Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-19
Interesting Statement of an Eyewitness of
the Rnmhnrdment of Enrt snmter.

Interesting Statemen of an Eyewitness OF
the BombnrdmeAt of Fort sumter.
We saw yesterday, says Wednesdays New
York Tribune, gentleman who was on his
return to Maine from Georgia, where he had
been residing for some time. He had left
the latter State to avoid being forced to per.
form military duty, and reached Charleston
the dsy before the bombardment commenced.
All the trains going out of Charleston had
been stopped, and he was obliged to lie over.
An acquaintance of his who was with Beau
regard promised to call him up when the
firing should commence. He therefore saw
the first shot on Friday morning. He says
that in second after the first gun was fired
at Sumter she replied. General Beauregard,
before the firing began, said it would take
four hours TO reduce Fort Sumter, and added
that it could be done in two hours, but he
would give them four to do it.
On Friday afternoon the feet came in,
some Of the vessels firing at the batteries on
Morris Island, at least that was the general
impression in Charleston. After Fort Sum-
ter bad got fairly at work firing, forty-two
guns were fred per hour, according to care
ful count. The gentleman who gives us this
statement, himself heard General Beauregard
sag some hours after the Commandment had
commenced, that Sumter must have been
secretly re enforced that Major Anderson
must have 200 men in the fort or he could
not keep up such firing. After Beaure-
CARDS men had been at work four or five
hours, he extended the time for taking the
fort TO eight hours. On Saturday morning,
they began TO talk of the preparations neces-
saly for the reduction of the fort by siege.
TIE same morning smoke was observed
coming out of the fort, and all through the
forenoon it kept pouring out in dense masses.
But after the EOlt was on fire the guns stil
kept busy.
After the surrender, three steamers left
with fire engines and men to put out the fire.
Our Informant went down to the fort in one
Of these steamers, and reached Fort Sumter
OF Saturday about five P. NJ. He saws that
the officers quarters, and the barracks inside
the fort were burning when he got there.
The fort was so hot that they could not 90
into it at all. After the FIRE had got under
hesdway the men were obliged to lie down
fiat on their faces on the em6ers in the en-
brssuTes thin layer of fame going out
Wsrd few ieet above their backs. When
they came out OF the fort as prisoners they
had become nearly stihed, and dropped
down fiat from sheer exhaustion. Some
brandy was offered Major Anderson. he
thankfully accepted it, saying that his men
were very much in need of some thing Of the
Sort and gave it all to them.
The people of Charleston are boasting ex-
tIaVagantly of the taking Of Sumter. speak,
ing Of it as one Of the greatest military feats
on record, and their impression seems To be
that the news of hOstilities will have the ef-
feet at the North of bringing out large num-
bers at New York, Philadelphia and other
places, who viii pronounce on their side,
take possession Of the Government propertv
and set up the flag of Secession.