The Portland daily press., 1863-08-29
Brigadier General Commando
Official Roprt OF Col. Turner.
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ARTILLERY
DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Motifs Island = q Au0ust ord 1899

ofFltE OF THE tHlEf "A
DEPARTMENT OF THE SourH
Morris Island 5. c., August sd. 1863
General: II have the honor to report the
effect that our preaching batteries have had
upon Fort Sumter, and the condition of that
work tonight at the close of the seven DAYS
bombardment. The gorge wall of the fort is
almost complete mass of ruins for the dis
lance OF several classmates. About midway
on this face the ramparts are removed nearly,
and In places quite, TO the arches, and but for
the sand bags with which the classmates were
filed, and which have served to sustain the
broken arches and masses OF masonry it would
long since have been entirely cut away, and
with it the arches TO the floor of the second
tier of classmates. The debris on this front
now forms rampant reaching as high as the
floor OF these classmates. The parapet wall of
the two north-easterly faces is completely car
ried away, a small portion only being left on
the angle made with the gorge wall The
ramparts OF these faces are also total ruin.
Quite one-half OF our proiectiles seem to have
struck the parade and parapet of these faces,
and judging from the effect they have had up
on the gorge wall within our observation. the
destruction of masonry on these two sides
must be very great, and | am of the opinion
that nearly every arch in these fronts must be
broken In. But one gun remains in position
on these fronts, and this is in the angle of the
gorge, and think unserviceable The ruin
extends around, taking in the north-easterly
face as far as can be seen. A portion of this
face adjoining the angle it makes with the
south-easterly face, is concealed, but from the
great number of missiles which have struck in
this angle during the last two days, it cannot
be otherwise than greatly damaged, and do
not think any guns can be left in this face in
serviceable condition. The ramparts in this
angle as well as in the south-easterly face must
be ploughed up and greatly shattered The
parapet on this latter face is torn off in many
places, as can be seen, and ! think the plat
forms OF the remaining guns on this face could
not have escaped. With the assistance of a
powerful glass | cannot determine that more
than one of these guns can be used, and it has
been dismounted once. The carriages of the
others are evidently more or less shattered,
ana such Is the condition of the parapet and
parade In the vicinity of this gun, that it prob
ably could not be served for any length of
time. In fact, the destruction of the fort is so
far complete that it is OF no avail i'm the de-
fence of the harbor of Charleston. By lon
ger fire it can be made more completely a ru-
in and mass of broken masonry. but could
scarcely be more powerless for the defence of
the harbor. l therefore respectfully submit
my opinion that continuance of our fire is
no longer necessary, as giving us no ends ade-
quate for the consumption of our resources.
Very resp'y your ob't servant,
JOHN n. TURNER,
Colonel and Chief of Artillery.
To Brig. Gen. j. A. Gilmore, Commanding
the Department of the South.