The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-04 00:00:00

THE ATTACK ON CHARLESTON.

A correspondent of the Providence Journal de-
scribes the renewed attack on Charleston :
~ United States steamer Montauk, inside
Charleston-bar, July 10.

,s This morning was soft and mild. At a quarter
to 4 a.m. all hands were called, anchor was soon up,
and in a few moments we were well under way,
steaming well in across the bar. It was too early
to perceive the condition of affairs on Morris Island,
and not until half-past 4 o'clock could we easily
distinguish the shore. Admiral Dahlgren, who had
come up from Port Royal in the Augusta Dinsmore,
now took his position on board the Catskill, as his
blue pennant indicated. As we crossed the bar the
work of the day began, commencing with the guns
of General Gillmore on Folly Island, which threw
three of their shell and grape over the low lands
and bluffs of Morris Island, into the channel be-
yond—indeed, into the neighbourhood of the four
ironclads. It was a magnificent sight indeed. One
heavy, unbroken, continuous boom, boom, boom,
filling the air with bursting shell and spreading
grape, and sending a broad, heavy veil of blue smoke
behind and over the woods, against the dark foliage
of which we watched with peculiar interest the ra-
pidly succeeding flashing of the guns. It was now
half-past 5 o'clock, and the firing by the rebels
from Morris Island was very irregular. The iron-
clads steadily and slowly moved up the channel,
sending their blocks of iron across the island and
into the bluffs which lined the coast. The batteries
upon the bluffs were not used, probably from the
scarcity of men and the surprise of the attack. And
yet we saw men around the little clusters of tents,
which were near the batteries and upon the shore,
but they seemed excited and unable to man the
batteries, even if disposed, which they did not seem
to be after the location of part of our cargo in the
midst of them. Soon, however, we saw large
bodies of men coming from the centre of the
island up to and into the batteries which co-
vered the bluffs. Immediately our shell were
sent with astonishing precision among them, which
caused the evacuation of their stronghold to
be as rapid as the possession had been. Over the
tops of the bluffs, through the valleys between them,
around them, and in all directions, the rebels were
flying in straggling crowds, driven by our shells
from the seaward, and from the land side by the
troops of General Gillmore's army, whose occupa-
tion of the south end of Morris Island had been in-
dicated by the discontinuance of the firing of the
heavy guns and the rattling of musketry which now
filled our ears. No sooner would a crowd occupy
one of the batteries than a 15-inch would imme-
diately dislodge them, sending them in confusion to
the next battery, from which again they were scat-
tered in a similar manner. From bluff to bluff and
through the gullies the rebels were continually fly-
ing, never stopping to use the muskets which they
carried over their shoulders. But now, over the low
point of beach on the south end of Morris Island ap-
pear a dozen or 20 men, bearing the familiar army
signal flag, and waving in excited exultation the
Stars and Stripes. They had scarcely come is view
when the solid black mass of our men, with splendid
front, and bearing above them our own banners,
came over the point and moved, line after line, in
beautiful order along the smooth beach. In vain the
rebels tried to turn the guns upon the bluffs upon the
advancing columns, for our shells immediately scat-
tered sand and men in all directions. The line of
bluffs, about half a mile long, had now all been eva-
cuated, with the exception of one solitary battery,
from which they succeeded in throwing four shot
upon our advancing men. The concentrated fire of
the four ironclads in two minutes drove the rebels
from their last position, and sent them in flying
crowds down the hills and over the low lands to-
wards the city. Instantly our men secured the bat-
tery and turned the guns upon the flying rebels. In
25 minutes after the appearance of our men 'mon
the lower end of Morris Island they held all these
bluffs, and were using the guns. There are no other
earthworks upon Morris Island, except upon the
northern extremity. Between the bluffs and the
upper end, a distance of perhaps two miles and a
half, the island is low and narrow, easily swept by
guns from the channel. Along the slope are some
six or eight houses, towards which our forces
rapidly moved. About two miles from the bluffs
and near the shore, and within easy range of
Fort Sumter, is a large and finely constructed
earthwork, with all the usual accompaniments of an
extensive fort, and mounting probably some 20
guns. This fortification, called Fort Wagner, was
commenced immediately upon the breaking out of
the rebellion, and is a formidable affair. Further
up, upon the extreme point of the island, and where
the old Cummings Point Battery was, is another
work, and a strong one, Battery Bee. Sumter covers
both of these. After the evacuation of the bluffs
we moved slowly up the channel, shelling the low
land as we moved. Soon the long range guns of
Wagner opened upon us, with an occasional gun
landward towards the troops. Shells were fired
from Wagner, destroying two of the houses on
shore, as they were serving as a protection to our
skirmishers, who were rapidly advancing under
their cover. The burning houses filled the sky
above with the black smoke, adding to the interest
which was now becoming intense. The four iron-
clads were now in excellent position off Wagner,
and sending their 11-in, and 16-in. shell through
and through the parapet, and opening great caves
into the immense solid walls and traverses which
formed the earthwork. Seldom was a head seen
above the parapet, and when the men sprang to load
their guns as soon as the black portholes in the tur-
ret were turned towards the fort, the men imme-
diately disappeared as though shot. Shell after shell,
with an occasional shrapnel and grape, were sent
slowl-
y and deliberately into the rebel works, doing
fearful execution among the men, guns, and the well
arranged and nicely sodded bastions and angles.
It Was a ma
gnifient sight, and he was a lucky one
who had
possession of a standing within the little
pilot house and
.
watched through the eyeholes the
scene which was becoming so intensely exciting.
On the right is
Moultrie, silent and still ; across
the narrow seaway is
Sumter,it, with its red walls
looming above the sea
occasionally lighted by
under the rings of blue smoke which while from
float away above the strong
walls issue their shot
and bolts, but falling into the water and •
the fleet no harm. To the rear fdoing
°- Sumter the
steamers are occasionally runnirw
-, evidently
carrying men and munitions. To the - left of
Sumter is Cumming's Point and Battery Bee;
stilt further to the left is Fort Wagner, now
being
torn and rent by our shells. On the extreme left
the regiments which were but a few hours before

marching in solid column up the beach are now
resting, their muskets stacked, and the men in
groups upon the sandhills, watching the fight in
which they have now no participation, excepting,
indeed, the wary skirmishers and sharpshooters
who, advancing from hut to bush, quietly kneel and
give the rebel gunners knowledge of their presence,
and receive in return every now and then the com-
pliment of a shell. At 40 minutes past 12 o'clock,
at signal from the Catskill, the iron-clads slowly
withdrew down the channel and came to anchor, to
give the men a resting and eating spell. The fire
from Wagner, which for an hour had been decrees.
ing, now rapidly revived, both upon us and upon
the troops which now held and occupied the island.
Neither, however, paid any attention to the firing,
and it soon became slow and irregular. The little
tug Dandelion, Captain Berryman, which forms a
part of the blockading fleet, ran up into range of
Sumter and received in quick succession three or
four shots, which threw high into the air great
columns of water. They are continually firing at
the tug when an opportunity occurs. Just as the
Mantank came to anchor a rifled bolt from Wagner
struck our deck on the starboard quarter, made a
long deep indentation into the iron, broke in two,
and the parts went whizzing over our heads. We
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lance. A field battery of General Gillmore's, which
has been harnessed up all the morning, is moving
off from the beach to wards the low level land of the
island. The troops fall back from the advanced
position which they had attained, and are resting
and taking dinner. Although the sun shines warm
the air is cool, with a fresh breeze. The comman•
dere of the four iron-clads lunch with the Admiral
on board of the Catskill, and after returning to
their respective vessels the order is given to get
under way again, and at a quarter past one our
anchor is up and we are steaming towards Wagner
again; in half an hour the old position is attained,
and the little iron fleet are once more paving
the interior of Wagner with iron globes. A,
large two-horse ambulance which came to Wagner
this morning now moves slowly away up the beach
displaying an immense yellow flag. A large steam-
boat comes to the rear of Wagner with ammunition,
and Capt. Fairfax tells our master, Mr. Giraud,
who has charge of the guns, to fire at the steamer,
and a 15 -inch flies above it, throwing up fountains
of water beyond. Mr. Giraud is one of the finest
shots in the service, and the accuracy of his fire to-
day has been remarkable. As the afternoon wore
away the fire from the Wagner slackened again
and grew irregular and inaccurate. At 20 minutes
to 8 p.m. we withdrew, after a hard day's fighting,
and came to anchor again in the channel below.
The officers and men are much worn and fatigued,
but have stood to their weary labour admirably.
We have been struck but once; the Catskill, how-
ever, bearing the Admiral's blue pennant, has some
honourable scars, and well she deserved them, for
her shells must have done much damage to the
rebel fort. In the evening Capt. Fairfax went on
board the Conemaugh, and, returning at midnight,
informed us that he learned Gen. Gillmore had lost
10 killed and 56 wounded, and taken 200 prisoners.
At 10 o'clock in the evening Gen. Gillmore, with
his men, was in the rifle pits before Wagner. In-
formation was also obtained, from papers in the
possession of the prisoners, of the capture of Vicks-
burg and the retreat of Lee. And so, after one of
the most fatiguing day's work, we go to sleep on
the deck, turret, and, in fact, anywhere, fully con-
scious that no one but ourselves can imagine, much
less appreciate, the duties and labours which are
necessary to a day's fighting in an ironclad."