Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-10-06
From the Charleston courier.

Ths Sound of the shells.
Every shell that comes bissng and whizzng and
whistiipg ard hurting into and towards our city o.
siege and defsnce, speaks in almost articu
late tones a lesson and warning which should be
applied and he died. 1t speaks lesson of work. work
work. the great want of generals and engineers in
cases, and esp ciay the great want aud defect in
the earlier days of preparations for the offence of
Charleston.
We have used and applied tolerably well the resour
ces of regular warfare laid down in the books so far
as we ronld command them-and we have shown speci
mems Of fighting far beyond the precedeuts of the
books-good, determined men, whose resolute spirit and
courage have supplied corrected many errors or de-
lects OF Generals engineering plans. We have no
however fully and adequately used the spade, and the
hoe aid the shovel and the mattock and the PICK axe
and the working tools Of the military engineer, and il
is for the sake and hope of urging and provoking full
attention to these neglected that refer to
the sound, asd voice, and lesson Of the shells.
Every man, woman and child, in Charleston knew
for months before the actual attack the outline and plan
of the proposed attack this city through ard from
Morris Island.
Many citizens for years before, and in proVdent an
tcipaon of this war, have attempted to awake and di
rect attention to Morris Island After Secession these
attempts zealously and perseveringy renew
ed. Months and months Of preparation and warning
allowed us-a great parade of demonstrations
made-engineers, and assistant engineers and superin
tndents OF labor, we're employed in abun6ance-and
many Of them seemed very busiy employed in planning
two exposed points the Mills House and the Charleston
Hotel which neglected by some officers un-
Ill the danger approached
We shall not nSw recapitulate the siege and story CT
Morriss Island from the gallant but necessarily useless
defence attempted by the young warrior MITCHELL to the
evacuation which was luckily Effected with more skill
and credit than could have been expected
Suffice it to say that the events and indications of The
siege, far Morriss Island goes show that it could
and should have been dended-and the conduct of the
enemy shows that they deemed it worthy ofattack at all
Expense end in preference to places apparently OF equal
value and more easily attempted.
The history Of Gregg and Wagner certainly shows
that sand works could be made practically proof
against any Smelling cannonading, and know that
with proper provisions for covered ways OF communi-
cation for supplies and renforcemens we could have
kept these sand forts indefinitely against any naval
attack. By an extension of the chain or system OF
forts and batteries to the only points of landing that
could probably be attempted by the enemy-a measure
urged in advance by many-we could have kept in
readiness infantry enough to have defeated any attempt
by that arm which actually gave the foe the command
Of the island.
II Moi5' Island worth defending at all hazards
why not the work more fully done in the long time
OF preparation and warning given and under the i'm
Fortunate demonstrates of Cheves and Haskell, aud
others who believed in work well as orders and pro
CARNATIONS aud parades? Ii it was not worth defend
ing why was not adequate preparation made IN time
for evacuation Both these questions will demand
enton tIom competent consideration at proper time
w e only pTeSGnI tueU now u anu EtueW du-
vice and opinion cannot too often or too earnestly
commend to all officers of every grade and to ell good
cz :ns-work, work, work.
Our slanderers have sad that our institutions and
habits render labor or work dishonorabe 10 the Souh
-baVe not Of cur officers and lead rs gwen ne d
and mschieVous color the charge by their per-
sisent aversion to work less honorable than fgh,ing
when both net ded, and by the Cypress and IN
judcious and Vexatious and wasteu mode Of impress
ment employed to procure labor?
lave tlE sODG n in he field n
used or declined to use and handle the working too's
as well az tie gh ing tools OF solder? W. say
fienty they have not, unless under TIE perac'ous
ample and ufuenco of Incompetent off ers, or nsta
policy Of 0rdors, which, oy calling ior seve labor
exclusively and needessy, branded other lab de-
grading. Servile and hireng labor we know iudis-
pensably needed In casrs, when soldiers are
abe and most willing TO workout there as been a
grove mnt1ed and u Injury sustained IN the
eSry neglect of wmk at some PLACES aud the udoent
pride off who deemed it beneath their duty
and dignity TO Cvets: labor to set example of la
Dor to their Comm lcs.
These nObe marlyrs-among the first whose pames
viii I've long after Morris Island has Disappeared
UHEvEs and HASKELL did not think s0-tne gallant and
levottd LAMAR Sno against odds, and orders, and dit
6cutes aud with several Geoeas 10 easy reach bat not
aldiLg him. planned and brought in the memorable al
fair Secesslonyile, did think work, in any form
unworthy of soldier Citing in earnest for his country
aud Dot merely ior etiquette official dignity. -
We shall no. mention living instances, but we hope
remarks will lend Ia degree to encourage and
stimulate off, ers young officers especially, to initiate
these noble examples, and repe and refute the favor
SANDER of our foes and to develop aud apply all
available of Defence and prevent any posi-
BILE repetition of the Story of Norris 1sland-wbich
could have been either perfectly defend ed dug away
INTO tue under the time aud advantages had &c
fore the attack it. if all charged with its defence had
appreciated ind applied the mcdaniel resources OF mod
GRAFTON art and war; fully these General mechanics
and projectors Gilmore and Foster have done With
zeal and ingenuity and versatility worthy of better
cause, and giving lesson which may be used even
now to our great advantage.