Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-09-15
CHARLESTON,

The news received from Charleston,
since the issue of last week, has been al
ternately bad and good in butchers
phrase, with streak of lean, and a
streak of fat" On the 9th, the bonn
bardment was kept up all day without
interlnission, and about $50 Of our men
were Killed and wounded at batteries
Wagner and Gregg. Its supposed that
the loss of the enemy was very great.
The enemy having advanced their
sappers up to the very moat of Wagner,
and it being impossible to hold the is
land longer, Gen. Beanregard ordered
the evacuation, which was executed be-
tween 5 P. M. and l A. NJ, with sue
cess. We spiked the guns of Wagner
and Gregg, and withdrew noiselessly in
forty barges. Only one barge, contain
ing twelve men, was captured.
On the It'll, Admiral Dahlgreen de-
manded the surrender Of fort Sumter,
when Gen. Beauregard replied that he
could have it when he should take and
hold it, and that before that time such
demands we're puerile and unbecoming.
At 6 o'clock P. M. the iron-clads and
monitors approached Fort Sumter clio
ser than usual and opened hot fire
gainst it. Our batteries on Sullivan's
Island, including Fort Moultrie, replied
heavily. @
After our forces evacuated battery
Wagner, the enemy garrisoned it with
negro regiment the 54th Massachu-.
setts-and the detested flag of that State
now waves over that battery. On the.
9Th about noon the enemy fired the VIII
lage of Monltrieyille, on Sullivan's Is.
land, in several places with incendiary
shell. ~ - -asa "a
On the night of the 9Th, the enemy,
about midnight, approached in about
thirty barges with the view Of capturing
Fort Sumter by assault Our forces
were not taken by surprise, as the enc
my expected, and at the proper time,
Fort Moultrie and Battery Bee opened
upon them, simultan eo,sly with the In,
fantry in Fort Sumter.
The Yankees succeeded in landing a
portion OF the force at the ruin, but after
fifteen minutes contest, in which the
Charleston Battalion fought chiefly with
brick bats and hand grenades, were driV-.
en- back, and retreated in disorder.
The following is Gen. Beauregard's
official despatch:
CHARLESTON, Sept. 9, 1868.
To Gen. S. Cooper During last night
thirty of the enemy's launches attacked
Fort Sumter. Preparations had been
made for such an event. At concert
ed signal all the batteries bearing on
Sumter, ass isteds by one gunboat ram
properly located, were thrown out. The
garrison behaved with gallantry and
GOODNESS, Maj. Elliott commanding the
post. The enemy was completely re-
pulsed, leaving one hundred and fifteen
prisoners, thirteen officers included, from
4 boats. and colors. Nobody hurt on our
side. q. Il. BEAUREGARD,
Gen. Com'd'g.
The enemy brought with them the
flag which waved over Sumter when
Gen1 Beauregard caused Maj. Anderson
to haul it down. They hoped toreplace
it upon the Fort, amid the extrayagant re-
joicings of the whole Yankee nation
but alas for them,
''The best laid schemes o. mice and men
Gang aft agIee,"
and the flag was captured by our men,
and will never rejoice the Yankees by
waving over Fort Sumter. That cher
ished object has been defeated that
dear hope las been crushed in the bud,
and deep is the modification, and great
is the disappointment of the whole Yam
kee nation. They will not relish Goldfish
for several months.
On the 10th nothing of interest occur
red.
On the 18th one of our shells from
James Island exploded the enemy mag
azine at Battery Gregg, causing great
confusion there.
MEETING FOR HOME DEFENCE.
We have been rer1rested FL stata tbat