Confidential.
Port Royal, Jany. 4,
62.
My Dear Sir
The Vanderbilt played us a scurvy trick yesterday, having
gone off without our mail, paid no attention to a gun from this ship, nor to a
Tug which followed her out to the bar making signals all the time. Whether it
was accident or design for a particular purpose — I cannot say.
The Oriental takes to-day the official reports of a clever
joint Expedition, well conducted on both sides, in which the gun boats have
been signally successful and drawing as much admiration from the troops
engaged, as the whole fleet did on the day of the capture of the Forts.
The getting of them up the Port Royal or Beaufort River and
then into the Coosaw (our Potomac) but thoroughly swept now, was a great feat,
like the Spaniards over the dykes in Holland. Of course they often grounded,
but they care no more for this than putting a mud flat on the beach. With light
anchors hanging from the bowsprit and the armed boats from this ship they were
even turned in their length — it having been asserted they would not be able to
do this in either of the rivers. The truth is, wherever Raymond Rodgers is,
things are sure to go right — he possesses more enterprise with care and
forethought combined than I have met with before. Gen. Stevens has sent me a
handsome letter in reference to the cooperation, semi-official. Our howitzers
under Irwin composed their only field artillery. This army code of signals is
very superior, Rodgers and Stevens kept up the most perfect communication. The
general impression is that the rebels did not come up to the mark, after a
great deal of taunting and invitation heretofore for our troops to “dare come”
on the fort land, and leave the islands. Our shell did immense
execution. A Colonel out with the skirmishers could see them burst among the
rebel troops within the line of works—four men literally torn in fragments were
killed by the bursting of one. Stevens thinks Evans was in command — the
Leesburg man.
Now My Dear friend a little business. In order to carry out
the above Expedition which has raised very much the morale of our troops, and
in spite of themselves giving them a still higher opinion of us,
I had to withdraw Ammen from Edisto, leaving Budd shaking in his boots lest
the Charleston Navy come down upon him. The Ottawa had to come up from Tybee
leaving Drayton with a lame duck the Wyandotte, and the old Vandalia, with
heavy fire rafts building up the river. A three hundred feet one having been
cut adrift by a loyal man from under Pulaski, was caught in Tybee and gave us
excellent timber. The Pembina had to be taken from old Gillis threatened by the
Georgia Navy in Wassaw, the 'Andrew' being disabled in her rudder. The
blockading ships are getting out of coal and how I can relieve them I can
hardly tell. Now, most important operations are pending between the Comdg
General and myself based on naval and army reconnaissances and contraband
knowledge, of communications from Wassaw inlet into the Savannah River, also
into the latter, through the islands on its northern or left bank, such as
Venus and Elba—allowing Pulaski to be cut off from all supplies, a vastly
better plan than a regular approach with mortars, which will cost a half
million of dollars. I send a report from Captain Gilmore and wish I had John
Rodgers' sent up last night from Wassaw (another man worth his weight in Gold)
and you would then have some insight into our plans. We can debouche into
the Savannah river between Pulaski and Jackson, rather near the latter, and
hold the river there against Tattnall while the troops are occupying Elba and
fortifying it. On the mainland there is hard ground enough for Sherman to move
on the city, but he must have cavalry; he can get there by boats through the
inland waters and is now drawing up piles from Wall's Cut, sunk after the fight
here and a hulk sunk besides. Now I don't want to press you — but I am spread
to my utmost capacity and if you cannot send me more of the regular Gunboats
and particularly one or two of the new side wheel ones, (one of them to be
given to John Rodgers) why I must wait — because you are the judge and not me
where they are most wanted. I won't growl, but you have sent me nothing
yet. Another item. Our army friends beat us all to pieces on the means of
communicating and transportation, and I have to fall back upon them oftener
than is pleasant to them — for example I did not dare remove my force from
Wassaw and had to get them to tow down a coal ship for me, and by the way this
brought up a question of insurance and further compensation to the Collier,
please see to this in future charters. I have already asked the Department for
a dispatch vessel. I dare not send the Tugs outside. No Commodores Perry nor
Barney yet, and what has become of that Light vessel! Coal, Coal too, please
tell Lenthall — fortunately the army has long strings of coal vessels and have
given us one to-day. Please also tell Mr. Lenthall three of his carpenters have
gone home and we want more, a good boat builder among them, sending none but
such as are willing to stay. Please hurry on the Forbes and what has become of
Watmough! No machinery yet for Unadilla a painful lame bird and an eye sore in
the harbor — if her commander a very worthy man is promoted do send a flash of
a fellow out to her.
Steedman has sent me word that the Nassau people are going
to try Cedar Keys, afraid of the North East gales on this side and so many of
their small craft having been run into the breakers the last by the Gem of the
Sea at Georgetown. I am dispatching the Florida there though it is on McKean's
ground, for she may catch the Gladiator or her cargo distributed, and she will
see to the safety of the Lighthouses &c. The Rail Road from Cedar Keys has
caused this diversion from this Coast.
We are getting short of officers. The Vandalia is very
short.
We had news from Wassaw last night that the Negroes were to
have a stampede from Savannah—the Fingal had gone back and unloaded, and
that Tattnall's vessel had been burnt by the slaves — that 17000 men were
between Sh & Brunswick, intending to set fire to the former city
when overpowered. Some of the contraband who bring news in this way are very
superior darkies. “William” who went with the Gun boats especially so. I intend
to give him fifty dolls for his pilotage and enter him as a Pilot — he knows
every foot of the inland waters. These men risk their lives to serve us without
the slightest hesitation, indeed like Governor Pickens they seem insensible to
fear — make no bargains about their remuneration, leave all that with entire
confidence to us. The batteries at Skiddaway, Thunderbolt, and Green island (on
the Ogeechee) are pretty fierce and the water shallow — but what I have told
you above will fool them all. The contraband report great gloom in Savannah at
what they call the apology to England, every one looking to a war. A thousand
cavalry in from Virginia and say the rebels have given up Western Virga.
Best regards to Mr. Welles.
Yours faithfully
S. F. Dupont
Hon. G. V. Fox Ass. Sec
Washington
I have nothing from my home since 10" Dec. I believe
our Lyceum mail don't come. Savannah bad with scurvy has come in for wood and
water and provisions.
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. 86-90
