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SAVANNAH DAILY HERALD.
VOLUME 1.1
ISO. 30. )
|abannsfy |)ailg||eralfo
PUBLISHED
EVERY EVENING, SUNDAYS EXCEPTED,
BY
g. W. MASON «fc CO.,
At 111 Bat Street, Savannah, Georgia,
teems:
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JOB PRINTING
In every style, neatly and promptly done.
late northern news.
N. y. BATES TO FEB. 20th.
(Correspondence of the New York Herald.]
* Fort Fisher, Feb. 13, 18G5.
A cold wind blowing strong from the
north, and causing fresh water to congeal
wherever it was exposed, has compelled
quietness up to this hour. How long
this state of quietude will last I am un
able to state, but I guess not long. I
shall not be surprised if my next dis
patch is-dated from Wilmington.
Lieutenant Commander Cushing, of
the navy, is the hero of several daring
and gallant exploits of recent date, equal
in meritorious character to the destruc
tion of the ram Albemarle. On the Bth
inst, acting under instructions from. A
dmiral Porter,, he entered Folly Inlet a
few miles southward of the western bar,
and, ascending a small stream that en
ters the sea at that point, he proceeded
in launches about ten miles into the in
terior, to the town of Shallotte. At this
place he landed with less than a store of
men surprised and put to flight the gar
rison of the town, numbering one hun
dred men ; captured fifteen of them,
then called together the Mayor and
Town Council, told them that he had
a large force in the vicinity, who would
enter the place in the morniug, and de
manded an unconditional surrender.—
The'town authorities agreed to surren
der, but asked time until morning
to draw np the papers. Lieut. Cash
ing granted the time, but' said to the
Mayor that he should require a breakfast
for himself and staff the following day,
winch was promised. Cushing then,
with his small force of tars, proceeded to
explore the town. They found in their
perambulations a large warehouse filled
with commissary stores for the garrison
and-Fort Anderson. This warehouse,
accidentally or otherwise, took fire dur
ing the federal occupation of the town,
and was entirely consumed, with its
The people complained bit
terly of the arbitrary and oppressive na
ture of the rebel conscription and im
pressment laws. Everything eatable in
the country had been taken by the sob
diers—chickens, ducks, pigs,*‘cattle, ve
getables—all has been gathered in for the
support of the garrison of Fort Ander
son which is wholly subsisted from the
place. Everything in the way of provi
sions was destroyed by Cushing and his
party during their stay in that place.
About eighty bales of cotton were also
found stored there, which were not
visible in the morning ; neither did Lieu
tenant Cushing or his staff, or his com
mand, appear to partake of the sumptu
ous breakfast prepared for them by the
Mayor and town authorities.
On Friday night the same daring offi
cer was sent up the Cape Fear river on
a reconnoissance. He proceeded in
small boats to the obstructions opposite
SAVANNAH, GA., SATURDAY EVENING, FEB. 25, 1865.
Fort Anderson, which he carefully ex
amined and crossed, and then passed on
up to Wilmington. Here he made a
complete examination of the wharves
and the shipping and gained much val
uable information. Among Other things
he found a valuable steamer, which ex
cited his envy to a great extent, be
ing a valuable prize, and which he
was sorely tempted to endeavor to
cut out and bring away ; but, re
membering that he had no orders to
attempt such a hazardous undertaking,
and remembering also the difficulty that
would occur in the effort to get her by
the obstructions opposite Fort Anderson,
ne wisely conclnded to let her alone.—
It was well lie did so, as it turned out
that the sleamer was loaded with troops
who would have more than overpowered
him had he made the attempt to cut her
out. On his return Cushing found the
famous rebel cruiser Chickamauga sunk
acrosfe the channel opposite Dram Tree
Point..
On Saturday night the same officer was
sent on another scout up the river with
four £nall boats. He found no difficulty
in progressing as far as the obstructions
at Anderson. Hearing some cheering in
the fort, he made his vessels fast on the
obstructions, and himself made his way
along the piles and cribs to a point dose
under the walls of the fort. Here he was
able to hear the voice of a speaker who
was haranguing the garrison, eliciting
frequent applause. The speaker was sup
posed to be Gen. Bragg, who was known
to be at the fort that evening, after our
advance on this side of the river the same
day. He was very enthusiastic in his
praise of the gallantry of the rebel troops,
told them that the time had come when
they were to strike the final blow for
Southern independence, assured them
that he would be with them in the great
struggle, apd urged them to stand stead
fast and firm, and a great deal more to
the same effect, to all of which the sol
diers returned enthusiastic applause. So
intent was the attention paid to tbe
speaker that even the sentinels turned
their backs on the 'river, and> although
the moon w T as shining fuff upon our boats
they neglected to see the if for a full hal
hour that they laid there. At last a senti
nel chanced to turn around and discov
ed them. Instantly he sang out “Cor
poral ol the guard.” The corporal res
ponded, when the sentinel sang out
“Yankee boats in the river.” “How
many”, asked the corporal. “Three
dozen,” was the reply. Tne long roll was
soundad at once ; the meeting broke up
hastily; the garrison rushed to arms, and
before Cushing could get back to his
boats a volley of musketry, followed by
discharges of grape and canister from the
guns of the fort, was sent after him. The
firing was continued for nearly half an
hour; but, singular to relate, Cushing and
his entire party got off safely.
Nassau, N. P-, Feb. 3, 1565.
NASSAU AND THE EFFECT OF OUR RECENT
VICTORIES ON THE COAST.
Nassau is a doomed city, so for as the
contraband trade which has been carried
on for the last three years is concerned.
The shutting up of the port of Wilming
ton has laid her low\ Her glory has well
nigh departed. In the midst of the ocean,
she will sit desolate and solitary, lament
ing over her fallen state and reeling the
bitterness of the truth that “all is van
ity.” For a brief period her commercial
star was in the ascendant. It shut up
with the rapidity and gleamed with the
brilliancy of a meteor, and like it, it will
be as suddenly extinguished. Where
now is her commercial activity—steam
ers leaving and arriving daily, and pour
ing into her lap the more than golden
treasures of Dixie! All gone. In the
waters of her admirable harbor at this
moment float more than thirty of her
fleet of law-defying steam vessels, idle
and without employment. There also
arejierejsailing craft which can be count
ed by the hundred. Her warehouses are
filled with goods for which there will
soon be no market. Her stores which,
under the stimulating influence of, the
recent trade, have nearly doubted in
number, will ere long be seeking tenants
where no tenants are to be had. Rents,
which have been inflated into fabulous
proportions, will collapse. Laborers who
have flocked here from the adjoining
islands, under the inducements of high
wages, will scatter to their former homes.
The handwriting is upon the wall. Bab
ylon is tottering to her fhll.
But what of the wealth which the last
three years have brought! Some of it,
no doubt, will remain. Some of it has
been invested in buildings and other city
improvements. There are those who
knew that a change must come, and pro
fiting by their knowledge, have secured
their gains. But with the mass money
easily and quickly parted with, and the
day of adversity finds them with extra
vagant habits and an empty purse. No
doubt this rule will apply here as else
where. And Nassau, with reference t©
the masses of her people, their habits
and their morals will be worse off than
she was before her short career and sud-',
den prosperity.
ARRIVAL OF THE FIXATE AT
NASSAU.
The Tallahassee, the rebel War steam
er privateer, or pirate, as she is called,
according to the respective views of the
persons who are speaking of her, came
in this port on Thursday, the 2Gthult.—
It is said that her armament has been
taken out of her, and that she is to be
used hereafter as a blockade runner.—
There ate-two reasons which render this
very doubt ml: —First, she is a
ged ship, and consequently' is too con
spicuous an the water to be
used
blockade nmning business is about used
up. She arrived laden with coai, and
sailed January 31 with the. same chrgd. —
The attention of the Governor was call
ed to her by the United States Consul—
She sails now under the name Os the
Chameleon.
ARRIVAL OF THE UNITED STATES GUNBOAT
HONDURAS—SKE IS REFUSED AN ANCHOR
AGE.
The United States gunboat Honduras
arrived here on the 81st of January.—
Her business was to raise the sum of
four thousand dollars in gold, through
the United States Consul, to pay off the
men employed in saving the armament,
&c.y of the Ban Jacinto, lately wrecked
on the neighboring island of Abico.-r
Captain Harris, the* officer commanding,
came ashore and permission was asked
of the Governor that the vessel might
come to anchor. Your readers are no
doubt aware that very soon after the
breaking out of the war in the United
States, the Queen issued a proclamation
based upon the strictest principles of
English neutrality ; that no war vessel
of beiigerent should come to anchor in
English waters without permission ex
pressly given, and only in cases of dis
tress or grave emergency. As the naval
power of the contending parties was so
nearly equal, of the operation of the rule
has been strictly impartial. On the
present occasion, the vessel not being in
“distress,” and the Governor' not being
able to see that theYe was that “grave
emergency ” which the proclamation con
templated, the result was that Captain
Harris was compelled to return to his
vessel about dusk, through a heavy surf,
to obtain the papers necessary to enable
him to transact his business. The Hon
duras cruised off all night, and the
following morning Captain Harris again
came ashore in his gig, and the gunboat
cruised about until tbe business was ad
justed, when he returned to her and she
steamed away.
[From the New York Herald, Feb. 20.]
The news of the occupation of the capi-
tal of South Carolina by Sherman’s troops
and of the probable Ml of Charleston,
published in yesterday’s Herald, caused
much rejoicing throughout the country.
We have nothing later this morning re
garding General Sherman’s success. The
Richmond Examiner of the 17th inst.
has some additional particulars of the im
ported fight between Kilpatrick sand
Wheeler’s cavalry on the 11th inst., at
Aiken, on the railroad leading from
Branchville lo Augusta, and about eigh
teen miles from the latter place. The
Examiner reiterates the previous rebel
statements that Kilpatrick was “driven
back a distance ot about five miies,” and
gives as the reason for not continuing the
pursuit the exhaustion of ammunition.
It is claimed that a number of Union
soldiers were captured in the affair. The
rebels now estimate the entire number
of Sherman’s forces operating in the in
terior of South Carolina at only forty
thousand.
The eaptaifi Os the steamer Ariadne,
which armfed at Fortress Monroe from
Fort Fisher on last Friday, reports that
.just, before he left a bright light was seen
m the directien of Fort Anderson,
Cape Fear river, causing surmises that
it had been abandoned and burned by
the rebels. Late rebel papers make state
ments and throw out hints which seem
to confirm previous reports that prepara
tions for the. evacuation of Wilmington
by their forces have been for some time
in progress. A recent number of A paper
published in that town mysteriously al
ludes to “important movements” there,
which it jls not deemed prudent to des
cribe. The same t>apcr thinks the design
of Commander Cushing’s late expedition
from Cape Fear river to Little river was
to cut the Manchester and Wilmington
Railroad. The rebels at Kinston, N. C.,
now think that the story about a heavy
concentration of Union forces New
berft. with materials for repairing and
stock* for running the r?.fh<nuls teMiag
into the interior, is greatly ‘
Our despatches fro# jfte James river
armies mention CGminUous picket firing
for several hours all along- the lines in
front of Petersburg on ti “ night of
Thursday lagt, and some- priiilery firing
on the evening of Friday, but do not al
lude to any results pf consequence as
following. A sudden and somewhat im
pulsive attack oh the pickets-of General
Ferrero‘B division of -the Twenty-fifth
corps, in front of the Bfcrmqjk* offences,
was made by the rebels pn Friday corn
ing; but they were easily driven back bv
the colored troops: who snfTerai' little if
any loss. The daily influx of- deserters
from Lee’s army continues to hacreaso.
It is supposed* that -about fqrty, nbcis
were.killed ,by the, blowing up of their
flag of truce steamer . Schultz, on last
Friday afternoon, in James river, by one
of their own torpedoes.
Tim REBEL FLAG OF TRUCE STEAMER
I SCHULTZ SUNK BT A BEIJfcL TOiCEIK).
At a.pqint just below Cox’s ferry, the
Schultz struck her bow on one of the
many rebel torpedos placed in the James
for the destruction of our craft, and,
shooting up in the air as a result of the'
force of the concussion,' lßstantniVcburfy
sunk, seemingly standing on her stern.
There appeared to be no survivors, and.
as she had no small boats there can .be no
doubt that all on board, some forty per
sons, went down in the ill fated* rebet
steamer. Among those bn board was
Capt Hatch, of the so-called provisional
army of the rebel States* and assistant ip
the matter of exchange of prisoners to
Judge Robert Quid, chief rebel commis
sioner for exchange, twenty members of
the rebel ambulance committee, a rebel
captain and all the crew of the ship.
Judge Robert Ould had intended during
the afternoon of yesterday to take pas
sage for Richmond in the Schultz, but
deferred doing so, owing to the necessi
ty that had arisen for common adjust
ment of a large batch of official papers
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