The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-08-27
Then and NOW.

Then and VOW.
on the night o. December 26, 1860,
Major Anderson with Els little garrison
Of 90 men, abandoned an untenabls 20.
sition at Fort Monitria and took up lis
quarters in Fort sumter The move
ment was received with evident satisfac.
ton by the people Of the loyal States,
and With rage aud surprise By the reb-
els Shortly afterwards, the South Caro-
linians, under Beauregard, commenced
erecting batteries All around Sumter for
the purpose Of battering it down Maj
Anderson was not permitted 10 ere on
the rebels while ihus engaged, and they
were allowed TO finish their batteries,
mount their guns, prepare their ammu-
nitiou, and train their gunners, without
any interference Whatever. During the
interval Major Anderson was also EN-
ployed IN strengthening the Jefenses Of
the fort, but his little force made but
slow progress, and when at last the bat
tie was inaugurated he hadn't men
enough to man one quarter Of bis guns
IL WAS under such circumstances that
the FIRST bombardment Of Sumter took
place. We mention it, to show the
foundation there was for the braggado-
clio and gaseonadiug Of the rebels over
their success in capturing Il
Il i profitable to take retrospect Of
the past. now and then, that we may the
better appreciate the present, and exer-
else reasonable hope for the future
We have been greatly entertained our
selves in looking over the telegraphic
account Of the first bembardmen,, and
we thiuk we can afford our readers
with nothing that viii furnish than more
pleasure than by repub'ishing some of
those dispatches, that they may read
them in connection with those giving an
sA~sesa. ef .iso second bombardment
they are reaping The Nhirlwiud. Beau.
regard, who was in command then is in
command now Then he was the assail.
aut-aow he is the assai.cd. He has
had overtwo years, not only to make
Fort Sumter impregnable but also to
fortify every approach to il His star
as an engineer is paIing before that Of
Quincy Gilmore We think It win set in
darkness
In repu6lishiug the dispatches of 81.
two things must strike The attention Of
every one, via; srB
lst That the rebels realized they were
inaaigaratiag war" aud
I'd. The recklessness and boaStralness
with which they entered spon their work
Of blood.
The dispatches are so well calculated
10 awaken busy train Of thought tina,
no comments of oars are needed 10
arouse the attention Of those who read
them.
CHARLESTON, April l2-The ball is
opened War Is inaugurated. The bat
teries Of Sullivan Island. Norris Island
and other points were opened on Fort
Sumpeer at 4 O'Clock this morning. FL
sumter has returned The Gre aud brisk
cannonadiug has been kept up.
The military are Under orders and the
whole Of onr population are on the
streets Every available space facing
the harboT Is filled with anxious spccta.
tors.
CHARLESTON, April l2Fw
rtsv ngur gong on with intense earnest
ness aad viii continue all night
It's not improbable the fort viii be
carried by storm .I8I
The soldiers are perfectly reckless Of
tdeir hves, aud OF every shet iump upon
the rsmpar,s and then Jump down cheer.
ing. o woI 6
A party on the Stephens battery are
said 10 have played a game of cards da-
ring the hottest Of the 6re.
The excitement in the community is
indescribable. With the FIRST boom of the
gun thousands rushed from their beds to
the harbor front. and all DAY every avail
able space has been thronged BY ladies
and gentlemen, viewing the solemn SPEC
taele through their glasses
The thunder of the artillery can be
heard for fifty miles round, and the scene
is magni6cently terriblel
''Capt. Parker and Senator Wixfan. of
Beauregard's staff, amused themselves
by rowing about the harbor through the
hottest Ere
Senator ChesRat, another member Of
the staff Of Gen. Beaaregari, fred gun
by way of amusement, from Mt Pleas
ant, which made large hole in the
parapeG"
CHARLESTON, April'1S, N-Maj. An
dersOn is aemmed in BY ruins and Ere.
Every building in Sumter is burning.
He has blown up one or two to arrest