Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-26

FoRT SUMTER AND CHARLESTON AS They
ARE.-Fort Sumter was associated with the
rebellion in its incipiency, and promises to
remain the bulwsrk and defense Of the pestilent
metropolis of treason to the termination of hostil-
tiles. The rebels have defended it with great
sacrifice, immence life-ohering, with exrraordina-
~ tenaeity and desperation. Its external appear
ance, as seen from Gregg's Point is but little
changed since November last. On the sca-face.
oblique from Morris Island, not a wall. rampant.
Parapet, or anything resembling them, can be
distinguished: nothing is there but ragged mass
of mortar, pounded into dust by the thousands
OF projectiles fired from our guns and mortars.
The BERNIE or base, the sides and top are mere
ruin to the eve looking like bluff or steep hill
side, covered with broken shot shell. iron beams.
fragments ofguns, splintered gun carriages. and
other debris of war. Yet the rebel FLAG floats
defianty over the ruins, and the hateful red cross
dots and bars, fiaunt and dance on every breeze
that sweeps across the bay Looking on
Sumter to-day does not confirm the announce
ment BY our Chief of artillery. in January last.
that Sumter is now untenable and of no de-
fensiye value 10 the confederates." Our Oh
erations were abandoned too soon. and its pre-
sent strength and defensive character confirms
that belief. II is still the citadel of Charles
ton, notwithstanding It's helpless appearance.
From the parapet of Fort Putnam, on Grecgs
Point | looked into Charleston Through a
field glass;, and although the lower portions
of the city appeared dull and dilapidate1. vet
II was far from being deserted. A blockade
steamer, which ran up the Swash channel the
night previous spast the entire fleet and in front
of our batteries), was blowing off steam at the
wharf, on the Ashley side of the city Said
steamer was observed by our gunners in Wagner.
and several shots were fred at her, but without
effect. Two other blockaderunners got into
Charleston a fortnight since. So Charleston is
not thoroughly blockaded BY the feet. nor was
it ever half bcsieged by the army. Immense
volumes of smoke were rolling out of some tall
chimneys located in the northeast section of the
city, where it is said the confederacy have a
large foundry and ordnance mandatory.
Three iron-clad rams have been constructed there
within the last eighteen months, and now defend
the harbor above Castle Pinckney Blackened
walls and skeletons of buildings can be seen in
different parts of the city, evidences of lombard
ment, siege and conhagration The lombard
ment of Charleston, though unsuccessful in its
capture has demonstrated great idea in war
the astonishing destructiveness of artillery at
long range greater range than ever before
realized The batteries at Gregg's Point are
over four miles from Charleston, and vet we
have thrown shells into the city, from thirty and
one hundred-pOunder Parrot guns, daily and
nightly, for months past The accuracy of our
fire has also been remarkable and Unprecedented
OF course, that is due to rihed cannon an i'm
provement that Vauban and Montalembert never
dreamed of, but which superior to smooth
bore guns as were the arms of the first Napoleon
over the leather guns of Gustavus Adolphus-
Philadelphia Inquirer.