Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-08-21
THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.
FORT SUMTER PREACHED.
THE DISTINCTIONS IN THE HARBoR Ex-
AHMED

The following is from the N. Y. Times cor
res pondent:
SATURDAY, August is.-Last evening, one Of
our .Go. Founders was opened on Fort Sum-
ter A few shots were fired from the same gun
last Thursday, for the purpose of getting the
range. Altogether, seven indentures have been
made on the southeast side OF the fort For ac
curacy of aim and damage inflicted. the prae.
tice of the 2O0-pounder could not be excelled.
Every shot after the three first shots fired struck
the fort or exploded directly over it. One pro-
lectile struck recently closed up embrasure,
tearing 1t completely open from top TO bottom.
The only guns to be seen on Sumter are those
The rebels did not give a single response to
our fire. At p. m. the firing from the heavy
gun had ceased. If out of fifteen shots fired
from the 300. FOUNDER seven OF them made seven
deep indentures in the fort, what have We to
expect when the entire battery, including the
guns from the naval fleet, is turned upon it.
The HeralTs correspondent says
Earlier in the day, while a rebel steamer was
lying in fancied security behind the northeriy
wall OF Sumter, discharging sandbaSs with
which to strengthen the mperilled work,
shot from this same heavy gun sped over the
tort and struck the parapet upon the opposite
side, hurting vast mass Of bricks and debris
upon the unsuspecting craft. The vessel,
which was like an old fashioned ferryboat in
shape, was disabled by the shock, her smoke
stack being carried away and her steam chest
exploding.
The rebs have recently inaugurated a series
Of bOmbardments upon our nocturnal work.
ing parties, slightly interfering with our oper-
ations at the extreme front. In consequence,
our own guns have maintained against the
enemy's strongholds fire nightly increasingin
yigor and rapidity Until quite recently the
foe has been content to explode his shells over
the heads OF our men in the trenches, but on
the night OF the 10th an eight-inch gun in Fort
Wagner opened on us with sharp and illing
fire OF grape and canister. For several hours
there were expectations that a sortie from the
rebel lines was intended, and that their design
was first to clear the way for such a move
furious volleys of grape. The troops were or
dered out and every preparation made to re-
ceiye them, bat, wisely for themselves, the
rebels reirained from any assault in force,
Mr.. Fulton, of the Baltimore american,
says that Ensign Porter. OF the New Ironsides,
made amost importante examination OF the rebel
line OF distractions across the harbor OF
Charleston between Sumter and Moultrie.
Mr.. Fulton writes:
The cannonadiag on Wednesday afternoon
was light, but during its progress General Gill
more tested one of his siege guns on the walls
OF Sumter, j was one OF his smallest guns,
and the first ball struck on the top of the par
apet, raising a cloud OF dust and sand over the
whole structure and making the bricks fly in
all directions. Several more solid shot were
fired at the fort. three of which struck the rear
wall, near the parapet. and made holes through.
This is regarded as settling the QUESTION that
Sumter ttN faU IL l5O-pounder Parrot will
produce such a result on Sumter, we may ex-
pect a general smashing TO take place when
3Co-pound and 800 pound shot and shell are
rained upon it and against its walls.
The side OF Sumter facing the batteries of
Gen. Gilmore is what is called the rear or land
wall. There are no classmates on that side.
The top The wall is heaped up ut least tan
feet with sand bags, from embras ures in which
a number OF heavy guns prOtrude. II was in
the sold wall below the edge that the three
apertures were made by the few practice
shots fired.
On Thursday evening, after there had been
gene raj cessation Of the Smelling, one Of the
guns of Gen Gimore's siege batteries, a zoo
pound PARROT, opened on Sumter, and fired
several shot with most decided effect Three
shot struck on the pa rapet, the first one seat
terng scores Of sand bags through the air. the
second making, the bricks fly in similar man.
ncr. and the third one throwing gun of Of the
parapet into the parade ground of the fort
This is the only gun that has yet been opened,
and IL Is not one OF the guns from which the
most seryictabia work is anticipated. The
rebels fired q few guns in response from Bat.
terry Gregg, and the James Island battery but
none from Sumter.
Al 5 o'clock this morning, (lJth inst, Gen
Gilmore opened some Of his 2OU-pounders on
Sumter to get the range. The first shot struck
Il corner OF the fort and several cart loads of
bricks flying through the air. There were but
few shell thrown during the night and Gen.
Gilmore last night mounted his D0-pound
ParIott. so that his batteries are now all COM
plete.
The Savannah Republican, OF the cath ult.
has iachry NOSE letter from Charleston, in
which the writer says there l. general i'm
pre- sion that the proper military efforts have
10. been made for the protection OF the city
The writer does not lay the blame upen the
military authorities SO much a upon the slave
owners, who nave been remss i'll responding to
the urgent calls for laborers. lie says he is in
formed '.that many OF the planters prefer to
pay the fire rather than respond to greatpub
lie necessity involving the lives of thousands OF
their telow-citzans. and perhaps their own
liberties In regard to Fort Sumter the COR
respondent says: 'sThe enemy can never oc-
cupy Snmier-that is u fixed fact. 1t will be
DESTROYED before il shall tai! into their hands
and II not. Battery Bee. on Sulliyan's Island,
could level ii 10 the foundation in twenty-fo four
hours
The writer complains that s:neither ;orrid
heat above nor burning sand beneath seem
Suihcient TO deter the iAGetaiis able Yankees
from their iayorita tactics Ct digging
gpROuK ESILLE ACADEMY