The palmetto herald. (Port Royal, S.C.) 1864-1864, August 18, 1864, Image 2
BY S. W. MASON AXI> CO.
PORT ROYAL, TIIl'KSDAY. AUGUST IS. fcKt
FROM MORRIS ISLAND.
Destruction of a BlockadeBanner.
Tile Fh'iuff on Fort Sumter,
From Gen. Schjmmelfiuni^ command
we have the ncwof the sinking of another
blockade-runner.
On the morning of the 9th a large propeller
was discovered agipnnd not far
from the pier on Sullivan's Island, near
Fort Moultrie. It seemed that she had
run in during the night, through this
channel, and had got aground at this
point, where it is wry narrow.
She was lying with her stern towards
the beach, and the rebels were very busy
carrying her cargo ashore,
s Several vessels of the fleet opened on
her, but-their distance was-90 gjvat they
did not succeed in hitting her. The batteries
on Morris Island, as sgpn as she
_ was pspcetved, begin to fire on her. and
with excellent effect. Que shot went
through her smoke-stack, another struck
her in the bow, and injured her so she
began to sink, and a third" exploded
her boiler. She was made a complete
wreck of, so tliat nothing further was
1 oTonnt mitt)** floating
Siivtni Hum net vawjh
goods, which were gathered- from the
shore at considerable risk. It is possible
that the steamer was running out instead
of in, and that she had been turned nbout
by the tide, after grounding.
% The steamer was clipper-shaped, and
tvidently a valuable one to the bloekadennners.
It is judged-also that her Cargo
was important, and that *a "very
large venture resulted most unprofltably
to some one, just as a success was nearly
achieved.
Since writing the above we have received
a Charleston Courier of the Kith,
which gives the following account'of the
sinking of the steamer :
The steamer Prince Albert, Captain Coombs,
which left Nassau last Wednesday, 3d inst, in attempting
to rnn into this port Monday night, ran
against the wreck of the steamer Minko, am]
grounded fast nearly opposite Fort Monllris, Sullivan's
Island. Finding it impossible to get hei
off the officers and crew removed their baggage
and a part of the cargo in small boat* to Sullivan's
Island. About daylight the! Yankee batteries
opened heavily upon the Prince Albert,
jjpmpletcly riddling her with shot and shell, and
everal times setuug the vessel on fire, rapidlv
reducing her to a total wreck. Only a small portion
of the cargo, which consisted chiefly of medicines
and other light articles, was saved.
The Prince Albert belonged to the Richmond
and Exnorting Company, and had
made one successful trip to this port from Nas
iau, and another outward This was her second
trip to this pert?Charleston Courier, A *7, 10.
The firing on Fort Sumter is kept up
alowly but with much accuracy. A deserter
recently arrived informs us thai
Gen. Foster's kfiowlklge of the fort, acquired
while stationed there, is resulting
in great damage to the work, front tlit
selection of the weakest points as th<
objects of our careful fire. The case*
mates are already becoming unsafe, anc
the rebels apprehend serious damage frou
the constant weakening of important parti
*" ** 1
of the structure which they cannot reau
ly repair.
In addition to pur batteries at th<
northern extremity of Morris Island, tw<
more arc being built, in which six '11
inch and 9-inch guns furnished by Ad
miral Dahlgren are to be mounted.* The;
will be manned from the navy, and wii
make quite an important addition to ou
offensive strength.
Tke rebels admit tliat our prisoner
are contined in open lots and poorly le<
and clothed, but declare this treat men
the best they can give, and say the ra
tions to pnsoneranre the same that ou
troops have.
A Court of Inquiry is investlgatin
the circumstances of the tailure to cap
ture Fort Johnson during the recent ex
jx'dition, when that project was so neaj
Iv accomplished.
soo noac t\io\ nu&dxiias t \dj:x |
ri?? L\ tniRLESTO*. .
CiSX. FOSTER TO RETALIATE. j
SW\V\%V'.W\ ?*??>. "V.N
When CJt'ii. Foster brought Gen. .Tones
, to terms in regard to the fifty Union
I Generals and officers placed under tire
in Cliarlestou and effected their exchanges
j it was supposed that all trouble on that"
I point would cease. But it seems that
j what the rebels conid not accomplish
J by a roup de main they are striving to j"
j effect by a cohj> d'etat. At the time of 1
ami soon after the exchange we learned
by returned prisoners, deserters and ref
ugees *hat six hundred Union prisoners
were in Charleston, exposed to our tire.
, A communication to the rebel authorities
oil the subject, resulted in a disavowal.
of the object attributed in such a disposition
of the prisoners, and a declaration
that they were merely held there In transitu.
The reports that they were still confined
continuing, Gen. Foster wrote to
Gen. Jones a letter in which'he depreca
ted his conduct, and threatened immediate
retaliation.
So it i9 jmibftbie that within a short time
we shall have six hundred rebel prisoners
here, to be placed under tire in the most i
exposed portions of .Morris Island. The
residences erected there being: insufficient
t<>r the accommodation of so large a num.
j her, they will be placed in teats, in a
; large lot. surrounded by a high fence,
| well-guarded.
It is doubtlul if Gen. Jones has an opportunity
to obtain these prisoners until"
a baptism of tire lias been administered,
and they are allowed a taste, at least, of
the hardships which our prisoners in
rebel hands are forced to undergo.
flag"of truce.
i Supplementary Exchange of
Prisoners.
COL 1I01T, SIRCE01 tt33!*Sa>i AJD !
OTHERS RELEASED. j
On Tuesday last M*j?>r Andersr.n hart chrtr?^'|
of a flag-of-trucc party which mot a rebel ofte,;
under command of Major Lay, at Port Royal
Ferry. The principal object of the interview wae
i the reception of the balance of prisoners duo uft
i under the terms of the recent exchange o(
| generals and field officers off Charleston.
The meeting resulted in the deliver}- over into
onr hands of Col. H. M. Hoyt, of the" f>.d Pcnn-i !
sylvania, Surgeon Robinson, of the 104th Pennsylvania,
Assistant Surgeon Terrell, of the l-'tll
I Conn., Capt. Robbins, of a Kentucky regiment!
, Lieut. P. O. Rogers, of the 3i?th Illinois, ana
eight enlisted mea.
The Surgeons were simply released as non-com,
batants. ~ without exchange, Gen. Jones having
I concluded to consent to such an arrangement)
.. KtrtV. Kn at Ar%it
| n utvu iiv 01 u*? . .?
Col. Hoyt gives us some additional information J
[ in regard to bis capture at Fort Johnson on ,h(
3d of July, which is of great interest.
The attacking party had intended to reach thi j
i landing place before davlight, but were detained
at a bar for an hour. Tbev then proceeded dk
. reetly up towards a point, about 40o yards froii
1 Batter)* Simpkins. For some distance they bag
to pass through a narrow channel in single file,
r but met with no difficulty. Col. Hoyt, with le? '
J than one hundred men. promptly "landed, and j
the rebels fled withont a show of resistance. Bat5
terv Simpkins was occupied, and while proceed- j
- iug*towards Fort Johnson, another battery was
i stumbled upon, from which the enemy flea, and
* " 1 . nf f'.i
WHICH way occupied uj um>ut inv?i>->i.v
1 llovt's force. He theu kept on with his column, 1
1 but on the way encountered two obstacles in the !
. way of marshes, one of which was waded aud '
the"other avoided bv a detour.
About four hundred vards distant the fo*t
5 opened with artillery and musketry, doing them
> but little damage however.
I On arriving at Fort Johnson, no resistance was
encountered, excepting a scattering musketrv 1
fire, but the garrison was found to consist of j
f about two hundred, and Col. lloyt's little party
1 was too weak to cope with them. So they re- j
_ tired from the work, and being joined by about
sixty more who had come np, made an attack at
another point.
But it was dually ascertained that the balanfce
of the force so confidently relied on, haA ii>t
S landed at all, and bv this time the rebel? fifed
" ~ - - * ? ? r*a.l
] been reinforced to rour nuuarcu wv?. >
? Hoyt was reluctantly impelled to give the order !
of surrender, to save the slaughter of his 111411, ;
all chance of holding the Fort being lost by the 1
r failure of the rest of the force to come up. I
A rebel force then went down to lake the
force left in Battery Simpkins, and who were In'
eluded in the surrender. The occupation of the
work was entirely bloodless, but the rebels
S claimed it as a recapture, and a glorious victory.
1- The prisoners were taken to Charleston iinme _
diately, and as they marched through the streets
' were treated with perfect civility. They found a
*" stronger Union ?eutiwent prevailing ti ere than
they anticipated.
Ol. lloyt has siuco-bctu a portion of the time
at Mn< on."
I t. t ?l. Couynirlmtn is now at Charleston,
and will i Tobahiv soon becx li:;n_% il.
'1 he casualties in the in tlic attack on Foil
Johnson numbered only .1.
LATE REBEL RAPERS.
DAT1>J TO AUG. IStli.
IATER NEWS FROM MOBILE.
The Rehel Papers Talking Peace.
By flag of truce, on Tuesday, General
Foster received files of rebel papers to
Aug. 13, from which we are permitted to
make extracts.
Nearly all the papers are discussing
the subject of peace, and it is evident
that Grant's starving process, Sherman's
pressure in Georgia, Farragut's victory at
Mobile, and Federal successes everywhere,
are gradually bringing them to
terms.
The following an? extracted from the
latest papers:
As a retaliatory measure, for the confinement
of Yankee officers in Charleston. O n. FosU r.
commanding the enffnv's for es, had huts constructed
on Morris Island ami Cummiiurs' Point,
where he intended to imprison onr officers, thus
subjecting them to the tire of all our batteries.
Gen. Sam Jones promptly notitled him (h it in
case he put his barbarous threat into execn?imi.
every one of the Federal officers then in Chaileston
would be transferred to Knmterand ill re exposed
on the ramparts to the tire of Greggr and
Wntmer. and the other works on Morris Island.
This had the desired effect, (ten. Foster, unwilling:
to assume the responsibility. under the (irrnmstanei's
referred the matter to the Wasliington
authorities, who instructed him to endeavor
an exchange. A oorresjiondence ensued l>etwecn
Gens. Foster and Jones the result of which was
that onr officers confined iu tin- transports at
Hilton Head wire brought to Morris Island and
exchanged for the Yanks' officers in Charleston.
(Jen. Jones having proven himself such an excellent
officer of exchange, we understand that the
Government has sent to Charleston five or six
hundred Federal officers to be exchanged for the
same number of Confederates.?Jltchmond J'-tjnr.
Cot. Ani'Epson, the officer who figures so infamously
in the surrender of Fort Gaines, is said
to be a native of South Carolina. He entered
West i'oiui irom mcxus out rcniiiiiimi ?un> o>?>
year?, and. of course, did not graduate. He was
appointed Second Lieutenant in the old army in
I Sid. ami being stationed in the South, joined the
Confederate army at the commencement of the
war.?Charl-tUm Mercury, Aty. 13.
Atlanta, A'ngust 13.?The enemy ye?lcrdav
evening, advanced his riebt about one mile, at
the stnie time extending his left a short distance,
but hurridly withdrew both this morning, from a
cause unknown, to the original position. Their line
officers attempted frequently, at- difierent points
along the line, to communicate with ours; in several
instances they proposed a cessation of picket
tiring, which was not entertained, in consequence
of not coming through the proper channel. No
shells thrown at the city during last night or today,
with the exception of slight artillery firing.
Brigadier General John C. Brown, of Tennes
see, has been promoted temporarily to the rank
of Major General. Lieutenant Colonel James
Kennard, C. S. A., has been assigned as Chief of
Ordnance of the Array of Tennessee.?Ckurlcntou
Mercury, A tin. 15.
Moiuli, Angnst 9.1864.?ITon. P. H. Mallorv,
Secretary of the Navy: The enemy steamed hi
through main entrance with rour inrnmors ami
about sixteen heavy vessels-of-war. The Tecumsoh,
Commander T. A. M. Craven; was sunk with
nearly all her crew, and also another gunboat?
the l'hilippi, which I subsequently learned. The
Richmond, Hartford and Brooklyn. In line of
battle, followed bv the remainder of the fleet,
pushed by Fort Morgan under fnll headway,
where they were encountered by the Tennessee,
Morgan, Gaines aud Selma.
* The Tennessee and the other vessels steamed
in close range of the advancing force, and poured
a heavy fire into the leading ships. After a desperate
engagement between the fleet the Gaines
retired to Fort Morghn in a sinking condition;
the Sclms, cnt off, surrendered, and the Morgan
escaped to Fort Morgan. The Tennessee, so far
uninjured, steamed towards the whole fleet, and
after an obstinate fight, surrendered?her rudder
disabled, her smoke-stack carried away, and, as
we suppose, her crew in an exhausted and smothering
condition. On the Tennessee. Admiral
Buchanan severely wounded by a splinter in leg,
-two killed aud several wounded. On the Gaines,
two killed and two wounded. On the Morgan,
one wounded. On the -Selma, eight killed, including
her executive oflicer. Lieut. J. U. Coinstock.
and seven wounded. The enemy suffered
severely, anil he requested permission to bury his
? ? " " i? ?.
dead. Kespecuuuy, oo ?. iuwuw>.>, v. ua^.ate
States Navy."?Charleston Mercury, A u<j. 15.
Wiii i.ST we deprecate discussions of terras ol
E?aee by our Press, and all scrion?overtures from
overnment at this present juncture of of affairs,
we do not mean to say that diplomacy should be
wholly set aside in bringing hostilities to a close,
or that any overture coming from the enemj
with apparent sincerity, should not be met with
I a corresponding sentiment of accommodation
j on our part. The Richmond Sentiu^which is
I supposed to reflect, at least in some oegree, tin
i sentiments and policy of the Administration, ha.I
recently given publication to several articles o
\ thi& character, called forth by certain upusuallj
| liberal remarks in the Washington Chronicle
The Sentinel makes no direct proposition regard
terms of peace that can be construed as biudin;
either on itself or the government, but simplj
throw* ont certain hypotheses as subjects for con
sidcrntion < n the nnit < f h. th be'i en-rfc.
; articles were dplon ttic, a 11 < rigir.nte !,
as auy n dkba lanced m;nd v ould s at a gl.inev,
1 in the very be-t ?d most p; triotic motive. It
is belii ved 1 y many wise nrei: that the war onre
stopped . nd negotiations To:- pel . be run, the
' farmer ran never lie reviveu. ewn th .ugh the
| terms of settlement demanded by the Smith m.-.y
not be wholly acceptable to the j.r< sent Government
at Wa-hhigtmi?that the people will coini
pel it to ilo what is right,.* r take the malter into
I tluir own hands. It i- f(?r this reason. possibly,
j tha the Sentinel, and we may add some of our
j most til-seeing statesmen, are willing to set
! forth projiositioiis as matters for negotiation,
| when they would he among the last to make a
concession tli.it is dishonorable or injurious id
their country.? Swuma Jltpublicitn, Aiw. 1 ith.
11 vstv C'i:\scsr.?We cordially unite with our
contemporary of the Culaaibu- En (purer in condemning
the hasty judgment of "treason ami
cowardice " that h is been entered no so generally
by the press and telegraph against Col. Anderson,
for the surrender or Port Gaines. The
cose lias a had aspect with our limited view of
the reasons that led to It. bat it is evident that
the jmbiic knows -too" little of the circumstance*
t of the capitulation, to enable it to form a just
opinion of its real character. Col. Anderson and
his men are in the hands of the enemy, and cannot
lie heard; and bo long as their lips shall be
closed in their own defonre, we jr.lest gainst
all attempts to blacken their character as men,
and sully their lame as soldiers. An Alabama
can maud r of Alabama troops is uot the man to
disgrace his name and state in a struggle for liberty.
It is not in the blood, and wc belie'.e that
A satisfactory explanation will yet he made of
the extraordinary and lamentable, occurrence.
I.et us hear befi re we strike.?Sawm-ah /?'
He,111, .1 tig. 1 Uh.
Gen. Jones having made so excellent a coniraissioner
of exchange, our Government has sent
wi*- hnnitrod Y?iiiLp.> nltleers to Charleston to be
exchanged i n tlie same terms, aud nnd.r a cart? 1
that is fomewhat nnnsual. Our Commissioner
of Exchange in HieUm? nd will have to look to
his lame!*. or Gen. Jones will eclipse all his
achievements in the cxi liaise bmduees.?Hi: Anioml
Sfjitinrl.
MomLr.?Charleston lias been assailed from
the beginning of the war hv the most powerful
armament that the enemy conld bring against it.
She h;t< been bombarded nearly four hundred
days, and is now as safe as when the enemy first
began the siege. In fact no city has yet been
taken Hv the enemy after time and preparation
for its defence, with the exception of Viiksbnrg,
u bich was not taken by force, but starved into
subjection. And why should Mobile fail, alter
over three years preparation .for its defence.
Fo t Morgan, one of its strongholds, is the most
formidable work of the kind, next to Fortress
Monroe, on the American continent, besides ie-r
oth,y defences are strung and tenable. We cant
believe the Yankee flag will ever float over the
city of Mobile ?SuMmuih llqtublican., Aug. 14,'A.
Maj, Gkn. (Ki.mouk. late commander of the
10th Army Corps, l\ S. Ar nv, was thrown from
his horse.'whilt charging a detachment of Gen.
F<iv1v's command near Washington, and frac
| tared his anklo. I'ity it wasn't his neck.?.S'?:
vatuuih UiyubKean.
KAVAL MATTERS.
i We have a few naval items in addition
i to the account of the brilliant exploit in
j Dohov Sound, given elsewhere. Adj
mintl Dahlgren lias recently been on a
| tour of inspection to the southward. lie
; is now in this harbor, with the flag-ship
| Philadelphia.
Tlie Admiral has recently published a
touching letter, vindicating the character
; of his son, the gallant Col. Ulric Daldgren,
I from the aspersions of his brutal rebel
murderers, and proving the cloeni
mcnt alleged to have been found on his
person, and put fort has a justification for
iiis murder and the mutilation of his
j ImxIv, to have been a forgery.
Lieut. Commander II K Phvthian,
j commanding the Commodore McDonough,
has been ordered North on court
martial duty.
Lieut. Commander J. C. Chaplin, rom;
manding the Dai Cbing, has been ordor'
ed temporarily to the command of .Met
t V 1.
Lwnougll.
Acting Master A. S. Gardner, lias been
detached from the barque Ironsides, and
ordered to the steamer Patapsco as liarl>or
master.
: Act. Asst. Paymaster A. McVey, has
i t>een detached from the New Hampshire
! and ordered to the John Adams.
Act. Ensign A. Hartshorn of ihe New
Hampshire, has lieen ordered 011 special
i duty.
Act. Ensign T. E. Chapin has l>een
; promoted to Act. blaster, and granted a
,! leave of absence for thirty days.
, Acting Master's Mate C'has. II. Hanson
has been promoted to Act. Ensign.
The following are reeenent aimouncei
j mcnts in the ofliciul gazette:
J! Ordered?Lieut.-Commander Jas. Still1
??a1i 4 a tlio f ^itnu'o
j I ?lil, iu lA/UIIIIUIIU Uiv V/lliiMU.
r I Detached?Lieut -Commander S. Liv.
inirston Brecso, from the command of
; the Ottawa, and ordered North.
:: Second Asst. Engineer Jas. J. Noble,
-1 and Third AssC Engineer Henrv C. Becki
?