Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-09-03
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
From Charleston Gen. Giiim0re's
official Report

OFFICIAL Report.
Headquarters Department of the South,
Morris Island, S c, Aug Oath, 1868,
SIR IL have the honor 10 report the
practical demolition of Fort Sumter, as
the result of our seven days lombard
ment of that work, including two days of
which a powerful north easterly storm
most seriously diminished the fury and eff
feet of our fire. Fort Sumter is to-day
shapeless and harmless mass of ruins My
chief of artillery, Col j n Turner, reports
its destruction so far completed that 1t is
no longer of any avail in the defence OF
Charleston.
He also says that by longer fire it
could be made more completely a rum and
mass of broken masonry, but could
scarcely be more poweress for the defence
of the harbor. My preaching batteries
were located at distances varying between
1880 and 1910 yards from the work and
are now as efficient as ever, | deem it
unnecessary at the present to continue the
fire upon the ruins Of Sumter | have
also at great labor and under a heavy fire
from James Island, established batteries
on my left, within effective range of the
heart of Charleston, and have opened with
them, after giving Gen Beauregard due
notice of my intention to do so. My mo-
titication to Gen Beauregard and his reply
thereto with threat of retaliation and my
rejonder have been transmitted to the
army headquarters. The projectiles from
my batteries entered the city, and Gen
Beauregard himself designates them as
the most destructive missiles ever used in
war. The report of my chef of artillery
and an accurate sketch of the ruins of
Sumter, taken at II M yesterday, SIX
hours before we ceased firing, are herewith
transmitted.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant.
Q A GILMORE,
Brig Gen Commanding.
Office of Chief of Artillery, Department
of the South, Morris Island, sc, August
ODD -
have the homer to report the effect
that our preaching batteries have had up
on Fort Sumter and the condition of that
work tonight.
At the close of the seven DAYS bonn
bardment, the gorge wall Of the fort is al
most complete mass Of ruins for the dis
lance of several classmates. About mid
way on this face the ramparts are removed,
nearly and in places quite to the arches,
and but for the sand bags with which the
classmates were filed. and which have
served to sustain the broken arches and
masses Of masonry, it would have long
since been entirely away, aud with it the
arches to the floor of the second tier of
casemates.
The debris on this front now forms a
rampant, reaching as high as the floor of
these classmates The parapet wall of the
TWO north-easterly faces is completely
carried away, a small portion only being
left in the angle made north The gorge
wall and the ramparts of these faces are
also a total luin. Quite one-half of our
projectles seem to have struck the parade
and parapet of these two faces and iudg-
ing from the effect they have had upon the
gorge wall, within our observation, the
destruction of masonry on these two sides
must be very great and am of the opin-
ion that nearly every arch in these fronts
must be broken in. But one gun renaIus
IN position on these two fronts and this is
IN the angle Of the gorge and | think un-
servlceable The RUIN extends aropnd.
taking IN the northeasterly face as far as
can be seen,
A portion of this face adons the angle
it makes with the southeasterly face, Is
concealed, but from the great number of
missiles which have struck in this angle
during the last Sc en- days, it cannot be
otherwise than greatly damaged, and do
not think any guns can he left on this
face, in a servlceabe condition. The
ramparts IN this angie as well as in the
south easteriy face, must he pIowed up
and greatly shattered. The parapet on
this latter tace is torn off in many places,
as We can see, and | hardly think the
platforms Of remaining guns on this face
could have escaped. With the assistance
of a powerful glass I cannot determine
that more than one of these guns can be
used, and 1t has been dlsmounted once.
The carriages of the others are evidently
more or less shattered, and such is the
parapet and parade in the immediate vi
ciuity OF this gun, that it probably could
not be served for any length of time.
In fine the destruction of the fort is so
complete that it is to-day of no avail in
the defense of the harbor of Charleston.
By a longer fire it can be made more com
pletely a ruin and a mass of broken ma
sonry, but could scarcely be more power
less for the defense of the harbor.
| therefore respectfully submit my opin-
ion that continuance of our fire is no
longer necessary.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JNo. n. Turner.
II