Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-20
SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.
From the We curry Of the i3'hl


The enemy's batteries were altogether ST.
lent yesterday. Battery Smkins kept up its
usual mor'ar fire against Gregg and Wagner.
But few shots were fired from our other bat
terIeS.
Foolish rumnrs were current on the streets
during the afternoon, to. the effect that the ell.
emy's guns had re pered fire upon the city
There was no foundation whatever IN the re-
port if we except the explosion of n large
shell on Southern. Wharf AMI some Of our
heavy artillery practice from the upper wharves
on Co per river.
The two prisoners taken in the harhor on
Saturday night are communicative enough,
tn ugh It may well be doubted how much ere
dcnce is due to their statements. They say
that batteries Gregg and Wagner vii not he
ready to open fire on the city for two weeks
vet. Four guns have been amounted ut Wagrrr
and one at Gregg, all, they say 300 FOUNDER
Purrntt guns, and bearing upon the city
There is in process Of construction bet cen
Wagner AID Gregg a smal blttpry. upon
which is to tc mounted four 800 FOUNDER Par
rutt guns
Parrott the inventor Of the fam Us gun Of
that name, arrived on Morris Island Il week
ag", together with ST me of bis wurkmcn, who
are bu>ily engaged in getting the ordnance
into position Parrott will give his personal
attention 10 the firing of these guns, when
Gilmore is prepared to renew the attack BY
the possession "f Cummings Point, Gilmore
has approached one mile and Il half nearer to
the city than wnen his fire was directed Irtm
the Marsh Battery, between Black and NJ rris
Islands The prisoners state that the shell
irGm the SEQ Founders can he prnject"d with
effect for six miles, ard that even ROW thecity
conld be shelled; but that Gilmore prefers TO
wait until all his batteries are perfected.
Three more monitsrs ard the tremendous
iron clad figate Dictator have sailed from
New York. aud their arrival IL l""krd for at
the end of the present week. The Dictator
draws twenty-five feet water. I" obviate this
the enemy purpose removing her armament
and by this means to Tighten her over the bar,
and then replace theordnance.
The prisoners say that the expedition to
blow up the 1ronsdrs was an entire failure
The torpedo struck that vessel "n the bow, but
inficted no great damage. Lieut.. Gias>el aud
the fireman, Mr.. Sullivan. are prisoners hav-
ing been picked up some time alter the s!rlk-
ing of the lronsdes.
In speaking of the composition with which
the shells intended for the burning of the city
are filled. the Yankees seem confident that
they would lie most de- tructive I" both life and
properly. The composition L. 81 compound vt
ether aud gnau", the stencil IF which is suti'-
eating and iusutler:.bie, besides being mex
tingulshahle.
jim Lane, of kansas notorle:y, is at Hilton
Head. in command Of regiment Of contra
bands from Florida.
They speak in unqualified terms of disgust
of The 6ghliug qualities Of the negroes. espe-
cially tn. Sc from South Carolina, who are
. assessed of wholesome fear of shot and
Shell, aud fairly quake at the idea of falling
into the hands of their masters The Lincoln
policy of arming the negro ia u"t. popular
with the Yankees. They do very well for
building batteries and performing fatigue
work, but the white soldiers will not trater-
n.z" with the wn"lly heads, and hold them in
the utmost contempt as soldiers. Gilmore
does not think as fav"rahly as Hunter of their
fighting qualities, and would he glad to rid
himelf If tneir presence could be do so
without givrrg uffeu-e The report of the
removal ri Gilm"re's headquar ers from Nor
ris Island to Lit le Folly is pronounced incor-
rect Ast"the number of the enemy's force
ON Morris Island, we could gain no informa-
ton.
From the Mercury of the Nth.
There is >till nothing new or Of striking
interest TO report in the military operations
near US. Our fire upon the enemy yesterday
wa quite brisk.
The ya"kee works ut Cumm ng's Point,
ss we'll as our own at Fort Juht.ston, begin
to loom up in formidable proportions