Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-13
A p,otur, ar oh.rl.s,on under Fire.

A correspondent of The Augusta (Ga.) Con-
sttvtiOnaiiSt, writing from Charleston, giyc
the following picture Of that city under the
bombardment,
The limited destruction Of property by the
protrncted rain OF shells is as wonderful as the
small loss OF life. walked through the streets
whore the effect Of the shells Is most apparent.
Here a cornice Is knocked of, therels small
round hole through the side of building, and
al remote intervals the earth Is torn whero
shell exploded, and looks like the work OF
porker In search OF some hidden treasure. Ven
ders Of the staples Of the market slt sercnely by
their little stores, unmindful of the pyrotechnic
salutations ofthelr Yankee delivcrers. bought
delicious apples and cakes at one-fourth the
price charged two hundred miles away In the
interior.
In reply to a question II she were not afraid,
one of these old women replied; "Lor mars,
we no feered now-we's used to EN-. Dey make
big noise and fro trash all about-daps Aide
good Lord pertects u.s." Thus Is the reliant
trust Of these people exempllfed even In the
could not feel thus Indifferent 10 these missiles
Of destruction, as they came screeching across
the bays felt an Instructive inclination to
change my base Of observation.
Extending my ramble to other portions OF
the city, the track Of shells were here and there
dlscernible, but they have not effected 1.-THE
Of the injury sustained by the great fire Of two
years ago, whose blackened outline stretches
across what was once the heart of the city. In
only two or three instances have fires been
occasioned by them, and then the loss was
trihlng. In localities most exposed TO the
shells the old tide Of business is suspended.
Here and there 4 pedestrian moves hurriedly
along, and the rattle Of a cart or dray is heard
for a whole square. The blinds are closed,
vases Of rare exotics droop and wlther on the
lonely window sill, because there Is no tender
hand TO twine or nourish them. The walk
glistens with fragments Of glass, ratified thither
by the conclusion Of exploding shells, and
little tufts OF bright green grass are springing
up along the pave, once vocal with the myriad
tongues Of busy trade.
II this be food for exultation TO the malevo-
lent foe, he is welcome to the tender morsel.
/ do not mean TO say that any part of the city
is abandoned. Here and there stores are
opened, machine shops are active, and labor
incident to the public defences pushed ylgor-
ously forward, even In the most exposed dis
tricts. Still, many branches Of ordinary bust.
ness, and most OF the residences are removed,
because 1t would be foolhardy for those not
impelled by social duty to remain.
The Mills House and Charleston Hotel, those
prlncely abodes of comfort and good cheer, are
closedj the Pavilion still invites the sojournei
to Its hospitable roof; most Of the habitues oi
Hayne and parts Of Meeting and King streets
abandoned tho merchants desk for the camp
or transferred their wares TO points secure from
Yankee guns.
That part OF the city to which the cowardly
vengeance of the foe has not penetrated is
"mAp Of busy life" The newspapers, pos
office, express office, banks and many business
houses are in successful operation, and street,
present a scene of animation not at all sug
gestiye Of state Of siege.