Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-04-16
THE cAPTUREoF FORT SUMTER
THE KxCIrEMENr IN CHARLESTON.
, DETAILS OF THE FIGHT.
HOW TnE BATTERIES WORKED.
Ftor ths Cha,k,fon Corritr Of Satxrdau

From fhs ChdrleSton Courier Of Sdtxrdayl
At about two O'Clock on the afternoon Of Thurs
day, Gen. Beauregard made demand on Major
Anderson for the immediate surrender Of Fort
Sumter, through his aids, Col. Jas. Chestnut Jr,
Col. Chisolm and Capt Lee. Maj. Anderson re-
piled that such course would be Inconsistent
with the duty he was required by his government
to perform. The answer was Communicated nv
the general-in-chief to President Davis
About nine O'Clock, General Beaureqard re.
ceived reply from President Davis, to the tele-
gram In relation to the surrender of Sumter, by
which he was instructed to inform Mai Anderson
that II be would evacuate the fort he held when
his present supply of provisions was exhausted
there would be no appeal to arms. This PROPOSE.
tion was borne to Maj Anderson by the aid who
had delivered the first message and he refused to
accept the condition. The General In hief forth.
with gave the order that the batteries be opened
at half-past four O'Clock on Friday morning
Maj Anderson's reply was decisive Of the mo-
mentous question, and Gen. Beauregard deter.
mined to apply the last argument.
AT the gray Of the morning Of Friday the roar
OF cannon 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 leading to the wharves and battery
On reaching our beautiful promenade we found it
lined with ranks OF eager spectators and all the
wharves commanding a view Of the battle were
crowded thickly with human forms. On no gala
occasion have we ever seen nearly SO large a num-
per OF ladies on our battery as graced the breezy
walk on this eventful morning. There they stood
with palpitating hearts and palld faces watching
the white smoke as II rose in wreaths upon the
soft twig air, and breathing out fervent prayers
for their gallant kinsfolk at the guns
AT thirty minutes past four O'Clock the conflict
was opened by the d schnrge Of a shell from the
howitZer battery on James Island, under the COM
mand OF Capt Geo. 5. James, who followed the
rlddled Palmetto banner on the bloody battle
fields OF Mexico. The sending Of this harmful
messenger to Major Anderson was followed by
aeaiening explosion, which was caused by the
blowing up Of building that stood in front Of
the battery. While the white smoke was melt
Ing away into the air another shell, which Lieut.
w. II Gibbes has the honor of having fred Dur.
sued lis noiseless way towards the hostile fortid-
cation The honored missive described its beau
tlfnl curve through the balmy air. and falling
within the hostile fortress, scattered its deadly
contents in all directions Fort Mcultrie then
took up the tale of death, and in a moment the
guns from the redoubtable gun battery on Cum
miDgs' Point, from Captain McCready's battery
from Capt. Jas Hamilton's floating battery the
Enfilade battery, and other Notifications, spit
forth their wrath at the grim fortress rising so Ae
family out of the sea.
Major Anderson received the shot and shell In
silence And some excited lookers-on, Ignorant
OF the character of the foe, were fluent with con-
lectures and predictions, that revived the hone
fast dying out Of their hopeful and tender hearts
But the short-lived hope was utterly extinguisbed
when the deepening twilight revealed the stars
and s,ri pes floating proudly in the breeze, The
batteries continued at regular intervals to belch
iron vengeance, and still no answer was returned
by the foe. About an hour after the booming
began, two balls rushed Kissing through the air
ana glanced harmless from the succeed bricks of
Fort Moultre. The embrasures of the hostile
fortress gave forth no sound gain till between s,y
and seven O'Clock, when, as If wrathful from en-
forced delay, from casemate and parapet the Uni
ted States officer poured storm of iron hail upon
Fort Moultrie, Stevens iron battery and the
floating battery. The broadsIde was returned
with spirit by the gallant gunners at these i'm
portant posts
The frIpy noun b.r,n &, u..I -. III,
curling white smoke hung above the angry pieces
OF friend and foe, and the jarring boom rolled at
regular intervals on the anxious ear. The atmos-
phere was charged with the smell Of villainous
saitPeter, and, as II In sympathy with the melan-
choly scene, the sky was covered with heavy
clouds, and everything wore a somber aspect
boat bearing dispatches to Gen. Beauregard
from Morris Island reached the city about nine
O'Clock, and reported that all the batteries were
working admirably; that no one was Injured, and
that the men were wild with enthusiasm
q, SHORT time after this happy news was received,
the schooner Petrol, from Hog Island channel, re-,
ported that the shot from Stevens's iron battery
had told upon the walls Of Fort Sumter, and that
Fort Mouiuie had sustained no injury.
About half past O'Clock, Captain K. g. Parker
reported from Sullivans Island to Mount Pleasant
that everything was In fine condition at Moultrie
ana that the soldiers had escaped unhurt.
The same dispatch stated that the embrasures Of
the noatlng battery were unchanged by the shoe
OF the shot, and though that formidable structure
had been struck eleven times, the balls had mot
started single bolt Anderson had concentrated
his tre upon the floating battery and the D,bI
gren battery, under command Of Lieut. Hamilton
A number OF shells had dropped into Fort Sumter
and one gun embarbette had been dismounted
Inc foilowing cheering tidings Were brought
TO the city by Col Edmund Yates acting lieu
tenant to Dozier, Of the Confederate States Navy
from Fort Johnson: "Stevens' battery and t6e
floating battery doing important service
stevens battery has made considerable progress
In preaching the south and southwest walls of
Fort Sumter. The northwest wall is suffering
from the well-aimed FIRE Of the floating battery
whose shot have dismounted several Of the guns
on the parapet and made II impOssi BILE to use the
remaining ones. The howitzer battery connected
with the impregnable gun battery at Cummings
Point Is managed with consummate skill and
terrible effect +"
Island brings the glorious news that the shot
glance from the iron covered battery at Cummings
Point IL Ike marbles thrown by child on the back
OF turtle. The upper portion Of the southwest
wall of Fort Sumter shows plainly the eject OF the
terrible cannonade from the formidable product
OF Mr. e. IL. Stevens ingenuity
half hour later the gladstone tidings came
west wall Of Fort Sumter
A boat reached the city from the floating bat
terry about half past II O'clock and reported that
shot from Fort Sumter penetrated the top OF shed
Of the structure, and three shots struck the sand
bags In the rear Of the battery.
Itcelre O'Clock We hade Just learned by an
arrival from Cummings Point that the batteries
tncfc arc uoIHR gOOQ sefV1Ce-SteyenB' battery
very successful. Not a single casualty has hap
pened The troops are in the best spirits Two
OF the guns at Fort Sumter appear to be disabled
Considerable damage has been done to the ON
GERS quarters.
AT one O'Clock the following was recei we'd from
Motifs island Two guns In Stevens battery
temporarily disabled, Anderson's fire having In.
jured the doors Of the embrasures The damage
will be repaired speedily. 1t Is thought that Fort
Sumter will be preached In two hours Three
steam vessels OF war were seen of the bar one of
ITEM supposed to be the Harriet Lane
Capt. X. 3. Parker reached the city from Fort
Meuluie at half-past one O'Clock, and makes the
ioilowing report Captain Parker visited Fort
Moultrie and the Enflading battery near by, and
found all we'll and In high spirits. He left the
mortar battery, Lieutenant Hollinquist, at ten
minutes past two. The soldiers stationed there
are giving good account Of themselves The
floating battery had been struck eighteen times,
and received no material injury
The venerable Edmund Ruffn, who as soon "A
IL was known that battle was inevitable has.
tened over to Morris Island and was elected a
member OF the Palmetto Guard, fred the frst gun
rom stevens iron battery. All honor to the
chivalric Viginian.
Another noble son of the old Dominion WIN
feoukingly reminds her Of her past glory. was
appointed on General Beauregard staff on Thurs
day, bore dispatches to the General In Command.
from Brigadier-General James Simops. I'm corn
mand at Morris Island, during the thic kest Of the
gh nd In -