The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-10
THE ATTACK ON CHARLESTON
OPENED

OF the appearance and attack of the Yankee iron
on our forts at Charleston from the Charleston Iey
curry of Wednesday:
AT last the, long period of doubt and delay is at
an end; and this gordly city. grded with the fiery
circle o its batteries, stands confronted with the most
formidable Armada that the hands OF man have ever
put ahoat.
ABOUT noon on Sunday last The first intelligence was
flashed to the city from Fort SUMTER tina. the turrets
OF The Tar famed Monitor gunboats were looming up
aga'us tbe Sou'heastern horizon During the after.
noon the entire feet hove in sight Eight Monitors
besides the rgae Ironsides and twenty seven wooden
war vessels, took mp their position Just beyond the
OAR AS the news became bruted about the city, very
many OF our nonc"matant population previously in
c'ed'ios OF dangerl made hasty preparations to de.
pa and every tram that has lett the city since has
gone heavily laden with the eleventh hour refugees
and thei, effects
sunday night passed quietly by. Monday morning.
brought us reports of the movements of transports I'D
the Stono River and the debarkutiun ola considerable
force OF Yankee tro ps Coles Island But through.
out Monday and Monday hight, tlr arored feet held
It's position bey ond the bar On Tuesday morning
1t was observed that another Monitor had arrived
making force of n" less than ten iron-clad vessels
including the Ironsdes
AT two o'clock Tuesday afternoon despatch
from Fort Sumter announced that these ten vessels
had crossed the bar and cautiously steaming in
ward-the foremost one having at that time reached
point about three thousand va, ds from the Fort The
next news was brought to US, an honr later by the
oull detonation OF The first gun from Fort Alourie
wilich was immediately answered bya heavy report
anu cloud OF white smoke from the turret of one of
tle Monitors. Atten minutes after three the enemy
having come within range Fort Sumter opened her
batteries and almost stimuli aneously the white smoke
could DC seen pulling from the low sand hills of Norris
ana sullivan Is ands, indicating that the Beuuregard
bh terry on the left and Battery Wagner ON the ex-
trcm" right, had become engaged Five Of the IRON
coS, forming in line ot ba tie in front of Fort sumter
maintained very rapid return fire, occasionally hnrl-
my their '5-ncl shot and Shell against Fort Moultr re
and the minor batteries but all directing their Chief
enors against the east face Of Fort Sumter Gradual v
hnt Vlslhy, the distance between attacking vessels
and the Fort was lesscned and as the enemy drew
nearer the firing became hot and almost continuous
About hnlfpast four o'clock the battle became fierce
anu general The scene at that hour, as viewed from
the B'tterv promenade, was truly grand Battery
be" had now mingled the hoarse thunder of it. guns
III the universal din, and the Whole expanse of the
harlor entrance from Suvans / land to Cummings
Point became enveloled in the smoke aud constant
flashes of the conflict. The ron-clads kept constantly
shi ing their position, but, whichever way they went
their po ts always TUNED towards the battlemen of
SUMTER poured forth their erribe projectiles against
he Walls oil that famous stronghold. Ever and anon
as the huge shot went rcoshettimg towards tie mark
the water was dashed up in vast sheets of spray tow
erlng FAR above the parapet of the Fort Willie the
wreaths OF smoke constantly ascending from the bar.
oett guns showed how lively the artlerymen OF the
pst were dscharging their dui les In tile foreground
our own staunch Mte ir 'n-clads. the Palmetto State
and thicora. could be stcaminy energeticay up
and down their chosen fighting position, evidently
Impatient Il participate in The fray.
Up 10 this time the frigate Ironsdes had born
conspicuous prat in the fight. Her long hull lay at
the distance apparently Of mile from our batteries
and her tremen ious broadsdes were more than once
htly answered by broadsdes from the Fort. Il soon
became apparent that she was unable to stand the Sc
we're fire directed against her. Steaminp RAPIDLY
southward, she gave Fort Sumter few parting shots
aud withdrew from the action. The Keokuk. dou.
"le ln'r ted Monitor after followed her example;
and be ore five o'clock the firing had evidently begun
to lacken. The remaining Monitors, however, still
kept up 'he bombardment and our forts and batteries
replied viii undimnished alacrity. At quarter after
five p. M the Monitors began t. retire and at half
past tive The enemy red the last shot IF the engage.
ment
Il, lN