, 1861-05-17

west wall of the fort as the shot Kissed or
their errand Of death Shot after shot tolt
} with terrible effect on the strong wall, and
! at about o'clock Major Anderson ceased
to return this murderous fire. In the course
2 of the afternoon, the joyous tidings that q
breach had been effected in that portion o
the fortress was borne to the city.
: We dare not close this brief and hurried
, narrative Of the FIRST engagement between
the United States and the Confederate
J States, without returning thanks to AL
mighty God for the great success that has
thus far crowned our arms, and the extra
dinary preservation Of our soldiers from
J casualty and death. In the fifteen hours
of almost incessant firing, our enemy one oil
} the most experienced and skillful Of artille.
risis, no injury has been sustained by a sin.
gle one Of our gallant soldiers. 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.
/ From the account of the scene given in
the Mercury, l copy the following:
! The circle Of batteries with which the
grim fortress Of Fort Sumter is beleaguered
opened the Gre. The outline of this great
volcanic crater was Illuminated with a line
of twilkling lights; the clustering shells illu-
minated the sky above It; the balls clatter-
ed thick as hail upon its sides; our citizens
aroused to forgetfulness Of their fatigue
through many weary hours, rushed again
to the points of observation; and so, at the
break Of day, amidst the bnrsting Of bombs,
and the roar of ordnance, aud before thou
sands Of spectators, whose homes and lib
critics, and lives were at stake, was enacted
this first great scene in the opening drama
of what, it is presumed, will be q most mo-
mentous military act. Fort Moultrie has
fully sustained the prestige Of its glorious
name. 1t fred very nearly gun for gun
with Fort Sumter. We counted the guns
from eleven to twelve O'Clock, and found
them to be ~ TO 46, while the advantage
was unquestionably upon the side Of Fort
Moultrie. In that fort not gun was dis
mounted, not wound received, nor the
slightest permanent injury received by any
Of its defenses; while every bali from Fort
Moultrie left its mark upon Fort Sumter.
Many of its shells were dropped into that
fort, and Lieut.. John Mitchell, ~ worthyi
COZ q. f.ttat patriot sire=WhO has SO nObly
yindicated the cause of the South, has the
honor Of dismounting two of its parapet
guns by 4 single shot from one Of the Co
lumbiads, which at the time be had the Of
Zee of directing.
One Of our special reporters to Fort
Moutrie brought trophy Of the war, in
the shape Of a 39 pound ball. which Ander-
son had 6red at Moullrie, and which lodged
in the sand bags.
Another Of our reporters has calculated
the number ofpounds of balls fred by both
sides up to I O'Clock, the hour at which
Fort Sumter ceased firing. He gives as
total $1,000 pounds, or over SO tons Of
iron.
Two members Of the Palmetto Guard
paid $50 in cash for a boat to carry them
to Morris Island, to join their company.
DoNGs OF TIE SECOND DAY-rHE FORT ON
In tbe Courier Of the day following, /
End the second days proceedings, which
brings affairs down to the evacuation Of
Fort Sumter by Maj. Anderson and his
little garrison
The morning Of Saturday dawned bean
tifully and clear. The air was balmy and
refreshing, and the streets we're soon again
filed with citizens, male and female, white
and black, young and old, thronging the
battery, wharves and steeples. A few ran
dom shots were fred from the Confederate
batteries, Sumter only occasionally reply
ing. It then became apparent that the
fortress, on which all eyes we're rivited, was
on FIRE. A dense mass Of smoke was seen
gradually to rise above the ramparts. Some
supposed it merely a signal from Anderson
to draw in the feet to bis aid, which were
in the ofing quietly riding at anchor
-Four vessels could be clearly distinguished
ranged in line directly over the bar, and
apparently blockading the port completely.
Their long black bulls and smoke-stacks
proved them to be Federal steamers Eve
~ one anxiously awaited the issue, and the
suspense was very exciting. Will they
come in and engage the batteries was the
query Of every one. Poltroons If they do
not, was the response ofevery person. The
batteries fully expected the engagement
to become general, and by the aid Of glasses
it was thought that a movement was made
to this end by two Of The war ships. All
on shore soon thought To see the sand ay-
ing from the Morris Island batteries.
About 10 o'clock oil attention vas riVit.
ed on Sumter. Beyond doubt Gre was
raging in the fort. The flames soon burst
through the roofs Of the houses With!a tie
walls, and the densest smoke and flames
issued in volumes. At this time Anderson
scarcely fred a shot. The continual burst
ing Of shells and showers Of grape over the
guns ou the ramparts drove the soldiers
under cover. From the iron battery on
Cummings Point, a continuous FIRE was
kept up. It's rided cannon played sad
havoc on that portion Of Sumter facing it.
The firing from the floating battery and
from Fort Moultrie was very regular.
Standing on Charleston battery and
looking sesward you have, on the right,
the mortar battery and Fort johnson,