The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-04-25
THE SIEGE OF FT. SUMTER.
THE EVENTS OF FRIDAY AS DE.
SCRIBED BY THE CHARLESTON
PAPERS.
TIE CoURIER,s ACCOUNT.

INV ONNiiSiB ulNSA NSh'
Beaurcgard's unsuccessful demand on
Major Anderson for a surrender, and the
excitement Of the people thereupon, con-
linucs in the following grandiloqucnt
style, which 1t keeps up through the en-.
tire report.
The General-in. Chief forthwith gave
the order that the batteries be opened
at halLpast four o'clock on Friday morn
ing. Major Auderson's reply was decis.
i've of the momentous question. and Gen.
eral Beauregard determined to apply the
last argument. ....
The stout soldier had resolved t. make
a desperate defense. and the tloody trial
of strength must be essayed. The sword
must cut asunder the last tie that bound
US to people whom, in spite Of wrongs
and injustice wantonly inflicted through
long series of years, we lad not yet W
terly hated and despised. The last ex,
piring spark of affection must be quench-
ed in blood. Some OF the most splendid
pages in our glorious history must be
struck that would make the ears OF every
Republican fanatic tingle, and whose
dreadful effects will be felt by generations
yet to come. We must transmit herit
"gs =, of ranking and undyiog hate to our
cANNoNADE BEGINS.
At the gray of the morning Of Fridsy
the roar OF cannon broke upon the ear.
The expected sound was answered by
thousands, The houses were in a few
minutes enplied oflheir excited occupants
and the living stream poured through all
the streets leading to the wharves and
Battery. On reaching our beautiful
promenade we found it lined with ranks
Of eager spectators, and all the wharves
commanding a view of the battle were
crowded thickly with human forms. On
no gala occasion have we ever seen near.
lynso large a number of ladies' on our Bat
terry AS graced the breezy walk on this
evenlful morning. There they stood with
palptatlng hearts and pallid faces, watch
ing the white smoke as it rose in wreaths
upon the soft twilight air, and breathing
out fervent prayers for their gallant kins.
folk at the guns. Oh! what a conflict
ragged in t. ose heaving bosoms between
love for husbands and sons, and love for
our common mother whose insulted honor
and imperled safety had called her faith
full children to the eusanguined field.
At thirty minutes past four O'Clock the
conflict was opened by the discharge Of
: a shell from a Howtzer Battery on James
Island, under the command Of Captain
George s, James. who followed the rid.
died Palmetto banner on the bloody bat
tie fields of Mexico. The sending OF this
harmful messenger to Major Anderson
was followed by deafening explosion
f which was caused by the blowing up o.
building that stood 10 front of the bat
terry: .......
While the white smoke was melting a
way into the air, another shell, which
, Lieut. w. Hampton Gibbes has the hon
or of having fred. pursued its noisee'
; way toward the hostile ratification.
. The honored missve described it
f beautiful curve through the balmy air
t und falling within the hostile fortres
scattered deadly contents in all directions
e Fort Moultlie then took up the tale o
death, and in moment the guns iron
4 redoubtabe Gun Battery on Cummings
o Point from Captain McCready's Battery
+ from Captain James Hamilton's FlOatin
Battery, the En6lade Battery and othe
s (ortifcations, spit forth their wrath Q
the grim fortress rising SO defsntly OF
Of the sea. .... .......
S MAJOR ANDERSON EXPECTED TO sURRENDE
y FoURTuwITu.
i Major Anderson received the shot an
) shell in silence. And some excited loOl
~ ers on, ignorant Of the character of tt
y ', foe, were fluent with conjectures and pr
y dctions. that revived hope fast dying o.
: Of their hopeful and tender hearts. B,
the short lived hope was utterly extir
h guished when the deepening twilight r
~ ~ vealed the stars and stripes fOatir
~ proudly in the brees.. The batteri
t. continued at regular intervals to bell
n in iron vengeance, and still no answer W
io ';o returned by the foe: About an, hour q
80 -" ter the booming began two balls rush
% Kissing through the air, and glanc
:. harmless from the succeed bricks
i i Fort Moutrie. The embTasures of t
w. ~ hostile fortress gave forth no sound ag'
p till between six and seven o'clock, VIII
~ ~ as if wrathful from enforced delay, frc
.'L % casemate and parapet the United Sta
W., W.. officer poured storm of hail upon E,
'"' vo Moultrie, Stevens iron battery and
w. w. floating battery, The broadslde was
ns ins turned with spirit by the gallant gunn'
to Of these important posts.
q. / PROGRESS OF THE CONFLICT.
es. The firing now began in good earne
ar The curly white smoke hung above
" angry pisces Of friend and foe, and
arring boom rolled at regular interv
'ur on the anxious ear. The atmosphere v
'll' charged with the smell of villainous sa
las pctre, and. as if in sympathy with
He melancholy scene, the sky was covel
Of with heavy clouds, and everything W
sombre aspect, r 80,
o. A boat bearing dispatches 10 Gen. Be-
uld regard from Morris Island, reached
as city about hihe o'clock, reported that
ont the batteries were working admirably;l
- no one was injured, aud that the n
Vi were wild with enthusiasm.
0od A short time after that happy ne
der received, tbs schooner Patriot, from
y Lila NLan rhnanLad thnt thn a