Thursday, November 7. — Mark this day with a white mark for we have been victorious in battle. We took a pilot from the R. B. Forbes, and one from the Vixen, and started off at 9.30 o’clock for the anchorage of the other ships. We had to proceed slowly and cautiously, for we drew 22 feet of water, and at low tide there is not more than three fathoms according to the chart. Just as we started we saw the Wabash and the gunboats getting under weigh, and heading for the Sound. It was a most exciting moment for every one, as we expected to see the smoke from the rebel cannon every second, announcing that the fight which we had so longed for and on the success of which so much depended, had begun in reality.
When we were about six miles from the land, we saw the white smoke curling up in the air from a point on the left of the sound called Hilton Head. This was followed by the heavy “boom” of the report, and by several more cannon fired from two batteries on the opposite side and from rebel gunboats in the Sound. We, of course, were very much excited and watched the proceedings with great earnestness. The Wabash soon gave the rebels a broadside, to which they responded briskly. Finally we dropped our anchor about two miles and a half from shore, and just out of the reach of their batteries. Here we could get a fine view of the whole fight, our ship being the nearest one of the transports.
During the first of the fight the rebel batteries on both points fired quite vigorously, but the one in Bay Point soon ceased firing except at intervals, either because our ships were out of range, or because they were disabled. It was probably from the first reason, as our ships during the whole fight paid more attention to the Hilton Head battery than to any other. The ships would go round in an ellipse, firing at each battery as they passed it. At first they went within 800 yards of Hilton Head, but the second time round they approached within 600 yards. The scene was a truly magnificent one. The Wabash would lead off with a perfect storm of shot and shell, followed closely by the gunboats and the Susquehannah. The rebels seemed to like the Wabash better than any other ship, as she was a much larger mark, and whenever she came round they would make a spurt, and man their guns quite well. During the whole of the fight I could see shot strike the water, sending a fountain up in the air some 15 or 20 feet high. They would drop on all sides of some of the vessels, but not many seemed to hit. The second time the Wabash came round was well worth travelling a thousand miles to see. She looked like a cloud of smoke and flame, so incessant a fire did she keep up. Then, at the same time, the gunboats increased the rapidity of their fire, so that the fort was pretty well rained upon. From the water’s edge, where some of the shot struck, to the woods two miles back of the fort, the air was filled with rings of smoke, and with dust and dirt. Around the fort it was terrific. I counted over 50 shells bursting at once in and close around it. So thick was the air with dust and smoke from the shells, that frequently the fort would be hidden from sight. This would continue for about 15 or 20 minutes, when the Wabash would haul off, and go on her rounds to the other battery, letting fly a few shot at it. The woods behind the fort were well shelled, and if any rebels were there, they must have suffered severely.
By the time the Wabash left on her second round, four of our gunboats had taken up a position where they could enfilade the rebel batteries, which they did in a handsome manner. When the Wabash went at her work for the third time, a little steam-tug, the Mercury, with a 20- pound Parrott rifled gun, ran right up to the battery, and got in so near they could not hit her. Then she backed round with her stern towards the fort and let drive her one gun. It was the best thing done during the whole action, and was loudly cheered from all the transports. The last broadside of the Wabash frightened the rebels, and at about 2 o’clock the marines from the Wabash landed, and took possession of the island.[1]
At 12 M. General Wright came on board, and I spoke to him about my commission on his staff, which he had made out. He told me to get ready instantly, which I did, appearing in a good deal of borrowed plumage. At 3 o’clock the general and his staff got into a boat and shoved off from the Baltic, and went to the Illinois, where we found the 7th Connecticut embarking in boats. Soon the Winfield Scott took about 50 of these boats in tow, carrying them as near the shore as she could go. By 5.30 o’clock we were on South Carolina soil, and we instantly went up to the fort. We found all the marines jolly drunk on whiskey which they had found in the canteens, and in a house there. They were sent on board ship as soon as possible, and the place handed over to the military authorities.
The fort was a very strong one, and not much damaged by our fire. It mounts 22 guns besides a small battery, outside, of one gun and two mortars. Its name is Fort Walker, and it was built by an engineer named Lee, as we found out from a plan in what used to be a hospital and General Drayton’s headquarters combined. Here I found an envelope on the floor with $291.31 marked on the outside. The envelope was torn open and most of the money taken out, but on opening it still more, I found two shinplasters, a 20- and a 10-cent one. I also got a one-dollar bill on the Bank of the State of South Carolina, from Captain Goodrich. I found in Dr. Buist’s trunk, the rebel surgeon, a wreath for the hat, which I appropriated.
After we had been on shore about half an hour, General Wright sent me to order boats to the Cahawba, and as one had to wade some 20 or 30 feet in the water in order to get near a boat, it was not so pleasant as it might have been. The scene on the beach when the soldiers were landing, surpasses description. Guns going off, some fired by drunken marines and others by disorderly soldiers; men screaming, yelling, and rushing about in perfect disorder, made altogether a perfect pandemonium of the place. It could hardly be avoided though, owing to the manner in which the soldiers were landed : they being in small boats and easily getting scattered, it was a work of much difficulty getting them together again. General Wright soon got his brigade together, and immediately garrisoned the fort and stationed pickets, and posted all the regiments, making them sleep on their arms, ready at a minute’s notice. He took me with him at about two o’clock in the morning, and went the rounds. I got about an hour’s sleep in the headquarters, and was glad enough to get it. I was so busy most of the time that I had no chance to get any plunder, and then too the general was going round, stopping the men from plundering, and of course under such circumstances I did not wish to do it. Many of the marines got swords, pistols, guns, watches, etc., from the tents. It was quite a pretty sight in the evening, when the moon had gone down, to see over a hundred fires burning in every direction, and groups of soldiers round them, talking, smoking, and joking as if safe at home. The rebels left one of the guns in the fort all loaded and ready to fire, and from many such signs it would seem as if they must have left in quite a hurry.
[1] It turned out that this fight had for its object the capture of Port Royal, in which we succeeded, as these two forts controlled the entrance to the bay on which Port Royal is situated.
