Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-30

OF the Damage Inhleted by the lombard
mont Ftf
Z Anorrespondent of the Providence (R.
Journal who has just returned from visit
to Fort Sumter, describes the condition Of
that post aud lis capacities for defense: -
The interest attached to Fort Sumter, and
the conflicting accounts of It's damaged con-
ditiop, induced me 10 make every exeftion to
visit il Accordingly, the first favorable op-
portunity fonRd me in company with about
one hundred other excursionists on board
the little steamer Coffee, bound to the re.
,nowned Sumter, and other points of interest
in the haTbor. As we neared the fortress all
eyes were turned in the direction Of its walls
TO view the'effects Of the shot As we came
up from the westward the effects were not
visible until we had passed around 10 the
north side, fronting Fort MOultrie and the
Mount Pleasant and Sullivans Island bat.
teries Here the impression OF each shot was
plainly Visible, penetrating the brick wall 10
the depth Of two or three bricks. AT one
point, apparently directly opposite Fort
Moultfie, the parapet Of the wall was much
injured, fully two feet being knocked of.
Proceeding around to the eastward, the
nortb-eastsrn angle showed but few marks,
isbeipg but partially exposed. The south
east and south sides, fronting as they did the
Morris leland batteries, were terribly bat
tered, though not permanently damaged.
One port-hole was struck by two or three
! balls, and its edges badly broken, somewhat
enlarPing the aperture, but the injury did
not extend 10 the inner wall The parapet
and lbop-holes which protected the wharf
were somewhat though not materially dam
aged, by balls striking and crumbling the
edges. Altogether the damage to the outer
walls was trifiDg, considering the severity
and duration Of the attack, and the heavy
ordnance used agaiRstit, the heavy sixty-four
pound balls only penetrating the outer brick
wall, While beyond it were from five TO ten
feet of concrete, which age bad made nearly
as permanent as the solid rock. 7ai ~
Our steamer came slowly to the wharf
Wen constructed pier, in front of the main
| entrance, and directly opposite to the iron
battery on Morris Island. The stones in
| many parts Of the wharf had been taken up,
showing the course of the train of powder
which Anderson bad laid, and by which he
might have blown up hundreds had storm
! ing party attempted to land on his wharf
| AS the steamer touched the landing, all
| jumped of, but were told by the sentinel
! that we were not allowed to land, but while
! be was parlay ing with one or two the rest
! pushed on to the main entrance of the fort
but were there effectually stopped by the
! sentinel stationed at the door. Seeing the
| impossibiiity. of entering there, l walked
aroupg the fort until came to an open port
hole, through which managed to enter and
was allowed to walk about without molesta-
| ton.
The first impression was that of utter ruin
and desolation. Heaps fbroken brick, stone
and mOrtsr, lay scattered about in utter con-
| fusion. The walls of the officers quarters
were not only ridd ed by the balls and shells,
| but every yesjge Of woodwork was entirely
| burned out, leaving but the bare and shattered
| walls of what had been previously fine brick
dwellings, From their construction i am
| constrained to believe that they were never
intended to sustain bombardment. If so,
future engineers must certainly learn lesson
from it. About one hundred laborers were
employed removing the damaged walls, all
| Of which will have to be taken down, and be
entirely remodelled and rebuilt or else the
cas emates must be fitted up and occupied as
\ quarters. ~ IIl.s II f.-,..t. .i.afs q .s e.. q
! AS the quarters extended from the south
eaet to the southwest side, they received the
! fire from the Sullivan's Island batteries
i consequently the casemetes, on that side
were comparatively uninjured, though two
or three that we're exposed were nearly
demolished. Proceeding around the interior
Of the fort, we reached the classmates on the
east side. Though these were not directly
| exposed, yet the indentations and broken
bricks in tho wall showed the effect of the
bursting bombs, while occasionally an arch
of the upper casemates was broken in. The
lower cssemates at the northeast angle
where Anderson maintained his fire the
longest, were but slightly damaged. MOI
| were, indeed the lower classmates on the
north side much injured, although they were
exposed 10 the severe fire of the Morri:
Island batteries. The second or upper tiel
OF cssemates seemed to take the fury of thi
cannonadiDg, many being entirely de
/ stroyed, andrnearly all Of them will have Il
be rebuilt 30 1o''l51.b 55y rt B.s b s, &
There were no guns mounted on the sec
ondtier, and those mounted on the uppel
tier were the heaviest and indeed the only
ones that were capable of throwing shells
From their position they were much EXPOSED
70 the fire from allguRrters, and consequently
many of them were dismounted. One heavy
gun was dismounted while apparently in tht
4 very act of being aTedi the ball striking i
diagonslly across the muzzle, breaking {
portion off, and so twisting the gun as Il
make il impossible to draw the heavy chargI
Of grapeshot with which it was loaded, TIL
west wall and classmates not being exposed
of course received no material damage.
The yard, or inner inclosure, contains
| space of two or more acres, well covered
4 with the remains of the demolished bald
jngs. A large furnace for heating shot wa
on The east side OF the yard, and by the sid
OF IL stood the heavy ten-inch Columbiad
Fixed in a position pointing toward Castl
Pinckney.y A row of heavy guns which ha
never been used were lying on the ground
-Four eight inch Columbiads had bee
amounted, for want Of better carriage, owe
"a heavy log, the butts firmly planted in tn
ground, while the nuzz,es were pointed Ia
5 ward Morris Island For some reason the,
d were never, used. lL- ~" ''.'b Eepl
Theremhant of the flag -staff, about twenty
five feet was still remaining, its top schat
tered by the halls. Near it was raised tn
rebels staff, affixed TO heavy derrick, whic
had been formerly yused for mounting eAnnou
InJthe center of the yard .was the grave {
q poor Doyle, who was unfortunately kille
While salutipg bis country's flag on th
}, evacuation Of the fort. The spot is marke
bya plain board with an inscription giYin
his meme and age, and the manner Of hi
death. On his grave were. placed g bon
shell, cannon ball, some gTspe.shet,-s an
other munitions of war, emblematical Of h
j pursuits, and reminding one of his la
I days. tsbj gf f-..v41- La p-.l rf
The fort was garrisoned by about tw
:, hundred regular soldiers under the cou
mand of Colonel Halinauist, They wei
Il mostly Irishmen, and by their appearanC
/ and manners, / should judge them 10 be
the lowest class. Some of the casemRt'
had been fitted up roughly for them, bl
their situation was anything but eomior
!, able. 1rI- a ,vtra.J y ri1JsII "a o. Ia.l-g
| Z CONTEMPLATED hsURREcTIoN IN ARKAl
sAs-- Ttr0 Hhits Men and Three Negro
, | Htmg.-Saturday' Memphis (Tenn.) pape