Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-04-18
will be preached 10 two hours. Three steam

will be preached 10 two hours. Three steam
vessels of war were seen off the bar, one Of
them supposed to be the Harriet Lane.
Capt. R. S. Parker reached the city from
Fort Moultrie at half-past two o'clock, and
makes the following report: Capt. Parker
visited Fort Moultrie and the in6lading
battery near by, and found all we'll and in
high spirits. He left the mortar battery,
Lieut.. Hollinquist, at ten minutes past two.
The soldiers stationed there are giving a
good account of themselves. The floating
battery had been struck eighteen times,
and received no material injury.
The venerable Edmund Rufin, who, as
soon as it was known battle was inevitable,
fastened over to Morris Island and was
elected a member of the Palmetto Guard,
fired the first gun from Stevens Iron Bat
terry. All honor to the chivalric Virginian
May he live many years to wear the fade.
less wreath that honor placed upon his brow
on our glorious Friday.
Another noble son of the Old Dominion,
who rebukingly reminds her of her past
glory, was appointed on General Beaure-
CARDS Staff, on Thursday, bore dispatches
to the General in command, from Brigadier-
General James Simons, in command OF
Morris Island, during the thickest of the
fight, and in the face of murderous fire
from Fort Sumter. Col. Roger A. Pryor,
the eloquent young Virginian, in the exc.
oution Of that dangerous commission, passed
within speaking distance of the angry and
hostile fortress.
Despite the fierce and concentrated fire
from Fort Sumter, the rival forti6cation on
Sullivan's Island received but slight dam
age. Its Merons stood unmoved, and are
this morning in as good condition as they
were before their strength was tested by the
rude shocks of the shot.
The Floating Battery came out of the
iron storm without losing plate Of its iron
cover or splinter of its pine.
A brisk FIRE was kept up by all the bat
teries until about 7 clock in the evening,
after which hour the guns doomed at regu-
lar intervals of twenty minutes.
All the batteries on Morris Island, bear
ing on the channel, kept up a steady fire
for some time at the dawn of day. 1t is
reported they threw their shot into the Har-
riet Lane, and that that steamer, having
advanced as far as the renowned Star of the
West Battery, was crippled by a we'll aimed
shot, after which she deemed it prudent to
give up the dangerous attempt, and turned
her sharp bow to the sea.
Stevens Iron Battery played conspic-
uous and important part in the brilliant, and,
so far as our men are concerned, boodless
conflict, which has placed the 18th of April,
1861, among the memorable days. The
calibre of its guns, its nearness to Fort
Sumter, its perfect impenetrability, the cool
ness and skill of its gallant guuners, made
this fortifcation one of the most formidable
of Major Anderson's terrible opponents
The effect of its Dahlgrens and 64.pounders
was distinctly visible at an early stage of
the conflict. Clouds of mortar and brick
dust arose from the Southwest wall of the
fort, as the shot hissed on their errand of
death. Shot after shot told with terrible
effect on the strong wall, and at about three
o'clock, Major Anderson ceased to return
this murderous fire. In the course of the
afternoon the joyful tidings, that breach
had been effected in that portion of the for.
tress, were borne to the city.
We dare not close this brief and hurried
narrative of the first engagement between
the U States and the Confederate States,
without returning thanks to Almighty God
for the great success that has thus far crown
ed our arms, and for the extraordinary pre-
servation of our soldiers from casualty and
death. In the fifteen hours of almost in
cessant firing, our enemy one of the most
experienced and skiilful of artilerists, no
injury has been sustained by a single one of
our gallant soldiers.
The result of the conflict strengthens and
con6rms our faith in the justness Of the
cause for whose achievements we have suf-
fered obloquy, and dared perils of vast mag
nitude. At the outset of the struggle we
invoked the sanction and aid of that God
whom We serve, and His hand has guided
and defended US all through the momeut-
Gus conflict. His favor was most signally,
we had almost said miraculously, manifest
ed on this eventful day. We call the roll
of those engaged in the battle, and each
soldier is here to answer to his name. No
tombstone will throw its shadow upon that
bright triumphant day. If so it seemetL
good in the eyes of Him in whose hands
are the issues of life, we fervently pray that
our brave sons may pass unharmed through
the perils of the day now dawning
From the Charleston Mercury Extra, lith instant.
We closed the report of the grand mill
tary diorama in progress in our bay amid the