46 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



Port Royal Ferry by Whale Branch. The tug 

 boat E. B. Hale, Master Foster, was added to 

 the expedition after it started. The part assign- 

 ed to the naval force was to protect the land- 

 ing of the troops at Haywood's plantation, the 

 first point of debarkation, to cover the route of 

 the advancing column, and the second point of 

 debarkation, and fo assail the batteries on their 

 front. The military force consisted of the 47th 

 and 48th New York regiments, Cols. Frazer and 

 Perry, the 79th New York, 50th and 100th 

 Pennsylvania, and 8th Michigan, with a naval 

 howitzer force of forty men, under Lieut. Ir- 

 win. After the forces, landed at the two points, 

 had marched, driving all of the enemy who 

 were seen before them, and formed a junction, 

 they were divided into centre, right, and left 

 wings, and ordered forward to attack the bat- 

 teries of the enemy. A sharp skirmish of half 

 an hour ensued upon their approach to the bat- 

 tery, when the enemy retired, and the works 

 were completely destroyed. An incomplete 

 work at Seabrook, two miles from Port Royal 

 Ferry, was destroyed at the same time. The 

 result of the expedition was the destruction of 

 the two batteries, driving the enemy five miles 

 into the rear, and rendering the Broad and Coo- 

 saw rivers secure for the gunboats. The land 

 force was commanded by Gen. Stevens. Eleven 

 privates were wounded and two of them missing. 

 Four of the enemy were found dead. 



While all the improvements were urged for- 

 ward at Hilton Head, recoimoissances were con- 

 stantly made. The next movement of interest 



took place on the 26th of January, in consequence 

 of explorations which had been previously made, 

 and which were of such an adventurous nature 

 as to entitle to honor the parties engaged. The 

 city of Savannah is about fifteen miles from the 

 mouth of the river of that name, and situated 

 on its right o:- southern bank. The approach 

 to it by water is defended by Fort Pulaski 

 (see ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA, 1861 FORTS), a case- 

 mated work on Cockspur Island, at the mouth 

 of the river, find Fort Jackson, a barbette work 

 on the mainland, only four miles below the city. 

 The left bank of the river is formed by a suc- 

 cession of islands, and the channel is also inter- 

 rupted by large and numerous ones. The net- 

 work of creeks and bays which surround Hil- 

 ton Head terminates to the southward in Cal- 

 ibogue Sound, which is separated from Savan- 

 nah river at its mouth by Turtle and Jones 

 Islands. The waters that bound two sides of 

 Jones Island, which is triangular in shape, are 

 called Mud and Wright rivers ; the latter is the 

 more southern, and separates Jones from Turtle 

 Island, which lies next to Dawfuskie Island, the 

 western shore of Calibogue Sound. The water 

 on the third side of Jones Island is the Savan- 

 nah river. This island is about five miles long, 

 and between two and three broad. About half 

 way between its upper and lower angles, and 

 fronting on the Savannah, is Venus Point, 

 where a Federal battery was subsequently 

 placed to cut off communication between Savan- 

 nah and Fort Pulaski. 



Lieut. J. H. Wilson, of the topographical 



engineers, becoming convinced, from informa- 

 tion obtained of negro pilots and others, that 

 an interior passage existed, connecting Cali- 

 bogue Sound with the Savannah river, and 

 which, if passable by gunboats, might lead to 

 cutting off Fort Pulaski from communication 

 with Savannah, was despatched by Gen. Sher- 

 man on a reconnoissance. Taking with him two 

 row boats, and about seventy men of the Rhode 

 Island regiment, he left Calibogue Sound with 

 his negro crew and pilots, and ventured by night 

 through the intricate passages. At this time 



the Union troops had not advanced beyond 

 Dawfuskie Island, and on some of these rivers 

 Confederate pickets were still stationed. The 

 oars of the reconnoitring party, however, were 

 muffled, and they passed by the pickets with- 

 out discovery. Under cover of the darkness 

 they penetrated several miles up one of these 

 streams, leaving the pickets in their rear. If 

 discovered, retreat or escape .would have been 

 impossible for them, as there was no opportu- 

 nity of returning except on the same route by 

 which they came. The river which they thus 



