New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-17

About o'clock, Cen. Beauregard received A ,.n,,
from President Davis to the Telegram In relation to,
surrender of SUMTER by which be wasinsructed IN =;
form Major Anderson that If o would eyscusts
the fort be held when bis esent supply Of provrm~
was exhausted, there wond be 10 appeal TO ANA
This proposition was bone to Major Anderson BY Ia
aids who delivered the st message and be refused 10
accept the condition. The General ia Chief forthwith
gave the order that the batteries be opened q. a
o'clock on Friday morning. Major Anderson's rsplv
was decirve OF the momentous question, ADD GeuersI
Beanregard determined to apply the i.st armament.
Tho stont soldier had esol ee to make a.
fense and the bloody trial of strength must be essayM
The sword must cut asubder the lat lie that bound %
to people, whom, IN spite Of wrongs and injustice
wantonly inflicted through long series Of years, We
had not yet utterly hated and despsed The last
Iiring spark Of affection must be quencbed in blood
Some OF the most speudd pages in glorious history
must be blurred. blow mnst be struck that would
make the of every Republicsn fanatic tipge and
whose dreadful effects will be felt by generations net
to come. We must transmit heritage Of ranking and
undysg hate TO our children.
We paused 10 contemplate the terrible proepect.
Hurried by the rapid of events, vexed and
distracted by increasing i'ratoDs, astounded by the
glariDg treachery Of enemies, lost in wonder az
their egregious stupidity, had not fully eompss.
hended the nature OF rbe work about to begin
Now, while the ear was waiting for the roar OF caSnoa
we saw clearly the magnitude Of the crisis. Will
tbose solemn hours were passing silently away, ws
contemplated the tremendous undertaking in all its
pects, bearings and consequences
We paused but it was lot the paure Of hesitation or
doubt. We had long since made ourselves familiar
with the dangers thai dsrkened over pathway, and
had they been ten-fold greater we would have dared
do what we have done, with the same steady courage
and immovable resolution. We hsd marked ont a way
for feet, and would pnrsue this road let what
by the finger of honor, and Heavens own lgh, res.s
upon il. During those dark hours heavy with ,hs
anguish of mothers, sisters aid wives, and vet wha
their tears, we paused to reflect and pray. We
Ell. faI
the inspiration of just and holy cause and snbins
purpose and Disguised with childeh trifhDg and
studied peridy we looked To Heaven for direction and
blessing and turned backs forever upon our former
brothers.
The crisis had arrived, and we were fully prepared
10 meet il. The work that awaited the morrow was Of
momenious character, but we lad counted the eon,
and had resolved to do il or die IN the attempt.
At the gray Of tie morning Of Friday the roar Of
cannon broke upon the The expected sound vas
answered by thousands. The houses were ia sew
minutes empiied of their excited occupants, and the
living stream poured through all the streets leading 10
the wharves and Battery On reaching our beautiful
promenade found it lined with ranks Of eager spec
tators and all the wharve. commanding view Of The
battle were crowded thiekly with human forms. On
no gala occasion have we ever seen nearly 20 ssgsa
number of ladies Battery AS graced the breezy
walk on th. eventful morning. There they stood wtA
palpitatiDg hearts and paid faces, watching the white
smoke in wfeaths upon the soft twhg an,
and breathing out fervrnt prayers for their gallant
those heayng bosoms between love for husbands and
sons and love for our common mother. whose msnft4
honor and mperled safety had called her fathtnl sh
dren TO the eDsanguin' d field.
AZ thirty minutes past four o'clock the coniia Wa
opened by the discharge Of shell from the Howi2er
Battery on james Island under the command Of Cap-
tain Geo S. james WHO followed the iddled Pslmetie
banner on the bloody battle 6ells Of Mexieo.
The sending Of this harmful messenger TO Ms~
Anderson was follow ed by a deafenng explosion,
which was caused by the blowing up Of building ,hat
stood in front Of the battery.
While the white smoke was melting away into The
air. another shell, which Lieut.. w. Hampton Gfbees
has the honor Of having fired, pursued its DolseIos
way toward the hostile lortifcali5n.
The honored nj siye described its beautiful curve
through the balmy air, and falling within the hOs!il0
fortress it's deadly couteuts in all directnS
Fort Moutrie then took up the tale OF death, aud N
moment the guns from the redoabable gun battery
Cummings Point, from Capt. McCready's battery.
from Capt Jas. Hamiltons floating battery, The Eni-
lade battery and other toriiiaons spit forth their
wrath at the grim fortress lisinx deianly out Of
the sea.
Major Anderson received the shot and sheIl 10
silence And some excited lookerson, ignoranI VI .Ss
character Of the toe fluent with conjeetnres and
predictions, that revived the hope fast dying oice
their Lorefn and tender hearts, But the short hvet
bore was utterly exiinguisoed when the deepening
twilight revealed the Stars and Sr floating proudly
in the breeze The batteries continued at regular In
tervas TO belch iron vengeance, and still NO answer
booming began TWO balls rushed Kissing through The
air and glanced harmless from the succeed bricks Of
Fort Moaltre. The embrasures Of the hostile forrsss
gave forth no sound again uutll between and
O'clock when, as if wrathful from enforced delay,
from easement and psrapet the United States officer
poured storm of iron hail az Fort Moultre, Steyea
iron Battery and the Floating Battery. The broad.
ride war returned with slirit By the gallant gunne
these important posts. =,
The firing now began in good earnest. The curling
white smoke hung above the angry pieces Of friend
and foe aud the Earring boom rolled at regular inter.
walls on the anxious The atmosphere was charged
with the smell of yiainons .altpeter and as IN ~ n
pathy with the melancholy scene the ky was covered
with heavy Clouds and everything wore somber ss'
pect.
A boat bearing dispatches to Gen. Beauregsrd from
Morris Island reached tie city at about oel0ck, SUD
reported that all the batteries working adinia'
biz; that one was injured, ana tlat tie men "sV
wild with euthusiaem.
short time after that, happy news WAS received;
the schooner Peril FROM Hog land Channel, reported
that the shot from Stevens Iron Bttery had told apCn
the walls If Fort Sumter. And also that Fort Mtai-
trie had sustained No damage.
About % o'clock, Capt K. ;. Parker reported from
Sullivan's I.hndto Mount Pleasant tnat everything
WAS in fine condition at Fort MoutIie, and Tina! the
soldiers had aged Unhurt.
The same dislat,h slated that the embrasures Of the
Foatiug Battery were unchanged by the shock Of the
shot and though that torni liable structure had bes
struck eleven times, tie balls bui not started sl0gls
hC,'. Anderson nhu cOiicch'tNcu Hie hfc ulob
Floating Battery ard the Dablgren Battery, under
command of Lieut.. Hamilton. a number of she'll, las
dropord into Fort Sumter, and enbagbette gun had
been dismodn,ed.
The following cheering idings were brought 10 The
city by Col Edmund iaes, Acting Lieutenant 70
Dozier of the Confederate Safes Navy, fiOlp Fori-
johnson. Stevenss Battery an0 the Floating Baiisy
are doing important serNice. Ste'enss Dai'eIy "a
made considerable proess in preaching the south arg
southwest walls of Fort sumter The north-wet
,nIl is suffering from ne weiuiHed fire Of Tie o4s
inc Rattery. whose shot have dismounted several OK