Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-04-16

The Charleston Mercury says one of their re-.
porters has calculated the number Of pounds Of
hour at which Fort Sumter ceased firing He
gives us as total IS 900 pounds, or ever thirty
six tons Of iron.
THE SECOND DAYS BOMBARDMENT.
CHARLESTON, April 1.-THE morning of Sat-
urday dawned beautiful and clear The air was
balmy and refreshing, and the streets were soon
again filed with citizens, male and female, white
ana black, young and old, thronging the battery
whaives and steeples. A few random shots Were
only occasionally replying
II then became apparent that the fortress, on
winch all eyes were riveted was on fire. A dense
mass Of smoke was seen gradually to rise above
the ramparts Some supposed 1t was merely
signal from Anderson to draw In the feet TO his
aid, which were in the offng quietly riding at
anchor -Four vessels could be clearly dstin-
guished ranged in line directly over the bar and
apparently blockading the port com pletely. Their
long black bulls and smoke stacks proved them
to be Federal steamers. Every one anxiously
awaited the issue, and the suspense was very ex-
citing. VIII they come in and engage the bat
teries! was the query Of every one Poltroon. If
they do not, was the response Of every person
The batteries fully expected the engagement to
become general, and by the aid Of glasses it was
thong ht that movement was made to this end by
two Of the war ships. All on shore soon thought
teries.
Sumter. Beyond doubt fire was raging In the
Fort The flames soon burst through the roofs of
the houses within the walls, and the densest smoke
and flames issued In volumes. At this time An
derson scarcely fred shot. The cont nual burst
Ing Of shells and showers Of grape over the guns
on the ramparts drove the soldiers under cover.
From the iron battery on Cummings Point con-
nnuous hre was keptup It's rifed cannon played
hIlng from the floating battery aad from F ort
Moultrie was very regular.
Standing on Charleston battery and looking
seaward you have, on the right, the mortar bat
terry and Fort Johnson, nearest the city, and two
miles and a-haH Off mile and a-half from
Fort johnson is Cummings Point battery mount
Ing three ten inch Colum baids, three g. Founders
three mortars and one rited cannon. Cumming q
Point Is only fifteen hundred Yards from Fort
Sumter, and 1t can be readily imagined what
havoc regular fire created. The men working
the guns were perfectly protected by the sand re,
doubt, which was scarcely injured by the weak
IRE which Major Anderson kept up on 1t. The
battery was commanded by Major Stevens, with
the itadel Cadets under his direction. Each
shell from this battery found its destination with
in Sumter, and during the entire bomb ardment
scarcely one missile Of this character missed its
mark
On the other side of the harbor, directly oppo-
site SUMTER on one OF its strongest sides lay Fort
MOultre, which during the past three months
had been strengthened by every appliance which
military art could suggest Its merlons, moats,
giacies, enbrasures, etc, perfectly protected the
secure while at work from this point Through
out the engagement vast numbers of hot shot a nd
heavy balls were discharged. Behind the point
on Sulivan's Island, nearest Charleston the float
ing battery was situated with two sixty-four and
two forty-two Founders, and its Inn peuetrable
sides Of iron and palmetto logs rendered the men
SO secure that they INDUCED during the contest in
pastimes with cards, etc
Mount Pleasant battery, five hundred Yards
from the floating battery, mounts two mortars
within excellent range OF Sumter, and from here
ne SHELLS Were thrown with the greatest precision.
Thus you now have all the positions Of the
works bearing directly on Sumter Through
Friday morning all these batteries were actively
engaged. Three times Anderson's barracks were
set on nre, and twice his men extinguished the
flames, but TO do this IL was necessary to employ
all the force In drawing water. More effectively
To do this, II was necessary that some men should
20 outside the walls aud hand buckets through
the poft-holes, being meanwhile exposed to the
terrific IRE Of the batteries. This expedient for
obtaining water was not resorted to until the thi I'd
Time the quarters were on fire, and the fire and
flames had increased to such an alarming pitch
Meantime Nj jor Andersons guns were silent, and
bis enemies active. BY noon the flames burst
rom every quarter, and from many Of the port
holes and 1t soon became evident that the de-
struction Of the fortress was complete
INCIDENTS OF THE SURRENDER.
A Charleston dispatch relates the following in
cidents:
Major Anderson stated that he surrendered bis
sword TO Gen. Beauregard the representative
HeaurPO
SAID ne would not receive Ii from SO brave a man
He says Major Anderson made a staunch 6gbt
and elevated himself in the estimation of every
true Carolinian.
staff was shot away, a boat put of from Morris
Island, carrying another American flag for him TO
nght under-a noteworthy instance Of the honor
and chivalry Of the South Carolina sscedera and
their admiration for a brave man
During the raging Of the flames In Fort Sumter
tne emcers and soldiers were obliged to lay on
ther faces In the easements to prevent sufocation
Major Anderson ex pressed himself much pleased
that no lives had been sacrificed and saws that to
Providence alone is to be attributed the bloodless
victory. He compliments the firing Of the Caro-
iinians, and the large number Of exploded shells
lying around attet their effectiveness
The number OF soldiers in the fort was about
seventy, besides twenty-five workmen, who as
sisted at the guns. His stock Of provisions was
almost exhausted, however Hewould bay We been
starved out in two more days
The entrance to the fort is mined, and the South
Carolina officers who visited It after the surrender
Were told TO be careful, on account of the heat
lest 1t should explode.
The scene in the city after the sing Of the flag
OF truce and the surrender is indescfibable; the
people were perfectly wild. Men on horseback
rode through the streets proclaiming the news,
amid the greatest enthusiasm.
The forces Of Major Anderson were entirely in
adequate TO efectually work the guns and attend
To the incidental requirements. It Is not to be
wondered at, under the circumstances, that Fort
Il nc ucn were on duty 80
hours, with balls shells striking the Classmates
and guns of the fort constantly. Competent mill
tary men state that the Intense vibration or shock
produced Oil the brain and nervous system of those
In The vicinity is terribly exhausting.
At the siege Of Sebastopol the mea who worked
the guns were relieved every twenty minutes. and
groomed with whisky and fannel to enable them
10 endure the conclusion produced by the firing
OF their own guns and the shock Of the enemy's
Dalls ana shells striking the fertilization The
concussion attending the firing Of columbiad i'm
the enclosed casemate Of fort ID said to be ter
fible.