Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-05-03
RUAIORED SLAUGHTER IN FORT M0UL
TIRE AND MORRIS ISLAND.
fPr,,n The N v Trilmna


A soldier who was drafted into the service of
the Rebels in Charleston, and who served at the
guns in Fort Moultrie, al the sege of Fort
Sumpter has made to us the following statement
His reliability is vouched for, mud We have every
reason to believe that this statement is worthy
of belief;
Our informant states that he served under
Captain Ravens, and went into Fort Moultrie
the dry after Major Anderson left for Fort
Sumpter. He remained three or four days after
the tight. He belonged to tho Artillery, and
served at the guns most of the time during the
seige The guns OF Fort Moultrie opened about
half past four in the morning, hut Major Ander-
son did not fire gun for near two hours after
When he did open his fire was rapid and destruc-
tive. The balls from Sumpter struck the port
holes of Moultrie, aud at nearly ever discharge
somebody was killed. Their places were sup
piled by others. There was in Al0ultrie more
than one thousand men, and between three and
four hundred were kept at the guns constantly.
Not more than that number could protect them
selves in the classmates of sandbags, which, while
they afforded excellent protection, were much
torn up and knocked down. 1t was between
nine and ten o'clock on the first day that tine
greatest loss of life occurred.
The barbette guns of Fort Sumpter were
silenced early in the day, and the round shot
from these were most destructive TO Fort Mou-
tre, and caused the greatest loss of life. They
were fired with great accuracy, and at times the
scenes in the Fort were terrible. Dariag He
sege 5eueen three and four hundred mere kled, and
| a iarge number wounded. The killed were col
lected together in mass, and Mt night placed in
| boxes, brought down from Charleston and taken
away to poIters Field and Inferred during the
| night. Some Of the men were horribly manged,
and Others were scarcely dead when thrown into
the boxes Blood flowed in streams from these
receptacles aud the sight was horrible The
Surgeon at the Fort sent for help, and Others
came down from Charleston. The wounded were
removed to the Hospital, where such as have moi
since died, now remain.
Ia order that the truth should not he known
in Charleston, the soldiers were charged to say
nobody was hurt, aud were threatened with Ger
tain death if they disclosed the facts. There
was a great many killed in the dwellings oulsid,
the fort. The MOuirie House was very muct
damaged and a large number of buildings in TIT
ueighborhood Of the fort demolished. The Off
GERS quarters in the fort were riddled, and it !
! the opinion of our informant that had there beer
three hundred men in Sumpter, Fort MOului
would have been destroyed, and the Rebel
driven out or killed almost to man. He let
Moultrie three days after and went 10 Charles
ton. The people there would not belief tina
nobody had been killed and made constant in
quiry about their friends, who, they were as
eurod, were still on Sulivan's Island. Hundred
0 of families are yet to learn the truth, which
kept from them by the greatest vigilance.
Our informant was duly discharged from tn
service, and, with five others, embarked on boar
the bark Smithsonian, Captain Davis, whic
reached New York on Friday morning last.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY KILLED AND wouNDr
= ON MORRIS ISLAND.
r One of the Charleston volunteers who was o
/. Morris Island during the late bombardment {
o Fort Sumpter, came here yesterday by Ii
e schooner D. b, Pitts. He says that ut least on
v hundred and fifty men were killed and wounde
at the batteries on Morris Island, by the canistt
L Of Major Anderson. He had occasion to he
Fort johnson also just before he left Charleston
/ nd there he learned that on Sulliyan's Islar
,hir ..v.nine men had been killed-that u morti
= MA be N blown from Fort johnson by o sh
: s.om sum inter-. He had to 60 to Charleston in
! hoat with soipe passengers, and when there en-
: braeed The opportunity and slowed himself avs
IN tic schooner, aud in that way got of. /
I, avs hat the dead were all taken and boxed oil
y carried away in the night aad buried III Potter
h Geld. where the negroes are buried. He 3d.
! Nat thousands Of negroes only want one of the
/, leaders to give them the word, and great will
a the slaughter.