The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-01-23
The Star Of the West.
Fall Particulars Of Her Attempt to Euter Charleston
Harbor.

Harb0r
The N. Y. Ecening Post had special COR
respondent. on boaid the Star of the West
on her fasStrip to Charleston Harbor, from
whose very interesting account of the entire
cruise, we copy so much as relates TO the
attempt to enter the harbor:
WEDNESDAY, Jan. o.
! awoke at three o'clock this morning and
went Immediately to the upper deck. where
! I found the Captain, Mate. Pilot and two
military officers learned that we arrived
in the vicinity of the Charleston bar about
midnight; that all the coast. lights had been
extinguished, and that thus far it had been
impossible to find the main channel 1t is
CIV ident from these indications that the hes
pitable South Carolinians do not mean that
we should, 60 in without salute. ..-
A light was seen off the C ,ast, but we
could not make out what it was. A little
after three clock we discovered the light on
Fort Sumpter, and with these exceptions
everything was dark. twas, of course, i'm
possible to get over the bar without the light
house, and so we awaited the break of day
have never seen finer morning than
the one which dawned upon US. The sky
was clear and the moon. faint crescent of
silver, had just risen, and the low coast look
ed like dense forest of evergreen. The
spires of Charleston became visible in the
approaching daylight, and OH the walls of
Fort Sumpter we deserted the American flag
floating in the breeze.
Now, about 61 o'clock, we see the light
house and now, too, we discover that the
mysterious light just mentioned. was that of
steamer at our right. Now the situation
of the channel is ascertaincd, and we are
under way and now the steamer at our
right is burning red and blIe lights. and now
she sends up rockets. There j. no mistaking
her movement she is giving TIE ala.m sig
nal to Fort Moultrie
On we GO the soldiers are below with
loaded muskets, and the officers are ready to
give the word if there is anything to do
Now, it is broad daylight, and we are max ;ng
directly in to the guns of Fort Moulre,
whose black walls are distinctly visible. The
little steamer at our right is burn NC a signal
light aft, and is making all possible headway
up the harbor. Now, we discover a ,cd Pal
metto flag at our left on Morris Island, at a
little village called Cummings Point, and ap
parcntly but little more than mile from
Fort Sumpter. s.. ...o.
Is it possible that those fellows have got
a battery off here ? asked one.
"No," answers another there is no bat
terv there"
But there is. 1t is now quarter past
seven, and we are about two miles from Fort
Sumpter and Moultrie, which are equi distant
from us, and, suddenly. whiz comes q
richochet shot from Morris Island. 1t plung
es into the water and skips along, hut falls
short of our steamer. The line was forward
of our bow, and was, of course, an invitation
to stop. But we are not ready to accept the
lproffered hospitality, and the captain pays
no attention to it. except to run up the stars
and stripes at the masthead-the garrison
flag mentioned before. a moment of anx-
ious suspense, and bang goes aheavy can
non from the same masked battery. The
shot falls short of US a hundred yards or
more, and bounds clear over cur vessel aft,
nearly on line with the head of sailor,
but luckily, little above it.
On we go, and whiz-z again goes the
smaller gun first fired, and another richo chet
shot skips along the water and falls short
of us. ....
"Booh :" eXclaims the captain; you must
give us bigger guns than that, boys, or you
cannot hurt us.
On we go without needing the compli-
ments Of our Charleston friends. Another
moment and bang again goes the heavy gun.
), The ball now strikes our ship il the fore
chains, about two feet above the water. A
seaman was holding the lead to take the
soundings, and the ball struck directly
under his feet. 1t is not surprising that,
under the circumstances, Jack was strongly
inclined TO take to his heels, and he begins
to scramble up with might and main, when
the captain assures him that there is no dan
ger, one ball having struck so near him on
the principle, suppose, that lightning never
strikes twice in the same place Jack, reas
sared, patiently takes his place and drops
the lead again.
The ball, fortunately, was too far spent to
go through the side of our vessel, although
it left an honorable scar
i The battery continues to play upon usl
and huge ball comes clean over us mean
the wheel house We are not yet within
range of the guns of Fort Moutrie, and yon
der is cutter in tow ola steamboat, prepar
ing to open fire upon us. A moment longer
and we shall be in range Of these three bat
teries The gunners on Morris Island are
growing confident if they get the right
range they will send shot through our side
scattering death and destruction. Moultrie
directly in front, will bring her heavy guns
to bear and will drive their deadly missiles
into our bow, while the cutter will open on
, our right. "
Why does not Maj. Anderson open fire
; upon that battery and save us? We look
, in vain for help; the American flag flies from
} Fort Sump.er, and the American flag at our
bow and stern is fired upon yet there is no,
} the slightest recognition of our presence from
the fort to which we look for protection
The unexpected battery on Morris Island has
cut off all hope of escape by running the
vessel aground near Sumpter and taking to
the boats. Is it possible that Fort Sumptc,
! has been taken by the South Carolnians
Ifit has not, why does not Maj. Anderson
. show that he will protect us, or at least rec.
ognize us in some way? To go within range
of the guns of Fort Moultre is to expose YES.
sci, men and stores to almost instant des.
, truction, or to capture by the enemy.
''Helm out of port ~ shouts the captain
. and the Star of the West is turned abou,
without any great loss of time. as you may
well imagine. We turn without aceiden,
and steam away, with the stars and stripes
still floating, and the battery still playing
upon US by way of a parting salute.
As we steam away the steamer near Moul
trie having the hostile cutter in tow, steam
away into Swash channel, evidently viii
| the intention of cutting off our retreat bu