Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-01-18
STEAMSHIP STAR " TIE WFsT, ,
New York, in, y. (



STEAvsHIp STAR Or TIE WFsT,
New York, in, -
". v. RoHERTs, Esq..
We arrived Of Charleston bar at / =
4 VI the 9tb instant, Ia. could find no guiding
mllks for the bJr,-as the lights we're all cut
proceeded witt ctutioE, running EerT sl1B
and sounding until Gb1ot 4 A. NJ being tucl /,
four aud half 'z-tLeIus of water, whcn iisc.5-
cred light through the haze, which at that tiuss
crosseI the horizon Consulting that the light
was OF Fort Sumter. ate getting the bearings
IT IL. We steerei Co the E " for the main sbig
channel, W.T. n We sc t. u await iLyli-ht, our
lights having al! 5sou pat out siass 2 o'clock u
avoid beng seen.
A tie day began t, break, discovered 4 steam
ey just in shore If u, which. as soon Is she saw
-, burned one blue light AMI tvJ red lights a.
signals and shortly after steamed over the bar
and iato the ship chanue
The soldiers were nov all put below an5 a. no
allowed on the deck except our own c.eu AZ
soon as there va light enough 10 SEE. Ee crossed
the bar aad proce ed on Up (the channel the outer
bar buoy having been taken avail The steamer
ahead Cf Is sending Of rockets and burning lights
until after broad day iigLT, continuing Jn her
course up, near NO miles ahead Of Us.
When We arrived about two miles from Fer.
oultrie-F.rt sumter being about the sane lis-
tanes-a masked battery on Morris Isani where
there was red Palmetto flag giving, opened ia
a
had the american Gag flying NJ cur d,s-s'aa q;
the tine, aui, soon after the frs shot, hls-eia
large American ensign st the fore. W Continued
On under The fire of th. battery for over ten
minutes several Of the shots -giu. clean ever
Us One passed Just clear of the pilot housa. Az
otLer passed between the stack aud walking bean
Of the engine Another struck the ship Just .o1tt
he iore-rlggiuy, aud stove IN the pllLkius, All
al. tlertAils within an tce u cIrryiu- away TIE
rud.er
AT tie same lime There vas q movement q two
steamers from near Fort M0ultrie-9ue % them
towing 4 s. Eooaer,- q presume au arInei s-ly51-
erj5- with the intention cf cutlin. US Of.
Oar position noN became rather ,riticaI. Us 70
bad O. approach Fort Nouitrie t. within thee
foUrths OF mile before ve could Keep -wAy III
Fort Sumter.
4 steamer approaching Us with an arlnel scl-yr.
er Ia tos, ald the battery the island fri8. 90
Us ali the ;ime-IGd having 70 cannon u ..sai
ouTselv s from the attJcE of the vessels ~ en-
cu LED th4t to avoid cert .n capture u Lsstru-.1
We would eI Is4vot to get % sea ~onsel- s-,.y
We wore round and steam down the chaLue. Tia
battery firing upon u until treir shot fell hort
"a II Sas now strong eut-tiIe. and the water
having fallen some three feet, We proceeded vi
caution, and creedss heb ar safely 1t So 4 Ne
AM continued cu v r course FIR this ua-t wbsr
We arrived This uJur1iur after b5ister.r. rs.
s5ce.
A steamer from Charleston followed u, &,
about three hours. watching o1r movements.
In Justice u the officers ard crew Of each %
par'ms If the ship. I must odd that their Ben.
VICE while under tie 6re of toe battery reflected
great credit 80 then.
Mr. Brewer, tue New York pilot, was ol rs--
great assistance 60 me, in helping t. pilot tbels
over Oh 'rleston Bar, aai up 8ai down tie ,iar1s
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant.
= NcG0w4S Captain.