Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-17

AFFAIRS NEAR CHARLESTON We do moi
get the news from Charleston for which all
are now looking. Report said the great at
tack on forts Sumter and Wagner was to
have been made last Thursday; but this
came from some of the letter writer's, and as
merely their inference or guess. 1t is not
likely that Gen. Gilmore and Admiral Dahl
gren had failed to keep their own counsel, or
that the letter writers could know precisely
when the attack would be made. 1t may
have taken place last Thursday or Friday, and
may not take place for some days. \ letter
| in the Baltimore American has the follow
! ing = ,, r,,,,,,- ,,,,rv
Admiral Dahlgren has organized most
efficient naval picket; it consists Of eight i'm
| mense launches, each carrying about twenty
| armed men. and boat hOwltzer, to act in con-
| junction with two OF the monitors They go
| up sufficiently in the advance towards Sumter
to prevent any communication with Cum
mngs Point, and also to guard the moorng
buoys which have been laid for the monitors to
make fast to in the approaching attack In
conjunction with these naval pickets Gen.
GilmOres scouts cooperate.
THE IRONsIDEs.
The manner in which the armor of the Iron
sides has thrown off the rebel shot causes
general satisfaction, though she has not been
closer than eighteen hundred yards to the
rebel batteries. Most of the heavy shot have
crumbled to pieces on her solid sides, and the
riiied shot have only made indentauons, with
out doing the slightest damage. She has re-
ceived two l0-iuch shot on her port shoppers,
and even there they made only indentations,
without doing any harm to them The steel
pointed shot have made cuts about one inch
deep She will, however, be tested within
eight hundred yards when the great assault is
made.
A FLAG OF TRUCE TO FORT WAGNER.
Admiral Dahlgren sent flag of truce to
fort Wagner to-day, in charge Of fleet captain
George w. Rogers, accompanied by ensign
Larue 7. Adams. They proceeded in one Of
the elegant ten cared cutters OF the Wabash,
the crew being dressed in white, with white
caps and collars trimmed with blue. The
captain and his lieutenant were accompanied
by tug, and proceeded slowly towards the
| front of the fort, when they were stopped by
shot passing about ninety feet above their
bows. Captain Rogers then anchored his boat
| and sent his tug back, when another shot was
fred across the bows OF the cutter. There
| ildu DeFu no SlSudl gwen OF any OtueI iilulCd-
| ton Of desire for them to stop.
After waiting about twenty minutes, Col.
Tracy, with four or five officers, came TO the
beach and invited our party ashore. Colonel
! Tracy was the spokesman, and advanced and
| shook hands, but the others held back. All
OF them seemed morose and gloomy. Capt.
Rogers, after delivering the letters with which
he was intrusted, prepared to depart, asking
no questions or entering into any general
conversation. The letters delivered were
supposed to be copies of the presidents proc
lanlation with regard to negro troops, and a
letter from Admiral Dahlgren in relation tt
the fate OF the Wabash's launch.
sHARrsHooTERs AT WORK.
There has been considerable sharpshootine
practice between our pickets and the garrison
at Fort Wagner. The naval battery is within
five hundred yarCs of Wagner, and they hav,
made great exertions to interrupt our working
parties by these means. Gen. Gilmore &C
cordingly organized a company of sharp
shooters, selecting the best shots from tn
different regiments, who have been doing eff
cient service. The rebels had one man. sal
10 be Texan, who was a dead shot, and VIII
was kept constantly in the rifle pits, and ha
wounded several of our men. A member @
the Fourth New Hampshire, who is said to b
the best shot on Morris Island, had been watch
ing for this man tor four days, and on Frida
managed. to get bead on him, and put hi
ball through his forehead, killing him il
stantly.
Aug. 1o.-After the cannonade Of yesterda
morning all was quiet up to shutdown, whe
the rebel batteries opened with considerabl
/ energy, and threw shot and shell to all poin
of the compass. This continued throug hol
most of the night, and some vigorous blow
were given in return from our batteries. A
daylight this morning, as consequence OF tn
nights work, large number OF rebels, wit
ladders and ropes, were observed working o
the land side Of Sumter. The wall appeare
broken, and has doubtless received som
rough handling during the night.
The final arrangements for the grand assau
are now making both on land and water, an
all Is confidence and graduation. 1t will b
: glorious fight and glorious privilege +