The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-01-18

New York early on Saturday morning, brIg--
, lng back in safety the two hundred iroC;,
anu four officers which embarked aweeh la,.
yious for the harbor of Charleston and TIE
reinforcement Of Major Anderson. Tie r
port Of Capt MCGOWAN TO the oWners i :,
follows
Steamship Star Of the Wes.t
New York, Jan. Is. lool.
Vi. o. RuBlRTS Esq. Sir-After leal.1s
the wharf on the 9TH inst. at five p n. y
proceeded or down the bay. where W il. w.
10 and took on beard four officers a:id "
/ hundred soldiers. with their arms. aIni.,.,
ton. ,Nc. ard then proceeded 10 SEA. cro>>.,-
the bat at Sandy Hook 9 p. n. Nott.l,.
unusual took place during the passasr. vi.
was pleasant one for this season OF =
wear.
We arrived off Charleston bar al - Be-
m. or the 9th, hut could find no GUT:
. marks for the bar, as the lights were a.. o.
We proceeded with caution. running y,.t
slow and sounding until about i 4. m. be.-,
then in four and a half tathoms of va
when We discovered light through the la
which al that time covered the horizon. Co.
cluding that the light WAS on Fort >:i,.- r
after getting the bearings OF It, We stood
the 5. ". for the main ship channel, VT
We hove TO to avail: DAYLIGHT. cur lights -
irc been all put out since twelve O'Clock :.
avoid being seen. AS the day began 20 b,,A
We discovered steamer just in shore OF l..
who. as soon as she saw US. burned one b.
light and two red lights as signalS.and 81 -
" after steamed over the bar and into =
ship channel.
The soldiers were snow all put below, .,
no one allowed on deck except our own crtH
As soon as there was light enough TO SET y.
crossed the bar and proceeded on up :,
channel. (the outer bar buoy having been =
, ken away.l the steamer ahead of Us seaG;r-
fl rockets and burning lights until aft
broad daylight, continuing on her cour>, -
near two miles ahead of US. When W a.
rived at about two miles from Fort Moul.r..
Fort Sumter being about the SAME di>taEr,.
a masked battery on Morris island. win,
there was red Palmetto flag tiying. o2er,
fire upon Us. the distance being about l,,-
Fights of mile. We had the American f..
fiyins at our flagstaff at the time. and 500,
after the first shot hoi>ted large Amer,a-
ensign at the fore. We continued on ~ p
the fire of the battery for over ten minut,>
several of the sho; going clear over US; a..
just passed clear Of the pilot hoase a.
er passed between the smoke stack a,lL 60.
walking beam Of the engine another :: I,
the ship just ahaft the fore rigging ard t,'t
in the rlanking /; another shot came Wit
an ace OF CARRYING away the ruidtr. u -
Sane time there was 4 movement %. -
steamers from near Fort Noultrie. or @:
them towing schooner, Il presume al ar1.-
ed schOoner,t @ith the intention OF cutting
us of. Our position now became rather CT
cal. as We had to approach Fort Noultre =
within lhree-quarters o. mile before "
! could keep away for Fort Sumter. \ Steam
er approaching US with ali armed Schooner =
tow. and the battery on the island firing a,
us ali the time. and having no cannon 10 g.
fend ourselves from the attacks of the yts-
sells. We concluded that TO avoid certain cap
ture ar destruction We would endeaycr 10 =;
TO SEA. Consequently We wore round de-.
stood down the channel, the battery fl.
upon us until their shot fell short. ~ "
was now strong eth tide. and the wafer fa'-
ing fallen some three feet, We proceeded "
caution, and crossed the bar safely al l.,
minutes past eight a. H., and continued ~
our course for this port, where We srCl's.
this Saturday morning. after bo!steIo-,
passage. 4 steamer for Charleston ioi.o"t-
US for abou. three hours, watching our mon
nents. IN JUSTICE to the officers and CIT" L
each department; OF ,hr ship, | must at! -,
tn, ir behavior while under the fire Of -
bat, cry reflected great credit on them
Mr. Bower. the New York pilot. was
great assistance to ME in helping l. =
lot the ship over the Charleston bar and n
and down the channel.
Very respectfully, your obedient ser.a'.,'
j. MCGOWAN, Captain.
\ CORES pondent of the y. \. tEeninS
Post was on the steamer and gives an me-
esting account of the voyage. HIS accoI'-
of the attack on the steamer We copy:
81 have never seen finer morning TIA;
the one which dawned upon US. The sH::
was clear, and the moon, faint crescent 81
silver, had Just arisen, and the low coas;
looked like a dense forest Of evergreen. Il
spires of Charleston became visible in tx
approaching daylight, and on the walls OF
Sumter We deserted the American flag float
ing in the breeze.
Now, "a O'Clock, We see the light house
and now too, We discover that the mystsrl-