Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-08-28
SIEGE or CHARLESTON.

FLAasutr DfNsNoRE,
ma Me- IsIa,N A. ~ lI

Rsry ia the morning Gen Gilmore opened All his bot.
teries upon Fort Sumter, firing over toit Wegnu ana
the intermediate space. About thr sane time fn0'd
up the cnufe available naval force leading WIN my has
In the weehavken, followed by the Caiskll Nohant aud
Montauk the passaic fsapsco IN reserve Tor sum
ter the Ironsides 10 position opposite Fort wagner and
the gunbost named in the matgin a. long range w -
Cansnadaigua, Greens Mahaska Creighton
Cameron a Hayes Ottawa, l. Davis; Dachirg
l. Chaplin, Jondono, Broadhesd. As the tide closed the
weehavksn was closed to about $50 yards Of Wagner
the other three monitors followed and the Ironsdes
taken her seat draught Of would permit
Aher steady and well directed lire, Wagner was.
sienccd about 93) A. NJ, and that Of our iron vessels
was slackened in consequence In the meantime the
FIRE ofour shore batteries working effectively upon
the gorge Of sumter which appeared to haye been
strengthened In every possible At this time the
flag shifted in N Passaic, which with the Paapsoc,
both having rAed guns, steamed Up the ehannel until
within two thousand yard Of Sumter, when FIRE OPP
ed the gorge angle aud southeast point u the work
The Patapsoc hred very well, and is believed % have
struck the south east part nine consecutive limos TO
all this Sumter scarcely replied. Wagner was 81
fenced, and Battery Gregg alone maintained deliberate
fire at the Passac and PAiapsoQ.
twas noon, the men had been hard at wofkfrom
day break and needed rest so Withdrew the vessels to
give them dinner.
During the afternoon our shore batteries continued the
FIRE at Sumter with little or reply from the enemy,
and cuntented myself with sending up the passac and
PatApsco to prevent Wagner from repairing damages
The fort replied brisky but In ahorl time left oil firing
am not able TO state with the result OF the
days work. but am we'll satisfied with what distant
view Of Sumter allowed Our entire power not yet
developed as II will be daily, while the enemy is dam
aged without being able 10 repair The officers and
Of the vessels have done their duty WE'LL aud will eonu
ne to do 20. All went we'll with save sad eNcep
ton. Capt Rodgers, my chti u staff killed. Wcu
as Paymaster Woodbury., who was standing near him.
Captain Rodgers had more than once atked on this oc
csson II he should go With me as usual, resume the
command Of his vessel the Caiskl and he repeated the
query twice during the morning, the last time the
deck Of the Weehavken while preparing 20 into
action. In each instance replied, edo you choose"
He finally said WELL will go in the Catski and the
next time with you
The WeehAwken was lying about 1903 yards nom
Wagner, and the Catsl, with my gallant friend, just
inside Of me the FIRE Of the fort coming in steadily OH
serving the tide 70 have risen little directed the Wee
hawken to be carried closer and the snchor hardly
weighed when noticed the Catski also under way
which l remarked to Capt Calhoun.
1t occurred to that Capt. Rodgers detected the
movement Of the Weohavken and determined o. be
closer 10 the enemy II possible My attention called
of Immediately to position for The Weehawken and
after 1t reported that the Catskil going
Of action with signal flying that her captain Elsa
abled. He was killed instantly Ii is but natural that
should feel deeply the loss thus sustained for tho close
and confidential relations which the duties " the fleet
captain necessarily occasioncd impressed me deeply with
the worth Of Capt Rodgers. ave, intellgent and
highly capable, devoted his duty and the ag under
which he passed his life the country cannot afford to
lose such men Ola kind and generous nature, he was
alvAYs prompt TO give relief whtn be could have de-
cided that all respect be aid to his remains and The
country viii not am sue omit to honor the memory
Of one, WHO has not spared bis life in her hour OF trial
tsigned) JOHN A. DAHLGREN.
Rear Admiral Commanding South Atlantic Bockading
Squadron.
Herald states tina. the fire Of our batteries
still continues and the masonry of Fort Sum
ter is gradually crumbling to pieces. The
rebel rag was twice shot away on the 18TH
but was re hoisted. A violent storm ragged
on the 18th and continued on the 18th. The
land batteries, however, have got perfect
range and are demolishing the gorged walls.
The holes are deepened, the assures wdened
al t.I g.
since yesterday The parapet is completely
demolished and the abutment at the south
east angle, mostly torn away. Breaches are
made through which our proectiles fly crush
ing the opposite wall. They can be plainly
seen Two deserters state that the effect Of
our shot on Fort Sumter was terrible and
that four men were killed and six wounded,
in Fort Gregg, and eighteen killed or wound
ed in Fort Wagner, on Monday. Lieutenant
Webb Of the 10th Massachusetts had his
head taken Oft, this morning, and four men
of his company we're wounded by the prema-
ture explosion of one of our shells. caused by
poor ammunition. Two men Of the Tooth
New York, we're also wounded. Lieutenant
Holbrook of the 80 Rhode Island battery was
wounded yesterday. The gale subsidized to-
day More guns were mounted on the Fort
opened vet. The numerous torpedoes are
now baimless. a, Hee,ive measures have been
taken To avoid hrm The health Of the
troops /, good and they are in excellent spir.
it's.
The Richmond papers contain the follow.
ing
Charleston. Aug. l8.-All day yesterda,
the bombardment was more furious than OF
any previous day. The Ironsides, six moni
tors and six gunboats, with all the enemy
land batteries opened on Battery Wagner a
daybreaR, throwing twenty shells per minute
at our works. This continued till | o'clock
when the fleet and land batteries turned tbei
attention to Fort Sumter. The Ironside
and Xix monitors approached within three
fourths of mile Of Sumter, and bat,ere,
vigorously against the south wall of the Fort
Sumter replied vigorously from the barbett
guns, the contest lasting about three hours
when the fee: having been struck very ofte,
stood out of RAJ 90 with flags ar half-mast.-
1t ia supposed that some high Yankee Office
has been killed. The enemy's land batterie
of 2OO.pounder Parrott guns ken, up a con
slant fire Yesterday and all last night Tn
roar Of cannon heard in the city was tire
menduous. The casualties at Sumter yester
day were one killed and thirteen wounded go
Al Ratferv Manner sover l. ;lio,i and ,,,on,,