New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-22
sombar,lment 81 Fort samter.

| VI 4 " .
copy OF notes taken by himself at the earliest
leisure. Although 1t will involve SONS repetitjona
we give place to this account for he sake Of cor
rections and additions:
IRE Hee9P1 ns T9@ rt 99k ps lee S e
Tfsy n9,ning the 18th Of April up to IL o'clock
Al ha1f-past O'Clock on Friday the signal was
given by rockets and fire from Fort johnson.
The Floating Battery, at the Northwess point Of
Snlvan's Island, was Oh the ook-out, all the men
prepared to IRE at the very fash of fire from Fort
johnson, and the order was extended to commence
hre, No. gun, 32-pounder, by First Lieut.. J. A.
ates II n command. but was requested by second
Lieut. Francis H. HarlestGn that we had better mt
take the responsibility OF the first fire. but let Mai
Ripley commence; and in about minute after we
heard report from Capt. Hallonquist's Four-Gun
Battery, who was also in command of Mortar
Battery in the rear as soon as we opened
Then we let loose from the Hamilton Floating
Battery as fast as the order was given. No. /,
ready, fire; No. 2, ready, fire; No. 8, ready, fire
no; H. ready fire and in five minutes time another
volley told forth destruction on the roofs of the
officers quarters, dislodgng one of his barbets at
the same time, in five minutes intervals, another
and another; and on the fourth round one of his
chimney tops and merlons, on the eastern parapet
were torn up, and at the fifth round he (Major An
derson) paid his particular regard to our fire by
concentrating his fire upon Us at intervals of two
minutes for about half hour. Prior to his en-
gagement with us, he was invited to breakfast by
Major Ripley, and similar request from batteries
on Morris Island, also the Mortar Bomb Battery
at Mount Pleasant. This last battery did not en-
gage his attention, but he (Anderson) paid strict
attention to Major Ripley and the Morris Island
batteries for long while-about an hour-n the
meantime giving the slaughter pen shot every
ten minutes, and we returning the compliment /
must say for the officers in command, they dis
charged their duty nobly, acting as though they
were old warriors in the cause. Determined and
deliberate, they entered into an engagement of
heavy firing at first, and for the first time in their
lives. If they had been old, experienced warriors,
how nnrII NOT 1,n,-p h1aHa 1t.
beginning to the ceasng of firing. announcement
should be held out to them by those who have it in
their power and influence to render. Each took it
BY turns to aim the guns, and as they fred their
shot was well watched from the battery and what
fell short of said fort was owing to bad powder:
for we tested the next shot at the same elevation
and proved it; therefore, it was not owing to ac-
curacy of elevation.
At Sumter's first firing we received some three
ROUNDS from his barbets, but abount O'Clock he
could only give US fire from one of the barbets,
and then we pitched in for dislocating his lordship
which was done in one round from our Floating
Battery, and then we pitched into the roofing Of
the officers quarters, endeavoring by our fire to
dislocate some of them on the opposite wall.
sometimes we saw where shot passed over
the parapet and worked low on inside. from the
dust that would arise above the qnarters' roof:
and after we had got rid of his barbets as MANY
as we could see, we pitched into opening his ports
larger for him, SO as to give more chances for
fresh air for his men, and at the same time more
room for our reception. Several OF his upper
classmates we assisted to open for him: also the
deadly fire of a 9-inch Dahlgren, commanded by
Capt. J. Randolph Hamilton, situate about ninety
yards southeast of his formidable battery This
did an amount of damage, tearing away the mer-
Ions also the parapet walls, also the disfodginr of
barbets, the preaching of the walls by the shell
penetrating and exploding in the brick work. Ma
jor Ripleys hot shot on Friday afternoon caused
a portion of Anderson's ports to cease ushering
forth their venom; for it must have engaged a
number of his men to keep from being fred on
Friday evening" and prior to the destruction of the
mems quarters on the west side of the fort, on
Saturday morning. We eveled one shot at the
flagstaff but the shot struck top of the parapet
in line with the staff We tried the same gun at
the same elevation in about half an hours time
again, and grazed it on the west side, and before
another hat-hour elapsed the flagstaff fell from
shot either from Fort Moultrie or Morris Island
Battery, for it was almost simultaneous discharge
reaching the fort about the same time; therefore
cannot tell who carries off the aurels, but can
safely say that God-the God of our fathers yea
the God of our battles-is with us, and will save
his people. f.
Let the sectional President see that it is not in
the power of man to decide this alEimportant
crisis. We the instruments in the hand of God.
aud whatsoever is just and right he will at all times
vindicate. Your humble correspondent witnessed
the scene of most successful bombardment and
if old Gen. Scott could have managed to keep it
with tweve men with handspkes think he would
have found his most particular friend Mai Ripleyl
rather hard to battle with-and our fire was OBJ
notice of the two young gentlemen in command of
Capt. John Randolph Hamilton's Floating Boone.
rang.
There has been little mention made Of Cant
j. +. Hamilton's Dahlgren, situated about eighty
yards to the southeast of his formidable floating
battery (the command of this floating boomerang
was entrusted to First Lieut.. j. A. Yates The
Dahlgren commanded by one of South Caro-
linas gallant brave sons, and must say if bravery
is to be upheld or appreciated by all of the Souh
we cannot say enough in behalf of SO valuable |
young man. AT his request he planted this Dahl. |
gren in day, ready for action exposed to the hof
fire of the enemy, without shelter or casemate
to protect him or his six men. / never Witnessed |
q more cool and active man at such d post of |
danger. II courage is to be awarded any one. he |
Justly merits it, and if he had good vessel at his
he would do honor to his State. The
shot fell in all directions around and about him
and one came very near striking the Dahlgrep and |
one ball passed within four feet of Dr. Davera and
another Of the officers turning up the sand with all
It's fury.
There was many well directed shots at this Dahl.
5ren, but in return eighty out of hundred done
is destructive work. Some of the missing ones
ell short by exploding about one or two hundred
Yards after leaving the gun. Then he tempered
hem as near as his Judgment would allow, so as to
each the fort before explosion, and his test
proved right. Capt J. R. Hamilton is a soldier
IS well as gentleman, and hope ere long to see |
lin in command of fine man. Of war, dealing de-
ruction to an enemy; and there is one officer on
lis battery cannot overlook-that is Sergeant
award tnstls, OF NO. battery, a torty-tw0 gun, |
lie was the gunner and acted bravely Ali his |
men did their duty strictly. All this should be |
made known, for merit must be rewarded. This is |
rom an eyewitness of the whole affair.
Fort MouLTRlE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. But very
ew rounds were fred after night set in and these
we're only shell. Sumter did not shoot but very
title after dusk; she had been firing very warmly
IN Fort Moultrie the whole afternoon, but mostly
stopped when darkness set in. Anderson did not
waste single shot. hOutrie still continued TO
lelch forth two three rounds, sufficient to dem
,nstrate that she was all right and then knocked
,ff for the night.
The mortar batteries kept steady fire during
he night, hut not very rapId--ab0uS every twenty
minutes. The discharges Of heavy guns which |
we're heard during the night, were from the channel
batteries IN Morris Island they were fred TO
yarn off approaching vessels.
On the second morning Saturday Fort Mou.
rio seemed to wait renewal OF the attack on |
er from old Sumter (Moultrie had given the last
hot on the preceding EVENING" On the first day.
he Major had ignored Major Ripley until late in |
he day, but this morning he commenced with all
is energy on Moultrie 1t was near O'Clock
yhen he opened fire, and of course was i'm
nediately answered. Very warm work then
nsued between these greut fOrtresses Sumter
eemed to concentrate ali her forces on this point
nth some guns also against the floating battery |
indeed, there appeared to be almost cessation of
ostilities everywhere but at the two forts-all
ther points seeming to be intent on the dreadful
truggle between 1hem-or at least their fire wns |
Ost amid the continued roaring of Sumter and |
lonltre against each other. 1t was during this
trugRle that old Sumter fired ffty-four Guns per |
our on Mnultrie with her five guns It was inst
tier the lire from both parties had begun to slack