Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Flag Officer Samuel F. Dupont to Gustavus V. Fox, February 28, 1862

Confidential
Wabash Outside
Port Royal Bar
28 Feby. 62
My Dear Sir

My ammunition arrived just on time as I was detained by bad weather. Our operations of the last month have caused the enemy to concentrate everything round Savannah, and according to two deserters he has abandoned Brunswick! and withdrawn the guns from the forts at St. Simons. All this I will see to—but my object in writing is to say that all approaches on Savannah will have to be probably by Ossabaw Sound and that the Ericsson would be of immense service in knocking over the fort on Greene island. She could then proceed on to the Gulf. This fort is so situated as to make it very formidable on low marshy ground. I think the soldiers will want it taken.

Our feints here have been most successful—but there is seen for some reason a determination to defend Savannah—the river is obstructed, torpedoes and infernal machines in great numbers and masked batteries above Jackson. According to deserters they have sixty thousand men in and outside—this seems absurd, but not more absurd than the last report there are 70,000 in and round Charleston.

The Fingal is purchased and Tattnall fitting her for his flagship, with 9 guns.

In haste Yrs
Most truly
S. F. DUPONT
G. V. Fox
Ass. Sec Navy.

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. 108-9

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