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THE IfEf SOUTH.
Jos. EL Sears, Editor and Proprietor.
1*0111 ROYAL, SATURDAY*, AUGUST 1? 1863^
AFFAIR3 AT MORRIS ISLAND.
Since (ho commencement of operations at Morris
Island we lvxve had correspondents with onr
array who have witnessed every movement aud acquired
from personal observation or from official j
sources, all information proper to publish and in-1
terosung to ine puons. w e nave spared no pains
or expense to obtain fu'l, accurate and early accounts,
and though often obliged to condense, we
have still, we hope, given as good a general idea
of the operations as the circumstance and our
space would admit of.. Our columns have been aiT
most wholly occupied by them, and we have been
compelled to omit many other items of news, interesting,
but still less importance. It has also, as
the intelligent public will readily perceive, been
impossible to mention evorv instance of personal
merit or even to record all the praiseworthy deeds
of many regiments. In giving an account of a
battle, the general features, rather than especial
instances claim first attention, and for that reason
many important achievements of regiments and
individuals, have not received the extended notice
they really deserved, and simply from lack of room.
Itis also possible that in the confusion and hurry
incident to the preparation of war corresjondence
on a battle-field, some individuals, regiments and
events, which should have been most prominent,
have been inadvertently left In the back ground.
If, as we hope is not the case, any serious injustice
has at any time been done, we shall take the earliest
opportunity to correct mistakes and omissions.
We shall continue to furnish full reports from anthen
tic son.ee, while active operations last; and
we are confident that in this Department, news
from our army before Charleston will be more acceptable
than any other we can furnish. It is due
to our forces general! v that a word of editorial
praise should be sabLbere. Led and directed by
skilful Generals in whom they have bad full confidence,
who have shared the dangers and hardships
of the field with them, our noble troops have accomplished
wonders, aud where they have failed,
only done so after brave attempts to succeed.
The rebels say they fought like devils in their assaults
on Fort Wagner. We say they fought like
heroes. Not a regiment engaged has failed to distinguish
itself. The capture of the batte; ics on
the Southern extremity of Morris Island, by a
storming party lauding from boats under a hot and
well-directed fire, was an achievement without precedent
in this war. The brave, persistent efforts
to take at d then to hold positions in Fort Wagner,
under grape and canister, and shell and musketry
fire, cannot be praised too much. I/here all did
so well, to specify the deeds of individual regiments
would be invidious; we can only praise the
whole. The noble conduct of the troops will not
nnMwowloH Uutnrv will rArnrd their flewla.
6" ???; ?
and posterity will cherish them. We have laurels
for such as survive and cypress for the fallen.
Those who rest in unmarked graves shall be remembered
as heroes, when the rest of us who did
not fight, shall be long forgotten. We are glad to
learn the troops have such unbounded confidence
in Gen. G illmore. Faith in a commander is almost
as much as valor in the followers, and with both,
marvels can be accomplished. We do not of
course know Gen. Gillmore's plans but we have
faith in bis succeeding, whatever they are.
? We have received a number of communications
about our reports of the Morris Island fights,
and would gladly publish all if our space would
V*.% ? MAM Atlll* iVvA WIAof t fWTVA??tOTV t I
UUIUII) i/uv van vuij iuv iuvoi luij^vi wtiv v*
them. We believe our reporters try to get at the
exact facts without fear or favor (they certainly
have every facility for so doing) and we regret to
find gentlemen who consider their reports prejudiced.
As far as possible we shall correct any
errors of our correspondents, and in the end. think
that ample justice will be done each regiment
We try to make our little journal a truthful hit ory
of affairs in this Let artmmt, and neither bribery
or threat can swerve us from this course.
^
Latk from Charleston.?By a recent flag-oftrncc
boat, we received, tlurough tlie courtesy of
Mr. Charles li. Fenwick, Purser of the CmhiojjoHtnn,
the Charleston Courier of July 24tb.
It contains a long resume of the operations
against Fort Wagner. After the enemy had been
driven to the Y ort, on the 10th, they had four men
killed and two wounded by the bursting of shells,
and among the killed was Cap* Langu. n cneves, j
of the Engineer. Over the storming party in the
morning, and its repulse, great exultation is manifested.
The paper claims that 400 small-arms and
equipments were gathered from the field, but complains
that wounded men and prisoners, by instructions
from their officers, took out and threw
away the chambers,thus disabling the guns. During
the bombardment which followed all day, but
one man was kHl^cK It is claimed that on Sunday
a Monitor, suppolod to be the Monlauk, was disabled,
after being plowed to come up within 100
yards. On Tuesday, the 14th, Gen. Taliferro arrived
and took command, and here ends their diary
of the operations, the later events having been
reported in earhernumbers.
In an article on foreign Affairs they anticipate
intervention on the grouud that France and England
deprecate the reconstruction of the Union, and
when they find it possible, will hasten to divert
the calamity. v
Under caption fl(^.*the news" is this paragraph:
' "T ? * ^.nYv.>wi?),ina it V'l.lllrl
"1U rWOCCHCC IU V?r unil pi uuuiio i> .. vx.?
no!bo jrudent to speak. buf wo may safely say,
that if the Yankees count on having their own way
to operate in, unmolested, they will find tneiuselves.
ere long, bitterly disappointed. They will
hardly try another assault on battery Wagner, but
will probably attempt to feel their way up gradually/'
Large sums of mooey are being raised iB aid of
the wounded and destitute soldiers from Morris
Island. .
The paper has "authentic information," that
Kosecrans is raising a large cavalry foree to attack
Atlanta.
i m m ?
The 4Sth New Yoke..?A detachment from this
regiment, now greatly reduced by the casualties in
their brave and deter 1 ined charge on Fort Wagner,
was one day, while we were constructing? ur
works at th? front nn.Morrfs Island, detailed to
draw gome mortars down to them, nnder Gen. Seymour's
direction. The latter addressed them "now
men, we have got the enemy pretty well cowed?
w ?. oKrt.v Oium u-o am nnt afraid nf them : we
IVt UO ouvn iiiviu ? v w V ,
will mount these mortars l ight before their eves.'
The boys gate a shout and dragged the mortars,
one after another, to their positions, where they
were mounted in plain view of the enemy. They
. were of course vigorously shelled, but had only
one man wounded. After the work was done,
Gen. Seymour had the men formed, in line and
spoke to them as follows: "My brave men, you
have done well; this is the first time I have ever
seen heavy mortars mounted directly under a hot
fire from our enemy's fort, in broad day light, and
I give you the praise due for your coolness and
bravery.'* Gen. Seymour has the reputation of
being "hard" on Volunteers, but we are convinced
that where they come up to the proper standard of
discipline and bravery, he will never do them injustice.
Capt. Wm* B. Coau, of Co. E, who had
his coat torn by a grape shot, in the late fight, is
now in command of the 48th.
Arrest for Robbery.?Capt. Smith, of the
Provost Guard, has arrested a Jacksonville man
named C. M. DibbJe, for robbing his employer,
Mr. C W. Dennis, No. 4, Sutler's Row, of considerable
sums. He was suspected by Capt. Smith,
and was detected taking money from the drawer
bv means of a hole in the floor over the store. He
claimed to be a refugee and very poor, when first
employed by Mr. Dennis, two months since. He
has drawn no wages, but when arrested had $270
in money. lie has admitted stealing a portion of
this.
Returnrd to his Regiment.?1st Lieut. G. E. |
Mower, of tbe^9th Maine Vols., who has so long
j and faithfhlly served in the Provost Marshal Genoral's
Department as boarding officer, has, upon
his own application, been returned to his regiment
on Morris Island. We congratulate his command
in h:vlng again the services of one who, though
placed in so many trying position, has won the
j good opinion and friendship of all with whom he
has come in contact.
Arrival o? the Mercedita.?The Merceditay
of Wilkes' West India Squadron put into this port
last Tuesday. Master's Mate G. W. Fogg, (of
Boston, Mass.,) died on board Thursday, of dysentery
and was buried yesterday by the Masonic
Fraternity of this place on St. Helena Island, it
being impossible to take his body North at tnis
season of the year..
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jl
Interesting fr> m Savannah?The City Defenceless.?He
ha\'c late and interesting intelligence
from Savannah, concerning its defences,
troops and the excitement among Its inhabitants,
but lor want of space we confine ourselves to flu.*
following b:ief summary :
'1 be batteries defending the davamran aim ?v 11mingfon
river approaches to the city are as follows i
On Wihiiingtou river the rebels have but one battery?Thunderbolt
battery mounting fourteen guns
and distant from Savannah five miles ; opposite
this battery obstructions have been sunk. At
Buneveutnaamfleabove Thunderboli, and tl econ- '
niencenient of the shell road le,.diug to the city,
there is a small fortification, but of little stiength.
'ihe rebels sonata time since evacuated a j oweiful
battery on Skiddaway Island.
The first fortification on Savannah river is Carnston's
Bluff battery, which rather being situated on
St. Augustine creek, commands also Wilmington
river. This battery mounts twelve guns j two.
thirty-two pounders, two ten-inch Columbiads, two
ten-incli mortars, and the remainder are small
pieces. Next in order comes Fort Jackson,
mounting ten guns,opposite which, in the Savannah
river are obstructions consisting of piles, old
hulks and torpedoes. Next is tort Let;, ten guns,
their FortBoggs, six guna, -md finally Fort Law ton,
situated on Hutchinson Island and mounting eight
guns. All these batteries with the exception of
Fort Boggs, bear directly npon the obstructions.
Around the southeastern part of the city is a largebreastwork
the product of slave labor, which
mounted with gun* of various calibre forms the
immediate defense of the city.
The ram Gtorfcia, square built and mounting
fourteen guns, six each side and one each fore and
aft, is a perfect failure, though used as a floating
battery and lying under Fort Jackson near the obstructions.
A new ram, the Savanvah, built after
the plan of the Jt lamia and mounting eight guns,
has been completed, and is at the wharves awaiting
her crew and outfit. It is thought that she anticipates
a passage via the old and fatal route of the
Jltlanta. The rebels have two more rams buildincr.
one has her hull completed and is receiving
her armor, the other is in its commencement.
Savannah itse.f is deserted of troops ; several
regiments had been sent to the relict ot Vicksburg
before o?tr Charleston demonstration) and sine*
the totter event three regiments of infantry and
Col. Anderson's Artillery numbering twenty-four
brass twelve pounders have been sent via Augusta,
to Charleston, leaving for the delense of the city
but nine hundred cavalry, three hundred iniantry.
and a battery of light artillery. All the extensiv e
batteries and fortifications before mentioned artfar
this reason only picketed and not garrison rf.
ihe people of the city, thus lei t with battel it s and
guns, but no troops to make them available, have
become greatly alarmed lest we should avail our
selves of their condition and capture savannah. *
They have been for the last two weeks sending
valuablos, &c., into the interior of the State, daily
expecting to see a " Yankee cheese-box" in sigln.
flanked by "a land force. General Mercer, who 1*
in command, has repeatedly telegraphed to Gov.
Brown for troops, but has invariably received the
answer that ''there are no troops to send, the inhabitants
must protect themselves." The Evtrglade,
a steam* r, is loaded w ith cotton ready 10 run
the blockade, and the only other vessel beside the
I rams in port is the Iteudaktr, a navy boat mounting
three two hundred pound rifled guns. Thereare
two canal boats which the rebs. have mounted
with a few light pieces and call them-'floating batteries."
The inhabitants are afraid to arm the
negroes, and as the remaining population consists
of aged men, boys and women, we must conclude
that the people of Savannah are not only wisely
scared, but that a slight effort on our part would
place us in possession of the city, and considerably
enlarge the Department of the South.
Thr New York Volcntexr Engineers a detachment
from which has been among the most
useful of our forces, at Morris Island, have been
but little mentioned but deserve much praise,
which should not be detracted from by the fact that
they have bad few casualties. Their labors have
been arduous, and their duties well performed.
Col. Serrell has been very active aud useful siuce .
the commencement of active operations.
? Mtwh credit is due Dr. H alter il. Walsh, of
Boston, Mass., for his untiring efforts in behalf of
the wounded who were taken to Beanfbrt. Dr. '
Walsh was on board the transports night and day,
extracting balls, dressing wounds and in every
way administering to the poor boys, many of w hom
were, no doubt, saved by his exertions. The Revere
labors of all the Army Surgeons for the few
d sys previous, had so exhausted them that this
voluntary labor of Dr. Walsh was very valuable
and deserves especial mention.
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