Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-10-07
Siege of Charleston.

That amiable sheet, the Boston Journal
furnishes the following very entertaining in.
formation:
A gentleman of much Intelligence, re-
Gently from Morris Island, where he had
unusual facilities for observation, has COM
municated to US variety of interesting
facts connected with the siege of Charles
ton.. He states that the reason why Gen.
Gilmore did not continue his bombardment
of Charleston with the ssGreek fire" shells,
was because the shells sent were ignited on
the percussion principle, and being dis
charged from gun elevated at an angle of
thirty eight degrees, took their flight at The
same angle, with longitudinal rotary mo-
ton, base downward, and therefore struck
base downward instead of upon the percus-
sion end, and did not explode. This pecu-
liar motion and descent Of the she'll was q
new discovery in artillery practice, then
first made, and the Ordnance Department
was not furnished with a remedy for the
unlocked for. contingency. To this fact
alone Charleston owes the delay of its doom.
Time fuses. which will set all matters right,
were at once sent for, and have doubtless
arrived at Morris Island before this, and
very likely Charleston is at this moment
experiencing the dreadful effects Of show
er of "Greek fire" shells, fifteen hundred
of which have been. ordered by President
Lincoln for the bombardment of that nest
of treason. The gun from which the first
shells were fired was zoo FOUNDER Parrot,
which can throw a she'll seven miles, when
elevated at an angle of forty FIVE degrees.
The first shells went over Charleston, the
gun being aimed at too sharp an angle.
The celebrated 800 pouDder Parrott gun
which Gen. Gilmore, has, weighs $1,000
pounds Il took 1000 men nine nights to
get the monster into position, the enemy
shelling the party all the while, and men
being killed nightly. Nothing was done
by day, the gun being covered with bushes
to conceal it from the enemy's fire.. The
diameter of the bore is ten inches, the
charge of powder twenty-five pounds, and
the she'll as high as -four barrel, and
weighs 800 pounds, and contains seventeen
pounds of mortar powder. But two of
these immense guns have been made, but
twenty more have been ordered. General
Gilmore at first had only one, but another
has just been sent him. The 300 FOUNDER
when it exploded was in charge Of an in
fautry captain, who had never fired can
non before in his life. He was caution.
ed that some accident would happen if
he was not very careful. On the 25th
round the shell was filled, the percussion
fuse was screwed half way down, and could
not be got any further, when the captain
said, 'let it 60 at that" When discharged
the fire communicated down by the thread
to the shell, causing the latter to explode
before it left the gun, and breaking off 20
inches of the muzzle. The gun was re-
paired and ready for use again in two days.
These guns have been fired with DO pounds,
of powder, and sent a ball through nine
inches of wrought iron plates, and two feet
of oak timber by which it was backed
The larger gun, having rifle bore, the
steadier and truer the ball is sent-in fact,
the accuracy of the rife is attained MIR.
r. P. Parrot, the inventor of these guns, is
at present engaged on 500 FOUNDER, and
if successful, will try 1000 FOUNDER