NOVEMBER 7, 1861: Naval forces under Flag Officer Du Pont captured Port Royal Sound, South Carolina. While Du Pont's ships steamed in boldly, the naval gunners poured a withering fire into the defending Forts Walker and Beauregard with extreme accuracy.
The Confederate defenders abandoned the forts and the small Confederate naval squadron under Commodore Tattnall could offer only harassing resistance but did rescue troops by ferrying them to the mainland from Hilton Head.
Marines and sailors were landed to occupy the forts until turned over to Army troops under General T. W. Sherman.
Careful planning and skillful execution had given Du Pont a great victory and the Union Navy an important base of operations.
The Confederates were compelled to withdraw coastal defenses inland out of reach of naval gunfire. Du Pont wrote: "It is not my temper to rejoice over fallen foes, but this must be a gloomy night in Charleston."
This Was a Huge Success for the Union. They Now Had the Base to Conduct Operations Against Both Charleston and Savannah. --Old B-Runner
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