The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1863-08-29


the rebel flag is permitted to fly above its ruins.
On Sunday night last, under cover Of the dark
ness, Admiral Dahlgren went up the harbor with
five monitors, and fired upon the Northeast face
of Fort Sumter, for an hour or more, making some
good shots, at distance of about eight hundred
Yards. The attack was made at about three O'Clock
in the morning, and created no little alarm among
the rebels in the encircling batteries. The fog
obscured the rebel vision, and when they opened
fire they aimed at the flashes Of our heavy guns,
and of course did us little or no damage. The
monitors were continually in motion, and thereby
ESCAPED the greater portion of the shots directed
against them. Some of them were hit several
times, but sustained no serious injury. Fort
Moultrie, Battery Bee, and the Mount Pleasant
Battery maintained for an hour or more terrific
fire. Without paying attention to their furious
canonade, the monitors threw shell after shell
against the shattered walls of Sumter, and opened
new breaches in its walls. The Fort fired but
three shots in return, merely to say that it was
still occupied The fog having become more
dense, after an hours firing, the action ceased on
both sides, and the monitors waited for daylight
to come out. Atabout six O'Clock the fog thinning
somewhat, the ironclads moved slowly out, under
heavy fire from the batteries on Sullivan's Island
and Battery Gregg on Morris Island, which repeat
edly struck them, but did no damage. One man
on the Montauk was slightly bruised by a shell.
No other person was hurt during the action. Since
that time the navy has been inactive, partly on
account of the heavy blow, which rendered it i'm
possible to place the ironclads into action to any
advantage.
Three contrabands came into our lines yesterday
from Fort Johnson. One of them, the most in
telligent of the lot, appeared in pair of drawers
and shirt, and was destitute of shoes or hat.
He swan Light House Creek, and, after great
deal of labor in the mud of the marshes, succeed
ed in crossing them safely, and reached terra
frma, and our pickets. His two comrades were
left in the marsh by the side of the creek, which
they could not swim, and were rescued and brought
to us by ore of our boats, which was sent after
them, after dark last night. They tell some very
interesting stories. One of them had been the
body servant of a Captain in Fort Johnson anoth-
er had been cook to the officers mess, in which
were some superior officers, and hal enjoyed op-
portunities of listening to the conversation of the
officers at the table, whereby he had been enabled
to overhear many important matters discussed.
lie reports that on Monday last while some of our
heavy guns were firing upon Fort John son, Gen.
Beauregard came down from Charleston in car
riage, to visit Gen. Taliaferro who commands that
post and Morris Island. AS he drew up before
the door of Gen Taliaferro's quarters, one of our
shells exploded about thirty feet over his carriage
and sent its fragments flying all about him. Un-
fortunately none of them struck the traitor, and
he escaped to meet that end which men not born
to be, drowned are said to be doomed to meet.
The great rebel warrior quickly descended from
his vehicle, and hastily retreated to the shelter of
Gen. Taliferro's quarters more frightened than