, 1861-01-16
TIE STAR OF THE WEST.
Full Particulars Of Her Attempt to Enter
Charleston Harbof.

The n. Y. Escnlny Rost had special cores
pondcEt en- board the Star Of the West,
on her last trip to Charleston Hnrbor, |
from wlansc very interesting account of the
entire cruise, VIC copy so mitch as relatcs to
the attempt to cntcr the harbor:
WEDNESDAY, jan. 9.
I awokc at three o'clock this morning and
went immediately to the upper deck, where l
ry officers, learned that we arrived in the
Vicinity Of the Charleston bar about midnight;
that all the coast.lghts had been extinguished,
and that thus far it had been impossible to find
the main channel. It is evident from these i'll
dications that the hospitable South Carolinians
do not mean that NC should 90 Ii without
salute. ...
4 light WAS seen of the coast, but VIC could
not make out what it WAS. A little after three
o'clock VIC discovered the light on Fort SUM-
dark. 1t was, of course, impossible 10 get
over the bur without the lighthouse, and so
VIC awaited the break Of day.
have never seen finer morning than the
one which dawned upon us. The sky WAS
clear, and the moon, faint crescent Of silver,
| lad Just arisen, and the low coast looked like
dense forest Of evergreen The spires Of
| Charleston became visible in the approaching
daylight, and GU the walls Of Fort Sumter
We deserted the American flag floating in tic
breeze.
/ Now, about 6::1 O'Clock, We sec the light
house; and now, too, VIC discover that the
| mystcr Gus lirht inst mentioned wa: that Of
steamer at our right. Now the situation Of
the channel is asccrtained, aud NC arc under
/ way; and now the steamer ut our right Is
burning red aud blue lights, and now she sends
up rockets. There Is no installing her move.
ment she is giviu:s: the alarm :is,''al to Fort
| 3loulttie.
On We 70; tta soldiers arc below with load
ed muskcts, and the officers are ready to give
the word if there is anything to do. Now, 1t
is broad day light, aud we arc making directly
into the runs of Fort Moultrie, whose black
walls arc distinctly visible. The little steamer
1T our right is burning signal light All, and
Is making gil possible head"ay np TIE haTbor
left on Morris Island, at a little siilagc called
Cummings Point, md apparently but little
more thar mile from Fort Sumter.
Is it possible that those fellows have got 4
battery OF here :" asks one
"No" answers another; "tlcre is no BAT
tory there ...
But thercis. 1t is now quarter past seven,
and WI are about two miles from Fort Sumter
and MouItric, which are clul-distant from 1's,
and. suddenly, whiz-z! comes richochct shot
ter aud skips alorfs, but falls short Of OIL
| steamer The line was forward Of our bow
aud WIS, OF course, nn invitation to stop. Bu'
we are not ready to accept the pTottered hos
pit:.l'ty, and the captain pays no attention te
it, except to run up the stars and stripes at ths
masthead-thc gs,rriaon flag mentioned before
i moment OF anxious suspense, aud bang
yocs 4 heavy cannon from tho same masked
, battery. The shot falls short Of us hundred
, | yards or more, and bounds clean over ou
:, vessel aft, nearly on 4 line with the head of
| sailor, but luckily, 4 little above IT.
, On We 70, amt wl,iz-z again yocs the smaiie
r1n first tircd, and another richochtl shot skip
along the water aud falls short of ns.
.Boui1 !" cxclaims the capts a :; "you mus
: | give US bigger guns than that, boys, OF yo
, cannot hurt U.s."
=. Ou We 60 without needing the compliment
o. Of our Charleston friends. Another moncu
/ and bang! again goes the heavy gun. The ba
l. | now strikes our ship In the forerhaips, aoou
i two feet above the water. ! ssanan Wis aoit
I iug the lead to take the soundings, aud til
Il bail struck directly under lis feet It is ne
Il | surpriSn. that, under the circumstances, JAG
:. WAS strongly Inclined to take to his Keels, an
y he hc.ins 10 scramble up With might nndnl
t. when the captain assures li'n that there Is
;. danger, Que ball having struck so near hin
i. OH the rincple, suppose, that lightning nc
Il er strikes twice il the faule place. jack, 7
et assured, patiently takes his place and dFo]
~ the lead again.
=. The hail, fortunately, was too fur spent
90 through the side Of our vessel although
10 / iett an honorable sclr.
r. The battery continues to play upon us, nj
~ huge ball comes clean oycr US near tue whe,
;s- house. We afe not get within rangc Of t
a, guns OF Fort Moultrie, and yonder Is a cutt
r. III tow Of steamboat, preparing TO open Il
hea | upon US A moment longer and We shall
~. in rau.c Of these three batteries. The gdnne
~. on Morris Island are growing, confident: !:
lie they get the right range they will send 81
n through our side, scattering death and {
nt structlon. Aoultrie, directly III front, y
:. bring her heavy guns to bear and will dri
ar. their deadly missiles into our bow, while t
IL | cutter will open on our right
nj Why docs not Major Anderson open I
upoa thai battery and save us! We look
80. Fort Sumter, and the American flag at our b
lis | and stern ID fired upon; yet there Is not
~ slirhtes. recognition Of our presence from
,a} fort to Which we look for protection. The
IN expected battery OIL Norris Island has cut
ns- ali hope Of cscapc by running the YES
,?i aground near Sumter and taking to the 10:
~ Is it possible that Fort Sumter has been tai
~ 1y the South Clrolinians? Ii 1t has not, u
e1s | docs not Major Anderson show that he ,
" protect US, or ut least recognize us In SO
H. waY1 To 70 within range Of the guns Of F
,r. Moultrie is to expose vessel, men a1la stores
IN almost Instant obstruction, or to capture
nt nj. "Helm out of rort!' shouts the c
ye, tain, and the Star Of the Nest Is turned ao
sci without any great loss OF time, as you mag
. imagine Weturn without accident md ST
~ away, with the stars and stripes still float
en- and the battery still playing upon us By Wa
I'M parting salute.
Isc. As we steam away tho steamer near Moul
hst having the hostile cutter in tow, steams a
arr iuto Swash channel, evidently with the In
an tion Of cutting off our retreat; hut she F.
ain abandons the rhase md We sail ont, witho
m | man killed or wounded, with our stores
,ds harmed, and proceed unu1olcstcd, probably
.crc our homcward journey.
he After tho brief but exciting cxpericnc
.s :, thc morning. am prepared, without he:
tiop, to concur with tho captain in the Q
ROC ion that it. is very unpleasant to he fire
I'd with hard cannon balls without any chanc
IN. 1Ec back ! wish to say, however, that no
on on board displayed any symptoms Of
fnr. Captain MCGOWAN and the pilot. Mr.. Rrc'
I;n,, were probably. especial marks for the Nc
,arv Island battery, since good shot through
,ted whecl:louse would have been most disastr
Ises The soldiers, although twothirtle Of then,
ela. recruits, appeared to be quite Indifferent tC
IN music, while the officers agrrcd that 1t
'the scandalous that they could not fire back.
,ent Soon after crossing the bar Of the Charlie
,fct, harbor, on our tomewafd course, We met O
sailiug vessel, the Emily ST. Pierre, Of Cha
urs- ton. Captain MCGOWAN stopped md h:
alti- her.
31s3' aWhcrc do you hail from ?" said he
ya. "From Liverpool - was the reply.
thc "Whither bonnds"'
inns "To Charleston" :-
'f. he "Vhat flng do yon Eail undcr:"
thc "So far under the American flag"
+h;s uThe,; Yoil can't Eo into Charlcston,"