New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-18
moTI7 INTEgrsrISG From CHARLESTON
o.pruRE OF FORT SUMTER.
Report of a Faithful Witness.

Fort Sumter, Moutrie, Cummings Point, Fort
Johnson, and the floating battery commenced
simultaneously. For two hours Major Anderson
allowed the rebels to do all the fighting, the only
notice taken Of the attack was the raising OF the
altar. and stripes at sunrise. At about half past
6 the Major was observed quietly cycling the
traitors from the rampants. He then reured'
probably to complete bis toilet and enjoy his
breakfast and it was not until that he showed
any signs of returning the fire. True it is, that
the fort was up to that time uninjured and equally
true it is that so far its capabilities OF defense
sre concerned it is equally unipjured now IL
may be that Major Anderson was anxious TO
avoid retaliation until be had given the renegades
time in which to repent of their rash and pirat-
zeal attack upon force which represented that
Government to which, by every rule OF law,
order, and duty their allegiance was due. But
madness ruled the hour, and they persevered in
their iniquity.
Mai. Anderson was evidently anxious to avoid
a collision, but of o'clock be opened four OF
his embrasures, two on the north and two on the
south side of the fort and sent some well-di.
rected shot at Fort Moultrie, at the Floating
Battery (Which did not float, but was anchored
at Sullivan's Island wharf, at Fort johnson, and
at Cummings Point. The firing was kept up
pretty regularly on both sides for twelve hours
an attempt being made at the same time to shell
Sumter from the mortar batteries at Mount
Pleasant
At the sud of twelve hours-I am certain, for
my Information comes from men who were among
the Rebels on the islands the whole time-FOrt
Sumter appeared to the excited and fanatical sol
diery % >impregnable. / had personally, up to
shutdown, a distinct view Of the operations with
my glass; and no effect of the slightest conse-
quence Ind been produced upon it, The balls
had of course, grazed the walls; but in tie
opinion Of persons with me, one of whom took
part in the siege of Sevastopol, they might have
operated for three months with their guns in the
same way without injury TO MsJ. Anderson or
bis command. Up to sundowD, the mortar bat
teres also utterly failed to do any damage. If
they pitched shell in the neighborhOod of
Fort Sumter ii was quite an accident. AS
rule, they were thrown at least 500 yards on
either side Of it; and when they did chance to
6x the latitude, the elevation obtained was so in
correct that the shells burst altogether too high
in the air to cause any uneasiDess to Maj. An
derson, or even to Capt. Doubleday, for whose
head the ours are yelling at the corner Of every
street
Up to O'Clock very little Trustworthy iniOr-
nation could be obtained from the islands. That
which w0s Trustworthy may shortly be summed
up. Fort Sumter was ia no respect damaged;
the solitary gun which played upon Fort MOul
-
terry had been penetrated by ,hot. myself saw .
ball which went clean through the iron and palmet
TO- dslodging the sand bags the other side of it,
The Cummings Point battery had got a severe
shaking, but nobody was hurt"
1t became at this time painfully evident to me
that Anderson had neither shell nor mortar. He
had used few stray ones fr0m columbiad on
the previous day, for practice, / presume in the
expectation that a supply would be brought to
him by the feet. Had he possessed shells and
InOrtans hs most certainly could have scattered
the rebels in all directions. AS it was, he only
used four of bis casemste guns against their for
tifcatiOns. His sole object was, II appeared, to
weaken their defenses, and the shots were d.
rected against the batteries only, which accounts
very satisfactorily for the fact that there was no
loss Of life.
The booming and whizziDg Of the balls from A
20 81 o'clock was continuous and almost inces-
SAINT From to 6 O'Clock, there was q lull,
while O storm of another kiud in progress.
The rains descended, the lightniDgs flashed, and
" heavens artillery" Numbered in the skies.
From 10 TO IL o'clock, the firing was kept up
at long intervals, Fort Sumter replying with pre-
cision. The fact that Anderson had only used
four Of his guns, and had made DO formidable
demonstration, gave rise to the very general i'm
A. this time, there were three United States ves-
cells outside the bar, but no effort was made to
send in men by serf boats; neither did the ves-
sels even attempt an entrance. 1t is possible
that q high sea running on the bar may have
rendered it impossible, and the sequel may pos
sibly show that no blame attaches TO either Ma
iOr Anderson or the fleet.
During the whole night, volleys Of shell were
thrown from two batteries at Fort Sumter, and
toward morning the combined wisdom OF twelve
thousand PalmettOans succeeded in getting the
proper range and altitude. At daybreak this
morning. the three vessels were distinctly VISIBLE
but appeared to be waiting the arrival OF the
rnst Of the feet, and no movement was made IN
the way Of efecting an entrance. Trustworthy
reports show that the secret eDhlading battery
at Fort Moultrie, which / described some weeks
since, succeeded in efectiDg the very object Tor
which 1t was planned, namely, to dispiace sum-
ter's parapet guns. Two of them we're disooged