The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-09-11

THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.
Capture OF Rebels In Front Of Wagner
...Attack OF the Manitors on Fort
MOultrie-..Attemptt to Blow up the
GunbOats with TOrpcdOes.

...Attack OF the Manitors on Fort
Moultrie-.-Attempt to Blow up the
GunbOats with TOrpcdoes.
FORTRESS MONROE, Sept. 6-The dis
patch steamer Alexander has just arrived
from off Charleston. She reports Sumter
perfectly demolished, but the rebel flag
still floating.
General Gilmore dug out and captured
seventy.five men from their rifle pils in
front of Wagner last Tuesday.
Everything was progressing favorably.
New YORK, Sept. GA Morris Island
letter, dated September LIST, to the Herald,
says: For two or three days past new
rebel battery on Sullivan's Island has been
making fruitless efforts to annoy our men
in the advanced trenches. The calibre of
the gun is not certainly known, but it is
supposed to be one of the 11-inch guns
taken from the Keokuk. The firing of
the gun was very good except in one
rather important particular: it's range fell
short, and only at long intervals shot
from it reached this island. Those thrown
in thus far have been solid shots, and have
done no damage other than to the sand
hills which have been hit. The great ma
jOrity fell into the water outside the beach
and expended their force on the curling
surf
Four monitors, the Passaic, Patapsco,
Nahant and Montauk, came in yesterday
afternoon, and engaged Fort Moultrie and
the batteries on Suillivan's Island, firing oc-
casional shots at Sumter and Wagner. The
engagement opened about $3.50 O'Clock,
and for about two hours the fire was main
tanned with great intensity, particularly on
the rebel side. The firing from Moultrie
and Battery Bee was terrific. Their heavy
guns ratified off like snare drum in tat
too, the water about the monitors letting
up in all directions. Many shots struck
the monitors fairly, but they did little
damage. The heavy rifle and 15-inch
shells of the ironclads burst with effect
over and in Moultrie, and sent the earth
whirling in all directions. Wagner was
repeatedly struck by exploding shells, and
somewhat damaged She fired but few
shots during the contest at the monitors.
Battery Gregg was exceedingly active.
Her heavy guns were in play from first to
last in the engagement, and made some ex-
cellent shots. The monitors shells went
wildly on all sides, and bad no effect ia
silencing her guns. Sumter was struck
several times by rifle shells from the Pas
sale and Patapsco, but besides detaching
masses OF masonry it did no further dam
age to the fort. No guns We're dismounted
if they exist After two or three hours
fighting the monitors withdrew. The OBJ
ject of the attack has not been develo ,ed.
A few days since, the rebels made sys-
tematic effort to blow up and destroy the
gunboatS and transports in Stone Inlet by
means oftOrpedoes Fortunately no seri-
GUS damage was inflicted on any of the
vessels by these Internal machines, but the
escape was quite narrow enough for COM
font. One torpedo exploded little as
tern OF the Pawnee and blew her launch,
which was towing astern, to fragments.
A few moments later, tremendous explo-
sion occurred on Bird Key, few rods be-
low the Pawnee, occasioned by another
torpedo, sent down at the same time.
From facts since developed, it is certain
that the rebels sent down, on that night,
at least ten of these Inventions Three or
four exploded, and four were picked up.
One dritted through the fleet of trans
ports and up Foley river and exploded
under the bow of the mortar schooner G.
Z. Williams, but Occasioned no damage.
The tOrpedoes were precisely like those
we have found in Light House Greek, and
go off at the slightest conclusion.
The ,1'lbune's Morris Island letter
states that Wagner will be held to the last
moment, and nothing, it IS said, but want
OF water will compel her to surrender.
The dead lie SO thickly around the walls
that the water from the shallow wells can
not be drank. II compelled by thirst,
some OF the soldiers are so inprudent as
to swallow it, and the next day they are
in the hospital, and before the close OF
week many of them are in their graves.
Brave attempts have been made to sup
ply the garrison from Charleston, bat thus
>ar q small quantity only has been furnish
ed. Only at midnight or under cover of
some dense fog in the morning have any
vessels been known to reach them for the
last eight days.
If the monitors would only cut off their
communication for one week longer, the
fort would be in our possession, and with
Fort Wagner, Fort Gregg, and the whole
of Morris Island once ours, the stars and
stripes, in few hours, would wave over
Sumter We are now within 100 yards of
Wagner.
BY tomorrow our heaviest Parrot
guns will be able to deliver fire at a dis
lance of 200 yards, into every embrasure
commanding the beach, and an enhlading
one upon every gun looking seaward.
DISASTER ON LAKE SUPERIOR.