Rough Draft for the Project/Paper

12 font; Times New Roman; and Double Spacing

Outline

-Introduction:

Present topic

Thesis statement

-Body Paragraphs:

A: Background Information

B: Conflict

C: Conflict continued (if needed)

D:Compromise

E: Effects from the Topic

F: Historical Context-why we needed a conflict and a compromise; how does it fit into history

-Conclusion:

Wraps up Paper

Restates Thesis

Thesis:

The Battle of Port Royal was a battle in Port Royal, South Carolina that dated from November 3, 1861 to November

7, 1861. This battle lasted for four days. This battle had the Union and Confederate fighting for control over the port.

The Union took control and shutdown the port. This Union victory shut down a place of resources for the

Confederate.

Paper:
 Introduction

In the Civil War, there were many battles and key points that helped in the victory of the

Union. The Battle of Port Royal was the second battle of the Civil War. “The Battle of Port

Royal culminated an amphibious operation designed to establish a United States military depot

on the southeastern coast to carry out land and sea operations against the Confederacy” (Wise

2016). This battle gave the Union its first victory. In November 1861 the Union attacked the

Confederate at Port Royal, South Carolina. This battle lasted for four days from November

Third, 1861 to November Seventh, 1861. This battle had the Union fighting the Confederate for

control over the port. The Union took control and shut down the port. This Union victory shut

down a place of resources for the Confederate.

Background Information

“Three days after the fall of Fort Sumter in April of 1861, President Abraham Lincoln

proclaimed a blockade of all Southern ports” (The story of the Battle of Port Royal 2012).After

the fall of Fort Sumter, there was a new order for the ports to be closed. The South refused this

order. Because of this refusal, the Union had a plan to form a blockade of the Southern ports. In

order to continue with this blockade they needed places to occupy and hold the blockade.”In

November of 1861, as the Civil War first roared, Union forces hungrily eyed Port Royal Sound

as a place to refuel ships and to serve as the nucleus of an aquatic blockade of the South” (Naval

tactic helped Union win Battle of Port Royal Sound 2002). They needed a place for resources

and a place for fuel for their steam-powered ship. They needed a place with a natural harbor and

that would be easy to go in and out of. “To sustain and strengthen its blockade of Southern ports,

the Union Navy needed to have a coaling, refitting, and supply station located somewhere on the
southeast coast” (The Battle of Port Royal 2012). They chose many ports, but only one in South

Carolina. The one port that they chose was Port Royal, South Carolina.

Conflict

On November Third through November fifth Du Pont and his army prepared and planned

their attack. “By November 4 the flotilla had converged, and during the next few days the vessels

prepared for combat and moved over the sound’s outer sandbar” (Lowe 2001). This tells that the

Union was getting ready to attack. “...on November 5, Du Pont and his flag captain, C.H. Davis,

developed and issued a novel attack plan that involved a double reduction” (Lowe 2001). This

explains that on November 5 they Du Pont sent out his final version of the plan.

On November Sixth, 1861 the Union attacked the port. Five different ships kept going

around and around in a circle shooting at Fort Beauregard and Fort Walker. While doing this

they also protected the flank that they had planned. Even though the forts were heavily armed

and fortified they never did any significant damage to the Union’s fleet. According to William C.

Lowe, “Du Pont would use the maneuverability of his steamships to counter the advantages

enjoyed by the forts”(2001). This says the Union kept their ships moving while shooting instead

of dropping anchor.

Later in the day, the Union attacked Port Royal again. This time it was working the

Confederate started to abandon the two forts. After taking heavy gunfire from the Union’s

steamboats and proving themselves ineffective to the boats the Confederate abandoned the two

forts in fear. “For over five hours the Union vessels pounded both Confederate forts as they

returned fire. In Fort Walker, the supply of gunpowder was quickly dwindling, and by 1:15 pm,

just as the Wabash was about to make her sixth run, the Rebel soldiers began to evacuate. This
retreat signaled the end” (CW DG 2001). Now with the forts protecting port royal abandoned,

the Union can now start taking over the port and securing it.

“At last the memorable 7th dawned upon us, bright and serene; not a ripple upon the

broad expanse of water to disturb the accuracy of fire from the broad decks of that magnificent

armada” (Gen. Drayton of the Confederate). On the seventh of November, all of the

Confederate’s defenses have been officially lost. The South now had nothing to protect its

beloved natural harbor and home. “At 9:00 am on November 7th, 1861, Du Pont led his naval

squadron into Port Royal Sound, steaming straight in between the two forts” ( The story of the

Battle of Port Royal 2012). Du Pont was now finally infiltrating the port like they initially had

planned.

“The battle lasted for five hours and led to federal occupation of Hilton Head Island for

the remainder of the war, with Union forces using the island as a supply base and

headquarters”(Stice 2011). After constant hours of battle, they had finally done it. The Union

have successfully taken down the defenses. With little damage done to the Union’s fleet and not

much done to the lives of the men on the Union’s fleet.

After news of the Union’s effort residents of Port Royal decided to evacuate and flee the

area. When the Union arrived on the mainland they had discovered that there was nobody left

except for the slaves. The Union then freed the slaves and hired them to fight for the North. The

Union then claimed Port Royal as their own. Next, they revamped the forts for protection and to

ensure that they would keep the fort. They renamed Fort Walker to Fort Welles.

The Compromise
 This battle resulted in a compromise. A compromise that would end the fighting over the

port. The South gave up their defenses to the North. Over many rigorous hours and days, the

South fled from their defenses that were the only thing stopping the North. The South first fled

and abandoned Fort Walker. Fort Beauregard still stood though. The South stayed in Fort

Beauregard and held their position. Eventually, they fled just like the previous fort and

surrendered it to the North.

Soon word got out to the town of Port Royal. The townspeople ran from the scene

leaving only their slaves behind. As the North rowed into the port they realized that the town was

abandoned. Shortly after they took over the port. “Many of the ex-slaves joined the Union armed

forces” (“South Carolina Beaufort Area”, 2007). This explains that some of the slaves went to

fight for the North. They next freed the slaves and hired some of them to fight for the North in

the war. “Slaves soon flocked to this new Union beachhead — and to freedom. The influx of

thousands of blacks provided challenges for the occupiers and opportunities for the ex-slaves”

(“South Carolina Beaufort Area”, 2007). This explains how the slaves came running into the port

for slavery and how some slaves were left behind yet to be free.

Effects of this Battle

The Battle of Port Royal affected both the South and the North.The battle affected them

in many different ways. “The victory at Port Royal also inaugurated a revolution in naval tactics.

The Navy no longer had to depend on tide and wind, and with the new weaponry available, forts

could be challenged with a greater degree of confidence” (Lowe 2001). They both had one effect
in common. This states that the battle brought about a movement of new naval tactics. This

affected both the south and the north because it brought a new way of attacking.

The battle affected the North in two other ways. The battle raised the spirits of the North. “Du

Pont’s successful attack against Port Royal’s strong shore defenses helped revive the flagging

spirits of the North, which had slumped since Bull Run” (Lowe 2001). This states that the battle

got the hopes of the Union back up and running. The battle raised the hopes of the many who

were losing it.

Another way that this battle affected the North was that it gave a place to refuel and rest

while holding the blockade. This valuable spot gave the North a place to hold the blockade and

to keep it strong. Without this victory, the North would not have been able to keep the blockade

strong. The blockade that would be created by the South will have a big impact on the outcome

of the war.

With the loss of this valuable port, the South now lost an important and key place. Since

the south loss Port Royal, they lost a place of valuable resources. They used this port to get

manufactured goods from other countries.

Jefferson Davis hoped that the sympathy or even intervention of European powers might more

than compensate for the Confederacy’s lack of material resources. This hope, largely illusory

from the start, became less and less likely of realization with the emancipation of the slaves, with

every Union victory, and with the increasing effectiveness of the blockade.

-North and South 1861

This states how the blockade kept on blocking out resources that were for the South. Ever since

the South lost Port Royal it has been harder and harder for them to get resources which will

eventually ultimately lead to their fall.

Historical Context

The battle of Port Royal was an important battle in history. This battle was a key point in

the Civil War. Without this battle, the North would never have won the war. This battle helped

the North in defeating the South. This battle is a serious battle that is needed in the history of the

United States of America. This battle helped to keep the states together and keep one part of the

nation control. If this battle never took place then where America is now would be split into two

different countries and would still have slaves.This battle was a necessary battle in the Civil War.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, the Battle of Port Royal, South Carolina was an important battle in the

Civil War. This battle brought about a change in naval tactics and affected both the South and the

North.Without this battle things in the United States would change drastically.The South fled and

allowed the North to get control over this valuable place. As a result of this battle, the South lost

a place to get resources. The Battle of Port Royal was a battle in Port Royal, South Carolina that

dated from November 3, 1861, to November 7, 1861. This battle lasted for four days. This battle

had the Union and Confederate fighting for control over the port. The Union took control and

shut down the port. This Union victory shut down a place of resources for the Confederate. The

battle of Port Royal was an important and historical battle in American history.