, 1861-05-17
DETAILS OF THE ATTACK on FORT SUMTER.
Tie Story as Told blythe Charleston Papers.
Correspondence Of the San Francisco Bulletin.
ST. Louis, April 20, 1861.


Correspondence Of the San Francisco Bulletin.
ST. LOUIS, April 20, 1861.
The Southern mails have Just brought
Charleston papers containing full accounts
of the bombardment of Fort Sumter. AL
though you have had full telegraphic re.
ports, your readers will be interested ia
The details. The Charleston Courier oI
Saturday oath ApriD thuse relates the
6rst act in the drama:
TIE FIRST Days BoMBARDMENr.
At about 2 O'Clock on the afternoon Of
Thursday, Gen. Beauregard made a de.
mand on Major Anderson for the immedi-
ate surrender Of Fort Sumter, through bis
aids, Colonel James Chesnut,, Jr., Colonel
ChisOlm and Capt. Lee. Major Anderson
replied that such coarse would be incon-
.sisteat with the duty be was required by
bis Government to perform. The answer
was communicated by the General-in Chief
to President Davis.
About 9 o'clock, General Beauregard
received reply from President Davis, to
the telegram in relation to the surrender
Of Sumter, by which he was instructed to
inform Major Anderson that If be would
evacuate the fort be held when his present
supply Of provisions was exhausted, there
would be no appeal to arms. This propo-
Bition was borne to Major Anderson BY the
aid who delivered the first message, aud he
refused to accept the condition. The Gen
eral-in-Chlef forthwith gave the order that
che batteries be opened at half-past four
o'clock on Friday morning. Major Ander
sous reply was decisive Of the momentous
question, aud General Beauregard deter
mined to apply the last argument.
At the gray Of the morning Of Friday
the roar Of caunon broke upon the ear. The
expected sound was answered by thousands.
The houses were in few minutes emptied
Of their excited occupants, and the living
stream poured through all the streets lead.
ing to the wharYes and battery. On reach
ing our beautiful promenade we find it lined
with eager spectators, and oil the Wharves
commanding q view Of the battle were
crowded thickly with human forms. On
no gala occasion have we ever seen nearly
90 large a number Of ladies on our battery
as grnced the breezy walk on this eventual
morning. There they stood with palpita-
ting hearts aud pallid faces, watching the
white smoke as 1t rose 10 Wreaths upon the
soft twilight air, and breathing out ferVent
prayers for their gallant kinsfolk at the
guns.
At thirty minutes past O'Clock the con
Aict was opened by the discharge Of shell
from the howitzer battery on James's Isl
and, under the command Of Capt. George
s. James, who followed the riddled Palmet-
to banner on the bloody battle fields Of
Mexico. The sending of this harmful mes
senger to Major Anderson was followed by
q deafening 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, an
other shell, which Lieut. W. Hampton
Gibbs had the honor of having fred, pur-
sued It's noiseless way towards the hostile
fertilization. The honored missive described
Its beautiful curve through the balmy air,
and, falling withing the hostile fortress,
scattered It's deadly contents In all diree-
tons. Fort Monllrie then took up the
tale Of death, and in q moment the guns
from the redoubtable gun battery on Cum
ming's Point, from Capt McCread's bat
terry, from Capt. James Hamilton's floating
battery, the Eudlade battery, and other
fortihcations spit forth their wrath ct the
grim fortress rising 50 de6antly ont Of the
sea.
Major Anderson received the shot and
shell in silence. And some excited lockers
on, ignorant Of the character of the foe,
were fluent with the hope fast dying out Of
their hopeful and tender hearts But the
shortliVed hope was utterly extinguisbed
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 foes About
an hour after the booming began, two balls
rushed Kissing through the air, and glanced
harmless from the succeed bricks Of Fort
Moultrie. The embrasures Of the hostile
fortress gave forth no sound again till be-
tween 0 and I o'clock, when, as If wrathful
from enforced delay, from casemate and
parapet the United States officer poured q
storm Of iron hail upon Fort Moultrie, Ste
Vens iron battery, aud the floating battery.
The broadside was returned with spirit by
the gallant gunners at these important
posts.
The firing now began 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 saltpe-
tire, and as il in sympathy with the melan-
eholy scene, the sky was covered with heavy
clouds, and everything wore q sombre as
pect.
A boat bearing dispatches to Gen. Beau
regard from Morris Island, reached the city
about 3 o'clock, and reported that all the
batteries were working admirably that no
one was injured, and that the men were
wild with enthusiasm.
A short time Sfter that happy news was
received, the schooner Peirei, from Hog
Island Channel reported that the shot from