Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-09-04
EROM ONARLESrON


son was injured. Several shells few In The
direction Of St. Michael's steeple, and fell
either In the burnt district on King street. or
more generally struck in the centre Of the
streets. as exhibited az the corner Of Queen
aud Kittredge streets, where an s-inch she'll
fell and tore up the plank and dug large
hole in the ground. Other shots entered the
warehouse Of @. w. Williams a. Co., and OK
ploded in the upper story, making large
hole in the brick wall Of the Medical Purvey-
or's storobouse, scattering everything in great
confusion. Some loose straw was set on fire
by the explosion, which caused the alarm
bells to ring and brought out the fremen. Il
vas extinguished with little effort before it
eade much progress.
The following is the communication from
Beauregard to Gen. Gilmore, protesting aginst
the opening Of the bombardment of Charles
ton -
Heddquorters, Department Of South
Carolina, Georgia and Horida,
Charleston, S. g., Aug %, 1868
SRA Last night at Is minutes before II
O'Clock, during my absence on reconnaissance
Of my Notifications, a communication was re-
ceived at these headquarters. dated headquar-
tiers department Of the Soutn, Morris Island,
s. c., Aug. 81, 1868, demanding the imme-
date evacuation OF Morris Island and Fort
Sumter by the Confederate forces, on the al.
legged ground "that the present condition Of
Sumter and the rapid and progressive destruc-
ton which it is undergoing from my batteries
seem TO render its complete demolition within
4 few hours matter certainty, and that if this
letter was not complied with or no reply
thereto was received within four hours after
dol fof fI. D.
dnate commander at Fort Wagner. for trans
mission, fire would be opened on the city
of Charleston from batteries already estnb-
lished within easy and effective range of the
heart Of the city" This communication to my
aides was without signature aud was Of course
returned
About hblf past one O'Clock one Of your
batteries did actually open fire and threw a
number Of heavy shells into the city, the in
habitants OF which, of course, were asleep and
unwarned.
About nine o'clock this morning the com
munioation alluded to was returned to these
headquarters bearing your signature, and can
now be noticed an your deliberate official act.
Among nations not barbaruus the usages
of war pretcribe that when u city is about to
be attacked, timely notice shall be given by
the attacking commander in order that the
non-combatants shall have an opportunity Of
Withdrawing beyond its limits. Generally,
the time allowed is from one 70 three days;
that is, time for the withdrawal, in good faith,
of at least the women and children You,
sir, only gave four hours, knowing that your
notice under existing circumstances could not
reach me in less THAI two hours, and not less
than the same time would be required for an
answer to be conveyed from this city to Bat
terry Wagner.
Wi'h this knowledge you threaten to open
fire on this city, not to oblige its surrender,
but to force me to evacuate those works which
you, assisted by great naval force, havc
been attacking IN vain for moro than forty
days. Batteries Wagner and Gregg, and
Fort Sumter are nearly due north from your
batteries on Morris Island and in distance
varying from half mile to two and a quarter
miles. This city on the other hand is to the
northwest and quite Ave miles distant from
the battery, which opened against it this /
morning.
1t would appear, sir, that despairing Of re-
ducing these works, you now resort to the
novel means of turning your guns against the
old men, the women and children and the
hospitals Of a sleeping city; an acl Of mex
cusablc b,rbtrity .tum your own confessed
point at right, inasmuch ass you allego that
the complete demolition of Fort Sumter with
in a few hours boy your guns seems to you
matter Of certainty and your omission to at
tach your signature to such grave paper
must show the recklessness of the course up
on which you have adventured, while the fact
that you knowingly fixed limit for receiving
an answer to your demand, which made it al.
most beyond the possibility of receiving any
reply within that time, and that you actually
did open fire and threw a number of the most
destructive missiles ever used in war into the
midst Of city taken unawares, and filled with
sleeping women and children, will give you a
bad eminence in history, even in the history
of this war.
am only surprised, sir, at the limits you
have set to your demand IL in order to OBJ
tain the abandonment Of Morris Island and
Fort Sumter You feel authorized to FIRE on
this city, why did you not include the works
on Sulhvan's Island and James Island--nay,
even the city of Charleston in the same de-
mandS Since you have felt warranted in in
augurating this method of reducing batteries
in your immediate front, which were other
wise found impregnabe, and mode Of war
fare which confidently declare to be atrocious
and unworthy of any soldier, l now solemnly
warn ypu thal II you hfe again on TINS city
from Morris Island batteries without giving a
somewhat more reasonable time to remove
the non-combatants, shall feel impelled to
employ such stringent measures of retaliation
as may be available during the continuance of
this attack.
Finally reply that neither the works on
Morris Island nor Fort Sumter will be evacu-
ated on the demand you have been pleased to
make. Already, however, ! am taking meas
ures to remove all non-eombatants, who are
now fully aware and alive TO what they may
expect at your hands.
Respectfully your obedient servant,
(Signed) q. T. BEAURHeARD,
Genl CONG operations around Charleston.
The Richmond Enquirer of Saturday says
the War Department is in receipt of nothing.
later from Charleston than up to last night
1t is understood however that Fort Sumter,
though seriously brseched in the wall, will
not be Abandoned, and that Gen Beauregard
has expressed his determination to hold il to
the bitter end. Iii though this may be done
by the erection of temporary fertilization.
The fire Of the enemy continues to be- divided
between Forts Sumter and Wagner. The
bOmbardment nm To our lofast a1vtcos mo-