Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-11-05
LATEST WIS.
aY THLEGEAPH
70 Tuk WORCESTER DAILY SIX.
Renewed Aotjvity in Charleston HarbOr.
FIERY RAIN UPON FORT SUMTER.


NORRIS ISLAND, S. c., Oct. 30.--The fir.
ing upon Sumter and other rebel works, has
been continued day and night since the com
mencement on last Monday Sumter is be-
ing rapidly subjected to Il condition that Will
make it totally useless for defensive purposes
its power for operating extensively, having
been knocked from it weeks ago. The sea-
face wall is completely demolished. exposing
to open view a large portion OF the interior OF
the fort. A small body of men are OCCASION
ally seen running round the base Of the south
west corner in order to shield them from the
flying missiles. The rebel flag was shot away
Tuesday, but replaced shortly atterward. 1t
is flying this morning from its usual position,
the sOuthea4t corner.
From time to time four monitors have par
ticipated in the assault. Yesterday afternoon
steady fire was maintained by two monitors.
The lrunSides has not engaged as yet. Dur
ing the day Admiral Dahlgren leaves his flag
ship in the inlet, and steps on board tug,
which conveys him to favorable position for
observing all that transpires among tine fleet.
On Tuesday he made the Ironsdes his head
quarters. Gen. Gilmore visits the batteries
on Morris Island daily, and takes careful no.
tice of every circumstai ce, no matter how
minute, that is revealed in his presence. The
three shells that were thrown into Charleston
Monday morning have not been followed by
others. 1t was designed to open a regular
| bombardment on the city during the afternoon
of the same day, but for some reason the or
derS were cOuntermanded.
Our guns are directed mostly on Sumter,
although Moultrie, johnson and Simpkins re-
ceive some attention. The enemy replies
irregularly, and apparently with considerable
reluctance a few shell have been picked up
which bear marks of not being over a week
from the foundry. The enemy has not done
us particle of injury either in the way of
wounding our men or damaging our batteries.
| Monday afternoon the gunbOat Pawnee as
cended Stone river TO point nearly mile
above Legarevile. An earthwork, which the
rebels had been constructing on James Island
was unmasked, and the working party driven
| off,
AT this moment, 10 A. NJ, the firing on our
part is heavy and rapid. With such Contin-
uous shower of metal raining upon it, it does
not seem possible that Sumter can afford even
a nook for shelter. Whatever repairs the
enemy may have made within the past two or
three weeks, it is evident the new work is
swallowed up in the common ruin. The
length of time the bombardment is to be con-
tinued, and other important facts relating to
future movements, are not divulged by the
commanding officers. The primary object Of
the firing was to prevent the enemy mounting
guns i'll Sumter, it having been reported by
deserterS and fugtives that he was about to do
so on the channel front.
HIDDEN MAGAZINE IN WAGNER.
On Sunday last, while Capt. Eaton, of the
volunteer engineers, was examining the south
eastern portion of fort Wagner, preparatory
to designing some alterations, he discovered a
| magazine, which until then had escaped the
notice of any of our men. The magazine is
located directly beneath the left bastion of
| the fort, in the form of pit, and is reached
by means of a stationary ladder. When
found, its roof was covered with eight feet of
sand, supposed 10 have been heaped up by
shells thrown from our batteries. 1t con-
tanned an immense amount of ammunition,
including cannon projectleS and prepared
charges for riied muskets. There was also
slowed away a vast quantity of a peculiar
KIND Of incendiary shell, the combuStible sub
stance, other than the powder, consisting Of a
fluid which readily ignited and burned with
an unqneBGha4lg al hie" was occupied with
shelves containing several thousand sand
bags made from very white and strong mate
rial. Perhaps one and the chief cause of the
rebels so preeipitately evacuating the fort was
the fact OF the sap building by the engineers,
heading directly tor this magazine, which it
would have penetrated if the workmen had
been allowed to continue their labor one
night more.