Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-16
THE GREAT EVENT AT CHARLES
ry-on N, os.r,.,,op Mercury ~ saturday

TON.
Iron the Charleston Mercury Of Saturday morning1
We stated yesterday that, Thursday, at o'clock,
D. m, General Beauregard had made demand upon
Major Anderson for the evacuation Of Fort Sumter
through his Aids, Colonel Chestnut Captain Lee and Col.
Chisholm and that Major Anderson had regretfuy de-
cined, under the circumstances of his position was,
however understood that unless reinforced he would ne
cessarily yield the post in few days-say by the l5h
An effort was therefore, made TO avoid engagement,
without mourning greater risk OF reinforcement AT
one and half m, Colonel Chestnut and Captain Lee
reached Fort Sumter from General Beauregard and we
gather, were prepared to enter into any arrangement
Tor nonacon to Fort Sumter if assistance were
given TO the efforts for reinforcement but posponement
merely to mature hostile plans impossible NO
satisfactory agreement being proposed and time De-
ing important, at three aud half O'CLOCK, a. m,
Major Anderson notified that at the expiration OF
an hour, the batteries would open their fire upon him.
The Aids then passed thence in boat TO Fort Johnson
and COL Chestnut ordered the fire to begin Precisely at
four and half O'Clock shell was fred from the signal
battery James Island which, making beautiful curve
burst Immediately above Fort Sumter. Within fifteen
minutes all the Carolina batteries in full play The
inhabitants Of Charleston forthwith thronged TO the East
Bay Battery aud other points of observation, ana excite
ment prevailed through the day amid various ana stirring
rumors put aloat from time to time. Major Anderson
having 70 oil to light up his classmates, and the morn
ing being slightly murky and dzzy did not respoL un-
I'll broad day At quarter before six he opened his fire
by a shot at the Iron Battery Cummings point; then
at Fort Moultrie; the Floating Battery located at the
west end of Sullivans Island the Dahgren Battery the
Enlade Battery, Maj Trapers Battery, and Fort John
SON. interpreting his attention by paying respects TO the
by mortar batteries, by which he is surrounded
II affords us infinite pleasure to record that Fort Mou
rie has fully sustained the prestige OF its glorious name
1t fred very nearly gun for gun with Fort sumter we
counted the guns from eleven TO twelve O'CLOCK and
found them TO be ~ to A. while the advantage was un-
auestionably upon the side OF Fort Moutre. In that
fort not gun dismounted not the slightest perma
nen injury sustained by any of its detences while every
ball from Fort Mourie left its mark upon Fort Sumter
Many of It's shells dropped into that fort and Lieut.
John Mitchell, the worthy OF that patriot sire VINO
has so noby vndicated the of the South has the
honor of dsmounng two of its parapet guns by SIN
gle shot from the Columbads, which at the time
he had the Office OF directing.
The famous iron batteries-the at Cummings Point
named for Mr.. c. ii. Stevens, the inventor, and the
celebrated Floating Battery constructed under the drec-
ton OF Capt Hamilton, have fully vindcatsd the cor
rectness of their conception Shot after shot fell upon
them and glanced harmless away, while from their favor
able position their shots fell with effect upon Fort Sum
ter and the south pancopee under the ire OF the
Stevens battery at nightal If not actually breached
was badly damaged At this battery the honor OF firing
the first gun was accorded TO the venerable Edmund
RuIin of Virginia who marched TO the rendezvous at
the sound Of the alarm Monday night, and who when
asked by some person who did not know him, TO what
company be belonged, REPLIED TO thG III winch tnere Is
q vacancy.
1t were vain to attempt an exhibition Of the enhus
asm and fearless iutrepdty Of citizens IN every de-
partment of this evenu day. Boats passed from post
to post without the slightest hesitation under the guns OF
Fort Sumter aad with high and low, old and young,rch
and DOOR, in uniform or without the common wish and
constant effort was TO reach the posts OF action aud
amid 6ombardment resisted with the most consum-
mate skill and perseverance, and with the most ecent
appliances Of military art and science, 1t Is most re-
markable circumstance and which exhibits tue mn
mite goodness of an everything Providence that, so far
as We have been able to learn from the most careful IN
ouiry not the ghtes. injury has been sustained by the
defenders of their country.
From the Courier of Saturday.
At the grey of the morning of Friday the roar OF the
cannon broke upon the ear. The expected sound was
answered by thousands. The houLes were in few min
ues emptied of their excited occupants aud the living
stream poured through all the streets leading 10 the
wharves and Battery. On reaching our beautiful prone
made we found it lined with ranks OF eager spectators
and all the wharves commanding view OF the battle
were crowded thickly with human forms. On no gala
occasion haze We ever nearly so large number OF
ladies' on our Baery o. craced the beeezy walk on this
eventful morning. There they good with palpitating
hearts and pad faces watching the white hce - 1t rose
in wreaths upon the soft twilight air. aud breathing out
aryeut PRAYERS for their gallant knsiok at the guns
o. what conflict ragged in those heaving b0soms be-
tween love for and sons and love for our com
mon mother whose nsulted ECnOr and mperled safety
had called her faithful children to the ens-EgDined hsid
At thirty minutes past four o'clock the coDbct was
opened by the scharge of she'll from the Ho"iIzer
Battery on James leland, under the command Of Cap
lin Geo S. James Who followed the riddled Palmetto
. the bloody battle fields OF Aesco
oarneI % 'N'S LGrmiI. messenger to MAJOR An
ne senu,g =. '"Hins explosion, wnich was
derson was ioho"eu oy r'-- atstcod IN front
caused by the blowing up OF a building
OF the battery
While toe white smoke was melting away into the air
another SHELL which Lieut.. W. Hampton Globes has the
honor OF having fred pursued its noseless way toward
the hostile fertilization.
The honorcd missiye described its beautiful curve
through the bamy air aud falling within the hostile fort
rcss catered its deadly contents in all directions. Fort
Moutre then took Up the tale Of death aud in moment
the guns from the redoubtable Gun Battery Cum
ings Point from Capt McCreadys Battery, from Capt
Jas. H4miton's Floating Battery, the EAhllde Battery,
aud other Notifications spit forth their wrath at the grim
fortress rising 80 dttilnty out OF the sea.
The batteries continued at regular intervals to becA iron
vengeance and still returned by the foo.
About hour after the booming began two balls rushed
kissing through the air and glanced harmless from the suc
coed bricks Of Fort Goure The embasures OF the hostile
fortress gave forth sound again till between six and
seven O'clock when if wrathul from enforced delay,
from casemate aud parape. the United States officers
poured storm of iron hail upon Fort Moure, Stevens
Iron Battery and the Floating Battery. The broadsde
returned with spirit by the gallant gunners at these
important posts
The firing now began in good earnest. The curling
white smoke hung above the angry pieces OF friend and
foe and the arring boom rolled at regular intervals on
the anxious ear The atmosphere charged with the
smell of vianous sapetre and as II IN sympathy with
the melancholy scene the sky covered with heavy
clouds and everything wore a sombre aspect.
boat bearing dispatches to General Beauregard, from
Morris Island reached the city about nine o'clock, re-
porting ali the batteries working admirably
that injured and that the men were wild with
enthusiasm.
short time after that happy news received, the
schooner Petrel from Hog Island Channel reported that
the shot from Stevens Iron Battery had told upon the
walls Of Fort Sumter. And also that Fort Moultrie had
sustained no damage.
About halfpast nine o'clock, Capt r. s. Parker re-
ported from Sullvans Island to Mount Pleasant that
everything in fine condition at Fort Aoultric and
that the soldiers had escaped unhurt
The dispatch stated that the embrasures of the
Floating Battery unchanged by the shock Of the
shot, and though that formidable structure had been
struck eleven times the balls had not started single
bolt Anderson had bis fire upon the Float
ing Battery and the Dahgren Battery, under command
of Lieutenant Hamilton. number OF shells had dropp
ed into Fort SUMTER and gun enbarbelte had been
dismounted.
The following cheering tidngs were brought to the
city by Col Edmund Yates Acting Lieutenant to DoZer,
OF the Confederate States Navy, from Fort johnson.
Stevens Battery and the Floating Battery are doing i'm
poant 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 the parspet, and
made it impossible to use the remaining ones. The
Howtzer Battery connected with the mpregnable Gun
Battery at Cummings Point, is managed with consum-
mate skill and terrible effect.
Eieuen O'eloek.-A messenger from Morris Island