Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-04-25

feet, and we would pursue this road le what may oppose our progress. This path way was traced by the finger of honor, ant heavens own light rests upon it. During those dark hourse, heavy with the anguisl of mothers, sisters and wives, and wet witt their tears, we paused to reflect and pray
 We refreshed our spirits with glorious memories. We felt the inspiration of { just and holy cause and a sublime purpose and disgusted with childish trihing ans studied per6dy, we looked to heaven fol direction and blessing, and turned our back forever upon our former brothers.
 The crisis had arrived, and we were fully prepared to meet it. The work that await ed the morrow was of a momentous charac ter, but we had counted the cost, and had resolved to do it or die in the attempt.
 At the gray of the morning of Friday the roar of cannon broke upon the ear.- The expected sound was answered by. thou sands. The houses were in few minutes smptied of their excited occupants, and the living stream poured through all the streets leading to the wharves and battery. Or reaching our beautiful promenade. we found it lined with ranks of eager spectators. and all the wharves commanding view of the battle were crowded thickly with human forms. On no gala occasion have we ever seen nearly so large number of ladies or our battery as graced the breezy walk on this eventful morning There they stood with palpitating hearts and palid faces, watching the white smoke as 1t rose il wreaths upon the soft twilight air, and breathing out fervent prayers for their gal lant kinsfolk at the guns. o! what a con fict ragged in those heaving bosoms between love for husbands and sons, and love for and imperiled safety had called her faith full children to tho ensanguinsd field. l At thirty minutes past four o'clock, the conflict was opened by the discharge of a shell from the howizer battery on James Island, under the command of Capt. Geo. 1 $. James, who followed the riddled Pal metto bander on the bloody battle fields of | Mexico.
 The sending of this harmful messenger to Maj. Anderson was followed by a deafen- ing explosion, which was caused by the blowing up of building that stood in front of the battery.
 While the white smoke was melting away into the air, another shell. which Lieut.. w. Hampton Gibbs has the honor of having fired, pursued its noiseless way toward the hostile fertilization.
 full curve through the balmy air, and fall ing within the hostile fortress, scattered its deadly contents in all directions. Fort Moultrie then took up the tale of death, and in moment the guns from the redouta ble gun battery on Cumming Point, from Capt. McCready's battery, from Capt. Jas. Hamilton's floating battery, the Enfilsde battery. and other Notifications, spit forth their wrath at the grim fortress rising so de6nantly out of the sea.
 Mai. Anderson received the shot and shell in silence. And some excited lockers on, ignorant of the character of the foe, were fluent with conjectures and predictions, that revived the hope fast dying out of their hopeful and tender hearts. But the short-lived hope was utterly extinguished when the deepening twilight revealed the stars and stripes floating proudly in the breeze. The batteries continued at regular intervals to belch iron vengeance, and still no answer was returned by the foe. About m hour after the booming began, two balls rushed hssing through the air, and glanced harmless from the stuccoed bricks of Fort Moultrie. The embrasures of the hostile fortress gave forth no sound again till be- cto ,ha,, :. wrathful from enforced delay, from case ment and d.parapet the United States officer poured storm of iron hail upon Fort Moultrie, Stevens iron battery and the floating battery. The broadside was re- turned with spirit by the gallant gunners at these important posts.
 The firing now begun in good earnest.- The curling white smoke hung above the angry pieces of friend and foe, and the jar ring boom rolled at regular intervals on the anxious ear. The atmosphere was charged with the smell of villainous saltpeter, and as if in sympathy with the melancholy scene the sky was covered with heavy clouds, and everything wore sombre as pect.
 A boat bearing dispatches to Gen. Beau regard from Morris Island, reached the city about nine o'clock, reported that all the batteries were working admirably; that no one was injured, and the men were wild with enthusiasm.
 A short time after that happy news was received, the schooner Petral, from Hog Island channel, reported that the shot from Stevens iron battery had told upon the walls of Fort Sumter. And also that Fort Moultrie had sustained no damage.
 About half-past nine o'clock, Capt. R.. s. Parker reported from Sullivan's Island to Mount Pleasant that everything was in fine condition at Fort Moultrie, and that the soldiers had escaped unhurt.
 The same dispatch stated that the em- brasures of the floating battery were undam- aged by the shock of the shot, and though that formidable structure had been struck eleven times, the balls had not started a single bolt Anderson had concentrated his fire upon the floating battery, and the Dalhgren battery, under command of Lieut.. Hamilton. A number of shells had drop. ped into Fort Sumter, and one gun en bar bette has been dismounted.
 The following cheering tidings were brought to the city by Col. Edmund Yates, acting lieutenant to Dozler, of the Confede rate States navy, from Fort Johnson:- " Stevens battery and the floating battery are doing important service. Stevens bat tery has made considerable progress in preaching the south and southwest walls of Fort Sumter. The northwest wall is suffering from the well aimed fire of the floating battery, whose shot have dismonnt- ed several of the guns on the parapet, and made it impossible to use the remaining ones. The howitzer battery connected with the impregnable gun battery at Cum minis Point, is managed with consummate shill and trerrible effect.
 ELEVEN o'cLocK.-A messenger from Morris island brings the glorious news that the shot glance from the iron covered battery at Cummings point, like marbles thrown by child on the back of turtle. The upper portion of the southwest wall of Fort Sumter shows plainly the effect of |