The New York herald., 1863-08-24

The news from Charleston is most important.
BY the arrival Of the steamer Star Of tho South at
this port yesteSday--an omnous name for the mes
scnger Of such intelligence-and BY the arrival OF
the Arkansas at Philadelphia, we have information
that Fort Sumter has been fearfully damaged by
the FIRE Of our guns; It's walls scared, broken up
and preached in several places. and the safety Of
the city Of Chsrieston placed in Imminent peril.
The bombardment Of Fort sSptsf commenced ON
Monday. tho 18th inst. from the shore and naval
batteries, while the Monitor feet kept forts
Wagner and Gregg employed. and silenced
both Of them. The iron-clads Patapsco
and Passaic piled their guns on Sumter.
While fighting the batteries OF Wagner we regret
to say that Commodore Rodgers and Paymaster
Woodbury. who were on tho iron-clad Cstsldll,
were both instantly killed by . shell. The feet.
however, is unipjured. VIZ give . sketch Of Com
molore Rodgers In another column. The Con-
federate flag on Fort Sumter was shot away seve-
raj times, but was again and again hoisted amid
the most terrific FIRE. So torn are the walls that
the shots from our guns pass clear through the
openings and strike the opposite wall Of the fort.
The parapets are nearly all knocked of, and the
walls literally honeycombsd. The bombardment
of Thursday, the 10th, 1t was which completed the
terrible destruction on the fort which the cannon.
day. the gorge wall still Stood although it was being
cut away piece by piece. 1t s evident that Sumter
Is prepared to make desperate defence, and will
hold out to the last. So with the other deiences
Of Charleston. Although the fight has been val
lantly begun, and the result can hardly be doubt
Tai, yet there is much severe work to be donaby
Charleston our own.
The special dispatches Of our correspondents
which We publish to-day contain most interest
Ing account Of the whole proceedings In front of
Charleston since Monday last. We would call
special attention to the map of Charleston and
vicinity which we give in another part Of the
paper.
FROM the Army Of the Potomac the news is
that General Lee is receiving large reinforce
ments, and is supposed to be preparing for an.
other raid into Maryland similar to the movement
Of last August. which preceded the battle Of
Antetam. Refugees from Richmond state that
the CONSUMPTION is being rigidy enforced. All
classes, between the ages Of sixteen and sixty,
are taken wherever found, except those employed
By the government or who exempted from
having heretofore furnished substitutes under pre-
sious calls.
Tie draft will commence to-day in the Fourth
and Seventh districts Of this city. As an immense
military force is concentrated here, and shows
itself in almost every quarter Of the city il is no,
likely that any disturbance will occur.
BY despatch from Memphis we learn that Gen
Uurlbut has made q most successful raid into
Central Mississippi to seize upon some valuable
railroad material which the rebels were running
of South from Granada. The expedition started
from Lagrange, Tennessee, on the 18th
under the command Of Lieutenant Colonel Phil
lips, Of the Nineteenth Illinois mounted infantry
and reached Granada on the 18th, driving General
Simmer. with two thousand men and three pieces
Of artillery, from the place They then destroyed
Ary.seven locomotives, upwards Of four hundred
cars, the depot buildings, machine and blacksmith,
shops, and large quantity Of ordnance and com.
missary stores. They captured about nity railroad
men and number Of other prisoners.
We have received another interesting col
Asation Of Southern news from late rebe