The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-09-12
Why the Smelling Of the City was
Discontinued.

A gentleman of much intelligence, re-
Gently from Morris Island, where he had
unusual facilities tor observation and gath
ering information, has comm unicated to
with the siege of Charleston, which throw
much light on the state of affairs there
He informs us that the reason why Gen.
Gilmore did rot continue his lombard
ment of Charleston with the "Greek fire.
shells, was because the shells sent were ig-
nited on the percussion principle, and be
ing discharged from gun elevated at an
angle of thirty eight degrees, took their
flight at the same angle, with a longitude
nal rotary motion, base downward, and
therefore struck base downward instead of
upon the percussion end, and did not ex-
plode. Only two are known to have ex-
ploded-one which fell into warehouse
and another which fell into the street. This
peculiar motion and descent of the shell
was new discovery in artillery practice,
then for the first time made, and the Ord
nance Department was not furnished with
a remedy for the unlooked-for contingent
cy. To this fact alone Charleston owes the
delay of the hour of it's doom.
Time fuses, which will set matters all
right, were at once sent for, and have
doubtless arrived at Morris Island before
this, and very likely Charleston is at this
| moment experiencing the dreadful effects
of Il shower of Greek fire. shells, fifteen
hundred Of which have been ordered for
the commandment of that nest of treason.
The gun from which the shell was first
fired was oO-pounder Parrot, which can
throw shell no less than seven miles when
they are aimed at an angle of forty five
degrees. The first shells went over Charles
ton, the gun being aimed at too sharp an
angle. Our readers will be pleased to learn
| that Gen. Gilmore has no less than thirty
Parrot guns mounted that will throw the
| shells plump into Charleston. Also that
the use of Greek fire shells to bonn bard
that rebel stronghold was personally or
dered by President Lincoln. The Greek
fire burns for twenty minutes. 1t will burn
on the water as we'll as on land, and each
shell covers surface OF one hundred
square feet with fame. The shell bursts
into about one hundred and twenty pieces,
or ten times as many as the ordinary shell.
OF course the effect OF these shells will be
to set Charleston in flames, which nothing
can Subdue.
In addition to the Greek fire shells, large
quantity OF mprovedShrapnel shells, made
10y the inventor of the Greek fire shell, and
containing from five hundred to one thou
sand bullets each, have been sent to Morris
Island, to be transferred thence into the re-
bellious city in manner not very pleasing
to the enemy. These shells are fired with
time fuses, and are very destructive of life.
The celebrated 800 pound Parrot gun
which GenI Gilmore has, weighs n, coo
pounds. 1t took two thousand men nine
nights to get the monster into position, the
drag teams breaking down seven nights in
succession, the enemy Smelling the party all
the while, and mon being killed nightly
Nothing was done with it by day, the gun
being covered with bushes to conceal it
from the enemy's fire. The diameter of the
| bore is ten inches, the charge of powder Is
pounds, and the shell that goes out of it rs
high as -four barrel, weighs 300 pounds,
and contains II pounds of mortar powder.
The execution of one of these shells on Sum
ter is considered equal to three 900 pound
shells. But two of these immense rified
guns have been made, although twenty
| more have been ordered for the army.-
None have been ordered to the navy.
Genl Gilmore at first had only one, bu;
another has just been sent to him. The
900 FOUNDER when it eX ploded was in charge
OF an infantry captain, who had never fired
a cannon before in his life. He was eau.
TONED that some accident would happen i
ne was not very careful. On the twenty.
NTH round, the shell, containing II pounds
OF powder, was filed, the percussion fuss
was screwed halfway down, and could no
be got any further, when the Captain said
Let 1t go ut that" The consequence WA
that when discharged the fire communicat
ca down by the thread to the shell, causin,
Inc latter to explode before il left the gun
ana breaking off 20 inches Of the muzzle-
: me gun was repaired and got ready 10
use again in two days. II burst on Frida,
: at IL o clock, and was firing again on Sun
sday az well as ever These guns have beel