Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-04-26
THE FT. NOT SURRENDERED.
From The Neio iork Tribune.
THE BOMRARDNfENT

regard to the summons. About three o'clock
/ on Friday morning notice was given us that
fire would be opened on us in one hour un-
less the demand TO surrender was instantly
complied with. Major Anderson resolved not
to return fire until broad daylight. not wish
ing to waste any of his ammunition Fire
was opened upon us from all points at once.
To our astonishment masked battery Of
heavy columbads opened upon us from the
part of Sullivans Island near the Floatinp
Battery, the existence of which we had not
the slightest intmation. 1t was covered with
brush and other material which completely
concealed it. Il was skillfully constructed
and well secured. Seventeen mortars firing
ten inch shell, SO heavy guns, mostly colum-
biads, being engaged in the assault The
crash made by these shots against the walls
was terrific, and many of the shells took eff
effect inside the fort We took breakfast at
6 IL o'clock leisurely and calmly. after which
the command was divided into three rclicfs.
equally dividing the officers and men. The
first relief was under the command of Can't.
Doubleday Of the Artillery and Lieut.. Snyder
/ of the Engineer Corps. This detachment
went to the guns and opened fire upon the
/ Cummings Point Battery, Fort Moultro and
Sullivan's Island. The Iron Battery was Of
immense strength, and most Of the shot struck
and glanced off again. The fire was so terri
! hc on the parapet Of Sumpter that Major An
derson refused to allow the men to man the
guns. Had they been permitted to do so
every one Of them would have been sacrificed
Fort Moultrie was considerably damaged by
our cannonading, great many of our shot
having taken effect on the embrasures Sew
eral shots are known to have penetrated the
I Int L..
TO it.
The reliefs were changed every four hours.
We succeeded in dismounting two of the
guns on Cummings Point Battery A new
English gun which was employed by the enc
my, was fired with great accuracy. Several
of the shots entered the cmbrasuros of SUM
ter, one of them slightly wounding four men.
The full effect Of our firing we have been nm
able to ascertain, having nothing to rely upon
but the reports Of the enemy. Our men owed
their safety to the entirely extraordinary care
exercised by the officers in command man
was kept constantly on the look out who
would cry "shot' or " she'll at every shot
the enemy made, thus aAorAng our men am
pie opportunity to seek shelter. The work.
men were at first rather reluctant to assist
the soldiers in handling the guns but thew
gradually took hold and rendered valuable
assistance. But few shots were fred before
every one OF them was desperately engaged in
the conflict. We had to abandon one gun on
account of the close fire made upon it. Hear
ing the fire renewed with it, [ went to the
spot. there found a party Of wo. kmen en-
gagged IN serving it. | saw one Of the work
men STOPPING over with his hands on his
knees, conyulsed with joy, while the tears
rolled down his powder-beg -immed cheeks
" What are you doing here with that gun,
asked. " Hit it right in the CENTRE" was
tho roply, the meaning tnat MS SHUT nuu
taken effect in the centre Of the Floating Bat
terry.
The aim of the enemy was principally di-
rected at our flag staff, from which proudly
waved the Stars and Stripes. After two days
incessant firing, the flagstaff was finally shot
away
The effect Of the enemy's shot, on the Of
hcers' quarters particularly, was terrific
One tower was so completely demolished
that not one brick was lcft standing upon the
other. The barracks caught fire on the first
day several times, and were put out several
times by Mr.. Hart of New-York a volunteer,
who particularly distinguished himself for his
GOODNESS and bravery, assisted by others
Half million of dollars will hardly suffice
To repair the damages Of the Fort. On the
second day, it caught fire from l0-inch shell,
the danger to be encountered in the attempt
to extinguish it being so great that the Major
concluded not to attempt it, The effect Of
the fire was more disastrous than we could
have supposed. The subsequent shots Of the
enemy took more OBJECT in consequence; the
walls were weakened, and we were more ex-
posed The main gates were DESTROYED by
fl,s,E sn L. 1 Al.
derous fire of the enemy. Five hundred men
could have formed on the gorge and marched
on us without our being able to oppose them.
The fire surrounded the Fort on all sides
Fearful that the walls might crack, and the
shells pierce aud PROSTATE them, we commouc-
ed taking the powder out of the magazine be-
fore the fire had fully enveoped it. We took
96 barrels of powder out, and threw it into
the sea, leaving 200 barrels in. Owing to a
lack Of cartridges we kept five men inside the
magazine, sewing as we wanted them, thus
using up our shirts, sheets, blankets, and all
the available material in the fort When we
were finally obliged to close the magazine,
and our material for cartridges was exhausted,
we were left destitute Of any means TO con-
tinue the contest We had eaten our last
biscuit thirty-six hours before. We came
very near being stifed with the dense liyid
smoke from the burning buildings. The men
lay PROSTATE on the ground, with wet hand
kerchieis over their mouths and eyes, gasping
FOR breath. 1t was moment of imminent
peril. If an eddy of wind has not ensued
we all, probably, should have been sufTocated
The crashing Of the shot, the bursting of the
shells, the falling of walls, and the roar of
the flames, made paudemonium Of the fort
We nevertheless kept up a steady fire. To-
ward the close Of the day ex-senator Wigtall
made his appearance at the embrasure with
white handkerchief on the end Of a sword
and begged for admittanoo. lie asked to see
Maj. Anderson. While Wigall was in the
act Of crawling through the embrasure. Lieut.
Snyder called out to him. maj. Anderson is
at the main gate" He passed through the
embrasure into the casemate paying no atten-
ton to what the Lieutenant had said. Here
he was met by Capt. Foster, Lieut.. Mead, and
Lieut.. Davis, He said IL wish to see
Maj, Anderson | am Gen, Wigfall, and
come from Gen. Beauregard."
lie then added, in an excited manner, " Let
us stop this firing. You are on fire, and your
flag is down. Let us quit"