Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-09-15
LRTTmR RR0m CHARLEsroN.
Special Correspondence Of the Memphis Appeal
CEARLEsToN. S. O.. Semi IL 1s67

Special E0rrGEn0ndenca of the Memphis ADDaRlI
cEARLEsTos, S. c., Sept il, 1893
The slegs Legs. Patience begins to grow weary. ana
men are iuquring Of their neighbors-a What nsxtr
The Yankees arc as quiet a the Princess Noucbalsnte,
who. during her lovers most sarnost suppuea.lon, only
begged he would not hurry himself aad, under our own
noses, appear 20 be taking their own lime to bring as
beneath the iron heel There Is something painfully
provoking in the presence Of thess fellows only four
miles away, within plain sight from every house-top in
the city. and tbs Thought that nothing We can do vii,
hinder their SEPARATIONS Yet 1t Is even 81. The long
sn0sr Of Morris island that puts into the bay onlv
twelve hundred yards from Fort Sumter, Is 3 perfee.
beehive, aud the isisnd further on is black with thplr
vile hordss. At this distance they resemble Liipu.
tians, but a. day by day arises the huge mound Of earth
At Cumming point, gradually assuming the proportions
Of a formidsble battety, We know that they are work.
ing ike giants. Tive guns are already mounted, and
besr upon Sulllvans island. A third points in the
direction Of Charleston. We have good reason, there
fore, to anticipate an esriy resumption OF The shsiIng
process, which, several days ego, l~nterfored so greatly
with our midnight resb
Some persons have doubted the ability Of the enemy
to procure long range Parrot two hundred FOUNDERS IN
sufficient number to mSintAlu q continuous and destrue.
tive are on the city, bat one Of the prisoners ststss that
they have an abundance and more are coming. The
effect Of a prolonged bembardmsRt on The city is to be
tested. UnqussdsnRblY much damage will be done,
but under the efficient management Of our frsmen,
who are constantly on duty. and the preparations made
10 oonbst tbs hsry element should it oDoe get q foot.
hold, we hops 70 be spared anything Ike a general
CONGREGATION. The enemy gain nothing bat hste by
Smelling ths city, snd crafty only aendah desire when
attempting 10 lay e IL ashes.
at Battery Wagasr over which floats the negro flag
Of the 6fh Massachusetts, regiment prisoners state that
guns are already mounted on platforms for the purpose
Of firing into Charleston, but the probability is when
the dght agsln commences In ssrBast, they will have
enough to do 10 looking after our tortiacstionz.
Up 70 the present time We have husbanded anuui.
ton save when In battls; but a regular hre on Com
mius's Point At intervals Of fifteen or twenty minutes
has been Fept up day and alsht. Occasionally sur mis-
silss struck in the very midst Of the working pSrties Of
the euemy, msking a pathway through the mass that
is clearly dhtnguishabls through our heId glasses. bot
almost ms snuy the gap is closed. the dead and wound
Cd borns away, the memsntary dutter csases, and the
work gees on as before.
The silence Of the Heet we regard as omiucuE Of good.
The monitors have no doubt been damaged. psrAaps Sc
rousy. Smoke stacks have beer shot sUsy, tuusts
split, and decks ripped ap beyond eur m.st saBguine
expectations. sUi even the sturdy old Ironsides herself
who We have learned 10 respect Is also undergoing re.
pzirE. New plates arc being fastened on her sides, and
possibly additional sznd-sag bbstmcileus placed in such
msonsr a. 90 defend her most vulnerable points.
These evidences Of our power are both val
usb's and satisfactory. They give Us new con-
Gdsnos IN our batteries and fresh hopes Of src.
cess. They teach Us what have before observed.
namely, thst the feet eaunbtcpsrate in the harbor Of
Charleston until the lend Notifications have paved the
way. The vigor with which Gilmore is working At
Cummings Point ID = plsin acknowledgment Of the I'M
potsncs Of the navy and In turn the impotence Of the
land batteries, viii 1 oplue, be demonstrated with
equal Satisfaction 10 ourselves aud disappointment to
them.
But must not anticipate. while write alErge
body Of negroes are passing my window, full Of life,
fan and noisss-srnsd with shovels. spades and picks
ito the teeth" Yau car guess their uss.
On the whole, sfsirs Gre progressing f%svorablY. The
times are calling forth our strength snd resources, ald
We are beginning TO learn lessons Of war as profitable
to ourselves as they viii prove valuable 10 the coming
generation but God in His mercy grsu. that our
children may never be compelled to practice them.
When The story Of this aisrs Is written. there will
appear upon the record some Of The most illustTlous az.
lmples Of skill, courage ana perseverance, under difs-
culhss. that the war hRs yet afforded It viii be found
that our generals have encountered obstacles and re-
s]trictious which but for their own energy snd patioi-
ism. aud the coopsragOn Of our people, might have
er-shsd out Of eIiEteucs orr fair city by the sea, and
given US over 60 the ietters OF a hated fos. Il has been
rzy privilege 70 know somsihingof the interior history
Of the siege Of Charleston, and form an estimate Of
the conduct Of affairs here far more liberal In its CON
struction than is entertained by those who reason from
suspicion alone, and not sctuaI knowledge 1 grant that
there may have been errors commit ed, that Judgment
has gone amIsg, that the advics and suggestions Of
v4rious persons have been. unhsedsdi but when the
causes Of the present condition Of affairs aye developed,
as they viii be In the failure, when pasafSn is staed and
prejudice no longer sWsysths mind, venture the aser.
ten that the officers In commend Of the department Of
Char sston and It's neigbboHhoed VII be found to have
done their duty, ably, conseientiousIy, and with a single
regard to The interests coBRded 70 their keeping.
The appointment Of Gen. Glmer has not been with.
out its good results In removing from the shoulders Of
Generals Bssuregsrd and Ripley 8 vast load Of mental
and physical lsbsr connected with the defense Of the
city. It is q question, however, whether he rank Of
Major General would not with equal ~propriety have
been bestowed upon Ripley. From the beginning, he
has been thoroughly Identified with the protection Of
Charlsston; from the beginning, he has proven his high
abilities a. an officer. and it would seem 20 lavs been
bis due, that after two years and upward Of hard ser.
vics, soRe recognition Of bis military worth should have
been made. U8der the circumstances, most officers
would have resigned when thus ignored, but General
Ridley promptly rose above an perlonai considerations,
aud yielding to the appeals Of those who knew him
best, has remained at bis Old post and as usual is bend
ing very snerg7 to the " rk before him.
Unqu7ztionsbly, he is one q the best srtillerasts
in this country, fully understanding every detail con-
nscted with his specially, and with Beauregsrd and
Gilner 81 cooperative engineers, who have no superior,
the three constitute a constellation Of ability, skill, e.
gscity and courage, which cannot be equAled II in the en-
tire Yankes army. The wisdom Of their united eounf
sells Is already apparent.
The abandonment Of Morris Island Leaves he enemy
farther from Charleston, in a q iltsty sense, thsn when
they commenced The siege. The fall Of Fort Sumter lB
all the land forces, from their present bsss. have or cen
accomplish. Tbs remainder Of the costsst now de-
wolves upon the aest and We know, from The expert
snce Of the English In Che Crimsa, and oven the strug.
gle on The Ttb Of April, between Sumter and the moui-
tors, and Of Wagner for anY-ave days, that against for
taeations on land, especially such a. Ne hsvs, ships Of
war, irsn-cRds or otherwise, are Of no avail. Unit,
then, The army Of General Gilmore again assumes the
offensive, not by erecting i0ng.rsnge guns a. Cummings
point, but on sons other base, the safety Of Charleston
is Is much assured ss it has been At any time during the
siege. DUEL GU I'm.
p S.-slnce writing he shove Ilsarn that one Of
orr batteries on james island exploded one Of tbs enc
mY'S service magazines, aud, apparently, caused great
slaughter. Several shells, lgnit-d by our ere. burst in
rapid succession. and ths confusion that resulted indi-
Gates " somebody hurt"
LETTER FROM jackson.
Special Correspondence Of the Memphis Appeall