The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1863-09-03
Visit to the batteries,

Ora, the Charleston correspondent Of
the Mobile Tribune gives the following
account OF visit to tho batteries around
the harbor on the 1lth instant:
At 8 o'clock last night I accompanied
Gen. Ripley in his barge, in company
with Captain Ross, Of the Austrian army,
TO make an inspection of the forts. Wo
first visited Sumter, thrae and half miles
from the city, and found the garrison ac-
lively employed in protecting tie walls by
rikng tires of sand bags in the Upside,
some twenty feet thick, the walls OF the
Tort being six feet thick, thus making an
obstruction Of brick and sand of twenty
six feet TO resist the encmy's shot. The
men seemed in the best of spirits, and
from the jolly mir,h which prevailed, one
would have supposed that they were en-
Joying u froiic. In the centre of the fort
was large mor;er, which every now and
then threw its shell through the air whir-
ling over the enemJ's S works on Norris Is
land
We next pulled over to Cummings
Point, at Battery Gregg, which is 1900
yards from Sumter, on Morris Island. We
soon landed at the beach there being but
little surf, and walked up through the sand
to the officers quarters. Here we found
al! quiet, and procured three horses to ride
down to Battery Wagner, which is about
three quarters of mile down the beach,
being $500 yards from Sumter, in an air
linc, and four and half miles from the
scity. 9
The entrance to Wagner reminds one Of,
the descriptions OF robbers cares, whicb
lac read of his boyhood. Entering O mar
rov passage from the north side. you rass
through the centre Of the bas;ians Of tho
work, which is supported by. immense
timbers and rattcrs, covered over with.
earth aud sand some 20 feet thick. The
interior of the work is called the bomk.
proof. where the quarters of the men and
officers are and the magazines, &c. The
garrison was all alive, battle lanterns wero
passing to and fro, aud the men were
cheerful Ind in good spirits. From the
centre of the battery we ascended pair.
of steps to the east bastion or sea face of
the battery, over the glacis to the ram.
parts and parapets. From this point we
watched with considerable interest the.
bursting OF The shcll from Sumter oves;
the cnemy's works. Our pickc,s wero
about 100 yards from tie euemy's, and n.
detachmen. was being sent out ut the time
to relieve them. For prudential reasons
am not permitted to give your readers
is very close in the bomb-proof, but the
Tien frequently sleep outside. except when
heavy shelling is progressing. The ene-
mys advance line is now within 500 yards
of Wagner. :.
la his letter OF the 18th ne gives US
some Information about the negro question,
which W. do not remember to have seen
mentioned elsewhere.
Last week General Gilmore addressed
:. note To General Beauregard, of a most
Objectionable character, charging him
with bad faith in not having Sent back the
negro prisoners, and making demand Tor
tIren. threatening, at the same time, 20
put in execution the retaif,c-y rroclama-
tIon of Lincon, of the 3Oth July last,
declaring that he will execute rebel SOL
der for every Yankee, white or black,
He'd In violation Of the laws of war %
aud pat at hard labor on the public works
rebel for every negro sold or detained in
slavery. | learn that General Beauiegard
has r'ada a very dignided and severe re-
ply to the most impudent demand, showing
the want of good faith to. be entirely on
the part Of General Gilmore, who could,
not plead Ignorance either of President
Davis proclamation, or the act Of tho.
Confederate Congress on the subject
The negro prisoners will most certainly
not be gwen up, and the issue is therefore
directly made on this point between the
two bclligerents The result is, as before
stated, the war must become one OF crter-
niHoiiop, and hereafter there will bo no
more exchanging of prisoners.
From Nntcbez.
The Mississippun is permitted to make the