H. E. Youne to Thomas F. Drayton, November 24, 1861

About 4 o’clock on the morning of the 7th instant Capt. Joseph A. Huger arrived at our quarters in Beaufort, S. C., with instructions from Brigadier-General Drayton to Maj. E. Willis, quartermaster Third Military Distriet, Department of South Carolina. Major Willis, with Captain Huger, left Beaufort about 5 o’clock a. m. in steamer Emma for Fort Walker, Hilton Head. Twelve o’clock noon same day written orders were received from Brigadier-General Drayton to Majer Willis, authorizing the purchase of 2,000 feet of lumber to repair Skull Creek Bridge; also à gang of earpenters, and to send to Fort Walker, Hilton Head, immediately, six barrels of powder, then in the arsenal in Beaufort.

Major Willis having been ordered to report at Hilton Head, the orders were opened, the lumber purchased from Mr. Cockroft, carpenters engaged, and powder shipped all ready to start, when the Confederate steamers Huntress, Captain Morris, and Lady Davis, Captain Rutledge, left, after setting fire to the two light-ships about three miles below Beaufort. The enemy were then reported to be in possession of Broad River and Port Royal Harbor, all communication eut off, and our troops were retreating to the main-land, having abandoned the batteries at Hilton Head and Bay Point. The powder was immediately taken out of the steamer and taken charge of by Mr. Robert Chisolm and Mr. McKee, of Beaufort, who kindly had it taken to a place of safety from the enemy. It is now at Mr. Hey ward’s plantation, near Pocotaligo. The carpenters were dismissed and sent to Charleston ; the raft of lumber left in Beau. fort. Then, with the assistance and advice of Capt. Thomas M. Hanckel, of Brigadier-General Ripley’s staff, and Capt. Carlos Tracy and Capt. Thomas R. S. Elliott, of Brigadier-General Drayton’s staff, the two steamers, Beauregard and Mary Frances, ordered by Captain Willey, of Savannah, Ga., were dispatched forthwith to White Hall Ferry (Ladies Island) with flats to bring over the troops then retreating from Bay Point, consisting of a portion of Col. R. G. M. Dunovant’s command HH Regiment South Carolina Volunteers) and Beaufort Artillery,

The most intense excitement prevailed in Beaufort amongst some of the citizens. They threw up rockets about 11.30 or 12 o’clock at night, as to indicate the approach of the enemy. We immediately packed up all the papers and books we could get and sent them in charge of Mr. Caldwell to Pocotaligo, Mr. H. C. Robertson and the undersigned awaiting the arrival of the troops from Bay Point, whom we furnished transportation for. :

On the morning cf 8th instant, about 4 o’clock, a report was then in circulation that communication was cut off at Port Royal Ferry. Feeling anxious for the safety of what books and papers we had saved, as they were important, we left Beaufort about 4 o’clock a. m. on foot for about three and a half miles. d ;

Previous to our leaving Beaufort we had all the sick men in the hospital cared for, about 16, who were kindly treated by Capt. O. M. Morris, of steamer Huntress, and taken to Charleston. The medicines and brandy left in Beaufort for Drs. Johnson and Prioleau were taken charge of by Col. R. G. M. Dunovant, as he gave me to understand.

very respectfully,