Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-07-31
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.


barity Of che Rebels towards our Wound.
ed-The CoIored Soldiers Enslaved-Our
Batteries Advanced 600 Yards nearer
Sumter-Th Bombardme Mt OF Fort Sum.
ter Com menced.
MORRIS ISLAND, s. O., July 26.1Corres-
ponterce n Y. Tribune. Yesterday morning
at daybreak the ironsides and monitors again
opened on Fort Wagner, and continued firing
until 10 o'clock These vessels have had so
much practice of late that the gunners now
seldom waste a shot, and nearly every one
falls plump into the fort or upon the walls, or
rather the sand-banks, for nothing resembling
walls now remain of the structure. Fort Wag-
ner did not reply to this fire, but during the
entire day maintained the profoundest silence.
Occasionally Fort Gregg answered, and Fort
Moultrie from the opposite side of the channel
tried twice to reach the iron clads, but fell
short The bastions of the fort, beneath which
the bomb proofs are situated, were reached in
several places, and taken altogether, the DAYS
work was considered the best the navy has yet
made.
At II o'clock the hospital steamer Cosmopol-
itan, with wounded rebels on board, met the
steamer Alice, Of Charleston, off Fort Wagner
under flag OF truce, according to an agreement
entered into few days since in reference to an
exchange of prisoners.
The wounded on board of the Alice were
brought to the Cosmopolitan by n. H. Nathans
ana his corps of Charleston firemen. Bishop
Lynch, Rom an Catholic Bishop of South Car
DINA. accompanied the wounded and was un.
renting in his attentions to them. Officers
of the Rebel army could not have received
more delicate or careful attentions from him.
His praises are upon every tongue. He repeat
eddy expressed the hope that this unnatural
and cruel war would soon be over, and that
the whole country might be united and pros
porous. 1hirty-eight Rebels (privates) and
four surgeons were exchanged and los Union
wounded, including three officers, one of whom
n nfx 10 holm Ia nl on hon
1t appears from the very best sources of in.
formation, that Col. Shaw, of the 5ith Mass, in
stead Of having been killed by a Charleston mob,
as believed here on the date of my last letter.
was shot in the heart early in the engagement,
and buried the next morning in pit with IS
negroes.
The Charleston papers, from the DIST to the
Oath inst, all say that $50 of our killed were
buried on the Sunday morning after the assault.
This extraordinary proportion of the killed to
the wounded could not have been reached
without an indiscTiminate numbering of our
soldiers, after they had fallen wounded and
helpless.
Our entire loss, in killed, wounded and miss.
ing, according to official report, was but 1917;
II $50 OF that number were buried, as rebel
officers and rebel newspapers soIemnIy assert
it was the most fearful slaughter, considering
the numbers engaged, of the war.
One hundred and eight of our wounded are
still at Charleston and Columbia. The officers
and men of the 5ith Massachusetts (colored)
will not be given up, nor has it yet been posi-
lively ascertained what has become of them.
Unof1cial reports say the negroes have been
sold into slavery, and that the officers are
treated with unmeasu red abuses.
OF the latter there is no doubt whatever l
have conversed with several officers who were
exchanged on Friday, and they all tell me that
the first question asked them was whether they
commanded negro troops. If the response was
in the negative, they were told that it was for
tunate for them, for every id niger COM
maRGer would be hung or shot at sight
There is but one opinion with regard to the
treatment eur wounded received in Charleston.
II was cruel. shameful, barbarous Nearly
every sentiment OF humanity seems to have
departed from these South Carolina wretches.
The slightest gunshot wound, which our army
surgeons would have soon healed, Immediately
suggested to these professional butchers the
knife, the saw, amputation, and, in this CHI
mate, death.
An opportunity to mutilate the body by am
putation was seized upon, and after the ope-
ration was performed, the surgeons seemed
profoundly Indifferent whether q spark of life
remained or not This shameful treatment was
not confined to the severely wounded, but
into their hands.
The officers and soldiers now on board the
Cosmopolitan will tell you that they had not a
single change Of clothing, and in many in
stances not even their wounds dressed until
they reached the deck OF the hospital ship.
The Sisters OF Mercy offered their services but
were not allowed to enter the wards OF the
hospital
On our left we advanced our batteries yes
terday, 600 yards nearer Fort Sumter, and
threw up sand batteries with four 1O-inch
mortars to hold our position. BY tomorrow
evening we shall have six 200 Founders in po-
Sition at this point.
Two heavy ritied guns opened upon us from
Fort johnson yesterday. By reference to the
map it will be seen that this fort will be able
TO deliver quite severe enfilading fire when
we open upon Sumter. She has already
thrown she'll two hundred yards over our bat
teries. Lieut.. Col. Leggett of the 10th Connec-
ticut, had his right leg taken off on Friday by
one OF them.
The correspondent of the New York Post
says:
"Gen. Gilmore has been busily engaged in
training several heavy guns on Fort Sumter.
This is no pastime, as the enemy are constantly
Smelling the engineers and soldiers. He had
succeeded in making disturbance on one of
the parapets. showing what he could do when
he was ready. So far he has only had 30
Founders, but he has received several Parrot
guns, of 200 and 300 pounds, which will enable
him to make demonstration for which the
rebels are not looking. Reinforcements have
also arrived"
The correspondent of the New York DAILY
Neus, Writing from Fortress Monroe under
date of July 27th, says:
Every important and trustworthy news has
been communicated to me, which m ust be briefly
conveyed, though it bears with it only the in
ference that Fort Wagner has been silenced.
The bonabardment of Fort Sumter has been CON-
mortar boats. The result will soon be known.
Another Account.
From the New York Expressly
From passengers by the Paul Jones and
Gorge 4. Collins, our reporters obtained the
following additional news:
The Union forces under General Gilmore
We're actively preparing for another assault on
Fort Wagner, the walls Of which had been
beaten down by the land and sea forces. The
Rebels had, however, built inside of them a
nigh barricade OF cotton bales, which afforded
some protection against small shot, but cannot
resist the rif1ed projectiles fred from the feet
The New York Volunteer Engineers were en-
gagged in making approaches to Fort Wagner
Fort Sumter and the fort ON James Island
are keeping up continual firing, so as to keep
the Monitors at a respectful distance from Fort
wagner, but in spite OF this heavy fire the
Montauk, with Admiral Dahlgren ON board,
ran to within one hundred and nine feet of the
fort, reconnoitered leisurely, and returned to
her consorts
Deserters arriving at Port Royal report that
Beauregard has received reinforcements from
Lees army, and that a number Of paroled men
from Vicksburg are now in the rebel ranks
fighting our men.
Some OF the forces for the defense Of Sayan.
nah having been Withdrawn, the residents O,
that city have formed q guard for the protec. |
ton Of their property.
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