Washington, June 10. The Navy Department has received dispatches from which it appears that Commander Prentiss, of the Albatross, recently sailed up the interior waters of South Carolina to Georgetown. He crossed the baron on the 21st with his own vessel and the Norwich, Lieutenant Commanding Duncan, and entered Winyan bay after passing a small deserted redoubt near the light House. An extensive fortification was observed on South Island with apparently several large guns mounted, which turned out to be quakers. This fort was found deserted. Another abandoned fortification was was found on Cat Island. On the 22d he stood up the bay for Georgetown, entered Swampit creek, and steamed past the city’s wharves. Not being prepared to hold the place, he abstained from making any demonstration, knowing that a contest with the artillery and cavalry in the place would compel him to destroy the town. He afterwards ascended the Wacaman river to a point ten miles above Georgetown, through a fine country and meeting with no resistance. He brought off eighty contrabands. The rebels were leaving their plantations, driving their negroes before them in all directions.
“The first Connecticut battery with a Pennsylvania and Massachusetts regiment under Col. Christ, started from Beaufort, S. C, on the night of the 28 ult., and proceeded to Pocotalgo, where they destroyed the railroad between Savannah and Charleston, after driving off a thousand rebels who guarded it. They lost two killed and five wounded, and remained in possession of the road for two days, when the rebels were strongly reinforced and our troops returned to Beaufort, having successfully achieved the purpose of their visit.”
Raftsman’s Journal, Clearfield, PA