The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-16

| trated the top or shed of the structure and
| three shots struck the sand bags in the rear of
| the artery
Another messenger who arrived q short
| time after the above was bulletined, confirms
the cheerful news.
T~elre o'ctock.-We have just learned by an
! arrlFal from Cummings Point, that the bat
! teries there are doing good service-Stevens'
battery very successful. Not q single casu-
| ally mas happened. The troops are in the
pest spirits. TWO of the guns at Fort Sumter
| appear TO be disabled. Considerable damage
| ters.
At one O'Clock the following was received
| from Morris' Island. Two guns in Stevens
| battery temporarily disabled, Andersons fire
| having injured the doors of the embrasures.
| The damage will be repaired speedily. L is
| thought that Fort Sumter will De preached in
| TWO hours. Three steam vessels of war were
| seen on the bar, one of them supposed TO be
| the Harriet Lane.
Capt X. 5. Parker reached the city from
| Fort Moultrie at half past two o'clock, and
| makes the following report Captain Parker
| visited Fort Moultrie and the Enfilading Bat
| terry near by, and found all well and in high
| spIrts. lie left the Mortar Battery, Lieut..
! H0limquist, at ten minutes past two. The
| soldiers stationed there are giving good ac-
| count of themselves. The Floating Battery
! had been struck IS times, and received no
| material injury.
| The venerable Edmund RuGin, who, as soon
| as IL was known battle Inevitable, has
| tened over To Morris Island, and was elected
| "A member Of the Palmetto Guard fired the
| ilrst gun from Stevens iron battery. All
| honor 10 the chiyalric Firginian May he
| live many years to wear the fadeless wreath
/ that honor placed upon his brow Oh our glo
| Tious Friday.
| Another noble son of the Old Dominion
| who rebukngly reminds her of her pact glory
! was appointed on Gen. Beauregard's Staff on
Thursday, bore dispatches to the General III
| command, from Brigadier General James ST.
| mons in command of Morris Island during
| the thlckest of the fight, and i'll the face of
Inurderous fire from Fort Sumter Col. Ro-
ger A. Pryor, the eloquent young Tirginian,
| IN the execution of that dangerous commits
sion, passed within speaking distance of the
angry and hostile fortress.
Despite the fierce and concentrat ted fire from
Fort Sumter, the rival fortification on Sull-
vans Island received but slight damage. Its
Merlons stood unmoved, and are this morn
ing in as good condition as they We're before
their strength was otested by the rude shocks
of the shot.
The Floating Battery came ont of the iron
storm without losing plate of its iron cover
or q splin ter of its pine.
A brisk fire was kept up by all the batteries
until about I O'Clock in the evening, after
which hour the guns doomed Il regular inter
walls of 20 minutes.
All the batteries on Morris Island, bearing
upon the channel, kept up 4 steady fire for
some time at the dawn of day. 1t is reported
they threw their shot into the Harriet Lane
and that that steamer, having advanced as far
as the renowned Star of the West BATTERY
was crippled by well aimed shot, after
which she deemed it prudent TO give up the
dangerous attempt, and turned her sharp bow
to the
Stevens Iron Battery played a conspicuous
and important part in the brilliant, and as
far as our men are concerned, blOodlpss con
fiict, which has placed the 18th of April 1891
among the memorable days. The calihre of
its guns, its nearness to Fort Sumter, it's per
feet impenetrabiiity, the GOODNESS and skill of
its gallant gunners, made this fertilization
one Of the most formidable of Mai Ander-
sons terrible opponents. The effect OF its
Dahlgren's 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
Kissed on their errand of death Shot after
shot told with terrible effect on the strong
wall, and at about three o'clock Major Ander-
son 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 fortress was borne to the city.
We dare not close this briet and hurried
narrative of the first engagement be cen the
United 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-
servaton OF our soldiers from casualty and
death. In the fifteen hours Of almost inces-
SAINT firing, our enemy one of the most eX-
perienced and sklltul of artillersts no injury
has been sus tanned by single one of ourg gal |
liant soldiers.
The result of the con fiict strengthens and
confirms oar faith ia the business of the |
course for whose achievement we have Suf-
fered obloquy, and dared periIs of vast mag
nitude. AT the outset of the struggle we in |
yoked the sanction and aid of that God whom
we serve, and His hand has guided and de-
Tended us all through the momentous con-
fiict His favor was most signally, we had
almost said mlraculously, NANTES ted on this |
eventful day. We call the roll of those en-
gagged in the battle, and each soldier is here
to answer to his name. No tombstone will |
throw its shadow upon that bright trium-
phant day. If so it seemeth good in the ewes
of Him, in whose hands are the issues of life
we fervently pray that our brave sons NAV
pass unharmed through the perils of the day
now dawning.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The Charles ton Mercury also gives an in
teresting narrative of Fridays conflict from
which we extract the following
1t affords us infinite pleasure to record that
Fort Moultrie has fully sus tanned the pres |
tige OF its glorious name. | fired very nearly
gun for gun with Fort Sumter. Wecounted |
the guns from eleven to twelve o'clock. and |
found them to be II to A. while the adyant- |
age was uestionably upon the side of !
Fort MOultrie. In that fort not IL gun was dis |
mounted, not wound received, not the |
slightest permanent injury sustained by any |
OF It's defenceS, While every ball from Fort |
Moultrie left its mark upon Fort Sumter
Many OF It's shells were dropped into that |
fort, and Lieut.. Ohm Mi tchel, the worthy son |
of that patriot sire who has so nobly yindi-
Gated the cause OF the South, has the honor of |
dis mounting two of its parapet guns by a sim
gle shot from one of the COlum biads. which
at the time, he had the office of directing
The famous iron batterles-the one ut Cum
mings' Polnt-named for Mr.. &. II. Stevens
the inventor, ana the celebra ted tiOa ting Bat |
terry, instructed under the direction of Cant
Hamilton, have fully Vindica ted the correct
ness OF their conception Shot after shot fell |
upon them and glanced harmless away, while
from their favorable position their shots fell |
wi th effect upon Fort Sumter and the south
sts pancopee, under the fire of the Stevens
battery, at nighttall, If not actually preached
was badly damaged. Al this battery the hon
or of firing the nrst gun was accorded TO the
venerable Edmund Ruftin, of Virginia who
marched to the rendezvous at the sound of the
alarm on Monday night, and who, when asked
)y some person who did not know him to |
what company he belonged, replied, "to that
II which there is a vacancy"
1t Were vain TO attempt an exhibition of the
enthusiasm and fearless intrepdity of our cit
zens i'll every department of this eyenttul
lay. Boats passed from post to post without
he slightest hesitation under the guns of Fort
sumter, and with high and low, old and
Young, rich and poor, in uniform or without
he common wish and constant effort was to
each the posts OF action and amid q bonn
resisted with the most consum-
nate skill and perseverance, and with the
most efficient appliances of military art and
science, it is a most remarkable circums tance.
md one which exhibits the infinite goodness
If an overruling Providence, that, SO far as
We nave Deen aDle 10 learn from the most
'areful inquiry, not the slightest Jury has
'een sus talned by the defenders of their coun-
ry.
The Mercury gives some further incidents
If the fight:
Two members of the Palmetto Guard paid
lfty dollars i'll cash for Il boat TO carry them
o Morris Island, to join their company.
The Battery, the Wharyes and shipping in
he harbor, and every steeple and cupaIo in
he city, were crowded with anxious specta-
ors of the great drama. Never before had
uch crowds of ladies without attendants