The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-09-23
Sept. 7. 1868
Interesting from CharIeston-Why the
Smelling OF the city was Discontinued
FOrmida oie Preparations Making


The Boston Journal has the following inter-
esting information:
A gentleman of much intelligence. recently
from Morris Island, where he had unusual ia
cilities for observation and gathering informa-
ton, has communicated to US a variety Of in
teresting facts connected with the seige Of
Charleston, which throw much light on the
state Of affairs there. He informs US that the
reason why Gen. Gilmore did not continue
his bombardment Of Charleston with the
" Greek fire shells was because the shells
sent were ignited on the percussion principle,
and being discharged from gun elevated at
an angle of thirty-eght degrecs took their
flight at the same angle with a longitudinal
rotary motion. base downward and therefore
struck base downward instead of upon the per-
cussion end, and did not explode. Only two
are known 10 have eIplOded-One which fell
INTO warehouse. and another which fell in the
street The peculiar motion and descent Of the
shell was "a new discovery In artillery practice
then for the first time made. and the ordnance
department was not furnished with a remedy
for the unlOOked-for contingency To this fact
alone Charleston owes the delay of the hour Of
lis doom.
Time fuses, which will set matters all right.
we're at once sent for, and have doubtless ar
rived at Norris Island before this. and very
likely Charleston is at this moment experiencing
the dreadful effects OF shower Of Greek
fire Shells fifteen hundred of which have been
ordered for the 5ombardment of that nest of
treason. The gun from which the shells were
first fired, was 200 FOUNDER Parrot, which
can throw a she'll no less than seven miles
when aimed at an angle Of forty-five degrees.
The first shells went over Charleston, the gun
being aimed at too sharp az angle. Car read
ers VIII be pleased to learn that Gen. Gilmore
has no less than thirty Parrot guns mounted,
that that Eiall tRcGs use C 81 CTeeF IRE s6eis Co 6cI
bard that Rebel stronghold was personally or
dered by President Lincoln. The Greek hre
burns for twenty minutes. 1t will burn on the
water as we'll az on land, and each she'll covers
surface of one hundred square feet with
| fame. The shell bursts into about one hund-
red and twenty pieces, OF ten times as many as
the ordinary shell. OF course the effect Of
these shells will be TO set Charleston in flames,
which nothing can subdue.
In addition to the Greek fire shells, large
quantity Of improved shrapnel shells, made by
the inventor Of the Greek fire she'll, and con
tanning from 500 TO 900 bullets each. have
been sent to Morris Island 10 be transferred
thence into the rebellious city in a manner not
very pleasing to the enemy. These shells are
fired with time fuses, and are very destructive
Of life. The celebrated 800 pound Parrot gun
which Gen. Gilmore has, weighs AZ 900 lbs
1t took 1000 men nine nights to get the mon
} ster into position, the drag teams breaking
down seven nights in succession, the enemy
shelling the party all the while, and men beinl
killed nightly Nothing was done with il By
day, the gun being covered with bushes 10 con
ceal it from the enemy's fire. The diameter o
the bore Is ten inches, the charge Of powde
3 twenty-five pounds, and the she'll that goes on
, Of it as high as a flour barrel. weighs 800 lbs.
, and contains seventeen pounds Of mortar pow
der. The execution Of one Of these shells OF
] Sumter is considered equal to three 200-poun'
b. shells. But two Of these immense rihed gun
b have been made, although twenty more hav
e been ordered for the army. None have bee
4 ordered for the navy.
r Gen. Gilmore at first had only one, but an
0 other has just been sent to him. The SOC
!. pounder when IL exploded was in charge Of a
' infantry captain, who had never fred a canno
e before in his life. He was cautioned that som
r; accident would happen if be was not yer
Il careful. On the 25th round, the shell, col
e tanning II poands Of powder, was filed. th
l. percussion fuse was screwed half way dowI
r and could not b. got any further, when II
J. Captain said, Let il 20 at that" The col
q sequence was. that when discharged the I'll
n communicated down by the thread to the shel
D. causing the latter to explode before il left u
n gun, and breaking of 20 inches Of the muzzl
a The gun was repaired aud got ready for III
:, again in two days. 1t burst on Friday at
:. o'clock. and was firing again on Sunday a. We
p a. ever. These guns have been fred with I
~ pounds Of powder, and sent ball through
10 inches Of wrought iron plates and two feet
- oak timber, by which the iron was backed.
:, has also sent a ball through 20 feet Of cart
. The larger gun having rife bore is mad
- the steadier and truer the ball or she'll Is sen
= indeed, the accuracy Of rife Is attained.