Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-08-20
TgE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.

Governor Ronham has issued proclamation urging
the removal of all noncombatats from the city
as possible. He says:
With Commanding General whose skill and valor
have Illustrated Charleston and officers and who
have been distinguished many welfopght ded and,
above all with the aid and protection OF the mighty,
we do not doubt that this ancient city-the portal OF
the State-wil be successfully defended Yet in view
of the character the defence to be made the neces
sty of proec ing oL-3ombatants-maDy OF them the
wives and children of gallant soldiers in the field
against contogsn injury and the Importance OF disem-
barrassug the military authorities In the conduct OF the
defence OF the city, prudence dictates that such nom
combatans should be removed and removed as early as
practicable.
The Mercury, oil Monday, has the following account
Of the progress of the siege:
The furious bombardment of Friday night resulted in
a single casualty upon side, while, 1t is believed,
upon good authority, that fire in high degree
effective Ga Saturday tie quiet OF the har6or was I'M
disturbed, by an occasional she'll from Battery
Smkins; but just before nghtis the batteries opened
upon each other with an advancement beyond anything
that has been displayed in this tedious siege Fort
Sumter Batteries Gregg, Wagner and Smkns, the Yam
kee Batteries at Crags Hill and Vinegar Hill all joined
in the dreadful contest monitor and gunboat also
lent their ard to the enemys batteries. Tue firing
az times so rapid that twenty shots might have been
counted within minute Sumter is said to tave thrown
is shells with remarkable precision dropping them at
will a. Crag's Vinegar Hill. This contest continued
with more less vigor all night Nevertheless, up TO
halEpas P. H. We had sustained loss OF two only
Sunday was very nearly tranquil as Sunday should
be- the ever vgilaut Battery Smkins being almost the
only disturber Of the peace.
The Courier, of the same date, says:
Between eleven and twelve o'clock Saturday night, a
furious FIRE opened our ride firing from Fort Sumter
and batteries Gregg aud Wagner. The enemy fired ra-
pdly from his aud batteries with two hundred FOUNDER
Parrott shells, and was joined afterwards by Monitor
aud wooden gunboat, which also fred very heavy.
Our batteries succeeded in seDcing one OF the enc
my's land batteries early part OF the engagement
A shell from Fort Sumter fell among the Yankee gun
ners who to leave the work in disorder, many
crawling off on their hands and knees.
The enemy also fred some few shots at the steamer
Sumter, but failed to strike her.
TANKEE ACCOUNTS.
The special correspondent OF the New York Times
writes from Morris Island, August 8, as follows:
The siegeof Fort Wagner i5 still progressing, and
thus far without any Eerous encounters between the op
posing forces since the memorable 18th. The enemy
sends his missiles at intervals during the day and night
from Ferris Sumter, Gregg and johnson, but has sue
eeeded in causing very little injury to the Union troops
anything the rebels appear have tired Of that
of pastme within the past two or three days, it s
noticed they do not fire so often as they did week
ago. Probably they suspicious that they have been
wasting ammunition, and are now content to wait until
not respond
Fort Wagner is already about non est At any rate,
il is impossible for that work to its guns to any ad
vantage in consequence of the eKrertness of our sharp
Shooters who ready to pick of the first rebel that
shows his head above the fordcaons. By this meaps
itmay be safely said that Fort Wagner entirely
mercy When the Union forces first arrived on tae
island the guns of Fort Wagner were trained on the
beach, sweep its entire length and in fact it
rendered anything but agreeable promenade ut til
time. But now the soldiers walk The beach with
IMMUNITY to within a mile and hilf Of Fort Wagner,
fearing any trouble from the guns of tina. work.
Fort Gregg, otherwise known az the Cummings Point
Btery, is completely out of the question at present
The special points of iDteresi Forts SUMTER John
son. aud as before minated, Fort Wagner Let those
forts be reduced aud the land forces will have achieved
that be required Of them in their present stu4
ton The ron-cads must do the rest Of the reduction
of Charleston. Fort Moultre occasionally throws a
SHELL but for what purpose it difficult to conceive,
the proecte invariably falls in the water without caug
ing the slightest damage to any Union material
Toe "New South" Yankee sheet, published at Port
Royal, S. O., relates the following;
Colonel Jas Montgomery, while commanding in the
trenches, Lieut. Ool Abbott and Major Henderson, Of
the Seventh New York. had very IarroW escape day
or two snce from spherical shot, which burst direct
y over their heads aud there scarcely an officer who
has been at the fronE without some similar adventure.
No officer has been wounded however, since my last
letter. Major Henderson, of the Seventh New Hamp-
SHIRE had narrow escape one night In trench, near
the 'front.' which, believe, has not been chroniced in
the New South He was sitting in the TRENCH with
eral others when immense proectie from the rebt
works struck in the bank directly behind them, tipp
over half cart load of dirt upon them, and nearly
burying them up. Major Henderson found himself firm
" fixed in the sand, with the elongated 10 inch nipple
nen of de suuction lying up against his shoulder. Sup
posing it , be a SHE'LL unable to stir inch, the Ma
ors ltons from the time Of discovering the pro-
ectile uu I'll he became convinced that it was sold