Official Reports of the Destruction of steamer George Washington, near Beaufort, S.C., April 9, 1863: No. 2. — Report of Col. Joseph R. Hawley, Seventh Connecticut Infantry.

No. 2.

Report of Col. Joseph R. Hawley, Seventh Connecticut Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS U.S. FORCES,        

Hilton Head, S.C., April 10, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report certain facts concerning the loss of the armed steamer George Washington.

I most respectfully declined obeying the peremptory order of General Saxton to send the Washington to Beaufort before she had completed the task assigned her by yourself, as I supposed, in protecting Captain Graef's operations. General Saxton, on board the Flora, went to Seabrook's and commanded the Washington to follow him to Beaufort, and Lieutenant Blanding felt obliged to obey.

On the 8th the E. B. Hale and Washington started to go around Port Royal Island on a reconnaissance, conducted by Captain Briggs, Third Rhode Island Artillery. Before reaching the ferry the Hale got aground. At night she got off, and about 4.30 a.m. of the 9th started, without the knowledge of the officers of the Washington. The latter started about 5 or 5.30 a.m. to follow her, and had proceeded a mile or two when a turn in the channel revealed a rebel light battery directly astern, perhaps a mile distant, which instantly opened fire. The Washington had only a howitzer astern, and could not turn to reply. The second shot exploded the magazine, which was in the afterpart of the vessel, unshipped the rudder, broke the steering gear, ripping up the deck, tumbling the howitzer into the hold, and destroying all the ammunition for the James rifle forward. The vessel took fire and began to fill rapidly. The master backed her toward the marsh on our side. Captain Briggs ordered a white flag raised—against the protests of the master, Campbell, who continued his attempt to escape. They put the wounded on the marsh and all scrambled off. The rebels, seeing this, resumed their fire, of course, and with great accuracy, though it is not known that any were struck while crossing the wide marsh. The wounded lying on the bank were captured by a boat party of rebels.

The E. B. Hale, somewhere near Broad River, was informed by some one (she having heard the firing, it is said) and went back and sent or received a flag of truce and took the wounded. The Washington burned to the water's edge.

The total loss is 14, all, it is supposed, from the explosion. Two were killed instantly; 2 seriously (probably fatally) wounded, 8 slightly, and 2 missing. Some of the men were hours scrambling through the marsh. No officers were hurt.

No unusual movements of the enemy have been perceived. All is quiet.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. R. HAWLEY,

Colonel Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, Commanding Post.

Brig. Gen. T. SEYMOUR,
Chief of Staff, Department of the South.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 14 (Serial No. 20), p. 281-2

The Situation Near Savannah – Arrangement Of The Forces – From Whom Brunswick Was Taken

The long talked of expedition against Savannah still “hangs fire,” but I will venture to assure the impatient portion of the community that the “blow will be struck” when – everything is ready, and not before.  Meanwhile Pulaski is “cut off” – isolated – “left out in the cold,” and will doubtless soon fall.  Reconnoissances are made daily, and the intricate windings of creeks, cuts and straits that fringe the islands on each side of Savannah, are fast being sought out.  Gen. Wright with his brigade, consisting of the 4th New Hampshire, 7th Connecticut, 9th Maine, and 97th Pennsylvania regiments are still in the neighborhood of Tybee, having returned from an expedition to Brunswick, Ga.

Quite an amusing story is told in connection with the affair at Brunswick.  It seems that the gunboats, after reconnoitering a while in front of the rebel fortifications, got into “posish,” and were about to “let slip the dogs,” when they discovered a boat push off from the shore at the fort, and make directly for the gunboat, upon nearing which it was found to contain a couple of “contrabands,” who commenced yelling “Hold on, Massa Yankee, don’t fire, der sogers all gone Serwerner,”  “dase leff me all alone.”  And sure enough they had gone, and the anticipated sport was “nipped.”

Gen. Viele is in command of a force on Dawfuskie Island, and is erecting fortifications there.  The forces on Hilton Head Island, consisting of the Massachusetts cavalry, 3d Rhode Island artillery, 2nd New Hampshire, 8th Maine, 6th Connecticut, 28th Massachusetts, and 45th Pennsylvania regiments are under command of Col. E. Q. Fellows of the 3d New Hampshire regiment.  Col. Fellows seems to have won the entire confidence of Gen. Sherman, who has seen fit to assign him to this responsible situation. – By the way, Col. F. is currently talked of as the next Brigadier from New Hampshire.  He is a soldier, and he is capable.

The steamship Mississippi, having on board Gen. Butler and Staff, the 31st Massachusetts regiment and part of the 13th Maine, Col. Neal Dow, put into this port and hauled up at Seabrook for repairs, having run aground on “Frying Pan” Shoals, off Cape Fear.  The damage was quite severe, a hole being stove in her bottom, causing a leak which had it not been an iron boat with several compartments, must have sunk her with all on board.  She will be speedily repaired and on her way to Ship Island.  Gen. Butler and Staff attended a grand review at Beaufort yesterday by invitation of Gen. Sherman.

The 3d New Hampshire regiment has been selected by Gen. Sherman to do some important service.  They are to embark to-day, under command of Lieut. Col. John H. Jackson, who “saw service” in the Mexican war, and will doubtless render a good account of himself and the regiment on this expedition.

The contrabands are getting organized into “gangs,” in view of the opening of the “spring’s work,” and under the direction of government agents will soon commence cultivating cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, &c. – Port Royal Cor. Of Boston Journal, 7th.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 2

Cutting off Fort Pulaski

The Hartford Press relates how the opening of the artificial channel known as “Wall’s cut,” by means of which our gun-boats were enabled to pass into Savannah river, between Fort Pulaski and Savannah, was accomplished. The Press receives the fact from a participant:

Wall’s Cut, one of the inland passages to Savannah, was obstructed by the rebels when our forces took Port Royal, by the sinking of a brig and driving three rows of piles across the passage. The delicacy of the operation of removing the obstructions can be imagined when we state that the place was so far within the enemy’s lines that they left it entirely unguarded, thinking that our troops would have neither the temerity to approach the channel, nor the ingenuity to remove the obstructions.

But they did not know the Yankee daring and skill. Some time before the middle of January, the three companies of the Connecticut 7th that were left on Hilton Head were sent down to the lower end of Daufuskie Island to act as guard to a party of engineers who were to attempt to open Wall’s Cut. From the house, which formed the headquarters of the party, Savannah was plainly visible, at a distance of eight miles across the marshes and bayous. The line of the river could also be traced, and the men seen on the decks of the black little steamers which plied between savannah and Fort Pulaski, the portholes of which could be counted.

During the daytime the party kept concealed. At night strong guards of soldiers were placed at favorable pints of observation, and the engineers, with muffled oars and hammers, silently worked till daybreak. This was continued five successive nights before the work was accomplished. But the piles were all removed and the old sunken hulks moved into a position which renders the passage of the gunboats easy. So unsuspicious were the enemy all this time, that our pickets captured two innocent duck shooters, who supposed they were safely rowing in rebel waters. It is one of the cleverest achievements of the war.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 2

The Storming of Ft. Pulaski

NEW YORK, April 18.

The Steamer McClellan arrived from Port Royal, 14th. The frigate Vermont was being towed in as the McClellan came out.

The following is an account of the capture of Fort Pulaski:

On the morning of the 10th, Gen. Gilmore sent to the Fort, demanding unconditional surrender. Col. Olmstead replied that he was there to defend, not to surrender, the Fort. Our batteries having fired a few rounds, shot away their flag, but it was replaced, and the firing kept up till sunset. Gen. Gilmore then placed a battery at Poat [sic] Point, only sixteen hundred yards from the Fort, to breach the walls, and commenced firing at midnight for that purpose with Parrott and James guns. On the morning of the 11th, two breaches were discovered on the south-east face of the Fort, which at noon assumed huge proportions; and about two o’clock the rebel rag was hauled down and the white flag displayed, and the fort surrendered – Col. Olmstead stating that it was impossible to hold out longer – our rifle shots reaching the magazine and most of his guns being disabled.

The 7th Connecticut regiment took possession that night.

The Union loss is one killed and one slightly wounded. The rebel loss is three badly wounded and 385 prisoners. One hundred and five prisoners are on board the McClellan in charge of Col. Morrill, aid to Gen. Hunter.

By the McClellan we learn that Jacksonville had been evacuated, and our troops arrived at Hilton Head on the steamer Cosmopolitan on the 15th.


WASHINGTON, April 18.

The following was received at the War Department to-day, from Gen. Hunter, commanding in S. C.:

PORT ROYAL, April 17.

We opened our batteries on Ft. Pulaski on the morning of the 10th inst. After 30 hours continuous firing a practicable breach was made, and preparations for storming were about to commence, when the rebel flag was struck.

We have captured 47 guns, 7,000 shot and shell; 40,000 lbs. powder; [300] prisoners, with their small arms and accoutrements, and a good supply of provisions. One of our men was killed; none wounded.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, April 19, 1862, p. 1