Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-09-11

tauk, came in yesterday and engaged Fort
Moultrie and The batteries on Sullivan Island
| firing an occasional shot at Sumter and Wag.
ner. The engagement opened at 80 p. m
and for about two hours was maintained with
great earnestness, particularly on the rebel
side. The firing on Moultrie and battery Bee
was terrIh and the water about the monitors
WAS getting up in all directions Several
shots threw tons Of water in a perfect cata.
ract over their turrete and decks, shaking them
with the concussion. Several shots also
suuck the monitors, but did little damage. --
The heavy rifle and l5.inch shells Of the iron
clade burst with effect over and In Moultrie
and sent the earth whistling 10 all directions.
I Fort Wagner was rapidly struck by the ex-
/ ploding SHELLS and somewhat damaged She
hted but few shots at the monitors during
the contest. Battery Gregg was exceedingly
active her heavy gun was in play from the
hrst TO the last OF the engagement and made
some excellent shots The monitors shells
went on all sides and had no effect in silenc-
ing her guns. Sumter was struck several
times by rifle shells from the Passaic and Pa
tapHco. and besides detsching masses Of loose
masonry, did no further damage TO the fort -
After two or three hours fighting, the moni-
tors responded to the general signal from the
lronside to cease firing and withdraw. What
the object Of the attack was, has not been de-
velopcd
Three days since the enemy made sys-
tematc effort to blow up and destroy the
Runboats and transports IN Stono Inlet. by
means of torpedoes. and the escape was quite
narrow. One torpedoe exploded httle
astcrn Of the Pawnce and blew her launch,
which uLf "a 4
few minutes later Tremendous explosion uc-
CURED on Bud Key, a few roads below the
Pawnee. occasioned by another torpedoe sent
down at the same time. From facts since
developed, it is certain tha, the rebels sent
down on that night at least ten of the inven-
tions, three or four Of which exploded, and
four of-which were picked up. One drifted
through the feet Of transports and up the
Tolly river and exploded under the bows Of
the mortar schooner, G.. f.. Williams. occa-
sioning no damage. Tho torpedoes are pre-
ciscly like those found in the Lighthouse
Creek, and 60 off at the slightest concussion
For the second time, a. the request OF Ad-
mirol Dahlgreen, our batteries are firing on
sumter. How many times the Fort has got
TO be reduced before the navy can go in re-
mains to be seen. The heavy rifles are firing
steadily to-day, and as | close, what the ef
feet on Sumter is | cannot tell. 1t is already
a ruin, and cannot be battered down much
more still we must crafty the navy.
The Tribune's Morris Island letter of the
LIST inst, says Wagner will be held to the
last moment, and nothing, it is said. but want
of water will compel her surrender The
dead lie thickly around her that water
from the shallow wells cannot be drawn
Compelled by thirst, some of the soldiers are
30 imprudent as 10 swallow it, and the next
day they are in the hospitals, and before the
close Of the week many Of them are in their
graves
Great attempts have been made to eupply
the garrison from Charleston but thus far
only small quantity has been furnished 49,
Only at midnight, for under cover OF some
dcuse fog in tie morning have any ve,sels
been known TO reach them for the past eight
days. II the Monitors would only cut of
communication one week longer, the Fort
would be in our possession, and with Fort
Wagner, Fort Gregg and the whole Of Morris
Island ours, the Stars and Stripes in few
hours would wave over Fort Sumter.
But what the Monitors should have done
long since, Gen. Gilmore with his engineers
and artllerists will probably accomplish be-
fore many days.
We are now within 100 yards of Fort Wag-
ner, and by tomorrow our heaviest PARROTS
viii be able to deliver fire at the distance Of
200 yards into every embrasure commanding
the beach, and are enflading, one upon every
gun looking seaward Showers OF grape and
cannisters will also be poured upon the gun
ners the moment they leave their bomb proofs
and commence working their pieces. At toe
distance of 1000 yards the 5 and l-inch
she'll Of the monitors seem to have but littlo
effect upon the embankments. aud seldom
penetrate more than seven or eight feet
The bomb-proofs OF Wagner being covered
with nearly thirty feet OF sand and timber, it
Is but waste OF ammunition to FIRE at so
great distance. If we can believe the re-
ports of deserters and prisoners, not one OF
our shots have yet penetrated any Of the
bomb-proois by direct fire.
An officer who arrived in the steamer Full
ton, from Port Royal, via Charleston Bar,
Sept. lst, p. m, says that none of our iron
clads have yet passed Fort Sumter, nor can
they until the immense chains across the up
per harbor are removed, and to do this will
take some time. He says that after taking
Fort Wagner, the iron-cads have much to
do, as the fortihcations on James Island are
very strong
Under date Of Morris Island, Charleston
Harbor Aug. %, c. c. Fulton writes: De-
serters several Of whom enter our lines da-
", represents the people Of Charleston as
anxious to surrender the city, but Beaure-
gard is determined on its destruction
The shelling process caused general sur
prise, Beauregard having pledged that it was
mere Yankee bravado. 1t is asccrtained
that the first she'll fired entered house oc-
cupied by number of officers, killing several
Some Of tho shells went to the fa.thest ex-
tremity destroying large cotton warehouse
and other buildings.
FORTRESS Mon ROE, Sept. 4
The United Sta es dispatch steamer Alex
ander just arrived from off Chnrletton, reports
that Fort Sumter was perfectly demolished,
but the rebel flag was stlll floating over it,
Gen Gilmore dug ont and captured seventy
five men from their riae.pits in front OF Fort
Wagner last Tuesday Everything is pro-
gressing favoraby
The steamer s. r. Spaulding arrived here
at nine O'Clock last evening from off Charles
ton She reports AS having left Morris Island
IN Mnraav last and that a aaVara atorr, had