Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-27

guns. mounted on the earthworks at the left
of Simpkins, were active all day. At IL
o'clock A. NJ, in the heat of the action, Capt.
George Rodgers and paymaSter Woodbury.,
on the monitor CatSkll, were killed while
standing in the turret. They were struck by
bolt which had been driven through the
iron platif5g by heavy solid shot. The flag
of the nSnitOr was lowered at half mast,
which was the case with the flags OH all the
vessels of the fleet, as soon as the disaster had
been made known. At this writing it is impos-
sible to compute the amount of metal hurled
against Fort Sumter Every shot that struck
it told with good effect. Penetrations of five
and six feet in depth could be observed all
over the southwest face. The parapet also
began to present very ragged appearance,
and it was evident that the destruction of the
work was only a question of time. Once
during the day the halyards of the flag were
shot away. When the flag came down it was
thought by many that the rebels were ubOut
to surrender, but in two minutes time up
went another and larger flag.
During the progress of the siege the cutting
of the halyards of the same flag was a COM
mon occurrence. although Wagner and
Gregg were almost silent after dark, we had
nothing to assure us that any great damage
had been done either work. Our shot plowed
up burrows of sand, without apparently weak
enng the batteries. The rebel batteries on
the left were noticed but twice during the day.
The gunners handled their pieces well and
obtained very good range of our works, but
succeed in causing but few casualties among
our men, During the night shots were fired
at intervals Of ten minutes.
THE SECOND DAY.
41,nI L.. lnet
directing their fire to the same points aimed
at on Monday. In consequence of IL severe
gale and a high sea, the navy was unable to
ehectually cooperate in the bombardment.
The Ironsides, however, which had not
changed her position of The day previous,
threw an occasional shell into Sumter Wag-
ner and Gregg, after giving dozen replies,
each were content to remain perfectly silent
for several hours, after which period they
again opened their eyes to the work. AS
night closed in, Sumter looked certainly
mournful. Deep, wide holes were clearly
visible in the southern face, and only por-
ton of the parapet above remained. The
heavy siege guns in our batteries did their
work well that day. Among our wounded
was Lieut.. IlolOrnok, of the 3D. Rhode Island
artillery. He was struck by fragment of
shell in the shoulder and back.
THIRD DAY.
On Wednesday, the third day, the bonn
bardment was continued, only our guns were
not fired as frequently as on the previous day.
Our gunners, however, had got the range
completely, and the ammunition exhausted for
Sumtcr's benefit, was not done so in vain. In
the afternoon two OF the monitors advanced
toward Sumter for the purpose of attacking it
at 2OO0 yards range, but the current was so
strong that the vessels became manageable
and the officers were compelled to abandon
the design Sumter, by way Of Il parting sa-
lutte, fired one gun-the only one heard from
it that day. As usual, the rebel batteries on
James Island were the only ones really alive,
and the probability is they would have been
quoted in very short time if our heavy guns
bad been turned upon them. At night sad
occurred from the premature explosion of
Shell in Capt. ComstoCk's battery, by which
Lieut. Webb Of the 40th Massachusetts regi-
ment, was killed, and - Whiten, of Co. b,
same regiment, and Thomas Cosick, Co. X,
18TH New York, were severely wounded
Three others were slightly wounded from the
same eouee The firing was kept up regular.
ly throughout the night. C,r,~----.ra no,v
going through one side of Sumter and passing
out of the opposite side-we could see the
channel through the apertures made. The
naval battery fired one hundred and thirty
rounds, seventy-five of which struck Sum-
ter. In the afternoon one of the S0-pouudrrs
was disabled in the breach-the result OF its
own discharge. The Whitworth guns are to
be removed from this battery, and PARROTS
guns put in their place. At night sap was
constructed from the third parallel to within
200 yards eff Wagner. The rebels were also
employed in building sap from Wagner to.
ward our works.
THE FOURTH DAY.
At about noon Wagner opened heavily on
our land batteries, but was glad to draw off
after the Ironsides had fairly got to work.
With the exception of a score of rounds from
the Ironsides, and few from the gunboats,
the fleet was not engaged. The monitors did
not even advance toward the rebel works. In
the morning the rebels commenced Smelling
the marsh battery from their batteries on
James Island. During the day they fired ZIG
shots, only one of which struck the work If
that fair specimen of the gunners' skill
they may fire till doOmsday, and no harm will
be done.
AS it may be of interest to know how the
rebels get provisions and ammunition into
Gregg aud Wagner, Notwithstanding our guns
command the channel between Sumter and
Gregg, | will state that every day two black
steamers may be seen plying from Charleston
to the north side Of Sumter. There they re-
main till dark, and then slip over to Gregg
and deposit their cargoes. Deserters say that
the enemy had three thousand men on Morris
Island, and six thousand in Charleston. Thay
were protected on the island by bomb-proof
in the rear of Wagner. At night the firing
was kept up with vigor.
Sketch of Fort Sumter.
Fort Sumter is work of modern construc-
tion and is known as Il truncated pentagonal
fort. 1t is built upon an artificial island at