Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-01-29
kROM 0H1RLEST0N

The correspondence of the New York Times
dated at Hilton Head, Jan. 81 has the fol-
lowing account of the bombardment of Charles
ton, and of matters connected with our feet
before that city;
"The Smelling Of Charleston from Fort
Putnam is continued night and day, at inter-
walls of ten minutes. One gun alone has fred
over 100 rounds at an elevation of forty
degrees. Charleston is gradually crumbling
under this incessant bombardment. We Of
ten observe dense clouds of smoke arising
| from some portion Of the city, which is con
sdered good evidence that our firing is eftec-
tive. Occasionally we send few missiles to
! Moultrie or johnson, or some other rebel
work, which are reluctantly replied to by the
enemy. For some weeks past the enemy has
evlnced an unmistakable desire to be let
alone. lie invariably waits for an attack be-
fore using bis pieces. We do not observe
any changes of note along the borders Of the
rebel lines. The iron-cad fleet remain on
picket duty off Charleston, notwithstanding
rumors to the effect that a number of the
monitors had been dispatched for service to
the Gulf The Court Of Inquiry instituted to
investigate the circumstances attending the
/ loss of the ron-cad Weehawken have not yet
made public the result of their proceedings
The impression generally prevails that
carelessness win be found to be the imme-
date cause of the disaster. This conclusion
would accord with the belief of numerous
navy officers who witnessed the sinking of
the vessel, and who have since had opportu-
mites of strengthening that conviction. Tho
work of raising the Weehawken and the
keokuk, although not abandoned, has not
progressed actively of late. The vessels con-
sist of such a vast quantity of metal, added
to which is tremendous weight of loose
iron, including guns and ammunition, that
the machinery required for bringing the en-
tire mass to the surface must necessarily be
of the best material and OF extensive proper
tions. A few adjunots, in the way Of ma
ehinery, will soon be supplied, when the
labor will be resumed. 1t is believed the
bodies-with two or three exceptions-os the
unfortunate men who went down in the Wee
hawken, are still encased in the cabins and
turrot. The exceptions refer to the bodies
washed upon the beach few days after the
accident occurred
, A Morris Island letter Of the 2lst says I:
There was big scare in the fleet few
nights since, caused by some rebel obsIruc-
tions floating out to sea. II our iron-clads
were nearer Charleston, neither torpedoes nor
sea-horses would run against them with i'm
! punity.
The obstructions in the channel between
Sumter and Moultrie are entirely gone, aud
the opinion OF naval officers is that there are
no impediments to our progress, except those
extending from James Island to The middle
ground. OF their nature 1t is Impossible to
Judge, though probably they are not half so
formidable 10 imagined, rebel iron-clad,
probably the Chicora, was seen yesterday
west Of Fort Simpkins. No less than three
reb el iron-clads are seen daily"
A soldier writes from Charlestown Va, that
our men are so muc CHI at home, that many of them