Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-08-27
THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.

Inc steamer Fulton, arrived at New York. brings mass
Of correspondence respecting progress of the siege of
Charleston There is nothing later however than the
news we published yesterday All accounts agree that
combined attack on the enemys defences would
on Monday last and all predict for most favorable re
suit We extract below few passages from the CORE.
pondence OF the Tribune dated at Morris Island on tho
18th instant.
CANNoNADE ON FRIDAY, THE I4TH
Yesterday morning the and most obstinate can
nonade of the campaign off, but WITH as usual in all
hee great expenditures of ammunition very little loss Of
life or limb The night before had advanced lines
ou our right to within four hundred and twenty yards Of
Fort Wagner without the least knowledge suspicion Of
the rebels In the morning to their SURPRISE they found
that we within easy rifle range of every man who
Lifted his head above the parapet of the fort and
leisure could drop their artieriss they in
sight to work their guns.
In advancing lines had anticipated and prepared
for an obstinate resistance but had with none and
had been entirely successful II seemed however, to al
most any that it could hardly be possible that they
would allow to continue work uumolested much
longer, and such in few hours proved to be the
While men were at work in the trenches and our
tars firing at intervals of half hour, Forts Wag
ner. Sumter and Gregg opened most terrible fire from
all the guns they had bearing upon extreme right and
left. 1t the most rapid firing heard IN this depart
ment since the repulse of Dupont from Fort Sumter
Fort Wagner threw for two hours constant stream Of
42 and 20pounder grape and canister and spherical
shot and she'll and Sumter and Gregg their heaviest shot
and she'll
COL Bell of the Fourth New Hampshire, commanded
the front during the engagement and the moment it open
cd ordered all mortars and 20pounder PARROTS
ply which they did instantly in splendid style After the
heavens had trembed for than hours and just
the rising in golden glory the ocean, the fire
from Fort Wagner began to sacken, Fort Sumters big
guns seemed to grow weary, and little Fort Gregg
evidently completely exhausted The rain of shell from
mortars had been too much for them and though
may not have destroyed many lives had demoralized
the and compelled them to seek the shelter Of the
bomb-proofs Our own being we'll protected during
the whole engagement we lost but killed and
ega wounded.
Renforcements rapidly arriving. Gen Gilmore has
all the troops he desires. In few days the final at
tack upon these formidable structures will be made and
few weeks thereafter the whole world will know whe
ther we have been able to reduce them not.
TRIAL UPON FORT SUMTER, Q5TH)
To-day all he rebel forts johnson the left to
Wagner the right have been firing intervals of fifteen
muutes and have replied from mortars with the
rapidly. For the first time since the siege com
menced opened FIRE upon Fort SUMTER and for the
fst me in the history of siege operations brought to
bear two hundred pound Parrot Col Turner, chief of
Glnors staff, desiring to test the powder to be used
these guns experimented with few shots upon Sumter
with the most gratifying results He fired shots
the three fell short but of the remaining four two
directly through the gorge wall of the fort short
distance above the sally port and two struck the parapet
and sent immense amount of brck and tumbng
into the ditch and into the fort The effect of these
clearly be with the naked eye at distance
through the made holes from four FIVE feet In diam
eter, t. technical language of the engineers the
diameter OF craters by mathematical calculation, are
four and ten inches After the range bad been OBJ
tanned upon Sumter every shot struck. When all the
20Opounders opep if handled with the skill, it would
hardly possible for the fort to stand twelve hours
bombardment 1t cannot otherwise than fall within the
time required to reduce Fort Pulaski.
CAPTURE OF A UNION SCOUTING PARTY
In my ast mentioned the capture OF Capt Paine a
valuable scout, who through this campaign had of
great service Gen. Gil n obtaining accurate inor
nation of the enemys movements The facts with regard
to his capture follows He started out in small
boat with sergeant and eight men TO go to the old wharf
erect battery picket boat manued by detachment
OF the Ninety Penns vania accompanied Capt
Paine guard the water approaches to the wharf from
the rebel lines Capt Paine reached the wharf in safety
and leaving his boat and the end of the pier took
position the dock where he could observe the move
menH OF the enemy batteries,
bel steamer attempted to communicate with Cummings
Point. He had been there quietly for hour, he
summoned to surrender by voice up the dock To
gam he asked What s that 2" and started for his
boat The rebels for such they found them to be- fired
voley him. and instantly large party started in pur-
suit Capt Paine jumped into his boat and his pour
ed in FIRE upon the enemy One or two of them were
hit and the pursuit for moment checked but only for
momen for they rallied and dashedup Capt Panic
and his little party the latter could load their pieces
Capt Paine and bis party then taken prisoners The
boat escaped and to report the facts The loss of
Capt Paine any time would have been serious one but
at this time it is almost irreparabe He was a brave
sk and shrewed officer and the very best scout in this
department.
LAUNCH CAPTURED ny THE REBELS.
On the night following the one on which Captain
Paine taken occurred n the harbor which
created intense excitement among the navy The first
launch Of the Wabash temporarily in command of Acting
Master Hanes, of the Powhatan, doing picket duty
Just below Fort Sumter and had insensiby moved up TO
int rather further than the nature of affairs justified
While slowly drifting pulling about, side-wheeI
steamer was coming down the harbor at full speed
She was supposed 10 be running down with the intention
OF getting to sea- Ibstead Of running for shea water
where the steamer could not follow the launch pulled tor
the steamer with the design of capturing her. not suspect
inp her hostile character When she had approached IN
range a shell from howitzer thrown at her. and t
was her true intentions revealed She instantly
changed her urse and at full speed steamed for the
launch Acting Master Hanes determined to take her by
buarding if possible, but the steamers movements were
too rapid she struck the launch with spar, ashed
ahwart the bow and capsized it, throwing the officer and
-. 49, r