Commander John Rodgers to Captain Charles Henry Davis, January 2, 1862

[Copy]

Confidential

Flag, Wassaw Sound

Jan^y 2, 186[2]

Dear Davis

I learn from Isaac Tatnall Gillis, Contraband, who escaped from the St^r St. Mary at Savannah to Tybee, 3 weeks ago, that there are 5 Batteries on St. Simon's Island and two on Jekyl Isld. All these batteries are made of railroad iron and palmetto logs, the guns in bomb proofs.

These Batteries may be avoided however in going to Brunswick by entering St. Andrews Sound and passing through the Jekyl Creek with about 2½ fathoms at Spring tide. This passage debouches about 2½ miles from the Batteries on Jekyl Isld. The passage through St. Andrews leads to Fernandina. There is but one Battery on Amelia Island, none on Cumberland Isld, the guns having been removed.

The guns on Amelia Isld, old ones brought from St. Augustine, are pointed across the channel towards Cumberland Isld and cannot be brought to bear upon a vessel coming upon them from the inside.

No work has been done on F^t Clinch and no use made of it.

Through Ossabaw Sound, there is a passage to Montgomery, about ten miles from Savannah, with a good road leading to that city.

There is a sand Battery on Green Island, which must be passed in going to Montgomery.

There are no batteries at St. Catherine's Sound nor at Sapelo, Doboy, Altamah nor St. Andrews. There is a battery of 5 guns at St. John's, and one with 4 at Nassau.

Genl Yulee (Query The famous Senator?) commands at Fernandina. In the scramble for the Virginia guns, poor Florida was pushed aside, and left without any. Therefore, and because she cannot get back her troops from Virginia, Isaac thinks the Floridians will not fight with any very good will. About 2000 troops at Fernandina. These people were formerly fed by Steamboat from Savannah through the Romilly marshes which we now block, so that at present they must be fed from Brunswick, by Railroad from Savannah.

Freeborn cut has plenty of water, Isaacs thinks 4 fath. to the Savannah River which it enters about 3 miles below F^t Jackson, and one below the entrance to St. Augustine Creek (See Savannah Chart). About 200 yards from the River, Freeborn's cut has a short double bend. Isaac was in a Steamer with double engines disconnected; by giving away on one paddle and backing with the other, she could scarcely get through; men with lines could have a vessel round. Isaac heard about 2 months ago that a section of the dry dock was sunk in Freeborn Cut. He does not know whether this is so.

Isaac says that Fort Pulaski is badly provisioned, that it depends upon daily supplies from Savannah, and that in a weeks blockade it must fall from starvation.

He can take vessels into the Savannah River at night if desired thro' Freeborn cut or thro' St. Augustine or Wilmington River. These two last names belong to different parts of the same stream, or by ascending through Freeborn cut and coming down St. Augustine Creek, the forts may be approached in a direction they were not intended to resist.

If a force to resist the Georgia Navy can be got into the Savannah River above Fl Pulaski then the fort will be starved sooner or later, and fall without a blow. This will open Savannah River and Savannah to our Guns. Fort Jackson is on our way, but its guns are all en barbette.

By sounding here, we have found only 9 ft water at low tide into Freeborn cut.

After emerging from Freeborn Cut into the Savannah, Isaac thinks 2 fathoms can be carried down and across the river to Venus Point. See Savannah Chart.

The Flag is now between G. Wassaw & Little Tybee Islds blocking Freeborn Cut. The H. Andrew disabled n^r G^t Wassaw Battery. The Seminole and Alabama at the entrance of the Romilly marshes.

Isaac has been pilot for years in these waters, he thinks he is worth $1500 — his master got $35 per month for his services. Gillis, I think, scarcely sees his way clear in putting him upon his Books for pay. I do not think he ought to be made to risk his neck for nothing. Gillis said he would enter him, upon my urging it, but I do not think he has done so.

I send the Commodore his chart of Port Royal colored by Mr McCauley and backed. It is, I think neatly done.

All the information I have gleaned from Isaac is interesting to me, and you will I presume find it valuable as confirming or raising doubts, and getting better knowledge thereby, from other sources.

Yours most truly

John Rodgers

Capt. Davis

SOURCE: Robert Means Thompson & Richard Wainwright, Editors, Publications of the Naval Historical Society, Volume 9: Confidential Correspondence of Gustavus Vasa Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1861-1865, Volume 1, p. 94-6