Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-11-14
From Charleston Esarbor.

MoRRrs ISLAND, S. c., Wednesday, Nuv |
4, 1S63.--Thc bonbsrdnent of Fort Sumter
is still progressing, although the fire is not |
so rapid as it was during some DAYS of last /
week. The old fabric is gradually dropping
away, revealing in the process portions Of
shattered casemates and other internal struc- /
ture, which in turn disappear from view
The handful of powder which the pitiful |
remnant of a garrison ilosh at sundown each
night, to assure the people Of Charleston that
"al is well" is but the symbol of Suntcrs
exhausted energy.
The fire from the Union guns cannot be
excelled in accuracy nsequently effective
tgss. Out or soventy-four successive shots
discharged from one battery, sixty took
effect at the desired point. The same COM
pliment can be extended to the gunners on
the monitors. They have done immense
execution, especially since the vessels have
taken an advanced position. a spon:anc.
Gus cheer arose from a group Of officers and
men ut Cummings Point, day before yestcr
day, at seeing six solid shots fall simnltane-
ously among Il party of four rebels, while
endeayoring to raise the flagstaff which had
been knocked away an hour previous.
-Four of the shots were from the land bat
teries and two from the Monitors 1t is
fair to predict that the men did net escape
not renewed till carly the next morning.
Since then the flag has been again shot away,
making number OF seven times within the
past eight days Whatever damage the
enemy may have inflicted upon Us from
Wagner and Gregg, lie is getting pay in his
own coin from Strong and Putnam, the
names lay which those forts are now known
besides something in the way of interest
from battery Chatlield, situated between the
| two.
The cncmys fire has been irregular and
feeble throughout the past week. "n Mon
day, the day we resumed an active bonn
bardment, he replied with considerable
determination, but his vim died out with
the close of the day. ttr two days only
one shot was fired at Wagner 1t is not
thought improbable that the enemy may
} have pointed his guns on James Island to-
ward the channel, so rs to be in readiness
for the iron-clads should they gain the inner
> harbor.
1t would not be surprising also if he was
short OF ammunition, for we are aware he
expended tons to very little i)urpose when
we were engaged remodeling and construct
, ing on the north end of this Island. The
SuIlyan's Island batteries are DOUBTLESS
as formidable as any that the enemy pos
sesses.
Besides the old works. including Moultlic
Bee and Beauregarl, a water battery i'll an
: incipicnt state OF construction has been late
, ly observed about "A mile east of the Muultric
, House. The fact that the iron-Clads regard
it with little attention is evidence they are
, not apprchensiyc of any serious resistance
from that quarter
t \ BOLD FEAT-sUM SCALED.
i Monday night one of the bolIcst fcats of
! the siege was performed by Captain Ferris,
{. of the Ent;lns Prrdu Regiment. Accompa-
: MED Ivy two others, who acted rs rowcrs,
the Captain took boat and passed up Light
house Creek to the Bay, and then cautiously
felt his way to Sumter.
c He reached the deJrjs unpcrccycd by those
;, above, and was in the act of climbing to Il
: more elevated point, when some bricks
& used as Il purchase for his feet, gave way
# causing noise which arlarmcd the sentinel
:, who aroused the entire garrison. The Cap
5 tain comprchcnded his imminent position
II and succeeded in returning to his boat.
t In pushing off the rebels were enabled tC
i Judge his whereabouts from the sound OF
e the oars, and fifty Of them discharged thcii
pieces at him, but the bullets fell harmlcSsly
into the water himself and assistants ar
,, rived safely at Cummings Point
l. VALUABLE rNroRMArIoN
u \ rebel who recently deserted from sum
:, ter, states that the place is occupied during
Il the day by the small force of twunty.hv,
u men. At nine o'clock at night the force il
increased TO five hundred, who remain ill
four o'clock the next morning, and the!
retire with the exception of twenty-five, viii,
S relieve those on duty the preceding day.
On one occasion last week. single Sho
killed and wounded eleven out Of the TWEEN
q ty-tyc.
Every shot that is aimed at the fort ere
atus the widest CONSERVATION. The men II,
hithcr and thithrr, and often in their cX
trcmc haste to seek cover, become confuscl
+ and take to the most hazardous hooks TO
II safety. The people of Charleston, having
Is recovered somewhat from the fright occa
. stoned 10y the first administration Of Greei
% fire, were icartully alarmed at the three sue
u cecding shells thrown into the city from
. Fort Putnam on the 2Gth ultimo.
- The probable fate of the city is being dis
r cusscd with great carncstness, and nun!crou
~ families have their goods and chattcls pack
~ cd for sdirc emergency The desertcr swan
Sumter To Putnam. Upon arriving, he wa
, Immediately taken in charge by the office
IL of the night and conducted to the prcscnc
OF the commanding General.
= gun-boat reconnaissance up Folly INYe
Vi was successfully accomplished last Saturda
The object of the expedition was to seattle
u a force of rebels that had been seen lurkin;
= in the woods on the west bank. For tina
VI purpose the gun-boat Marblchcad and tn
N mortar schooner c. p: Williams left StonC
lo River in the morning, and proceeded o
IL their way up the Folly, When about tw
miles from the Stono, both vessels openet
g fire and continued to shell the woods for
le distance of two miles. \ force of rebc
- cavalry and some infantry were burned on
'S and made to move back in dohble-quick.-
After firing l73 shots, thc'vessels returnc,
H. to their former anchorage Colonel Scrrcl
u of the Volunteer Engineers, accompanies
'h the expedition and took notes of the pro
= ceedings. The enemy did not return tn
III fire.
Folly river follows the west shore of Foil
II, Island, hence it became matter of som
ne Importance to rid the east shore of jaime
NJ Island of the rebels. We have uumistakGb!
'n evidence that the rebels have concentrate,
large body of troops on the south end G
T. James Island in anticipation, no doubt, q
movement of our forces in that direction
" L. Times.
~ Important from West virginia,