Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-20
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
WASuTxcTO~ Anril IL

I mas been sTTIVlNT Win Us uI1lOSL UOWeT 10 keeD
from the people a knowledge of the great dis
aster that has befallen the national arms in
Charleston harbor. On Sunday it was given out.
under the express sanction Of the administration
that the bombardment of Charleston had com
menced. and that the Government was in receipt
of intelligence which rendered it certain that by
that time that nest of treason was in our posses
sion. The same telegram stated that many Gov
eminent officials bet heavy sums that Charleston
was taken, or would be taken by the 18th inst,
and that those bets found no takers. No such
bets were ever made. On Monday, the Administ
tration authorized the statement to be made tha-
the affair of the 18th was only a reconnaissance
that it had proved successful. and that Com. Du-
pont, having ascertained what he wished to know
about the defences of the place, would begin the
regular bOmoardment about the 10th: also, that
the affair of the It'll was without loss on our side
Yesterday, the falsehood of the official exports
of the previous two days was exposed. and Lin
coin and his rlinions here were obliged TO admit
that our loss had been severe: that one of the
finest iron clad vessels was DESTROYED and sunk.
and five others so disabled and shattered as to be
useless until repaired. But the administration
with blushing effrontry, then caused the state
ment to be made that the damages could all be
repaired by the 18th; that bv that time our naval
force there would be reinforced bv three other
iron clad vessels; and that on that day the bonn
] narOmont OF Cnarie~tOn WOulu redlIN DeHln. MT.
Lincoln himself said emphatically that the afair
of the 18th was not a repulse, hut only a check,
and that Com. Dupont would be ready to begin
operations there in earnest on the 18th.
The day for the people to be fooled and bam-
hooz,ed, however, is over. To-day. neither Mr..
Lincoln nor any member of his weak and wicked
administration has a single word to saw about
Charleston The facts are now known to the
world. The people now know that the affair in
Charleston harbor on the 7th was no reconnois-
ance, but that it was the long talked of and much
boosted attack on Charleston. which was to. de-
molish Fort SumtOr and grind il TO powder, and
to reduce Charleston to a heap of smouldering
ruins. They know that this attack was made De.
liberatelv, after months Of preparation. and with
the utmost power of our naval force. They know
that il has proved a total, complete, and confessed
failure They know THAT Sme of our iron clad
vessels are entirely DESTROYED. And Others so
much rtrained, bent, and battered, that they can
never be made serviceable again. They know
that the impregnability of Charleston has been
demonstrated and that no further attempt will
be made to take that city; in n word, that the
campaign against Charleston is over.
The members Of the Administration, too, know
these facts. They gnash their teeth over them
and swear awfully (you know they are all dread
fully prOfane swearers. from Abraham down to
the tail end of the Cabinet. except Mr.. Usher, the
new CtCIeldEN VI Ait lubtIIOT, WHO, dlLupuID III
bad company. is every inch a gentleman, and
don't swear): yes, they all swear awfully about it.
and are trying to throw the blame of the defeat on
Commodore Dupont. General Hunter, and the
brave Captains of the iron-clad vessels. They
say Dupont is incompetent, and almost call him
a coward (they dare not do that, and talk of su-
perseding him by Farragut. and they say that, If
the Captains of the iron clad vessels were men of
the Paul Jones stamp. they would have renewed
I H. uf.Dn ~, tho Sfb onI u~ap11 h,yo toI-o-
Charleston or persisted IL the attempt. They
point to the small loss of life on our side as an
evidence that our brave sailors did not do all that
they might have done.
l need not tell your readers how unjust all
this IS; but nothing better can be expected
from men who compose this administration As
ignorant rs children of all that pertains to war,
they are attempting to carry on the most stu
pendOns war the world ever saw. mmo
Dupont is by far the ablest naval officer in the
service. If he were here, no man would dare to
call IN question his courage or his devotion to his
country. When he says the capture of Charles
ton is impracticable. TT IS so. As regards Gem
Hunter. | explained. in my letters of February 81
and March ii, the reasons that would render his
force useless In those letters | stated the in
s%tructions which Gen. Hunter had received from
the administration and said that. in consequence
of them, "The expedition against Charleston will
nave 10 ne hDtUllutu. nab GeU. hunter Is
doing will cause the failure of the whole expedi-
ton. and he is doing it in obedience to express
and IMPERATIVE orders from the administration.
The generalization of Hunters army is such that
no results can be expected from it, These state
ments have now been verified.
The cruel ISLANDERS that the administration are
heaplng on the heads Of the brave Captains of
the iron clad vessels will recOil ON the heads of
the base originatOrs. The accounts of the bat.
to fIus I.~ok aap pph1t1haI o.~a ill., ,o-c-
did naval officers fight more bravely. or conduct
themselves with greater gallantry. 1t is a shame
that their services are not properly acknowledged.
With the results of the battle your readers are
of course well acquainted. Charleston stands to
day where she stood "A month ago. and where she
will stand till the end of the war-IMPREGNABLE
and uninjnred. She has been made so by the
scientific skill of Gen. Beauregard. The great
battle of the 7th of April will long live in history.
1t demonstrated that Charleston was absolutely
safe from any subsequent attack; that the Con
federates have plenty of English Whitworth guns,
carrying steel pointed projectiles that the
strongest and thickest iron clad vessels can be
perforated with these proiectiles; and that stone
fortresses. mounted with guns. such rs those pos
sessed by the COnfederates, cannot be reduced
by the heaviest artillery from on board of vessels.
| knew all of these facts, except the last. many
weeks ago; and. knowing them, ! said in my
TIC VI A -. a. uC tARCAlbiOl viii all
The result Of this expedition, around which so
many hopes clustered, is another proof of the
utter imbecility and ineficiency of the Admins
%tration. and furnishes the only demonstration
that was needed of their incompetency to con
duct the war to a successful termination How
much longer will the people permit them to con
tinue the tratrieidal strifey Charleston is no
stronger than Savannah and Mobile. We can no
more take Richmond or Vicksburg than we can
Ch.-lo-f,u fTbaoa ~ f.ota Ep,un o. all
whose reason is not clcuded b. hated towards
the South. And. sooner or later. the Admins
tration will be compelled to acknowledge them,
aad make peace.
The news Of this great disaster, following close
on the heels of the news OF the failure of the
four expeditions 70 open the Mississippi, will
nave a most damaging effect upon the Union
cause in Europe. The Confederate loan, already
a favorite stock in the Paris and London money
markets. will 20 up, up, up; and new loans, to
any amount. can be negotiated in those cities
with ease. The turning point of the war has been
reached. liz the South has been in any want of
money hitherto. il will not be so in future. The
finances of the Confederacy are now established
on a firm and secure basis: and you NAV now
look for o declaration from the courts Of France
and England that the South, having demonstrated
her ability 70 maintain her Independence, is
recognized as an independent nation. Thus the
disruption Of the Union viii be perfected. Con
Citation would have won back the "wayward
sisters" But the Administrations resolved on
" coercion - and behold the result. in "A discovered
Union. And these men arrogate to themselves
the name Of Union men!
tT The farmers Of Illinois are going largely
into the cultivation of the beet, with especial
view to the manufacture of sugar. The Presi-
dent Of the Illinois Central Railroad has concln-
Lded sn Arrangement with n German firm 70 es