Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-04-14
The Fight at Charleston.

The Mercury Of the 9th inst, gives graphic and
highly interesting description of the late attack on
Charleston, from which we make the following ex-
tract:
AT two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon despatch
from Fort Sumter announced that these ten vessels
had crossed the bar, and were cautiously steaming
inward-the foremost one having at that time reach
Ell point abont three hundred yards from the Fort
The next news was brought to US, an hour later,
by the dull oetonation of the first gun from Fort
MOultrie, which Immediately answered by
heavy report and cloud of white smoke from the
turret OF one Of the Monitors. At ten minutes after
three, the enemy having come within range Fort
Sumter opened her batteries, and, almost simulta-
neouSly, the white smoke could be seen putting from
the low sand hills of Morris and Sullivan's Islands,
indicating that the Beauregard Battery on the left
and Battery Wagner on the extreme right had be-
couIe engaged. Five of the iron. .claGS, forming in
line Of battle IN front Of Fort Sumter maintained
very rapid return fire, occasionally hurting their l5
inch shot and shell against Fort Moul.rie and the
minor batteries, but all directing their chief efforts
against the east face of Fort Sumter Gradually,
but vsiby, the distance between the attacking YES
sells and the Fort was lessened and as tue enemy
drew nearer the firing became hot and almost con-
tinuous.
About half past four o'clock the battle became
fierce ard general. The at that hour, as
viewed from the battery promenade, truly
thunder of its guns in the universal din, and the
whole expanse Of the harbor entrance, from Sulli-
vans Island to Cummings Point, became envel-
oped in the smoke and constant flashes of the
tiiCf. The iron cladS kept constantly shifting their
position, hut which ever way they went, their
ports always turned towards the battlements of
Sumter poured forth their terrible projectles against
the walls Of that famous stronghold Ever and
anon as the huge shot went ricochetting towards
the mark the water was dashed up in vast sheets
of spray towering far above the parapet Of the
Fort while the wreathS Of smoke constantly asccn-
ding from the barbette guns showed how actively
the atillerymen of the post were dischargng their
duties In the foreground our StaunCh little
irOn.cIadS, the I-dUfeLtV otUte anu UHtcVrU,
be seen steamng energetically up and down their
chosen fighting position, evidently impatient to
participate in the fray.
Tn to this time the frigate Ir0nSides had born
very conspicuous part in the fight Her long hull
lay at the distance, apparently, of mile from our
batteries and her tremendous broadsides were more
than once ftly answered by broadSides from the
Fort 1t soon became apparent that she was una
bic to stand the severe fire directed against her
Steaming rapidly southwark, she gave Fort Sumter
a few parting shots and withdrew from the action.
The Re0Euk q double turretted Monitor soon after
followed her example; and before fve o'clock the
firing had evidently begun to slacken. The remain
ing Monitors, however, still kept up the lombard
ment. and our forts and batteries replied with un-
Monitors began retire, and at hall past five the
enemy fired the last shot of the engagement.
Gratifying as were the general results of the
fight the late hour at which it closed precuded the
possibility of receiving the full details nom the
Forts despatch from Fort Sumter informs US
that the IronsL,ies and KeokuE both very
roughly handled, and retired seriously injured.
The ReoIuE had her flag shot down, her boat shot
away three holes in her smoke stack and portion
of her bow shot off The practice of our gunners
was most creditabe. Nearly every shot struck
some one of the iron cadS, but with what effect is
not known. Fort Sumter struck thirtyfour
times One of our guns dismonnted, but 9th.
erwse the Fort is in COED condition. Fort MOultrie
was uniniured The casualties at Fort Sumter were
a drummer boy, named Ahrens, mortally wounded;
two men severely wounded, and three others slight
" injured At Fort Moultre, one man was acci-
dentally hurt BY ball from the flagstaff on which
he wa. replacing our flag, which had been shot
away We learn that he afterwards died. Two
small houses on the back beach of Sullivan Island
were demolished by the enemys fire.