Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-25
Tbs Eonbardnent Of Sun ~.

The following account OF tn C bomhardment
81 Fort Sumpter 10 gathered from officers aud
men who Grrved at New York last week:
On Thursday the demand to surrender the
fort was made, and decIined-all the officers
having been consulted Jy Major Anderson in
regard to the summons. At about 5 o'clock
on Friday morning notice WAS given us that
fire woald be opened on Us in enc hour unless
the demand to surrender was instantly eGm-
piled with Major Anderson resolved rot TO
return FIRE until broad daylight, not wishing
10 waste any Of lis ammunition. Fire was
opened upon US from all points at once To
our astonishment a masked battery of heavy
columbiadS opened on us from the part Of
Sulliv8n's Island near tho Floating Battery,
the existence of which we had not the slight
est intimaton 1t was covered with brush
and other material which completely concealed
it. 1t was skfully constructed and well sc.
cured. Seventeen mortArS, firing ten.inCh she'll
80 heavy guns. mostly columbiads, being en-.
gagged in the assault The crash made by those
shots against the walls was terrific, and many
of the shefs took effect inside the fort. We
took breakfast at l-2 o'clock ieisnreiy and
calmly, after which the command was divided
into three rccfs, hch was under the command
ofCapt Doubleday of the Artillery aud Lieut.
Snyder OF the Engineer Corps This detach-
mcnt went to the guns and opened fire upon
the Cummings Point battery Fort Moutrie
and Sqyan's Island The iron Jat.ery was
ofimmcnse strength, and most of cur shots
struck and glanced of again The fire was
so terrific on the parapct Of Sumter that Maj.
Anderson rcfc>ed to allow the ilcn to man the
guns. Had they been permitted to 10 socvery
QUO Of them would have been sacrificed Port
Eoultrio was considerably damaged by our
eanEoaadin-, a great many Of oar shots haT-
ing taken effect on the cmbraSures Several
shots are klowA 70 have penetrated The l0lt.
ing battery, bat l!ttlc damage was done to H.
The relcfs were changed every four hours.
We succeeded in dismounting two Of the guns
on Cummings Point Battery A new EugliSh
gun which was employed hy the enemy, was
fred with great accuracy Several Of its
shots entered the embrdsnres Of Sumter, one
Of them slightly wc1ndiNg four men. The full
effect CT our firing we have been unable 10 as.
certain, having nothing to rely upon bu: the
reports Of the cacU1y. Oar men owed their
sa.etT to the entirely extraordinary care oxer-
csed by the officers in command A man was
kept constantly Oh the look out, who would
cry "shot or "Shcll' at every shot the enemy
made, thus aff)rdn5 oar men ample oppoGtu-
nity to seek shelter The workmeu were at
first rather reluctant to assist the soldiers in
handling the guns, bat they gradually took
hold and rendered valuable assistance. But
few shots were fred before every one of them
was desperately engaged in the co@tljct. We
Aad 10 abandon one gun on account Of the
close fire made upon IT, Hearing the fre re-
ncwed with it, | went to the spot. | there
found a party Of workmcn engaged in serving
it. | saw one OF the wOrGuen s,oopAg over
with his hands on his knees, convused with Joy
while the tears rolled down his powder bcgrul-
med cheeks "What are y0I doing here with
that gun ?" I asked " Hit it right in the
center" was the reply. the man meaning that
his shot had taken effect Of the Floating Bat
terry.
The aim Of the eAemy was principally d-
rccted at cur lIg staff, from which proudly
waved the Stars and Stripes. After two DAYS
incessan. firing, the flagstaff was faaIIy shot
away
The effect OF the cncmy's shot, on the oil
GERS quarters particularly WAS terrific. Que
tower was so completely demolished that not
one brick was left standing upon the other
The barracks caught FIRE on the first day sew
eral times, and were pat out several times by
Mr. Hart of New ! ork, volunteer WHO par
tlcula?ly distinguished himself for his GOODNESS
and bravery, assisted by Others. Half mil.
lion Of dollars will hardly suffice 10 repair the
damages to the Fort. o. The second day. it
caught fire from | 0 inch SHE'LL the danger to
be encountered in the attempt to cytugush it
being so great th@t the Major concluded not
20 attemptit. The effect o; the fire was more
disastrous than we could have supposed. The
subsequent shots Of the enemy took more effect
il consequence; the walls were weakened and
VIC were more exposed The main gates were
destroyed by the fire, thus leaving Us exposed
70 the murderouS fire Of the enemy. Five
hundred men couid have formed on the gorge
and mached on rs without our being able to
oppose them The fire surrounded the Fort
or all sides Fearful that the walls might
crack, and the shells pierce and prostrate them,
we commenced taking the powder ODt of the
magazine before the fire had fully enveloped
it. We took Sc barrels of powcer out, and
threw it into the sea- leaving 200 barrels IN.
Owing to q lack Of cartridges we kept five
men inside the magazine, sewing rs we wanted
them, thus using up our shirts, sheets blank
cts, and all the available material in the fort.
When we were finally obliged 10 close the
magazine and our material for cartridges was
exhausted we were left destitute of any means
TO continue the contest We had eaten our
last biscuit thirty,sx hours before. We came
very near being stiled with the dense yd
smoke from the burning buildings. The men
lav PROSTATE on the ground with wet hand
kercniefS over their mouths and eyes, gasping
for breath. 1t vas a monet of imminent peril
II an eddy of wind had not eHSued we all pro
baby, should have been sufTOcatcd The crash
ipo- Of tho SnOt tho hnrStilCr ut the qhpllS the