Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-14
southern NEWS,

NEW YoRK. September l3-A Morris Island
letter of the 9th to the Herald gives an account
of the recent boat expedition against Fort Sum-
ter
The fotilla consisted Of fifteen boats manned
BY over 100 sailors, in command of Lieutenant
Villa ms, of the Wissahickon. and 100 marines
under Capt. Macauley. The entire force was
commanded by Com. Stevens, of the monitor
POtapscc.
The boats were towed to within a short dis
lance from the fort, from whence they advanced.
Three boats under Commander Williams, Lieu
tenant Reany and Ensign Porter, landed. and
the parties attempted to run up the ruins to the
parapet, when they were fired upon by musketry
and hand grenades thrown upon them. The
slope was so sharp that they were unable to reach
the parapet A signal was fired from the fort,
end in an instant all the rebel batteries opened
on the fort and shelled it terribly.
Three boats were destroyed, and all who land
ed we're killed or captured.
Lieut.. Bradford, of the marines, was mortally
wounded and captured. Commander Williams,
Lieuts. Reaney, Preston. Brewer, Bunce, DR..
Wheeler and Ensign Porter were also taken.
Forty or fifty soldiers and marines were killed
and wounded. The entire list of casualties win
number eighty.
The remainder of the party returned in safety.
A flag OF truce states that our captured officers
and men were in Sumter and well treated.
The Harald's letter states that it has been dis
covered that the old iron clad battery ut Cum
mings' Point. forms the cover of the magazines
of Fort Gregg. 1t affords a good cover to our
men, and has already sustained a heavy fire from
the rebel batteries, without the least damage.
The same correspondent highly e~ulogizes the
Ironsides, whose broadsides against Moultrie had
never been equslled in rapidity and effect. She
was not injured, though struck 200 times.
Tho Timoa eorrasnondant with tho Arpv of
the Potomac. writes under date of the 10Th that
it is believed that one corps of Lees army. or
about one-third of the army under Longstreet, is
moving to Richmond, thence to be transferred
two divisions of it TO the Southwest and one to
to Charleston.
Hood's division left Fredericksburg on Tuesday
last for Richmond and thence for Charleston
This seems to Indicate that the rebels III Virginia
will remain entirely on the defensive for the CON-
ing campaign which every one here counts upon
before winter.
A Washington special says:
Mrs. Leech. wife of the Superintendent of the
Tred@ar iron works has arrived from Richmond.
The evacuation of East Tennessee by the enemy
caused the greatest surprise hs all were snticipa-
ting a battle there instead of the peaceful occI.
patton by the Union forces.
Troops from Lees army had been arriving
quite freely. Their destination was unknown.
There was Il general belief that Charleston
would he captured.
1t is rumored that Secretary Chase will cele
brate the capture of Charleston by the resumption
of specie payments at the United States Treas
ury. The receipts of gold are said to be enor-
nous. and it is believed that if specie payments
were resumed the demand for gold would cease,
while the actual cost of the war would be re-
duced 81 ,000. 900 per week. The authority for
this statement is not very reliable.