The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-04-17
The Attack on Charleston Opened.
[From the Charleston Mercury.l

the war, which, we trust. is to add new
tame to the lustre of Charleston, has
closed. Let us render thanks TO the Lord
of Hosts, that the result, thus far has been
one OF proud triumph to our county,
As yet, however, we have but entered
upon the ordeal. 1t will be for the
next few days to tell the tale OF our sad
disnster, or complete success.
In view OF the reticence which tfOr rea
sons of military policy has heretofore
marked our alluslOns TO the presence Of
the iron clad tleeJ, brief review of the
events OF the week will not be out Of
place. About naon on Sun'i,,y ast the
first intelligence was flashed o tie city
from Fort Sumter, that the turTetI of the
far famed Monitor gunboats were looming
up against the southeastern horizon.--
During the afternoon the entire fleet hove
in sight. Eight Monitors, besides the
irigate lronsides and twenty-seven wood
en war vessels, took up their position just
beyond the bar. As the news became
bruted about the city, very many of our
non. combatant population previously in
creduluus of danger) made nasty preparH
tons to depart and every tram that has
left the city since has gone heavily laden
with the eleventh-hour refugees and their
effects
Sunday night passed quietly by. Mon
day morning brought us reports OF the
movements OF transports up the Stono
river, and the debarkaton OF consldcra
BILE force of Yankee troops on Coles
Island. But throughout Monday and
Monday night, the arnored feet held
its position beyond the bar. On Tues
day morning it was observed that an
other Monitor had arrived, making "a
torCe of no less than ten iron-clad vessels.
including the Ironsides.
AT two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon a
despatch from Fort Sumter announced
| that these ten vessels had crossed the bar
and were cautiously sieamlng inward
the foremost ohe having at that time
rel ched q point about three thousand
yards from the Fort. The next news was
| brought to US, an hour later, by the dull
detonAtion of the first gun from For,
Moultrie, which was Immediately an
swered by heavy report and cloud OF
white smoke from the Iurret of one OF
the Monitors. Atten minutes after three
the enemy having come within range
Fo!t Sumter opened her batteries, and
almost simultaneously. the white smoke
could be seen pulling from the low sand
hills of Morris and Sullivans Islands. in
dlcating that the Beauregard Battery on
the left, ana Battery Wagner on the ex
treme right, had become engaged. sFivez
Of the iron clads, forming il lue Oh bat
tie in front Of FoFt Sumter, .snginu5rad
very fapid return FIRE, occasionally huri
I ing their Is inch shot aud she'll against
Fort Moutrie and the minor batteries, but
| all directing their chief efforts against
the east face of Fort Sumter. Gradually,
but visibly, the distance between the at
tacking vessels and the Fort was les,ened,
and as the enemy drew nearer the firing
bccame hot and almost continuous.
About hali'past four o'clock the battle
became fierce and general. The scene at
that hour, rs viewed from the Battery
promenade, was truly grand Battery Bee
nad now mingled the hoarse thunder OF
its guns in the universal din, and the
whole expanse Of the han Dor entlauce,
from Sullivan's Island 10 Cummings
Point, became enveloped by the smoke
and constant flashes OF the conflict. The
iron. clads kept constantly shifting their
position, but, whichever way they went,
their ports always turred towards the
battlements Of Sumter, poured forth their
terrible projectiles against the walls of
that famous stlong hold. Ever and anon,
as the huge shot went ricocheting to
wards the mark. the water was dashed up
III vast sheets OF spray towering far above
the parapet Of the Fort, while the wreaths
OF smoke constantly ascending from the
barbette guns showed how actively the
arlillerymen of the post were discharglng
their duties. In the foreground, our own
staunch little iron-clads, the Palmetto
State and Cnicora, could be seen steam
ing eneIgelcally up and down their cho /.
sen fighting position, evidently impatient |
TO participate in the fray.
Up TO this time the frigate Ironsidcs .
had born u very conspicuous part in the .
fight. Her long hull lay at the distance,
apparently, of Il mile from our batteries, |
and her tremendous broadsides were
more than once fifty answered by broad |
sides from the Fort. 1t soon became ap. |
parent tnat she was unable to stand the |
severe fire directed against her Steam.
ing rapidly southwark, she gave Fort Sum
ter few parting shots and Withdrew from |
the action. The Keokuk. double tur
retted Monitor soon followed her exam. !
pie and before five o'clock the firing had /
evidently begun to slackrn. The remain !
my Monitors however, still kept up the /
bombardment and our forts and batteries |
replied with undlminlShed alHcriiy.
Gratifying as were the general results
Of the fight the late hour at which it .
closed precluded the possibility OF our
receiving the full details from the Forts.
A despatch from Fort Sumter inf rus us
that the lron-ides and Keokuk were both |
very roughly handled, aud retired serious.
ly injured. The Keokuk had her hag
shot down, her boat shot away, .hrer
holes in her smoke stack and portion
Of her how shot off. Tue practice Of our
gunners was most oredituble. Nearly
every shot struck some one of the iron.
clads. but with what effect is not known.
Fort Sumter WIS struck thirty tour times.
One Of our guns was dlslnounted, but
otherwise the Fort is IN good condition.
Fort Mnu!lrie was uniDjured. The casu
alilies vt Fort Sumter were drummer
10y, named Athens, ln0rtaly wOundrd
two men severely wounded. and three
others slightly injured. At Fort Moul
trie. one man was accidentally hurt by .
fall from the flag staff. on which he was
replacing our flag, which had been shot
away. We learn that he afterwards died.
Two small houses on the back beach OF
Sullivan's Island were demolished by the
enemy's fire.
After their withdrawal from the action.
the cneniy's iron.clads anchored off Nor
ris Island where they now lie. MANY
think that the fight will be renewed al