June 23, 1863, The New York Herald
Our Hilton Head Correspondence.
HILTON HEAD, S.C., June 17, 1863.
The transport steamer Saxon, Captain Lavender, goes North today for repairs, rendered necessary by damages received some months since while crossing the bar at Stono, against the remonstrances of the captain. She will carry a mail.
During the brief time Gen. Gillmore has been in command here there has been a most noticeable improvement in the spirit of the troops. A quotation, with […..] in it, suggests itself, but is too hackneyed for use. General Hunter was much respected by the soldiers; but they had become addicted to coupling his name with […..],” and had no confidence in his ability to give them any fighting, much less any victories. As soon as General Gillmore arrived and took command a feeling of enthusiasm spread through the department; for he is ranked as a fighting man. He has been constantly busy visiting the troops and acquainting himself with all details in regard to them and every position we hold. There have been some movements of troops which it is improper to mention, but the results of which will be known in good time.
General Gillmore has announced the following as his staff: –
Col. John W. Turner, A. D. C and Chief of Staff.
Major Ed. W. Smith, A. A. General and Com. Of Musters.
First Lieut. Israel R. Sealy, A. A. A. General.
Lieut. Col. R. S. Jackson, Assistant Inspector General.
Lieut. Col. J. J. Elwell, Chief Quartermaster,
Lieut. Co. M. R. Morgan, Chief Com. Of Subsistence.
Surgeon C. H. Crane, U. S. A., Medical Director.
Major Dwight Bannister, Chief Paymaster.
Capt. John W. Todd, Chief of Ordnance.
Major Jas. G. Duane, Chief Engineer.
Capt. John Hamilton, Third U. S. Artillery , Chief of Artillery.
Capt. T. B. Brooks. A. D. C.
First Lieut. Henry M. Bragg, A. D. C.
First Lieut. Franklin e. Town, Chief Signal Officer.
Col. Turner, Capt. Brooks and Lieut. Bragg are the only new appointments.
A general order has been issued requiring the medical examining boards, when applicants for discharge on account of disability from wounds or disease are fit for garrison duty, to certify to these facts, transmit such certificate to the commanding officer of the regiment, who will prepare rolls according to General Order No. 105 from the War Department and forward them to the Provost Marshal General of the United States.
A great deal of news I could write you would be contraband, and I do not propose to reveal improperly the movements of troops here, however interesting they might be to the public. But from the shores of Georgia we have some uncontraband news about the contrabands, and in lieu of anything better here is a synopsis of the doings of the negro brigade at St. Simons’ Sound, where Colonel Montgomery is again on the war path, capturing negroes, horses and subsistence, and offering up rebel cities and plantation houses on the altar of freedom.
Colonel Montgomery left here on Friday, June 6, with his regiment, the Second South Carolina Volunteers, and went into camp at St. Simon’s Island the following day. He was joined there by the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts regiment, the elite of the old Bay States’ able population.
On Monday, June 8, Col. M. took five companies of his own regiment, in the steamers Harriet A. Weed and John Adams, on an expedition up the Turtle river, under convoy of the gunboat Paul Jones. They were fired on several times from rifle pits on the way up; but a few shell dispersed their assailants. Just before arriving at the town of Brunswick, a volley from a large force in rifle pits swept through the rigging of the Paul Jones, and some of her gallant men had narrow escapes: but a single shell prevented a repetition of the danger. The force in the town was shelled out, and the Paul Jones returned. The transports kept on up the river a distance of fifteen miles, and as far as the depth of water would allow. A small boat, with two captains, and six men, was then sent on a mile further, and destroyed the span of the Brunswick Railroad bridge across Buffalo creek. On the return a concealed party fired on the boat, and one man was slightly wounded. Another boat’s crew went on shore and rifled a plantation house. The town of Brunswick was not burned solely because Colonel Montgomery had been informed that it was owned principally by Northerners and loyalists.
On the following Thursday Colonel Montgomery took half his own regiment and eight companies of the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth, under Colonel Shaw, and proceeded in the Sentinel, John Adams and Harriet A. Weed, accompanied by the gunboat Paul Jones, on an expedition up the Altamaha, which was entered through Duboy channel, one of the most crooked on the coast. The steamers got aground most perversely, one after the other, and the expedition did not reach Darien till noon, by which time the inhabitants had skedaddled and run off their negroes. The town was burned, however, which was some consolation to the war party. Some lumber yards and mills, said to belong to Unionists, were alone preserved. A negro came in and reported that the schooner Pet way lying in a creek four miles above, loaded with cotton, and that she would run out for Nassau that night. The darkey had helped to load her, and boasted, with a guffaw, that he immediately became converted […..] the Yunium doctrums, and comed ober to gib the facks.” The schooner was found, and proved a valuable prize. She had about sixty bales of cotton and other articles on board. A flat, with twenty-five bales of cotton, was captured just below, and some extensive rice and cotton plantations burned. Thus endeth the accounts of these expeditions. The brigade is still at St. Simon’s Island, panting for more expeditions.
I learn from Fernandina that one of the United States Tax commissioners there has just had his nose publicly pulled for speaking ill of an officer of high rank and good character. From the stories which come to us of the doings of this Board, it is judged that a little more discipline of the same sort might have a salutary effect.
The order for drafting civilians has not yet been executed; but it has had an excellent effect in causing to skedaddle for the North hundreds of worthless loafers who have been scarcely less annoying than the fleas to people with regular business. They have been here living on other people, drinking beer at other folks’ expense, starting camp hoaxes, riding government horses, and stealing when opportunity occurred. The order frightened them, and they left in a hurry, for they have a repugnance to fighting, and to all sorts of work. Some went North as masters of schooners, some worked their passage up before the mast, and some went on government transports. A few are still here, with a degree of cheek which attracts the especial attention of the Provost Marshal General.
Since writing the above I have learned from the signal office the welcome news that the well known and long feared rebel iron-clad ram Fingal has been captured in Warsaw Sound by two of our Monitors. The Fingal has been lying just above Fort Pulaski for some time and recently two Monitors were sent down to look after her. She got around into Warsaw Sound, and was followed there by the Monitors. This morning firing was distinctly heard here, in that direction, and during the forenoon a message was received at the Hilton Head signal office, from a signal officer at Fort Pulaski, that our Monitors had captured the rebel iron-clad Fingal, in Warsaw Sound, after a hot engagement. According to one report the Fingal surrendered after firing three or four shots. The Fingal is an old English steamer, which was taken to Savannah, reconstructed, iron-plated, and made quite formidable as a ram by the rebels. Great fears have been entertained about her. It is doubtful if I get any further particulars in regard to the capture to send by this mail.
The Fingal was captured after firing five guns at her. One hundred and eighty prisoners were captured. The crew are said to have been largely Unionists, and to have mutinied. The Fingal will be here tomorrow.
On the morning of the 11th a rebel side-wheel steamer, supposed to be the Herald, attempting to run the blockade on the southern end of the line, was fired into by the blockading fleet and driven ashore on the northern end of Folly Island. At about two o’clock, when first discovered by our pickets on the island, boats were leaving her, bearing the officers and crew. They were driven back to the ship twice. By order of General Vogdes, light battery F, Third New York artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Hees, proceeded up to the picket station and opened fire upon the steamer. About twenty-eight rifle shots were fired at the steamer, striking her repeatedly. Fire was then suspended. In the darkness of the morning hour the boats finally escaped, with mails, despatches, &c. to Morris Island. At daylight the rebel batteries on Morris Island opened fire upon our works on Folly Island. The enemy used nine guns, one of which was a ten inch columbiad. The fire was quickly responded to by our heavy rifle batteries in front, by the Commodore McDonough in Folly river with her one hundred-pounder Parrott on the enemy’s left flank, and by the Powhatan and two other vessels, which maintained a severe fire with their heavy guns at effective range, from the right or seaward flank. A three gun battery replied to the outside ships, but with what result is not known. At eleven o’clock the engagement was temporarily suspended. At three fire was again opened, and continued until dark. We silenced two guns of the enemy, one an eight-inch columbiad and the other a thirty-two pounder, which were quite annoying to us.
On our side we lost a negro servant of an officer, whose head was completely taken off by a heavy rifle shot, and one soldier of the Thirty-ninth Illinois Volunteers slightly wounded. Up to the morning of the 17th the bombardment had continued at intervals, but with no further loss to our side. What injury the rebels received cannot of course be known until we get a deserter. Major E. S. Jenney, Third New York artillery, chief of artillery on General Vogdes ‘staff, had charge of all the artillery during the action, and worked it most efficiently.