New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-19

another boat with Capt. Pelouze and an aid The
party were met at the fort by Col. Olmstesd, and
the immediate and unconditional surrender of the
fort and garrison was demanded and agreed to-the
uDimportant articles Of the signed memorandum
not deserving the name OF conditions The follow
ing is copy:
TSRss oy CAprrI.r.oS AGREED uros yon TMn Sun.
nsSpER TO the FoRcrs o. rHs UNITED srArEs OF
. FoRr PULASKI. CoksPUR ISLAND, GBoRGiA
Article Tho Fort, Armament and Garrison to be sur
'ncr 70 vac or.e. d =, Tue . np,ea ~ S q, h.
allowed to take with them all their private efec such ~
clothing bedding books &c. Thi' not to incnds private
weapons.
ARTICLE The sick and wounded under charge Of the hos
truce truce 70 the conss ss and az the sam. time the mon
so~ed to send letters they may desire subject to
signed .hi. the Ith day Of April 1862 at Fort Pulaski,
CHAs H. OLMsTEAD.
| Colonel 1st Volunteer Regiment Of Georgis,
Commanding Fort Pulaski
| Brigadisr- General Volunteers,
| Commanding United States Forcss
| Tybce Island, Georgia
Thea terms were communicated to Gen. Benham
and approved by him. The 9TH Connecticut voun-
teers, Col. Terry were Immediately ordered to gar
rson the fort post of distinction which their faith
full services in the erection Of the works and gallant
conduct in the batteries nearest aud most exposed TO
the fire Of the fort had honoraby earned, and which
all the rest Of the troops very heartily envied them.
Moreover, good soldier was wanted for the CON-
mand of 90 important position and Col. Terry was
personally entitled to the honor. Another boat was
sent over with the regmena colors of the 9Th Maine
under charge of Capt. Macarthur of that regiment,
in recognition Of his services and those Of his men in
Battery Sigel; and with them the colos of the Vol
unteer Engineers. Both were hosted together
Gen. Gilmore having returned the fort remained in
command Of Major Halpine. Twas fortunate enough
to croes in tho boat which carried the coors, and
witness the formal surrender BY Col. Olnstead to
Major Halpins. The garrison paraded, arms
were stacked the troops addressed by their late CON-
msnder in a brief and sensible speech, and tho Off.
GERS delivered their swords to Major Halpine in
quarters.
Tie latter ceremony was lirtc sngular-nearly
every officer saying few words AS he gave up his
weapon. Some Of the speeches were in bad enough
taste, but Col. Olmstead, who has the manners Of
gentleman resigued bis with expressions which in
another cause would have been a credit to him ~
.oldier Major Halpine replied briefly and well, the
swords were piled on table, the officers allowed the
limits Of the island on parole and tie ceremony was
complete.
Three hundred and sighty-,hree prisoners, forty
seven cannon, and large quantities OF ammunition
and provisions were captured with the fort. All the
stories about deficient supplies were without founda-
ton. Not less than io0cO pounds Of powder were
found in The magazine with shot and shell in proper
ton. Three hundred barrels Of beef and pork, 2S,-
600 pounds Of hard bread and rice sugar coffee, and
olhey stores showed sufficiently that the garrison was
not starved ont. Then why did they surrender
The answer is to be found in the condition Of the
fort. breach had been made 10 the southeast face
near the angle through which the shot and she'll had
begun TO rake the interior Of the fort, endangerny
the magazine which was dsgonally opposite and in
the walls Of which formidable breach was already
began. Col. Olmstcad surrendered because he be-
lieved that the IRE Of another hour would have blown
up the fort. No; of the garrison wss killed and
only three were wounded.
! The resul, Of the efforts to breach fort Of such
strength at such distance confers high honor OH the
engineering skill and selfreliant capacity of Gen.
Gilmore. Failure in All attempt made in opposition
TO the opinion Of the ablest engineers in the army,
would have destroyed him. Success, which in this
case is wholly attributable to his talent, energy, ard
independence, deserves a corresponding reward.
The reduction Of this fort has precedon, iii the
history Of ratification and is likely to effect revo.
luton in the system Of land defenses equal to that
produced in naval defenses by the conflict OF tue
Monitor aud Merrmsc. Brick is erthan stone,
but neither can stand against rfed artillery. The
guns which contributed most TO the preaching of the
wall were those which carried the James projectiIe
That was the testimony of the officers in the fort
and in the thickest Of the ruins was always these
shot which we found most abundant.
Inside the fort iis appearance was sufficiently
runous Eleven guns were disabled, the parapet
and trayerses on all sides shattered the area torn up
by shot and she'll and covered with bricks and irag-
ments, the bndages the casemses OF the gorge
curtain splntered and shivered, and the brickwork
everywhere was rent and crushed by shot. Ibe wall
of the magazine badly crushed the casernntes IN
,be rear in ruins, and 70 much rubbish under the
blindages that il was difficult to pass beneath them
On the angle where the breach was made, the
wreck was nearly complete. Another hour would
probably have opened the wall from parapet to base
The ditch, twenty feet in width, nearly filled
with the fragments of the wall, and the rtormug
marty would have found bridge already made for
their advance. In the casemaes the guns were
buried out Of sight, and the arches looked just ready
10 tumble. The shot which damaged the walls OF
the magazine opposite, entered through the csemstes
Of this angle, not over the parapet.
Col. Terry took possession OF the fort with his
regiment and one company Of tie 30 Rhode Island
at 10 o'clock that night-Major Halpine having up
to tina, time been in sole possession. This morning
Gen. Hunter aud Gen. Benham came up on the
Mcclellan, and spent couple Of hours examining
the place. No suitable flag having been raised
Gen. Hunter ordered the McClelan's ensign to be
boisted ON the old flagstaff from which the Rebel