The New York herald., 1863-08-23
Tn. pros.s,s ran OF Ch.r,e.,on.

Wall street was yesterday filled with
rumors of dispatches, through alleged
rebel sources, of the fall of Charleston.
The press have not received any dispatches
Of the sort, and IT is more than probable
that these rumors were made up from the
rebel news published in yesterdays morning
journals. This intelligence was contained in
the Richmond Whig of the 2lst instant and
shows that for twentyfour hours previous the
federal operations had been confined to steady
and continuous bombardment of Fort Sumter
from the Parrott guns on Morris Island The
fire was so severe that IL began to tell on Sum-
ter, which could only reply at long intervals.
The rebels, although boasting Of their ability to
hold the city, even though this famous fortifi-
cation should be destroyed, reluctantly confess
that ''the two hundred-pounder Parrot guns of
the enemy are too much for the walls of Sumter"
While some Of the Southern journals warn the
rebels to look out for the worst at Charleston,
they still indulge in the vain hope of being able
" to defend the city. street by street and house
by house, as long as foot of earth is left"
The probability is that Charleston has already
fallen; and, as contingency scarcely to be
doubted, our sharp friends in Wall street have
shrewdly taken advantage Of the indications to
feather their own nests. The tremendous ef-
feet of the two hundred-pounder PARROTS would
soon reduce the fort to ruins; and it is nothing
more than gross absurdity to pretend that
the rebels are determined to defend the place
inch by inch. AS soon as Sumter-their great
so hok{ atc xvil1
find no difficulty in ascending the harbor
within gunshot of the city, and then the fate Of
the hotbed of secession will be in our hands.
The rebels, or their leaders, are too well con-
vinced that this will be the result of the bom-
bardment, and hence these meaningless boasts,
doubtless intended to cover their flight from the
doomed city"
In view Of the interest now concentra-
ting on Charleston, we give all the latest
accounts-through rebel sources--from that
city up to Thursday the goth inst With the
fall of this cradle Of treason, there will be
but three other important rebel cities to be re-
duced to put the finishing stroke to this foul re-
bellion. With the occupation Of Wilmington,
N. c., Mobile and Savannah the whole Of
the Southern coast, from Fortress Monroe to
New Orleans, will be in our possession. The
fact is that even now we virtually hold Savan-
nah by the tenure of Fort Pulaski; but we will
not rest content until the city itself is securely
in our power. Then comes the military occu-
patton of the whole of Texas, which will be
necessary in view Of foreign eventualities and
the hostile movements of European govern
ments on this continent. AS soon as these
things are accomplished more than hundred
ships-of-war will be relieved from the trying
duty Of blockading Southern ports, and at once
be sent to scour the ocean in search of Southern
pirates, while our combined naval and military
power will be 80 increased that we shall not
only be able to drive the French out Of Mexico
but to look after our national interests in any
part Of the world where our honor or interests
are involved.