Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-04-18
SCENE AL THE FORT.
Particulars of the Action
SURRENDER OF MAJ. ANDERSON
Eavacuation Of the Fort.
Condition of the Forts.
INCIDENTS.
From the Charleston Mercury. April Is.

From the Charleston Mercury, April Is.
4 RENEWAL OF THE FIRING
We closed the report of the grand military dora
ma in progress on our Bay amid the clouds anC
i gloom and threatening pers of Friday night. TIL
| firing abated in the early evening, though TO
the concentration of its special energies, commend
ed again at ten o'clock, and amid gusts of rain,
clouds that swept the heavens, the red hot shot
lighted Shells again streamed from the grit of bat
teries around, and concentrated in fearful import
over Fort Surter. OF the effects little was visible
/ of course and anxious citizens, who from battery
| spire and housetop, had bided the petings of tn
storm mute spectators of the splendid scene, coult
only wait the opening of the coming day for confr
nation of the hopes and fears with hich the chan
ges in the scene successfully inspire them.
! AS dawn approached, the firing again abated, ant
! when the rising sun threw its flood Of light ovel
| the sparkling waters from cloudless sky, it wa
but by random shots form outlying batteries, witt
scarce an answer from Fot Sumter, and that specta
tors assured the contest still continued and tina
human feeling was not in harmony with the grac'
| and glory of the scene. II was but little while
however, before the energy of action was restored
and as the work of destruction still went on, it
feared that still another day of expectation and
certainty was before us. But at O'Clock the crJ
| arose from the wharyes, and rolled in one continu
| GUS wave ever the city, FoRT SUMTER Is ON FRET
The watchers of the night before, who. had retired
for few moments, were aroused, occupations wert
1
ed to their points of observation on rolled In crowds
upon the Battery to look upon the last and most i'm
| posing act in this great drama.
| The barracks of the South had been three times
set on fire during the bombardment the day before
| but each time the flames were Immediately extin
! guished. Subsequently, however, a red-hot shot
| from Fort MOultrie. or elsewhere, found lodg
ment when the fact was not apparent, and the fire
smouldering for time at length broke forth, and
flames and smoke rose IN volumns from the crater
| of Fort Sumter. The wind was blowing from the
west driving the smoke the fort and into the
| embrasures, where the gunners were at work, and
| pouring its volumes through the port holes the
| firing of Fort Sumter appeared to be renewed with
1 ygor. The fire of the Fort long fierce and rapid
I however, was gradually abated, and although at
distant intervals gun was fired, the necessity OF
preserving their magazines and of avoiding the
flames, left the tenas little leisure for resistance
| but the firing from without was continued with re
doubled vigor. Every battery poured in its cease
| less round of shot and SHE'LL The enthusiasm of
| success inspired their courage and gave precision
to their action; and thus in the opening so in the
closing scene the beamng sunlight in of thou
| sands crowded upon the wharyes and house tops,
and amid the booming of ordnance and in view of
the five immense ships sent by the enemy with
forcements, lying idly just out of gun shot the
Bar this first fortress of despotic power fell pros
trate to the cause or Southern Independence.
At about O'Clock the flames appeared to be
abating and il was apprehended that no rreparable
injury had been sustained; but near 10 O'Clock 8
column of white smoke rose high above the battle
ments, followed by an explosion which was felt upon
the wharyes and gave the assurance that if the
magazines were not exploded, at least their tempo>
rary ammunition were exposed to the element still
raging. Soon after the barracks to the east and
west were in flames, the smoke re in redoubled
volume from the whole circle of the fort and roll
ing from the embrasures, it seemed scarcely posi-
Bile that the life could be sustained. Soon after
another column of smoke arose as fearful as the
first The guns had long been completely silenoed,
and the only option left to the tenants Of the fortress
seemed to be whether they would perish or surren-
der.
At quarter to one O'Clock, the staff from which
the flag still waved, was shot way, and il was long
in doubt whether, If there was the ability to re-
erect it. But at the expiration of about twenty min
utes it again appeared upon the eastern rampant,
and announced that resistance was not ended In
the meantime, however, a small boat started from
the city wharf bearing Colonies Lee. Pryor and
Miles, Aids TO Gen. Beauregard with offers of assis
lance, ifperchance the garrison should be unable to
escape the flames. As they approached the fort the
flag appeared, and, the firing from our batteries
was undated they started to return, and had pro-
gressed perhaps the larger portion of the way when
a shout arose from the whole circle ofspectators on
the island and on the main land, announced that the
white flag of truce was waving from the ramparts.
A small boat had already been seen to shoot out
from Cummings Point, in the direction of the fort
in which stood an officer with white flag upon the
point of his swerd This officer proved to be Col.
Wigfall. Aid to the Commanding General who, en-
terlng through port hole, demanded the surrender.
Major Anderson replied that "they were still firing
on him." "Then take your flag down" said Col.
Wigfall ''they will continue to fire upon you so long
as that is up" And further intercourse, resulting
in surrender of the fort upon terms definitely
ranged by Major Jones' the Chief of Gen. Beaure- |
gard staff was held, which will be more distinctly
set forth in other portions of the paper The boat
with other Aids from Charleston, hal returned, and
receiving Col Wigfall, they all came over to the |
city; and thus naugurated the closing act in the |
military drama.
In the afternoon Major James, Coils. Chestnut and |
Mennin, with other officers and the Chief of the |
Fire Department and the Palmetto Fire Company,
went down to Fort Sumter, and the details were |
We have not now the time to make
detailed description of the fort. 1t is enough to
state at present that the walls unlDjured. Up
on one of the faces Ito the west exposed to the
water battery, it had received eighty shots; the
other equally exposed to this battery and to Fort
Moultrie, had received more. Many of the doors to
the embrasures had been driven in but the perma-
nent injury was slight; the balls penetrated but
about or 10 inches, removing about half bushel of
material. The cornice of the parapet in many
places was knocked off but all the parapet guns
hsd been restored to their positions, and
heir carriages seemed then but little injured by the
James, The wall was most disfgured by the ball
ng from Cummings Point, but then there was lit
lie progress to a breach. Some of the easement
luns were dismOunted, and the devastation within
he fort was great, the gunners were covered with
of shells. The barracks were swept en-
irely away, and there was nothing left but loose
mass of brick and mortar. more del allied account
# the effect of the bombardment upon the fort will
e found elsewhere.
THE SCENE AT FORT SUMTER.