The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-05-11

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Welded elsewhere they arc moreover, the
points d'dipai, small ~ they are, on which the
FEDERAL government can rest its resistance 10 the
/ claims Of the Southern Confederation 10 be nc.
knowledged "a an independent republic. 1t they
were surrendered without attack, or without ths
existence of any pressure arising from the re.
fusa OF thu Southern authorities to permit them
! to get supplies, which is an act OF war, the case
OF the United States government would be- they
consider, materially weakened. II It be observed
| that these forts have no strategic value, 1t may
readily be replied that their political value IS
very great But, serious as these considerations
may be. or may be thought to be, with respect
to foreign relations, there are in reference 10
domestic politics still more weighty inducements
to hold them. The effect producedin The North
and Northwest by nm attack ON the forts while
the United States flag ia floating over them
would DC as useful to the government at w ash
ington as the effect OF abandoning the forts or
tsmeiy surrendeiing them would be hurtful to
them in the estimation OF the extreme Republic
cans
A desperate attack, a gallant defence. the
shedding ct the blood of gallant men, whose duty
1t was to defend that intrusted to their keeping,
and who yielded only to numbers-the outrage
on the United States fag-would create an ex-
ctement in the Union which the South with all
ITS determination and courage is unwilling to
provoke, but which the government would be
forced to use in its own service Such an event
must lead to war--a very terrible and merciless
war; and both parties pause before they resort to
that court of arms.
POSITION OF THE REBELS.
Unless the border States Join the South. Mr.
Jefferson Davis could scarcely hope to carry out
the grand Projects which are attributed to his
military genius vi marching northwards and die.
tatinS terms on their ewn soil to the Rpubli.
cans. He could scarcely venture to leave the
negro population unguarted III his rear, and his
HahNs tfenaced by the sea-burn North. rners ON
'ne side, aud 10y such operations as the water
sheds significantly indicate ON tie other 1t is
Idle to Speculate on the incidents vt that which
may never occur, and which, occurring, may
assume the insignificant aspect Of border skr-
hiishes Or the tremendous proportions of a war
OF races ana creeds Intensified by the worst elc-
nents OF seryile aud civil conflict. The govern.
inent Of Mr. Lincoln hope ana believe that the
contest may he nverted The Commissioners of
the South are inclined to thinn, also, there will
De a peaceful solution-obtained, of course, by
full concession aud recognition.
NECESSITIES OF THE coNsprRAroRs,
But hiact'on cannot last on the part of the
South. Already they have begun the system of
coercion. The supplies OF the garrison at Sum
ter viii be cut on hcnceorth, !, they are not al
read, forbidden. They do not fear the moral
On ct oi tins act, for sonio OF their leading men
actually believe that nothing can stop the pro.
grrss of a movement which will, they fondly
think, absorb all the other States vi the unoa,
and leave the New England State. to form an
Insignificant republic OF its own, with possible
i1ger destiny in Canada Their opponents in
the North are as fully satisfied that the direst
Nemesis will TALL ON the Montgomery govern
hleht Iii the utter ruin OF all their States the mo-
ment they are left to themselves
DAMAGE TO FORT MoULrRIE- latest
Charleston papers contain detailed accounts of
the damage done by Fort Sumter to Fort Moul-
trie and surrounding country. TIE Courier
says:
The rakiug fire from Fort Sumter against Fort
Moutrle WAS terribly destructive, and, when
viewed IN connection with the tact that 10 lie
sas lost, Is the most extraordinary Case ever re-
corded III history. As you enter the eye falls
upon the battered walls of the arcnway, with
openings IN some places large enough Tor win-
dows In OTHER places may be seen the hanging
spinIers OF the RAT crs, large pieces of ceiling
seemingly about to drop while the holes in tile
root throw clear light over the scene of DIES
truction. which renders it painfully impressive.
Ii would be an almost impossible task to count
the number OF balls dlscna ged at this devoted
fortress. All of the officers quarters were bat.
tered with seven, eight, or ten balls, which pen
etrated the whole depth of the building. The
western wall on the upper balcony was entirely
shot away. The barracks were almost entirely
destroyed. The furnaces for heating hot shot
were struck four times; the flag of the Con eder-
ate States received three shots, and the Palmetto
flag four. The merions of sand bags, &C. re-
main unbroken On the outside walls we count
ed over one hundred shots Laborers were en-.
gagged in clearing away fallen bricks, &c. 1t will
be necessary to pull down the old walls and build
anew. Even the beds and bedding in the off
GERS quarters and the mems barracks were cut
and torn into splinters and threads. Had it not
been for the bomb proof shelter the loss of lite
would no doubt have been appalling. One shell
entered the brick wall of Major Ripleys bed
room, ran down the wall and burst on the bureau
Immediately over the head of the bed. Our
limited time prevented Us from visiting the bat
terry 10 tile north of Fort Moutrie.
We learn, however, that though many of the
buildings around it had been struck several
times, and fences, trees &C. cut away, the bat
terry sustained no injury.
The Courier also gives list of nearly twenty
houses near Fort Moultrie which wer, DESTROYER
or greatly damaged by The filing from Fort Sum
ter The Moultrie House received tuur shots
one cutting away one OF the main pillars, and
making clean breach through the building from
end TO the other. The other shots have
damaged the walls ard ceiling to very consid
cradle extent. Fortunately one was in at the
the time. Several other houses were struck
with one or more balls, tearing off the weather
boarding and shatt,ring the roofs. The largest
number Of the houses, however, are untouched
Pfovidentiaily hot shot was thrown from
Sumter, probably from the fact that the garrison
had no fuel.
SUPPOSE WE IoAQUERy WHAT THEN ?-These