Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-04-21
FEoN CHA RLESTON.
FROM uus SPECIAL. coRu,,po,nssr |

magnolia: tha yelsw jesGaminc, the camsliR
japnnica y-i glow before tho mansions that
look cut upon the f.r Atlantic from hs5 Iua-
Iine eorle7ard. Lovely girls still walk in the
evont,ds, inhsling the brce2os CT spring, upon
the pa, spa th.. walls her >tsshionabls ride
from the sipsings Of her bsrbor waves
Bright eyes still glesm f:om her lattices and
d.sh through har jslousies. The black maid
who follows tnir mistress along the streets
Of Ceaflcstcn enjuSs still AL the glorieR of
her OWN white necliarchsf ard msnY-color-
e.i he'd dres. Tha beloved city of the Oaro-
liuian, Nlabe though she te, stiil undehled
oy the sack of Northern conquest, nits in
ssfdy upon her wsve-washed pl-in The
rising sun sncds his light upon her from tho
sss, over 6 im batteries arl armored hulls,
Espd reveals 10 her view the msstB of the
hiockading fleet that lucm up dinily sill in
the distant eitioS.
Tbs ha-bnr of Charleston is bounded hy
| na,s lis Nntthevu shore sweeps fr0u the
c,'Y toS"idr lie s:a in the form of ssmi-
! cirCl- ,.s Southern shore trends TO sanwsrd
IN Gu ~ less cnncave. Embraced heta e"n
thcas Two eiicircl ns srtrs, tho hsrhor spreads
Gnt ta~ariI tha Open sna trolH'uuo uf tho
| f,rest cl:l:S Of Amsr."a. iha iait beech -
formed, for tic g"es'-r nert OF is extenf, by
| the ine'n'and, but Ii tOfmlns;ei CcssnWurd by
Suiiivaa'' lS.ul. The right shore 10 formed
| by t~I ISLANDS s--J ames', ura- toe cilT, snd
out to ses, hrrrls. Suiiivans Island, on tho
north, confrun:r Norris on the south, and
beth of these, ssrsrat-d hy an ,nle: Of SONS
2,uuu yards IN width, constitute tho portals
| lead y from the ocean intn ih, ha.bnr Of
1 (lS,rIaS.nn II.,vy h,.Fa OIL
| thes:. keep W stch and ward over tha sea sp-
prrGch To this cradle OF sec.ssion.'' lnsiie
lhess scyila and chsry hdis, about 800 yards,
iios Fort Sumter, the three constituting the
extreme points Of & trisrge that may be said,
in geno7ni torms. 10 DO sqnil.teral. These
| cons i.u!a the htat line of defence; and Lav-
ing hc'o the OH y POSITIONS eugugel in the
la!e conflict here, are ell thst r,q1i:o in this
letter 81 :iai ieItrsnce. B.sltus, tie inner
de'ences being unknow:i 20 the enemy, can.
| not he refsrr' t. o: the present HDe with
proper rees'd 70 tho neutrality which your
corre. p,ndsnt !uc!s oound in good conscience
| to Observe.
The Confederate works Tn Morris and
| Sullivsn's Islands sra not plated with iron;
| they a'e made with esrth snd sRud. Sand
| bags or s:ds are sometimes employed at the
! hnCles AMI W hQn used al thc>e places, present
Guli,ea rtsan ant sharp. The uiaEsz,Ds, III
these instances sse protected by mounds Gf
| earth Or saEd In aume instances sand-bsgs,
III n;hHrf, sads. for: S1mi.r covers an BIT
'i;ir, :! Island. fnrI"ed hy granite chrs, OF ,hs
e1g, Of the channel lnin Charleston. II ia
ahouL a.xty H.et h;sb. Ths shape Of The work
is isregular-consls,i;S of gorge to the
rear, one side froatinc ,ne East, and c"Gsti-
tutiG:, the ses lace; and two nther sides,
| looking t. the Northeast and N"rth, constl-
tu.isg the channel ieces. The walls decline
| iG thct tresa from twelve, fact at the bsso t.
e,gar lssi IS the pArsre.. aid sre made up OF
| abrick fsciog, brick backing, and an inier-
mediate space fi.a. 10 with concrete. Tho
s.n,s,uC.i. c2ussts CT certain number of
guns In csiemste, and corresponding num-
| bsr en- barbstts-.hs harbst.a batteries di-
| vided at the northern angle BY brick tr.
| veIse, Sumter has no glsc,s. Its base, washed
| by .ie sea, the fort ia accessible only from
, :uc rcar by short and narrow jetty.
Eigat Mon!t"rs, one iron clad ftigaie, sud
~ h:tueJ battery anchored or the bsr Of
Charleston tsrbor OF the 5th Of This month.
! The Ericsson vssseis are constructed sfter
| fAscion With which you 10 atraafy familiar
The armn:- cited f5;"sts irfnsca, " natsver
! her form under thn lad ilns, consists above
that cf res;iine~r sides and ends, which
! SLOPE up at u steep augls to fat roof on
decs. AbGve vale AND for some distance be
low il, rtat ship is s.'d to 10 plated; hnt with
| Wa! th nsss ou the sides nr what on the
deck. your correspondent il unable 10 9:s!e.
She IN considered good saa b0st. She is
yer5 large; looks l,ks tho l1uhla roof Of a
| great hous-i aud rsrflOa An aim nsmsnt OF -
| 10, | ! and Is inch guIs. The Whitney bal
tsry, KeOkuk, confutmsd lii general to thade.
sign IF the "ni,or. She carried two fixod
turre:s, aud mounted one II inch and ous l5
inch gun. Tn8 mziiDg III her bsttsirg IL
understood t. hsye cans.Gted of threa lsysrs
Of iron iiva eEhths Of an inch in thickness,
boltsd on to a Cyl intericsl tu5Eet. Th'a ;Ir.
ret was formed IF inch iron strips four aNd
half inches ule, set { n edg' rsd,al!y, rud al
tetns.ng with siuilsr edg,-pieces OF lrch p'ns.
| THIS srmor wss backed with heavy tiInocrs.
Early on tho afternoon OF ths ssvs7 b vt
| this month ID" irnn-plstun II et ntf this city
weighed snchor. They formed III two div
sions and sdvancaa i'll The 'ircction Of tds
haI bnr. The long rcll hsa! IN F':It Sumter; the
artillcrs;s il .hst worK rushed TO lhair
gurs CuInno Alfred Rhott their commander,
| sprarg upon tho parapet. The regimental
| flag Of the Il. South Carnlina Art!lery-"the
palua.to and c,olccnt" cf South C@rolins,
Nthe s..-s and bars" Of The Confederate
States Haunted out fram LII ir fsgstatfs Gu
the fort, and We're ssiuted a. the enemy ad-
vanccd with tn outburst Of the national air,
Dixie" from the hand, and the deep-mouthcd
roar cf tnrteea pieces Of Eesvy artille e'y.-
Tn, arrlored ships within the hsrbDr made
| ste ,lu. Thsi drcks weIe crowded with gazing
sai.urs the f.:.s Of the rssr un land and
wa!yr. hhotied their guns. Their parnpets
weys crowded with soldiers. The windows
of the city front were oys,tiowiag with spec
tstnr. OF all ages and sexes. the whsrves
ws;c thronsod with lookors on, white and
black. The ssa wall wss crowded with bril-
,iaatiy cspsrisonsd officers AID with lovely
women, who stood gazing out t. sea
through tboir lorgnsttss with an air Of vivaci-
tT and fire which presented charming re-
! lief tothe grace aud tenderness 30 character
istic Of tlie ssvo-tcnded beauty OF tho South.
Tho guns Of Sumter are shotlei. They are
rua out for battle. Their lsnysvds are in the
hands If the artiiler!sts, reaoy tv "let slip the
dogs cf war" Tae. men are ranged about
their cannon. Tco Off :ers swat orders at
their posts Colonel Rhs.t stands liks tall
status upon "tha cu!ef Wsll. Slsnre fe,5nS
in Sumter Tee mailed m9ns:rrs Of the deep
move slowly on. Tseir potts arc closed.
They sppssr deserttd OF 81 lIVog things On
thsy come, however, and in two divisions, tho
I7onsidcs lculng lhe sdvanre, ,hs keobuS
leading the resr. They move nnrtLwardlJ
toaards Suili-an's Island, snd ct distance
from its tat;as;as Of about 1900 yards they
begin to curve around towards Sumter. a
flash, cloud OF sinDke, clap Of thunder
he-sld s,orm of heavy shot which ha sIs
frou, The island upon the s!le of the f1gsts
With pc'i;ns cla:ser. The slips move OH
silontly. (ol. Rhct: gives toe word to 6's
The dee p mouthed explosions Of Sumter burst
iasseally upon .he advancing chips, aoa huTl
| tra,nSnd ,ns huits nf cIcu.h b. irr.i soainst 10