April 15, 1863, The New York Herald
The attempt to take Charleston is for the time abandoned. The iron-clad fleet of Admiral Du Pont and the army of General Hunter have been withdrawn to Port Royal. The experiment proved too hazardous. The batteries of the enemy at Sumter, Moultrie and Cummings’ Point, and the obstructions in the channels, presented obstacles too formidable to be overcome by the force brought against them. By the arrival of the Arago from Charleston bar on the 11th inst. we learn these facts. The fire from the batteries was tremendous, as the condition of the Keokuk shows. She was fairly riddled through and through with highly polished steel shot, weighing a hundred pounds each, furnished to the rebels by England. Our vessels fired at the forts, while the latter struck the boats over five hundred and twenty times. The armed transport George Washington was destroyed by the rebels in Coosaw river, near Port Royal, on Thursday morning last, as before reported. She remained behind for special service under Colonel Hawley, who was acting as post commandant at Hilton Head while the forces were away. General Saxton, who was in command at Beaufort, sent for the Washington to make a reconnoissance around the island. In company with the gunboat Hale she went up the Coosaw river, was attacked by a rebel battery, which sent a shot through her magazine and blew her up. The crew were fired upon while attempting to escape, and several of them killed and wounded.
We give still more interesting details from our correspondents today, as well as the comments of the rebel journals. It appears that Colonel Rhett was in command of Fort Sumter, Colonel Butler of Fort Moultrie, Captain Sitgraves of Fort Beauregard, Lieutenant Colonel Simkins of Battery Bee, Major Huger of Battery Wagner, and Lieutenant Lesesne, with a detachment from Fort Sumter, of the battery on Cummings’ Point.
Our correspondence from the Blackwater today gives an interesting account of several of our outposts, and the flight of the women and children. The object of this attack is to prevent reinforcements from reaching Gen. Foster in his perilous position at Washington, N.C., and to cut off our forces at Suffolk from communication with Norfolk, which latter place no doubt the rebels intend to invest. Intelligence reached Fortress Monroe on the 13th that the enemy had retreated four miles from Suffolk, and that the gunboats sent to Foster’s assistance had succeeded in running the rebel batteries.
General McClernand took possession of the little town of Richmond, Miss., on the 30th ult., with a small force, driving the rebel cavalry from the place after two hours’ sharp fighting.
It is said that skirmishing has been going on at Fairfax Court House between General Stahel’s forces and the rebels since Sunday, without much result. There is no other news from Gen. Hooker’s army.