The New York herald., 1863-10-30

| The ominous silence which has for some time
prevailed at Charleston is broken. The Rich
mond Enquirer informs us that on Monday
morning last, at eleven o'clock General Gill
more's batteries Gregg and Wagner opened
fire upon Forts Sumter and Johnston, and that,
without damage to the rebels, the firing had
continued till dark, when it ceased. Two MoI-
tors were also engaged. The rebels replied
from Moultrie.
The firing against Sumter was probably for
the purpose of ascertaning whether the rebels
had been engaged in the construction Of sand
battery among the ruins of the fort, and, II so,
what progress they had made in the work.
From the fact that there was no response from
Sumter, we conclude that either they were pre-
maturely interrupted or that the enemy had
abandoned the project as unadvisable. We
cannot imagine, however, that General Gill
more has all this time, since his occupation Of
the head of Morris Island, been engaged in
planting his heavy batteries for the lombard
ment Of Forts Sumter and Johnston. On the
contrary, we suspect that this firing of Monday
last was only the preliminary warning Of an
impending bombardment of Charleston itself.
These batteries Gregg and Wagner are mile
and half nearer than was the "Swamp An
gel" when it discharged its experimental in
cendiary shells into the very heaft of the city.
From Gregg and Wagner, therefore, there can
be NO doubt Of the fact that Charleston may be
reduced to ashes.
Whether this shall be done or not by Gene
| raj Gilmore is purely military question
The South Carolina chivalry have dcHantly
proclaimed that they will themselves destroy
the city before they abandon it to the hated
Yankees, if compelled to abandon it after ex-
haustings all the means Of defence. It ispro-
bable, therefore, that General Gilmore will at
once submit to General Beauregard the alter
native of surrender of the city and its de-
fences or its destruction. The question then
recurs, what advantage will be gained by this
expedient of destruction2 The Notifications
which defend the harbor will still remain in the
hands Of the enemy, and we shall be no nearer
to its possession than before. But, on the other
hand, of what use will all this elaborate system
Of Notifications be to the enemy when the OBJ
ject for which they were Charleston
shall have ceased to be?" At all events, it is our
impression that General Gillmore's new bate
ries, now ready for action, have been erected
for the purpose Of bombarding Charleston, and
that he will act upon the idea that if the cap
ture of the intervening rebel forts and batteries
will give him the city, the destruction Of the
city will necessitate the evacuation of the
forts.
Whatever may be the designs of General
Gilmore, we are gratifed to hear that he has
broken the long interval of silence which has
pre-ailed at Charleston; for, if he should do
nothing else, in giving the rebels active and
earnest employment there he will divert
to or retain at Charleston some consider
able detachments of their forces, which
might otherwise be sent to the support
Of Bragg. We expect, however, some
thing more important than mere military di-
version at Charleston this tiYe-some results,
in short, which will very materially simplify the
work Of the Army of the Potomac and tho
western armies of General Grant.
Meantime, If regarded only as a military d.
version, we think the Army Of the Potomac is
doing good service in pushing forward close
| upon the heels of General Lee. But as there
/
campaigning weather in Virginia, judging from
the last two autumnal seasons on the Kappa
hammock, and as each of the two hostile armies
appears to be man9uvring for the vantage
ground of a battle field, we may perhaps have
a decisive general engagement between Meade
and Lee before the return of Christmas All
the roads in Eastern Virginia were in good
order for military operations when General
Burnside, on the 18th Of December last, at
tempted to carry the heights Of Fredericksburg
by storm. Beyond that date experience ad-
monishes us Of the suspension Of all military
operations between Washington and Richmond,
from the embargo Of the rains, SHOWS, thaws
and mud of Virginia winter.
In the Southwest, on the other hand. our ex-
perience is in favor Of an active winter cam
paign. The winter was far advanced when
General Thomas won our first positive and i'm
portant Western victory of Mill Spring, and 1t
was on the I'd Of January last that Bragg was
driven from Murfreesboro. Our latest news
from Chattanooga and East Tennessee indicates
anything but a suspension Of active operations
In that quarter. 1t encourages the belief that
the preliminary movements Of grand and de-
cisive campaign are being carried out, and
with every promise Of complete success. This
cheering prospect in the West is now extended
to Charleston In the East, and we expect soon
to hear such tidings from the cradle of the
rebellion as, East and West, will wonderfully
shorten its road to the grave.
THE LECTURE SEAsos.-New York has never
been great place for lectures. The reason
is that the people are so busy with the
engrossing thought Of making money that
they have very little time to devote to
this sort of amusement. But these money
making people sometimes o'erleap them
selves. Some of the lectures announced in this
city are well worthy of encouragement and At