The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-07
The siege Of Charleston.

The Slege Of Charleston.
1he events Of the week past at Charles
ton have not been Of unusual importance.
Our batteries were daily Smelling the
enemy's riAe-pits near Wagner, but with
no apparent effect Early in the week
the eneny's troops on the island were
relieved by fresh force, which was
landed at Oyster Peint 4 body OF
troops was also transferred from Folly
to Morris Island. On an average there
were daily inside the bar seven iron
c!ads, three sloobs-of-war, three gun
boats, and six mortar schooners, which
were all more or less engaged on differ
ent, and sometimes on the same days.
The Charleston Courier, of Thursday,
says:
The bombardment Of Fort Sumter, Tues
day night, by six monitors and the Ironsiies,
was by far the most severe attack, and of
longer duration, than any previous attempts
made for the reduction Of The fortress. The
engagements of the present siege, and that
comparison with the fight Of Tuesday night
The incessant roar of heavy cannon had the
elect OF rousing Our citizens from their beds
aud hurrying theaii 10 positions nj White
Point Garden, which was soon fhronged by
anxious spectators The attack commenced
abont half past IL, the monitors coming up
within eight and thirteen hundred yards of
Fort Mouitrie, and opening terrific iire on
the cast wall or sea face of Fort Sumter.
Fort MouItrie and our batteries on Sulii.
vans Island, together with battery Gregg at
Cummings Point, replied with spirit, and
the engagement becoming general a contitl-
uous roll of shot and shell whistling through
the cir was kept up foEnearly five hours.
About hai-past twelve the Ironsides moved
up and joined in the bombardment, when the
whole horizon at times seemed to be on fire
The object of the enemy was evidently the
complete demolition Of the east wall, and
against that nearly the whole of their tre-
mendous fire was directed. Fire was also
Kept up occasionally on Sullivan's Island.
Some of the euemy's shells struck the
Moultrie House, in which WAS guartered a
North Careliua regiment. One man was kill
ed instantly, anotherhad his LEG shot or and
q third wounded so severely in the LEG us to
make amputation necessary. II is believed
neither can recover These were all the cas-
ualties On Sulliyan's Island. Fort Moutrie
aud the batteries sustained no damage.
The monitors, it is reported, by those who
had the best opportunities OF witnessing the
fight, were struck nearly one hundred times
Every time shot struck stream of fire was
observed III its wake. Two or three of the
monitors are believed to be seriously dam
aged.
The "Nondescript or Devir' attached to
one Oi them was completely ridd!ed and
shot away. The Devil" is reported 10 have
grounded on the reef between Fort Sumter
and Morris Island
About two hundred shot and shells were
thrown against Fort Sumter during the ac-
tion. OF these one hundred and sixteen
struck the fort, iniicting serious damage on
the scarf wall, leaving several of the arches
and sand fmbankments only intact. We
learn that the shot even penetrated the lat
ter Two or three times near the crown Of the
arches A shell exploded in the Immediate
proximity to Col. Rheit, who was on the
parapet on the lookout, behind q traverse,
scattering the pieces around him in every
direction. Col. RLett escaped unhurt.
The firing betwc. II the land batteries con
tinued uninterrupted yesterday. The enemy
has opered with some-new guns III their
battery on Gadberry Hin. They are also re-
ported vOrking slowly on their sap, and ad-
yancin. upon Wagner. The only change of
Importance in the eHeiny's fleet yesterday
WAS the appearance ot an additional moni-
tor. making seven i'll ali besides the Iron
sides.
Up to late honr "Wednesday everything
remained quiet, with the exception of an oc-
casional shot tetweeh the land bat teries No
further demonstration has been made By the
fleet.
A dispatch from Charleston, ,la:el the
4th, says:
Things are getting pretty hot at Wagner.
The enemy have advanced, their sappers be-
Ing only about one hundred and fifty yards
distant. Sharp firing is continually going on.
The enemy haze not fired at the ruins Of
Sumter lately.
The Mercury thus explains the sink
ing Of the Confederate steamer, with
troops, in the harbor Tuesday night
1t was, some time since, ordered By Dis.
trict Headquarters that no vessel entering the
harbor of Charleston at night should be allow
ed TO pass Moultre until daylight. For some
nights past the enemy'5 vessels had come up
the harbor towards the distractions, under
cover Of the darkness. On two different
nights they were discovered and fired upon
by Moultre On Saturday night the proba-
biiity of their passing into the harbor was so
great that by dispatch from District Head
quarters the batteries were directed to be
manned all night and special vigilance oh
served. Under such ci -cutnstances then, at
about one o'clock Sunday morning, vessel
was discovered coming from the direction OF
the feet. She had no visible light, and sho "
ed no signal whatever, but steadily advanced
up the harbor. Size was too far to hail.
When within range Fort Monltrie opened
fire. Still no signal was observed. After
some time dim light Was seen, apparently
(as il attcrwarq5 turned out to be- u candle
This also disappeared. Soon after a small
boat was seen coming Ashore, and the firing
ceased. II then appeared that the steamer
was forced by the low tide to run far
out to avoid the long sand bar which runs
out from Sumter, and a strong tide still run
ming, she had been carried still further ont.
She was not seen to go to Morris Island, bc-
cause, as she probably went at high water
she crossed inside Of Sumter
A Glimpse Of Life IA Norfolk.
We published On Saturday some intel