good their passage down to Fort Pulaski. They returned at low water and escaped uninjured. The objects of the reconnoissance being now attained the forces returned to Hilton Head. The gunboats in Wright river did not go down as far as the entrance to the Savannah, as they would be in reach of the guns of Fort Pulaski, and Capt. Rodgers feared that they might get aground. This withdrawal of the boats from Wall's Cut was regarded by the Confederate commander as an abandonment of the purpose to enter the Savannah by that route. Confidence was thus restored in the minds of the citizens of Savannah, and the wisest hoped that the fort, which was the key of the city, might be enabled to detain their enemy for an indefinite length of time. The greatest consternation therefore prevailed in Savannah when the fort was ultimately captured.

Gen. Sherman now commenced a series of measures by which to cut off all communication between the city and the fort. This consisted in the planting of batteries on the river. The most important one was at Venus Point on the

river side of Jones Island. A road was made with almost herculean labor across its marshy surface from Wall's Cut, by the 48th New York regiment. Over this road the cannon were brought and placed in the battery. An attack was made on this battery by the Confederate gunboats on the 14th of March. After an engagement of an hour they were driven off. Another battery was placed on the extremity of Long Island, which was on the other side of the channel of the river, and still another was placed on floats at the mouth of Mud river. Some weeks were passed before this work was done and the communication entirely cut off. Preparations were next commenced for the reduction of the fort. This was to be done by batteries established on Tybee Island adjacent to Cockspur Island, on which the fort is located. These were not completed until the 9th of April, when the following order for the bombardment of the fort was issued:

The signal to begin the action will be one gun from the right mortar of Battery Halleck (2,400 yards from the work), fired under the direction of Lieutenant Horace Porter, chief of ordnance; charge of mortar 11 lbs., charge of shell 11 lbs., elevation 55°, and length of fuse 24".

This battery (two 13-inch mortars) will continue firing at the rate of fifteen minutes to each mortar alternately, varying the charge of mortars and length of fuse, so that the shells will drop over the arches of the north and northeast faces of the work, and explode immediately after striking, but not before.

The other batteries will open as follows, viz: Battery Stanton (three 13-inch mortars, 3,400 yards distant), immediately after the signal, at the rate of fifteen minutes for each piece, alternately from the right; charge of mortar 14 lbs., charge of shell 7 lbs.,

elevation 45°, and length of fuse 23", varying the charge of mortar and length of fuse as may be required. The shells should drop over the arches of the south face of the work, and explode immediately after striking, but not before.

Battery Grant (three 18-inch mortars, 3,200 yards distant), immediately after the ranges for Battery Stanton have been determined, at the rate of fifteen charge of shell 7 lbs., elevation 45, charge of mortar minutes for each piece, alternately from the right; and length of fuse to be varied to suit the range, as determined from Battery Stanton. The shells should drop over the arches of the south face of the work, and explode immediately after striking, but not before. Battery Lyon (three 10-inch columbiads, 3,100 yards from the work), with a curved fire, immediately after the signal, allowing ten minutes between the discharges for each piece, alternating from the right; charge of guns 17 lbs., charge of shell 3 lbs., elevation fuse to vary as required. The shell should pass over 20°, and length of fuse 20"; the charge and length of the parapet and into the work, taking the gorge and north face in reverse, and exploding at the moment of striking, or immediately after.

Battery Lincoln (three 8-inch columbiads, 3,045 yards from the work), with a curved fire, immediately after the signal, allowing six minutes between discharges for each piece, alternating from the right; charge for gun 10 lbs., charge of shell 14 lbs., elevaBattery' Lyon, upon the north face and gorge in retion 20°, and length of fuse 20", directed the same as verse, varying the charge and length of fuse accordingly.

Battery Burnside (one 13-inch mortar, 2,750 yards from the work), firing every ten minutes, from the range as obtained for Battery Sherman; charge of shell 7 lbs.; elevation 45°; charge of mortar and length of fuse varying as required from those obtained for Battery Sherman. The shells should drop on the arches of the north and northeast faces, and explode immediately after striking, but not before.

Battery Sherman (three 10 inch-mortars, 2,650 yards from the work), commencing immediately after the ranges for Battery Grant have been determined, and firing at the rate of fifteen minutes for each piece, alternating from the right; charge of shell 7 lbs.; elevation 45; charge of mortar and length of fuse to be fixed to suit the range as determined from Battery Grant. The shells should drop over the arches of the north and northeast faces.

Battery Scott (three 10-inch and one 8-inch columbiads, 1,677 yards from the work), firing solid shot and commencing immediately after the barbette fire of the works has ceased. Charge of 10-inch columbiads 20 lbs., elevation 44°; charge of 8-inch columbiad 10 lbs., elevation 5°. This battery should breach the pancoupé between the south and southeast faces, and the embrasure next to it in the southeast face: the elevation to be varied accordingly, the charge to remain the same. Until the elevation is accurately determined each gun should fire once in ten minutes; after that, every six or eight minutes.

Battery Sigel (five 30-pounder Parrotts and one 24pounder James', 1,620 yards from the work), to open with 44" fuse on the barbette guns of the fort at the second discharge from Battery Sherman. Charge for 30-pounders, 3 lbs.; charge for 24-pounder, 5 lbs.; elevation, 40° for both calibers.

As soon as the barbette fire of the work has been silenced, this battery will be directed, with percussion shells, upon the walls, to breach the pancoupé between the south and southeast face, and the embrasure next to it in the southeast face, the elevation to be varied accordingly, the charge to remain the same. Until the elevation is accurately determined, each gun should fire once in six or eight minutes; after that, every four or five minutes.

Battery McClellan (two 42 and two 82-pounder James', 1,620 yards from the work) opens fire immediately after Battery Scott. Charges for 42-pounder, 8 lbs.; charge for 32-pounder, 6 lbs.; elevation of 42

pounder, 44°, and 32-pounder, 4°. Each piece should fire once every five or six minutes after the elevation has been established, charge to remain the same. This battery should breach the works in the pancoupé between the south and southeast faces, and the embrasure next to it in the southeast face. The steel scraper for the grooves should be used after every fifth or sixth discharge. Battery Totten (four 10-inch siege mortars, 1,685 yards from the work) opens fire immediately after Battery Sigel, firing each piece about once in five minutes; charge of mortar, 31 lbs.; charge of shell, 3 lbs.: elevation, 45°.; and length of fuse, 18". The charge of mortar and length of fuse vary, so as to explode the shell over the northeast and southeast faces of the work. If any battery should be unmasked outside the work Battery Totten should direct its fire upon it, varying the charge of mortars and length of fuse accordingly. The fire from each battery will cease at dark, except especial directions be given to the contrary.

A signal officer at Battery Scott, to observe the effects of the 13-inch shells, will be in communication with other signal officers stationed near Batteries Stanton, Grant, and Sherman, in order to determine the range

for these batteries in succession. By order of

Brig. Gen. Q. A. GILMORE.

Before the bombardment was commenced on the 10th, the fort was summoned to surrender. The following is the correspondence:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
TYBEE ISLAND, GA., April 10, 1862.

To the Commanding Officer, Fort Pulaski:
SIR: I hereby demand of you the immediate surren-
der and restoration of Fort Pulaski to the authority and
possession of the United States.

This demand is made with a view to avoiding, if possible, the effusion of blood which must result from the bombardment and attack now in readiness to be opened. The number, caliber, and completeness of the batteries surrounding you, leave no doubt as to what must result in case of refusal and as the defence, however obstinate, must eventually succumb to the assailing force at my disposal, it is hoped you will see fit to avert the useless waste of life.

This communication will be carried to you under a flag of truce by Lieut. J. H. Wilson, United States Army, who is authorized to wait any period not exceeding thirty minutes from delivery for your answer.

I have the honor to be, sír, your most obedient ser. vant, DAVID HUNTER,

Major-General Commanding. Gen. Hunter had been placed in command of the Federal forces, and Gen. Sherman, before completing the enterprises he had commenced, was recalled. The Confederate commander of the fort replied to this demand as follows:

HEADQUARTERS, FORT PULASKI, April 10, 1862. Maj. Gen. David Hunter, commanding on Tybee Island: SIR: I have to acknowledge receipt of your communication of this date, demanding the unconditional surrender of Fort Pulaski.

In reply I can only say that I am here to defend the fort, not to surrender it. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, CHAS. H. OLMSTEAD, Colonel First Volunteer regiment of Georgia, commanding post.

On this refusal, and at twenty-three minutes of eight o'clock in the morning the fire was opened. Three minutes after the fort replied from a 10-inch barbette gun, and soon after the firing became general on both sides. After eighteen hours the fort was breached in the southeast VOL. IL-4

angle, and at the moment of surrender, 2 o'clock P. M. of the 11th, preparations had been commenced for storming. Forty-seven guns, a great supply of fixed ammunition, forty thousand pounds of powder, and large quantities of commissary stores, and three hundred and sixty prisoners were taken.

It was expected at Savannah that an attack would be immediately made upon Fort Jackson, to be followed by its surrender, and that of the city also. Nothing of the kind, however, was contemplated. The Union commander was in no condition to underteke such an enterprise, and actually was obliged to content himself with holding what had been acquired. The possession of Fort Pulaski prevented any further attempts to run the blockade into Savannah by the mouth of the river.

While these operations had been going on against Fort Pulaski, the other portion of the military and naval forces at Hilton Head had not been idle. On the 28th of February Com. Dupont sailed from Port Royal in the steam frigate Wabash, accompanied by the following vessels: Ottawa, Mohican, Ellen, Seminole, Pawnee, Pocahontas, Flag, Florida, James Adger, Bienville, Alabama, Key Stone State, Seneca, Huron, Pembina, Isaac Smith, Penguin, Potomska, armed cutter Henrietta, armed transport McClellan, the latter having on board

the battalion of marines under the command of Maj. Reynolds, and the transports Empire City, Marion, Star of the South, Belvidere, Boston, and George's Creek, conveying a brigade under the command of Brig.-Gen. Wright.

On the 2d of March the expedition came to anchor in St. Andrew's Sound, and on the next morning a portion of the gunboats and transports, under Commander Drayton, proceeded down Cumberland Sound toward Fernandina on the north extremity of Amelia Island. Cumberland Sound is the passage between Cumberland Island and the mainland. Amelia Island is next in order below Cumberland Island; the north point of the former and the south point of the latter being nearly opposite. The remainder of the fleet proceeded down outside to the entrance between Cumberland and Amelia Islands. The object of sending a portion of the fleet through Cumberland Sound was to turn the works on the south end of Cumberland and the north end of Amelia Islands. The enemy having received information of the expedition, abandoned their works on its approach and retired. Fort Clinch on Amelia Island was taken possession of and garrisoned. The town of Fernandina, which was almost deserted, was occupied by the Union force, and a small steam boat loaded with stores was overtaken and captured. The Confederate force stationed at Fernandina consisted of the 4th Florida, Col. Hopkins, with a number of companies of cavalry and light artillery. Reconnoitring expedi tions were sent out in different directions with successful results. New Fernandina on Amelia Island, about a mile and a half from Old Fer

nandina, is the eastern termination of the railroad across the peninsula. The western termination is Cedar Keys, a small town located on one of a group of small islands close to the west coast of Florida. It was captured by a Union force on the 16th of January. On the same night that Fernandina was taken Commander E. R. P. Rodgers in the Ottawa ascended the St. Mary's river, and took possession of the town of that name, driving out a picket of the enemy's cavalry. This town and Fernandina were uninjured. Preparations for a most vigorous defence were found to have been made at both places, but the State troops were probably required for the Confederate army: The difficulties arising from the indirectness of the channel and from the shoalness of the bar would have added to the defences by keeping approaching vessels a long time exposed to fire under great disadvantages. Having turned the property over to the military power the expedition was ready for further movements.

A principal and ultimate object of this entire expedition was, in its first conception, to take and keep under control the whole line of seacoast, especially of the State of Georgia. Having heard at Fernandina that the works at Brunswick in Georgia had been abandoned, Com. Dupont on the 7th of March despatched a force, consisting of the Mohican, Pocahontas, and Potomska, under Commander Gordon, to hold the place. It is a port of entry in the extreme southeastern part of the State of Georgia, pleasantly situated on Turtle river, and has a spacious harbor. It is the eastern terminus of the Brunswick and Florida railroad. Commander Gordon with his vessels crossed the bar on the 8th, and anchored at sundown within two miles of the forts commanding the channel. The next day he took possession of the batteries on St. Simon's Island and on Jekyl Island. When abandoned, all their guns and ammunition had been removed. The town also was entirely deserted, and nearly all the property which could be removed had been taken away. Proclamations were posted by Commander Gordon on several public buildings, urging the inhabitants to return to their homes and promising protection to the property of all good citizens. The force then retired to the vessels.

On the 13th with the Potomska and Pocahontas Commander Gordon proceeded from St. Simon's Sound through the inland passage to Darien on the Altamaha river. Piles had been driven in two places across the passage, which were removed. Darien like Brunswick was entirely deserted, and also all the plantations on St. Simon's Island. But one white man was found on the island, and one old negro, although about fifteen hundred troops had been quartered there a few months previous. The former appeared to be in great dread of the coming of the Union force, and had been told that they would destroy even women and children.

At the same time when this force was order

ed to Brunswick on the 7th of March, Com. Dupont sent the gunboats Ottawa, Seneca, Pembina, and Huron, with the Isaac Smith and Ellen under Lieut. Stevens to St. John's river with instructions to cross its difficult and shallow bar, feel the forts if still held, and push on to Jacksonville and even Pilatka and capture river steamers. St. John's river empties into the Atlantic some twenty-five miles south of Fernandina. On the 11th Lieut. Stevens succeeded in crossing the bar and anchored for the night. During the evening large fires were seen in the direction of Jacksonville, which proved to have been made under the order of the Confederate commander, Gen. Trapier, by the burning of mills, houses, and property belonging to Northern men suspected of entertaining Union sympathies. On arriving at Jacksonville during the next day, the corporate authorities came off to Lieut. Stevens and gave up the town. The 4th New Hampshire, Col. Whipple, was landed and took possession. The location of the town is on the northern bank of the St. John's, about twenty-five miles from its mouth. It contains about three thousand inhabitants. From almost all the houses a white flag was displayed on the approach of the force, and men, women, and children of all colors turned out to see the display. A Union feeling was aroused and encouraged. A public meeting was called and resolutions adopted in favor of organizing a Union State Government and calling a convention to meet at Jacksonville for that purpose on the 10th of April, then approaching. On the 8th of April the Union commander, Gen. Wright, evacuated the town, and then sent information of his movement to the Confederate commander, Gen. Trapier, inviting him to come and re-occupy the town, and requesting him to take care of the women and children remaining. On the 9th the Confederate officers stood on the dock and watched the vessels sailing away. On the 10th, the Union convention, which had been warmly encouraged by these retiring officers with their force, was called to assemble. Of course it was not held. The more active Unionists had through fear left with the fleet.

Com. Dupont, immediately after having despatched Commander Gordon to Brunswick and Lieut. Stevens to Jacksonville, as above stated, proceeded himself toward St. Augustine. Arriving off the harbor he ordered Commander Rodgers to approach the city with a flag of truce, presuming that if there were any people along the coast likely to remain in their houses, they would be found at St. Augustine. As Commander Rodgers approached the city, a white flag was hoisted upon one of the bastions of Fort Marion. As he landed upon the wharf and inquired for the chief authority, he was soon joined by the mayor and conducted to the city hall, where the municipal authorities were assembled. His report to Com. Dupont proceeds as follows:

I informed them that, having come to restore the