Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-09-26

FOAT 3VllP JeR !


~ Is
I 1ton NJ Chaslssses Coafiss. SspA 10
No point connected With the define,
OF Chariestos il OF more interest T. IN
ubl'c,n0t only Of our State, but The ems
tire cenfederasy, than Fort Sump(Vr
Associated ~ II has been ID the pssl
with pleasant memories, and in the pres
ent With heroic deeds, it has become .,
. we're m beir-loom Of our whole peo-
pie; and from the hour when il fell into
oar hands As the frst victorious off-risg
Of South Carolina to the cenfsdsrscy
until the preset moment,it has been
defended and protected a. "lhe apple ol
OR eye" At last it has been laid 10 ro-
ins--'ts fair proportions, 'ts noble waIls,
lite threatening tiers Of gons eli demol-
iihed BY the ruthless demon Of war. Yet
there the stately old pile sthl stand,
proud and defiant A. 10 her pslmiest dsya
-srosb-d out not conquered, wrecked
bat not reduced-every foot other mas
sive sides written oil over With the trib-
uies Of the foe to the patriotism, skill
and courage OF those who have been be,
defenders.
1t is not our purpose to enter into q
descriptive detail Of tho present condi-
ton OF the fort, since it would be mani
testify imprudent to state what il no,
Known to the enemy bat there are few
facts which may be interesting and pro-
per to mention.
There is nothing 10 the entire range
Of facts or f., cy to which the rnios OF
Sumpter can be likened that would COO.
vey an idea OF their external appearance.
On the sea face scarcely brick can be
seen. Bushel BY bushel, cart-load by
cart-Ioad, the wall has been Clipped of,
until nothing is left but grey, ragged
mass of mortar, from which project the
outlines OF former classmates, heavy
beams and iron bars. The bernie or
ba'c is literally covered with the debris.
AMID which, at every step as you climb
over the great fragments Of stone and
brick that have fallen from the rarapet,
you tread on broken projectiles OF the
enemy scattered in pieces whose weight
varies from an ounce 10 hundred
pounds. The Sullivan's Island face is
less shattered j; but even hero the pits
ars deep, aud huge piles OF material torn
from the edge Of the parapet by the over
shot balls have fallen on the rocks be-
ow. o the Morris Island face the
spectacle battles all description. For
dis aocc, roughly guessed, Of thirty
yards, the wal Is iltlle less than a steep |
nill that descends from parapet to
the waters edge. Ihis, too, is a ghastly
pile of the one. magnificent shape, from
stands out, in almost sicken'ng aspect,
fragments ofguns, gun carriages. masses
Of machinery, ball, bol's, ramme.s, spon
gcs, all bound aud mixed together with
the iron, brick and mortar, il lamps and |
i" dust, that have been wrencbed from
their long tiDe-honorec places. Here
too, lie the myriad fragments Of project
lies.
On the parapet, as you glance around
the pleasant walk that has been the
scene Of 50 many social episodes, eager
y remembered by our fair ones, you OBJ
serve that the demon OF destruction has
ikeswise laid his heavy hand. One
solitary gun, looming high above all else.
keeps its lonely watch, and this has been
partially covered by dirt dashed over it
!" the passage of shot. Other guns,
brokon ia every conceivable manuel, lie
around, their carriages 10 splinters, and
every vcsti1c either former use destroy
ed.