Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-08-20
THE OPENING OF THE CASN0SADE
CP0N FORT SUMTER.
rREMEN DOUs EFFECT or THk 300 Pound
81 PARROfT Guns
THEY BORE HOLES THROUGH THE WALLS
+, OF sr INTER- FIVE FEET IL DIAMETER
rcorrsspoadence N. Y. Tribune,

Correepondence N. Y. Tribune,
MoRRIs ISLAND, S c., Aug i5.-Ons hun
drpa and Ave TO one hundred and ten degrees
IN the shade to-day on Morris Island. quite
;rupIcal enough for the most ardent lover of
the Southern chine. is it not. Bat our North
ern troops endure il well. Nothing bat the Sc
yel est labor in the trenches seems 10 Affect them.
Feyers are scarcely heard Of Sickness from
fatigue and exhaustion, and occasionally from
sun-stroke are all that the ply sicians called
upon to administer to. The negroes grow tat
and Jolly under this intense heat, and drag the
big siege guns through the deep sand and under
the blszing sun without the least murmuring.
True, ,h.y do not drag them very fast. Four
miles 4 day TO Il Northern man would seem
slow progress; but, nevertheless, in this climate
it Is progress, and quite as rapid SIS the engi-
neerS care to have it,
II is worth trip to Morris Island 10 see
these dusky soldiers, after having worked all
night and until nearly noon in the day, lie down
in the hot sand on their backs with their mouths
wide open, and swarms OF flies lowering in and
around them, sleep as soundiy as II they were
upon the most comfortable mattresses and
beneath the coolest shade.
Yesterday morning the severest and most
obstinate cannonade OF the campaign came OF,
but with, as usual in all these great expendi-
lures of ammunition, very little loss OF life OF
limb
The night before we had advanced our lines
on our right to within i20 yards OF Fort Wag.
ner without the least knowledge or suspicion
of the rebels. In the morning, to their sur
prise, they found that we were within easy
rifle range of every man who lifted his head
above the parapet of the fort, and at our leisure
could drop their artillerists as they came out
in sight TO work their guns.
In advancing our lines we had anticipated
and prepared for an obstinate resistance, but
had met with none, and had been entirely sue
cessful. 1t seemed, however, to almost any
one that it could hardly be possible that they
would allow US to continue our work unmo-
lested much longer, and such in few hours
proved 10 be the case.
While our men were at work in the trenches
and our mortars were firing at intervals OF
half an hour, Forts Wagner, Sumter and Gregg
opened most terrible FIRE from all the guns
they had bearing upon our extreme right and
left. 1t was the most rapid firing heard in this
department since the repulse of Dupont from
Fort Sumter. Fort Wagner threw, for two
hours, constant stream OF AZ and 20 FOUNDER
grape and canister ana spherical case shot
and shell. Col. Bell Of the 4th New Han,p-
shire, commanded the front during the engage
ment, and the moment it opened ordered all our
mortars and 90 FOUNDER Parrots to reply, which
they did instantly in splendid style. After the
heavens had trembled for more than two hours,
and Just as the sun was rising in golden glory
on the ocean, the fire from Fort Wagner began
TO slacken. Fort Sumter's big guns seemed to
grow weary, and little Fort Gregg was evil
IDENTIFY completely exhausted. The rain OF
shell from our mortars had been TOO much for
them, and though we may not have destroyed
many lives, we had demoraliZed the gunners
and compelled them to seek the shelter of the
bombproofs. Our own men being we'll pro-
tected during the engagement, we lost but one
man killed and eight wounded
Reinforcements are rapidly arriving. Gen.
Gilmore has now all the troops he desires. In
few days the final attack upon these tornid-
able structures will bo made, and in \ few
weeks thereafter the whole world will know
whether we have been able to reduce them or
not $50
Dali
the left to Wagner on the right have been firing
at intervals of fifteen minutes, and we have
replied from our mortars with the same rapidi-
ty.
For the first time since the siege commenced
we opened fire upon Fort Sumter; and tor the
first time in the history of siege operations
brought to bear two hundred pound Parrot.
Col. Turner, Chief OF Gilrnore's staff, desir-
ing 10 test the powder TO be used in these guns,
experimental with a few shots upon Sumter
with the most gratifying results. He fired
seven shOts-the first three fell shot, but OF the
remaining four, two went directly through the
gorge wall OF the fort, a short distance above
the sally port, and TWO struck the parapet and
sent an immense amount of brick and mortar
milling into the ditch and into the fort. The
effect OF these shots can clearly be seen with
the naked eye at a distance OF two miles and a
half.
The solid shot which went through the fort
made holes from four 10 five feet in diameter,
or, TO use the technical language Of our engi-
neers, the diameter OF the craters, by mathe-
NAUTICAL calculation, are four feet and ten
inches.
After the range had been obtained upon
Sumter. every shot struck. When all the BOO
Founders open, II handled with the same skill,
it would seem hardly possible for the fort to
stand twelve hours bombardment. 1t caunot
otherwise than fall within the time required to
reduce Fort Pulaski.
While We were firing upon Sumter this at
ternoon, an officer i'll Fort Gregg, evidently
designing watch the effect of the she'll
brought his camp chair out upon the parapet
OF the fort, and sat down "a coolly as il he was
not within the range of 81 or 10 PARROTS. One
OF our artillerists desiring to teach HIM 4 lesson
III prudence. let lily a 2D-poundsr PARROT shot
and sent him tumbling off his chair into the
tort. Our gunners are using these small Par
rotts with almost As much skill as the sharp
shooters co their rifles, and are competing
with them IN the taking of every head that
appears in sight.