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The Rebel Troops Engaged.

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unteers, Colonel Jones; the Ninth South Carolina volunteers, Colonel Haywood; a battalion of German artillery, under Colonel Wagener; about thirteen hundred men in all -enough to serve all the guns in the most efficient manner. They had also a field battery with five hundred troops stationed at a point a short distance above Hilton Head, where they anticipated our transports would undertake to land their forces for a flank movement, preparatory to carrring the fortification by assault. The forts, or batteries, opposite were manned by four hundred South Carolina volunteers.

Condition of the Forts.

The flight of the garrison evidently was a panic. A correspondent said: "The road which the retreating rebels took was strewn for miles with muskets, knapsacks, blankets, cartridgeboxes and other valuables that they had thrown away in their flighs. They retreated across the island to Seabrook, a distance of half a dozen miles, where they took boat for Savannah. Even the wharf at Seabrook was strewn with valuables, carried thus far and abandoned at the last moment." Another person, present with the first landing party, thus daguerreotyped the scene presented within the work: "The effects of our fire were to be seen on every hand. On the line along the front, three guns were dismounted by the enfilading fire. One carriage struck by a large shell, was shivered to pieces, dismounting the heavy gun mounted upon it, and sending the splinters flying in all directions with terrific force. Between the gun and the foot of the parapet was a large pool of blood, mingled with brains, fragments of skull and pieces of flesh, evidently from the face, as portions of whiskers still clung to it. This shot must have done horrible execution, as other portions of human beings were found all about it. Another carriage to the right was broken to pieces, and the guns on the water fronts were rendered useless by the enfilading tire from the gunboats on the left flank. Their scorching fire of shell which swept with resistless fury and deadly effect across this long water front, where the enemy had placed their heaviest metal, en barbette, without taking the precaution to place tra

389

Condition of the Forts.

verses, between the guns, did as much as anything to drive the rebels from their works, in a hurried manner. The works were ploughed up by the shot and shell so badly as to make immediate repairs necessary. All the houses and many of the tents about the work were perforated and torn by flying shell, and hardly a light of glass could be found intact, in any building where a shell exploded. The trees in the vicinity of the object of our fire, showed marks of heavy visitations. Everything, indeed, bore the marks of ruin. No wonder, then, that the rebels beat a hasty retreat. I can, and do, cheerfully bear testi. mony to the gallant and courageous manner in which the rebels maintained their position under a hot fire, and fought at their guns where many would have fled." The severest fighting was done by Colonel Wagener's German artillery. Without them the fort could not have sustained the conflict one hour. The Wabash fired, during the action, nine hundred shots, being all eight, nine, ten and eleven-inch shells, with the exception of a few rifled-cannon projectiles of a new pattern, used simply as a matter of experiment. The Susquehanna fired five hundred shots, the Bienville one hundred and eightyfive. The average of the gunboats and the other smaller ships was set down at one hundred and fifty each. teen vessels engaged. From all of them were fired not far from thirty-five hundred shot and shell at the two forts (Walker and Beauregard), the four-gun battery, and at Tatnall's 'fleet," which beat such a hasty retreat on Monday.

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The Number of Shots Fired.

There were, in all, six

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You will assure all

Cameron's Order to

Sherman.

loyal masters that Congress will
provide just compensation to
them for the loss of the services of the persons so
employed. It is believed that the course thus indi-
cated will best secure the substantial rights of loyal

masters, and the benefits to the United States of the

severely crippled, and many of the guns dis- | service. mounted. Much slaughter had evidently been made there, many bodies having been buried in the fort, and some twenty or thirty were found some half a mile distant. The island for many miles was found strewed with army accoutrements and baggage of the reb-services of all disposed to support the Government, els, which they threw away in their hasty retreat. We have also come into possession of about forty pieces of ordnance, most of which is of the heaviest calibre and of the most approved models, and a large quantity of ammunition and camp équipage."

Landing of the Land

come.

Forces.

Sherman's forces all were landed safely on Friday, and immediately took possession of the fortifications as well as of the immediately adjacent lands. Reconnoissances and scouting expeditions resulted in finding no enemy near-only negroes everywhere, and fields white with the rich bolls of sea island cotton, for which that region was the chosen garden. The negroes were not at all alarmed at the state of war prevailing-they rather seemed to enjoy it. Even to their benighted souls, the lightening and thunder of Federal artillery were prophecies of hope. But, the day of their deliverance had not yet The orders by which Sherman was to be governed, in dealing with the slaves, were as follows: "WAR DEPARTMENT, Oct. 14th, 1861. "Sir: In conducting military operations within States declared by the proclamation of the President to be in a state of insurrection, you will govern yourself, so far as persons held to service under the laws of such States are concerned, by the principles of the letters addressed by me to Major-General Butler on the 30th of May and the 5th of August, copies of which are herewith furnished to you. As special directions, adapted to special circumstances, cannot be given, much must be referred to your own discretion, as Commanding General of the expedition. You will, however, avail yourself of any persons, whether fugives from labor or not, who may offer themselves to the National Government; you will employ such persons in such services as they may be fitted for, either as ordinary employees, or, if special circumstances seem to require it, in any other capacity, with such organization, in squads, companies or otherwise, as you may deem most beneficial to the service. This, however, not to mean a general arming of them for military

Cameron's Orders to

Sherman.

while it avoids all interference with the social systems of local institutions of every State, beyond that which insurrection makes unavoidable, and which a restoration of peaceful relations to the Union, under the Constitution, will immediately reRespectfully,

move.

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"SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War. Brigadier-General T. W. SHERMAN, commanding expedition to the Southern coast." Sherman's first step was

Sherman's Proclamation to the People.

to issue to the citizens of
South Carolina a Procla-
mation setting forth the objects of his com-
ing, and his progress in regard to those in
arms against the country. We append the
document, claiming attention to its humane
sentiments and merciful tone:

46 'TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA :

"In obedience to the orders of the President of

these United States of America, I have landed on your shores with a small force of national troops. The dictates of a duty which under the Constitution, I owe to a great sovereign State, and to a proud and hospitable people, among whom I have passed some of the pleasantest days of my life, prompt me to proclaim that we have come among you with no feelings of personal animosity; no desire to harm your citizens, destroy your property, or interfere with any of your lawful laws, rights, or your social and local institutions, beyond what the causes herein briefly alluded to may render unavoidable.

"Citizens of South Carolina: The civilized world stands appalled at the course you are pursuing--ap. palled at the crime you are committing against your own mother, the best, the most enlightened and heretofore the most prosperous of nations. You are in a state of active rebellion against the laws of your country. You have lawlessly seized upon the forts, arsenals and other property belonging to our common country, and within your borders, with this property, you are in arms and waging a ruthless war against your Constitutional Government, and thus threatening the existence of a Government which you are bound by the terms of the solemn compact to live under and faithfully support. In doing this, you are not only undermining and preparing the way for totally ignoring your own political and social position, but you are threatening the

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