Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-04-20
THE FALL OF FORT SUMTER.

group together for the present the facts of most
prominent interest
In continuation of our report Of Saturday morn
ing we state that the firing was kept up slowly
through the night, and ate! report was closed
The effect and success Of the shooting on Friday
were even better than we then supposed, for we
now know that the wood work of Fort Sumter was
on fire three times, but was extinguished.
Saturday will be ever memorable in the annals Of
our State and country as the date OF an unpar-
aleled victory.
Marked by no bloodshed, it is, nevertheless,
most astonishing feat Of arms. In a description of
its Details shall endeayor to lay the facts before
our readers as concisely as possible.
The effect on Friday night as most persons in the
city know, was truly grand and terrific The firing
reached its most awful climax at about ten o'clock.
The heavens were obscured by rain clouds, and the
horizon was as dark as Erebus. The guns were
worked with vigo-, and their booming was heard
with astonishing dstinctness because the WIND was
blowing in shore. At each discharge, lurid sheet
of fame was belched forth, and then another and
another was seen before the report reached the ears
The spectacle was grand. Sometimes shell would
burst in mid-ar directly over the doomed fortress
and at all times the missiles of this character could
be distinguished in their course by the trail OF re
left momentarily behind them.
All night nearly the streets of the city were
thronged with people. The housetops the Battery,
the wharves, shipping and every available space for
witnessing the splendid scene was thrOnged with
people, notwithstanding the pelng Storm which dur
ing most of the night was raging The hire from all
the forts Sumter included and from the batteries of
the Confederate States, was kept up with undated
vigor till early dawn. Then the rapdty of the dis
charges gradually diminished When the sun rose,
all the clouds which had obscured the night were
dissipated. The day beautiful one. The air
bamy and refreshing. The streets were soon filled
with citizens, male and female white and black
young and old. From the Battery to the wharves
and the steeples-hither and thither they went
eagerly seeking the best positions to use their glasses
and telescopes.
Until about eight o'clock but few random shots
were fired from our batteries Sumter only OCCASION
ally replying. Then it became apparent that the
fortress on which all eyes rIvetted was on fire.
A dense smoke seen gradually to rise above its
rampartS. The fort certainly was on fire. This ap-
peared evident though some supposed it was merely
a signal of Anderson to draw in the fleet to his aid
In the offing quietly riding at anchor, clearly
distinguished four vessels ranged in line directly
over the bar and apparently blockading the port
completely. The long black hulls and smoke stacks
of two of the vessels proved them to be Federal
steamers. Every one anxiously awaited the issue
The suspense very exciting. Will they come
in and engage the batteries was the query on every
ones lips. Certainly, every person expected, fully
expected the engagement to become general. By
the aid of glasses it was thought that movement
was made to this end by two of the war ships and
we thought soon to see the sand flying in all direc
tons from the Morris Island batteries.
Towards ten o'clock, attention riveted upon
Sumter-now beyond doubt there fire in the
Fort. 1t was raging. The flames soon burst through
the roofs Of the houses within its walls. The denS
est black smoke and the bright flames poured forth
in volumes. All this time, Major Anderson scarcely
fired shot. His barbet guns, that is, the guns on
the ramparts, were untenable. The bursting shells
and grape-shot scattered like hail over them, and
drove the soldiers under cover Not one dared show
his head, but at the risk of having it taken off.
From the Iron Battery at Cummings Point,
continuous fire was kept up, and, afterwards
known, it played sad havoc with that portion of
Sumter facing it. The firing from the Floating
Battery and from Moultrie was also very regular.
As we stand on the Charleston Battery looking
seward you have Mortar Battery and Fort John
son nearest the city, perhaps two miles and half
off A mile and half from johnson is the Iron
Battery of Cummings, mounting ten guns viz;
three ten-inch columbiads, three sixty -four pound
ers, three mortars and one rihed cannon The men
working its guns were perfectly protected Their
sand redoubt scarcely injured by the weak fire
Major Anderson kept upon it. The battery was
commanded by Major Stevens of the Citadel Cadets.
Under his direction each she'll found its destination
within the walls of SUMTER and during the entire
bombardment scarcely one missile Of this character
went wide of its mark
On the other side of the harbor directly opposite
Sumter is one of the strongest sides of Moultre.-
During the past three months it has been strength
ened by every appliance military art could suggest
It's murions gacis embraZures &C. perfectly protect
the weak walls of the old Fort and made the gun
ners perfectly secure while at work. From this
point throughout the engagement vast numbers of
hot shot and heavy balls were discharged with pre-
cision, fully attested by the walls of Sumter.
Behind a point Of Sullivan's Island nearest
Charleston the Floating Battery was stationed with
its two sXty-f and two forty-two Founders, and
its impenetrable sides of iron and Palmetto logs
Every shot told from this point and the men were
so in their impenetrable position that they
whiled away their hours of relief in the avorte past
time of the soldier at euchre or bluff The Mortar
Battery, on Mount Pleasant, is five hundred yards
from the Floating Battery. 1t mounts but two
mortars, but they in excellent range of SUMTER
and most Of the shells were thrown with great pre-
cison.
Throughout Saturday morning they were all ac-
tivity. Three times they set AndeIsons barracks
fire and twice he eXtinguished the flames, but to
do this it was necessary for him to employ all his
force in drawing water and throwing it on the fire.
The more eectually do this it was necessary for
some of the men to 60 outside the walls and hand
buckets through the port holes, exposed to the ter
rifle fires of the batteries and forts This expedient
for obtaining water, was not, however resorted to
the flames had increased in fury to alarming pitch
In the meantime his guns were SILENT and our men
active These soldiers were not allowed to be ex-
posed more than a few minutes, but were ordered
in when the shot from Cardinals batteries became
too thick.
Towards noon flames burst from every quarter,
and poured from many of the port holes. The de-
struction of the fortress was inevitable men could
not breathe smoke and flame Still hot shot and
shells were poured into it, and the soldiers were
driven for refuge into the classmates. These are
spacious bomb proof arches with walls fifteen feet
thick, and afford adequate protection.
The wind was blowing from tie West driving the
smoke across the Fort into the embrasures, where
the gunners were at work but at the time, as if
seized with new impulse the guns of the Fort were
again active, and the shots came from it in rapid
succession. This lasted for perhaps half an hour.
The firing from without continued and if anything
was redoubed.
In conversing with those about him, Anderson
X1oc IN 6 Al