Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1863-09-03
CONFESSION OF A CHARLESTON
- LETTER WTlTER.

!. lamentations Opel. "Or I1oor s1Uttcteu
City, Dissafisfacfiom mh Beawega1a
-Opinions Of DahLg,een and Dupont.
An intelligent gentleman Of Charleston,
who has been from the first an earnest sup
porter Of the rebellion wrote the following
! letter to a friend in Philadelphia, which
reached him via Wilmington,
n. c., aud Nassua-Ed. PHILADELPHIA In
q,Gra'. ..-..
CuArLrsTox, August 8, 1868 Q c" o
Cur poor afflicted city is at present the
centre Of attraction of the whole Confeder-
! acy. The great struggle has come at last,
and fear the most disastrous results Will
follow. Yet our people have determined! on
|. a vigorous resistance. and will hight to the
last. Most Of the guns Of Fort Sumter are
being removed,to James Island, ami the
other works in course Of construction to har-
rass the Federal operations. The fort is being
strcng thenca in all conceivable ways by
sand bags, cotton bales, &C., and every pre-
caution has been taken to enable ii to show
fight, yet fear that it will be compelled to
succumb to the monster guns OF Gilmore.
Fort Moultric, you well know, cannot hold
ont for any length Of time, and good old
Pinckncy would crumblc as an egg shell at
the first attack. Our main dependence will
oc on our carthworks which have been clearly
demonstrated to be the only works capable
Of ciicctualy resisting heavy ordinance, not
withstanding "Bombastic Beaursgards skill
ful engineering.
The people are very much inccnscl at
Bcaurcgard. The Murcury is particularly
severe on him. lie has shamefnlly deceived
us with his everlasting braGsad1cia, which,
alas, will cost us dearly. ! would tina: the
authorities at Richmond had sent lis a leader
with more brains and less talk.
The reduction ofourcty is, in my opinion,
mere question Of time; though should even
Sumter fail, the enemy will have heavy work
yet before them 10 reach the city.
Still the Fcdcrals have obtained a foothoId
on Morris Island thanks to BeaurcgerI's en-
rinecring skill) from which | doubt his be-
ing aLc to dislodsc them. H..
The general impression prevailing here is,
that with the reduction Of Forts Sumter and
Moultric, the distractions will be removed,
and the New Orleans game played upon MS
Should such be the case, fear tic rash coun.
sci of the hot -hcalcd men in our midst will
prevail, aud our beautiful city will fall n vic
tim to the torch. .,....t
Dahlsrccu is not thought much OF here.
lie has by no means the ability OF Dupont,
but is simply working out the stru, ture OF
whicl, Dupont laid the foundation, yet he
will, no doubt take all the honors which oi
right belongs to another. 1t provokcs me to
see your Northcr parcrs giving himso much
credit for that which he docs not deserve.
Dupont was much admired and feared
here, and it was a relief to Ms to learn of bis
removal. He had great genius (nCtwthstand-
lug his reckless attack with his iron-cIadS,i
and tlat is mere than can be sail Of his sue
ccSSor
The loss Of Nicksburg and Port Hudson
was indeed fear full blow to orr hopes, as it
cuts It's off entirely from the country west OF
the Mississippi. Already are we beginning to
feel its effects, in the general rise pf the nee
essaries of life, for through Texas we obtain.
cd enormous supplies.
Should Charleston fall Mobile and VIII
mington will be our only ports OF entry, and
they, you may be sure, will not bc lett us
quietly long. - r. ~.
Our race is nearly run. tremblc Mt the
coming of winter; the suffering Will be ter
rible. business is, and has been at stand
still for some time. Ilaincs street is com
plctcy deserted. II is, indeed, - doomed
c ty. Would to God we could have peace
once more. am-wc are all--sick OF war.
The people are rapidly leaving the city g.
Our family left last week; Mr.-- viii fol
low to-morrow. None remain. but these too
poor 10 set away. ...r.:... ...,
Provisions arc very scarce and high. yet
we continue to get frum- all tile nxurieSi
said luXurirS being no more than what the
poorest Of your Northern men have daily,
yet our richest families can get no lcttcr.
ael orru +" %
| Bragg is an i.nbecilc; he will be supcrce-
I Ged by 'J"hnston, who, hyahe way has not
too many Ircn,is on account of his not show
/ ing tight at Ficksburg. The Southwest !,
lost to us beyond redemption. Lee and DA-
Wis are at losscrhoa'Is undoubtedly; wthcl
wishes to shoulder the Gettysburg failure
We are neck deep in themire, and fear oul
! end is not far on.
| . . IS :
81. The heat with MS is intense, and without
! ice we all but sntl',cttc; water does 1T seela
to qucnch ourthirst: but were that our only
! sl,tf,rings, we woHld indeed have reason tt
thank Go,l.' 10 60. 1-e. .Mgry R
! s.u 49, A------.s.------------------ . Us