The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1861-01-30

guns to bear and Will drive their deadly
missiles into our bow, while the cutter is
on our right.
Why does not Major Anderson open
in upon that battery and save us? We
look in vain for help; the American flag
flies from Fort Sumter, and the Ameri-
can flag at oul bow and stern is fired up
on; yet there is not the slightest recog-
milton of our presence from the fcrt to
which we look for protection. The un
expected battery on Morris Island has
cut off all hope of escape BY running the
vessel aground near Sumter and taking
to the boats. Is it possible that Fort
Sumter has been taken by the South
Caroiniaps? If it has not, why does
not Major Anderson show that he will
protect us, or at least recognize us in
some way? To 60 within range of the
guns OF Fort Moultrie is to expose vessel
men and stores to almost instant de-
struction, or to capture by the enemy.
"Helm out of port!' shouts the cap
tain, and the Star of the West is turned
about without any great loss of time, as
you may we'll imagine. We turn with
out accident and steam away, with the
stars and stripes still floating, and the
battery still playing upon us by way of a
parting salute.
AS we steam away the steamer near
MouItr;e having the hostile cutter in tow,
steams away into Sw' sh channel, evil
IDENTIFY with the intention of cutting off
our retreat but she soon abandons the
chase and we sail out, without man
killed or wounded, with our stories I'M
harmed, an ! proceeded unmolested, pro-
baby on our boneward journey.
After the brief but exciting experience
of the morning. | Am prepared, without
hesitation, to concur with the captain in
the opinion that it is very unpleasant to
be fired at with hard cannon balls with
out any chance to fire back. | wish to
say, however, that no one on board dis
| plaped any symptoms of fear. Captain
MCGOWAN and the pilot. Mr.. Brewer,
were probably especial marks for the Nor
ris Island battery, since a good shot
through the wheel house would have
been most disastrous. The soldiers, al
thou III two thirds of them were recruits,
appeared to be quite Indifferent to the
music, while the officers agreed that it
was scandalous that they could not fire
back.
The military men on board highly
complimentcd the South Carolinians on
their shooting, in this first attempt. They
say it was well done; that nil which was
needed was little better range, which
they probably could have obtained in q
few minutes. Their line was perfect ;and
the opinion is expressed that some one
had charge of the guns who understood
his business.
at was very good sport for them"
remarked one of our officers, ''to shoot at
US, and there was nothing to trouble
them. They had it all their own way
But when Uncle Sam gets man of war
in the channel, throwing shells isto that
sandhill, they will learn the difference"
Two guns were employed; the smaller,
it is believed, twelve FOUNDER, and the
larger thirty-two FOUNDER. This, how
ever, is only conjecture. Whatever their
size, they were well manned. They were
fired rapidly, and with will.
The Star of the West was about five
fifths of mile from the battery of Nor
ris Island. When she turned we were
about mile and half from Fort Sumter,
and the same distance from Fort Moul-
trie. The Morris Island battery is ap-
parently about mile and quarter from
Fort Sumter. Had we not turned about
we should have soon been within less
than threc-fourths of a mile of Moul
trie.
Since our return, it has been ascer,
tanned that two shots took effect on the
steamer: one, as already stated, on heI
port bow, and q second, rs she was
turning, on her starboard quarter. One
shot passed between the smoke-stack and
enginebeam.
1t is not true, as l learn has been
stated in some of the morning papers,
that the Star of the West struck her
ooIors. We came out of Charleston
with the stars and stripes still flying.