, 1863-07-23

WAS head eeeu above the parapet. and when
the men epEaug TO load their guns, as BOON ~
the black port holes In the turret were turned
toward the fort. the men Immediately d1sap'
pcared as though shot.
lei sn6 grape, we're sent slowly and d=liber~
ately within tie rebel work. doing fearful ex-
ecuiiou amonl, the nIao, guns, and the Well
orrurEed aud .ufcely todded> bastions and
+. g,ts. It was a magnificent sight, and he
1es lucky che who had possession Of 8
Standing place within the little pilot house
Which was becoming 20 Intensely exciting.
On the right is Mou1trfe, silent and still;
across the narrow eea-waY Il Sumter, With It's
red walls looming above the Sea around 1t,
with Its parapet occasionally lighted By the
gun fash, Y hile from under the rings Of blue
smoke which so gracefully float away above
the etropg walls. issue their shot and bolts,
but FILLING into the water aud doing the iron
fectno harm. To the rear OF Sumter The steam
ers t1e occasionally running, evidently carry
ing men und u,nuitiona To tbs left OF Suu-
ter ia Cummirge' Point and Battery Bee; still
further to the left, is Fort Wagner, now being
torn and rent BY our thells: On the extreme
LIFT, the regiments, which we're but . few
hours before marching In folld column up the
beach, are now resting, their nluskete stacked,
nEd rle men In groups npon the eand-htils,
watching the hght In which they have now no
participation, excepting, indeed, the wary
lkirm1=bers and sharp-shooters which, id
var eng from hut to bush, quietly kueel and
give Lie rebel gunners kno Wedge Of their
prtetnce, and rsceive ic return, eyery uoW
and then, the compliment Of shell.
At forty minutes past 12 o'clock, nt signal
ffcn, the Catskii, the Iron clads slowly with
drew down the channel aud came to anchor,
to give the Nen resting and esting spell.
The fire from Wagner, which for an houe had
been decreasing, now rapidly revived. both
upon Ms and upon the troops which now h.ld
snd occupied the leland Neither, however,
psid any attention to the firing, and 1t soon
became slow and irregular.
TIE little tug Dandelioa, Capt Barryman,
which tn1ms part Of The blockading fleet,
rsn up into rapge Of Sumter and received in
quick succession three or four ehots. which
threw high into the air tho great columns of
ra'er: They are continually hricg at the tug
whtn an opportunity OCCURS
Jntt as The Montauk came to anchor,
rifle.l bolt from. Wagner struck our deck on
the ttarbnard quarter. made long, deep in
dentatit n into the iron, broke In two, and tho
parts " ent *hizzing over our heads.
We anchor abreast Of the eblrtIs and coma
out vi on the iron decks once 1uore with the
EoEt perfect nonchalance. A held battery
Of Gen Gilmofe'e, which has been h.rnessed
up all tbs morning. is moving off from the
beach toward the luwr, leyel land on the island.
The troops fell back from tho advanced po-
eition p hich they had attained, and are rest
ing 1nd taking dinner. Although the sun
ehlres Tarm, the air Is cool, with fresh
breeze.
The commanders Of the four iron cl,ds lunch
with the Admiral On board the Catskill, aad
after Je' urniug to their respective vessels the
order Ia given to get under way again, aud
1t fifteen minutes past one, our anchor is up,
and We are steamlng toward Wagner again.
In half an, honr the old position ts attained,
and the little iron fleet arc once more paving
the interior Of Wagner with iron globes.
4 large two horse ambulsuce, which came
to Wagner this morning, now moves slowly
away up the beach displaying IN immense yel
| low flag.
4 lafge steamboat comes to the rear Of Wag.
ner with ammunition, aud Capt. Fairfax tells
| our Master, Mr. Giraud, who has charge o1
the guns, to fire at the steamer, and 15-inch
flies above it throwing up fountains Of watel
beyond Mr.. Giraud is one Ut the finest shots
day 1las been remarkable As the afternoon
| w0re awaY, the fire from Wagner slackcned
| again, and grew irregular and Inaccurate. Al
| TAO F. IL, ne Withdrew after hard days
| fighting. and came to anchor again in the
| char mel below. The officers and men arc
| much worn and fatfgued, but have stood te
| their ~eary labor admirably.
We have been struck but once; the Catsklll
however, bearing the Admiral's blue peunant
I has rome honorable SCARF, and we'll she deserv
! ed them, for her shells must have done muct
damage TO the rebel fort.
In The evening; Capt. Fairfax went On boa
tho Conemaugh, and returning at 12, (mid
| night,) informed us that be learned General
Gilmore had lost 10 killed and ST aounded
| and taken 200 prisoners. At 10 o'clock in the
evening General Gilmore, with his men, wa:
| in the fiAe-pits before Wagner. 1nformatio
was also obtained, from papers iu.the possesr
sion Of the prisoners, Of Tho capture Of V1cks
| hrrtr and the RET rt.af f1f T an Affar
one Of the most h.iguing day's work, VIC Fl
to sleep on the deck, turret, and In fact, any
| where, fully conscious that no one but our
selues can imagine, much less appreciate, ths
duties and 1abors Hhich are necessary to !
days fighting in an iron-c1ad.