which was supposed to be !
| in a sinking condition, beyond all help. Tho ram
, having concluded matters with the Merced In, stood
' out to meet the Keystone Slate, Commander LeRov,
which had observed the Mercedita,s signals,
and was coming down like a bird upon the wing, to
; run the audacious rebel down. Her guns were in
I full play and well directed. The rebel replied
J sharply, and succeeded in hitting tho Keystone
j State, when within flvo hundred yards of her, aud
coming at the rate of twelve miles an hour, head
| on. The rifle-shot did the work, and checked the
Keystone State full in her course, by blowing up
one of her boilers, and scattering death and destruction
about it. The Keystone State, having
lost her motive power, stopped, aud the water
rushing out of one of her boilers, slut Jreeled over
almost on her beam's end, in which position the reb? *
W/vn C/\?? ii ? i-.iicik nt*n< t#n()
Cl lain ur^ U|a/u ivi uirai 11 intiiu iim iuuiuiv^
striking her rapklly anil occasioning considerable
loss. AH the guns that could be worked were
kejrt uninterruptedly at play by the Keystone Slate,
against the iron-clad, but w ithout avail. She was
; evidently getting the worst of the affair, crippled
and helpless as she was, when the Memphis and
Hoiuatonic closed down, the former taking the
Keystone State in tow, out of immediate danger,
; and the latter opening with heavy guns on the ram.
The latter, not fancying the aspect of affairs, turned
tad, and ran into Charleston Harbor. The HousaloHic
drove her off, and saved the Key it ne State.
TKd .nK aaiiDni<f a tOill icAn^lo/l lnwl nff I
J liV/ I V W I ? I/V/IIOV1 A Ollll lUI^VI ll\MIVIUV4j ItllU vu
at commendable distance, and engaged the fleet at
long taw, doing no damage. Both retreated to
the cover of their batteries, safe for the present
against attack. The casualties i n the Keystoue
Slate were killed, 20; wounded 21; among the
former was the surgeon of the ship. On the Mercedita,
three were killed or have since died ; and
three wounded. Both ships were towed to this
port where they will undergo necessary repairs to
boilers and hulls. The New Ironsides (Ironclad
Frigate) and Powhatan were immediately despatched
to augment the squadrou, and prevent a
ronotitiiin nf tli* rtienator
Additions to the Signal Corps.?By a recent
order from Department headquarters, Lieutenants
John M. Head, 8d X. H. Volunteers, Marshal P.
Hawkins, 3d N. H. Volunteers, Thomas K. Weber,
9,"th Pa. Volunteers, and Thomas II. Carrique, 3d
R. I. Volunteers, have been detailed as Acting
Signal officers, with orders to report to Lieut.
Tuft f r instruction in the code.
* Discharged.?Surgeon W. H Tanner, of the
47th New York, has been honorably discharged
from the service on account of disabil tv.
The Surprise o?i the Stoso River?Loss or
tub Gex-Boat Isaac Sjoth.?On the afternoon
of the 3! st nit. the orun-ltoat Itaac Smith. IJeuten
ant Commander Connovers, steamed from ber anchoAge
a^tho mouth of the t-tono, np that river,
tQ make .he usual daily ireconnoisau:;e, in order to
observe the operations of the rebels on either
'hank. She passed up three or four miles, without
seeing, so far as her conduct shows, any new signs
of the enemy. She came to anchor for a short
time, a ul then started to return to her post, where
she had left the Commodore McDono.igh, Lieutenant
Commander Bacon, her consort, hbe had not
proceeded far, before the enemy opened upon her
with three batteries, planted on either side of the
river, which they had carefully concealed from
view and only uumasked when tliey were enabled
to get a cross lire upon the Isaac * with. Some of
the guns were evidently pieces of considerable
calibre. The Isaac Smith immediately returned
the fire, and continued her course down the river
for fifteen or twenty minutes, when she was disabled
by the explosion of licr boiler from (he
enemy's guns, and ran ashore, iu such a position
that her guns could not be brought to bear upou
the rebel batteries. In this position after sustain
ing a while the heavy and probably destructive fire
of the enemy, she struck her colors. Meanwhile
the Commodore McDonough had slipped her cable
on the discharge of the first gun, and steamed rapidly
up to the aid of the Isaac Smith. But she
was not able to reudcr any assistance. An explosion
was observed on the Isaac Smith, probably
from the boiler, and she was then seen to run
ashore. The McDoiiough on getting within range,
opened on the rebels, and continued her fire until
darkness closed down. She then returned down
ttie river, and on the following morning, she again
pushed up and resumed her fire on the rebel positions.
Having expended most of her ammunith n
she was finally withdraw n and came to this port to
report to Admiral DuPont, and replenish her
magazines. She lias since returned to her station
at Stono. When last seen the I. aac Smith was
surrounded by three tugs from Charleston, which
had come through the Wappoo cut, which were
engaged in removing guns, munitions, fee., from
her, p:eparatory to towi.:g her to the city. They
hare doubtless anchored her before this, along
side of one of the Charleston docks, and we shall
probably soon see her cruising around with the
rebel Hag living, about the harbor of that city.
The loss on the Isaac Fmith was doubtless considerable.
bhe carried a heavy battery very well
in smooth water, but like many of the purchased
ships, now in the navy, was unfit for a deep sea
cruiser. Originally she was a North River catttle
barge, and was unfitted to sustain a sharp action.
She was gallantly fought, and succumbed ou.'y at
the last.
Promotions.?The following promotions have
recently been made in the New York Volunteer
Engineers, Col. E. W. Serrell. We understand
that by a recent order from the War Department
this regiment is to be increased to three battalions
of six hundred men each, entitling it to three
Majors:
Captains James E. Place and Fred. E. Graef, to
be Majors; 1st Lieutenants Thomas B. Brooks and
John L. Suess to be Captains; 2d Lieutenant
Henry M. Dalrymple, to be 1 st Lieutenant and
Adjutant; 2d Lieutenants Charles T. Hartman,
George Edwards, Otto Vamum, Thomas P. Rush
by, Wilson Bruyn, J. S. Baldwin and Vincent
Brown, to be 1st I jeutenants; Sergeant P. McGuire
(Regular) to be 1st Lieutenant; Sergeants
J. H. HaiTold, 0. S. Wilken, N. M. Edwards, James
Baxter and Henry Mehlis, to be 2d Lieutenants.
?Privates George W. Bailey and David Bailey,
Co. T, 6th Connefcticut Volunteers, have been commissioned
as Second Lieutenants in a regiment of
Missouri Volunteers.
Rxsionation.?The resignation of second Lieutenant
W. C. Williams, 5oth Pennsylvania Volunteers,
was accepted on the 2(1 instant.