Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-07-23
The Attack om Charleston.

lnst., giving particulars Of the attack on
the batteries AZ Morris Island Arrange
ments We're commenced on the Sth for
transporting troops from Folly island to
Morris Island, which was done on the
same night by boats from the feet. Dur
ng the night fleet of thirty vessels, in
cluding four Monitors and transports and
! Gen.G ilmore's steamer, arrived off the bar.
| The account continues:
The day was occupied IN completing
the arrangements and covering the wooden
ships with chains to protect their boilers.
The fleet was divided into two divisions
| the first consisting of the Monitor Catskill
with the Admiral on board, and followed
by three other Monitors The second di-
vision consisted of the Housatonic, Capt
Charles w. Pickering in command, Can
andaigua, Conemaugh, Marblehead, Tobo-
90, and six other gunboats. The steamer
Ben Deford was occupied as the headquar-
ters of Gen, Gilmore and staff.
On the mornin5 of the 10th, our troops
being all well intrenched, at daylight the
! Monitors crossed over the bar and COM
menced TO throw shell into the batteries on
Morris Island, and the deet of wooden
ships all mustered at the flagship.
For two hours the firing of the rebels
was quite heavy and brisk, when they
gradually slackened up and retreated to
batteries further up the island, followed
by the Monitors. BY s o'clock a, m, the
Stars and Stripes were floating ever the
rebel batteries. and our troops in full
march up the islahd in hot pursuit of the
hying rebels, while the iren-clads kept up
a steady fire of grape upon the retreatlng
party.
The iron clads in Stono Inlet also as
sisted in the taking of the first batteries and
troops were TRANSPORTED over to Morris Is
land all the morning. The fine hotel and
several dwelling houses on Morris Island
were set on FIRE by the monitors shells
and burnt. At 10 a. m. all the batteries
on the island, except at Cummings Point,
had been shelled out and fell into our pos
session; then the wooden fleet crossed
over the bar and proceeded up Big Ship
Channel, for the double purpose of hold
ing what we had gained, and to cover our
troops. Sumter soon opened fire from a
parapet gun and endeavored to check the
headway of nnr troops.
The Admiral in the Catsklll swaug
round and sent heavy ls-inch shot into
Sumter, which quieted it for while. By
this time the hottest of the fight was 60
ing on between our iron-clads and the
powerful batteries on Cummings Point -
The Monitors threw shot, shell and grape
into the garrison at fearful rate, setting
q fire to buildings, &C., which filled the
, heavens with smoke and flames. The fight
i at this point was kept up for two hours,
= when the rebels began to slacken their
e fire, and at II o'clock they had only two
- guns IN use. At l p. m. both parties
ceased firing, the Monitor guns having
u been in constant use for nine hours.
/, During the cannonading heavy rein
forcements of troops arrived from Port
Royal, and during the whole day the boats
S of the feet were hard at word transport
y ing troops on Morris Island, on which the
Stars and Stripes now wave over six cap
} tured batteries, (by the way, two French
: steam sloops have been present to witness
the fight, and it is reported that their Off
l. GERS are delighted with the Monitors Th'
m loss up to this hour on the rebel side is very
i heavy. The New Ironsides remained out
N side the bar, taking no part in the fight.
lie At p m. the guns being cooled Of
er and our men got their dinners eaten, W
a. again opened fire on Cummings Point
The enemy replied quite rapidly, at first
he but quickly slackened up. The firing o
n our side was kept up until sunset, an
3, when it ceased only one gun was in use a
IL Cummings Point, and the rebels wer
IT. making their escape as fast as they coult
by During the day the weather was exceec
in ingly hot, and our troops and sailors su
on fered severely. Thus far the fight has r.
ed suited gloriously to our arms. The reb
'se batteries on Morris Island are nearly a
rd in our possession and we have taken SCI
to eral hundred prisoners. The loss on OF
IN, side will not exceed $50 in killed ar
lr- wounded. The rebels displayed gre'
ed skill in running when our troops charge
III on them, throwing away their knapsack
arms, &C., and not even waiting to fms
their breakfast or spike their guns.
The rebel rams kept at respectful
distance from the Monitors during Il
VA fight. Animal Dahlgren has fully sa
of istied himself that the Monitors are she
,rd proof, and that Charleston can be taxi
+. by the Monitors without the sid of Il
o. lronsides.
re-
THE SECOND DAYS ATTACK.
er-
the Early on the morning of the 1lth, t
49, 9th Connecticut and 9th Maine regimen
'he made furious charge upon Cumming
on Point battery, got possession Of it, al
in hoisted the American flag. At dayhg
49, Fort Sumter opened fire upon them, VIII
0' a Pennsylvania regiment cowardly deseI
so ed them, refusing to stand by their COZ
-r- rades. The other regiments held the bs
nal terry until they were badly cut up, al
'''' then abandoned it, when the rebels aga
took possession of it. The 9th Conuec
ure cut and 7th Maine have shown themselv
re- heroes in this campaign.
me At 10 A. NJ the Monitors proceeded