Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-01-30

ed Tor nty years.
Charleston being the Commercial Emporium Of South
Carolina which the first State to go out" Of the
Uncn may be said to be the metropolis of secession
Her harbor, shallow bay with low marshy woods on
each sde which plentully supplied with racoons,
soirres rattesnakes and malaria contains the famous
Sumter. The town. built on promonotory jutting out
into the harbor, looks straight upon the sea- and the
battery from which the ladies waved their banker
chiefs curing the siege, lies along the waters edge and
forms the favorite promenade of the fair and gallant CT
| tizeEs.
The Fort is situated about five miles from the Bat
ery nearly half way between it and the mouth of the
bay, and more than mile from the Northern and
Southern shores. 1t is brick pentagon building built
upon artificial island and contains three tiers OF guns,
the TWO lower being 10 classmates, and the higher in
embrasures The former are protected by arched bomb
proof and rings the latter by paTapet eight feet high
! The number OF guns altogether is about l40 Round
the parade the mems quarters, and IN the centre
stand two furnaces for heating sbo. The magazines
capable Of containing 10000 pounds of powder with
a proportonae quantity of shot and shell.
During the SIEGE the garrison consisted only of one
major, three captains four lieutenans, sergeant
fifteen bandsmen and ffty-fve gunners, making total
of 49, or about sufficient 20 fight ten guns Upon this
work brought to bear fifty pieces of heavy artillery
from batteries erected on both sides OF the barber end
from Fort MCutrle, situated on the northern shore
1t is here unnecessary to describe the siege miDutey
but we may mention that on Thursday, the 18th April
General Beauregard made demand on Major Auder
son to surrender to which lie latter replied it would be
inconsistent with his duty to comp with that Under
the direction of President Davis, General Beauregard
Informed the Major that if he would evacuate the fort
when bis provisions exhausted, there would be no
! appeal to arms, This otar refused and the first
! Confederate gun opened fire on Friday morning the
| 18th, making the commencement of civil war in the
i United States.
The bombardment lasted during the whole day and
| following night when about nine O'Clock Saturday
morning column of smoke rising above the battle
' no fact hat was m fire
About ths time Col. Wiglal, adde-camp to the Cen
n eral and private Young, embarked in small boat, and
entering the fort through portfolio, demanded sur
render Maj. Anderson replied They are still firing
i on me- "lhen take down your flag" said Col Wig
fa they will continue to fire on you sd long as that Is
up After some explanations in the course OF which it
appeared that the small garrison were fast sufOcatng IN
the casGmaes the gallant commander agreed TO an IN
conditional surrender to Gen Beauregard, who, as Ool
Wigaf remarked, " is a solder and gentleman, and
knows how to treat brave enemy" A horse was the
only living thing killed during the b0nb2rdment This
is explained the hand by the guns in the en-
brasures having been scarcely worked at ALL while those
in the lowest tier the only ones used covered with
two strong boomb-proot arches and on the other, by
the protection afforded to the gCnners 10 the works on
Shore and from the long range at which the combaens
:, engaged.
Few persons are now admitted to the fortress but we
were allowed to walk the whole by the courtesy OF
the commanding officer AID must therefore speak of its
present condition with reserve, particularly at the
time writing OF the enemys largest vessels
OF off the harbOr aud Tor all We know, may be
meditatiDg dissent upon Charleston. 1t was quite
evident that the fort had suffered considerably both
side and out from the Confederate guns but by great
labor aud energy it has since been placed in complete
state Of defence and is garrsoned by fine body
q Of men as South Carolina Can produce.
At Charleston had opportunity OF visiting one
Of those societies for which organized throughout the
/ whole South for supplying the army with clothes
d The central depot situated in the middle OF the town
In the basement -four found large packages mark
ed for different regiments then at the seat of war
Up stairs several ladies engaged in arranging IL
lots " different kinds of uniform and measuring out
+ CLOTH flannel linen, cotton, to be made up by the
4 hands of the fairest in the land.
We learnt from those who have the superintendent
of this vast establishment that about 1000 ladies are
p daily employed at their sewing machines making differ
J. ent articles Of military attire The work OF the weeE
which had Just then elapsed consisted of 200 coats 80(
pairs of trousers 800 shirts, besides Worsted gloves TO
the winter stockings old pen and many articles which
A. were SOLD tor the benefit of the Society's funds
These establishments save the government enormou
sums of money and appear to be increasing in number
n and efficiency every day.
= The army, being composed in great measure ct vol
# unteers possesses the hearty sympathy and affection
the whole population, end as most families have NOR
than one Of its members at the war; the comfort Of th
soldier is not only universally considered subject
patriotic interest but also which eXces the anXle
, and stimulates the energy OF every household Whe
Il we met ladies who spoke with evident pride of tn
number Of coats trousers Shirts stockings, which the
u had completed, could help hoping that their
" full education that the had given them would not il
happier times be thrown away and that being ndepen
dent of taOrs, dress makers, and haberdaShers the
e would be able avoid many Of those mundane Difficult
d ties which usually beset frugal marriages. and inter
rupt "the course of true love- We may, perhaps, hav
h also expressed conviction that no "Mother OF Sc
VEN south Of the Ohio, could have to "a
1t ment" but that the daughters of the South having
emulaed the virtues and Spartan ortitude of Penelope
h would each be rewarded with many suitors and
n brave husband.
y During our tour we had many opportunities of dis
cussing question which is generally consi Tered to
J. the rock ahead of the COnfederates-namey the mean
!. Of providing the Siuews for carrying the
y The government loan simply consists 10 promise O.
the part of the lenders to subscribe specie, any crcua
10 ting medium, military stores produce, manua(
tured articles for which the borrowers give i'll reur
treasury notes bearing interest at eight per cent pc
annum, payable halt yearly, and for the ultimate re
as dempton of which the honor and wealth OF the natio
" are pledged Very large quantities of produce hav
in already been offered, and the Most complete coDdeDc
seems to pervade the minds of all investors as to the
ne fciency of the security The general determination
succeed and the Importance OF the issue involved is
at course the main foundation for this feeling disto
guished Senator from Tennessee 10 expressing his opiI
ion of these treasury bonds conveyed to pretty
recty what we found to be the general opinion through
out the country. lie said, ''There is but contlr
gency that can be thought Of upon the occurrence
of which these bonds may not be paid, may decline
re marketable value. That contingency is defeat
the pending struggle for independence which every
D. must perceive that shall all be irreVocaby ruined
IS and be alike stripped of freedom property and world
TesIectaoy.'' What may be the ultimate result {
this financial policy it is impossible to PREDICT but
could perceive in the minds OF those most Interested
misrust in its soundness The banks have, OF cOurs
suspended specie payment. In this they suppore
Inv hp VIII