The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-09-03
Condition of Fort Sumter after Seven
Days -OfIiciai Report.

Condition of Fort Sumter after Seven
Days Bombardment--O Official Report.
Office of Chief of Artillery, Department of the A.
South, Morris Island, 5. c., Aug. 80. !
GENERAL have theshonor to re-
port the effect that our preaching bat
teries have had upon Fort Sumter, and
the condition of that work Tonight.
At the close of the seven days bonn
bardment the gorge wall of the Fort is
almost complete mass of ruins for the
distance of several classmates. About
midway on this face the ramparts are
removed nearly, and in places quite to
the arches and, but e. the sand-bags
with which the classmates were filed,
and which have served to sustain the
broken arches and masses of masonry,
it would have long since been entirely
cut away, and with it the arches to the
floor of the second tier of classmates.
The debris on this front now forms a
rampant, reaching as high as the fieor
of these classmates. The parapet walls
at the two northeasterly faces are COM
pletely carried away, small portion
only being left in the angle made with
the gorge wall, and the ramparts of
these faces are also a total ruin.
Quite one-half of our projectiles seem
to have struck the parade and parapet
of these two faces, and judging from
the effect that they have had upon the
gorge wall, within our observation, the
destruction of the masonary on these
two sides must be very great, and / am
of the opinion thatzeVery arch in these
fronts must be broken in. Bat one
gun remains in position on these two
fronts, and this is in the angle of the
gorge, and / think unserviceable. The
ruin extends around, taking in the
northeastern face as far as can be
seen. .sr,
A portion of this face, adjoining the
angle it makes with the southeasterly
face, is concealed, but from the great
number of missiles which have struck
in this angle during thelast two days,
it cannot be. otherwise than, greatly
damaged, and / do not think any guns
can be left on this face in serviceable
condition. The ramparts in this angle,
as well as in the southeasterly face,
must be plowed up and greatly shat
tered. eea .---,s
The parapetl on this latter face is
torn off in many places, as we can see,
and hardly think the platforms of the
remaining guns'on this face could have
escaped. as q esaaa Z
With the assistance of powerful
glass, / cannot determine that more
than one of these guns can be used,
and ithas been dismounted once. The
carriages of the others are evidently
more or less shattered, and such is the
parapet and parade in the immediate
vicinity of the gun, that it probably
could not be served for any.length O.
time.
In fine, the destruction of the fort is
so far complete, that it is to-day Of nc
avail in the defense of the harbor Of
Charleston. '9f ESQ arhae.
By longer fire ii can be made more
completely ruin and a mass of broker
masonry, bnt could scarcely be more
powerless for the defense of the harbor
| therefore respectfully submit nly
opinion that continuance of our fir,
is no longer necessary, as giving US NJ
ends adequate for the consumption o
our resources. a fi.--
| z Very respectful, your obedient servant. -
JOHN. n. TURNER,
G-a Colonel and Chief of Artillery. Z
To Brig. Gen. Q. Gilmore, Commanding De
partment of the South. Morris Islsind. S. C. Z