Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-07-22

the firing, that the objects aimed at in tn
practice, were anything else than thost
mentioned in the pretext. Gen. Jones' let
ter further developes the barbarous ant
murderous design of the enemy, in allow
ing the refugees to return to their homes
during an interval Of perfect cessation
from fire, and then when they had return
ed, snddenly and without notice to revive
its wicked fury. We give that portion o
his letter that refers directly to the bonn
bardment, or more properly the firing upOr
the city of Oharleston: .I..
Independently of the declaration of Maj
Gen. Gilmore that his purpose was to
reach "the heart of the city" the manner
in which the FIRE has been directed from
the commencement shows beyond doubt
that its object was the destruction of the
city itself and every part of it, and not, as
you assume, to destroy certain naval and
military works in and around it. For if
the works you mention have been the
marks, the FIRE has been so singularly wild
and inaccurate that no one who has ever
witnessed it would suspect its object.
The shells have been thrown at random,
at any aud all hours, day aud night, fall
ing Dromiscuously in the heart of the city
at points remote from each other, aud from
the works you mention. Many, believe
the greater number of them, have been
thrown in the night, when it was impossi.
BILE to see the object fred at. They have
not fallen in or been concentrated for any
time upon any particular locality, as would
have been the case if directed upon a par
ticuIar fixed object for night firing, but
they have searched the city in every direc-
tion, indicating NO purpose or expectation,
on the part of those directing the FIRE, of
accomplishing any military result, but ra-
ther the design OF destroying private prop
erty and killing some persons, no matter
Whom-most probably women and chill
dren quietly asleep in their accustomed
beds. A few weeks since, between l and
2 o'clock at night, one fyour shells pass
ed within foot of the bed occupied by a
man aud his wife. They were of the class
whom your people denominate "AmeriedR
citizens Of African descent" and were more
than half mile from the nearest naval or
military work. Again. your fire has been
go slow that the utmost damage, save the
chance explosion of magazine, that you
could reasonably expect your shot to ef-
feet, could ordinarily be repaired before
the next shot could be fred. The object
of your fire may be legitimately judged of
by its effect. 1t has never suspended for
an instant, the labor on or in any military
or naval work, factory or foundry, arse.
nal or depot of supplies II has never
killed or wounded, so far as l can learn, a
soldier or laborer engaged thereon. But
it has damaged a number OF private houses
iu the heart of the city, and killed and
wounded some non COmbatants. Indeed,
it seems that, with the exception otaR old
man, an octogensrian, killed while quietly
sitting by bis fire at night, the only per-
sons killed have been women and children.
You know perfectly well that Ere such
as have described could not have had for
its object the destruction of certain speci.
fed fixed military and naval works. But
there are other peculiarities about the
frlDg that preclude the supposition that
its object was what you allege.
Having failed to frightsn the Oonfeder-
ate commander iuto compliance with his
unreasonable demands, Major Gen. Gill
more threw a few more shell (twenty-
seven in ally into the city for no conceivR-
ble object than to trighten away aud kill
a few non. cOmbatants, to show how far he
could throw his projectiles, and satisfy q
spirit of malice, and then ceased. From
the gath of August to the 27th of October
not shot or a shell was thrown into the
city. He, doubtless, supposed that by that
time the nor. .combstants, whom he imag-
ined he had frightened away, had returned
TO the city. For he knew very well that
the mass of non combataut population of
large city situated as Charleston would
not and could not abandon their homes
permanently and become homeless wan
derers. He knew that the climate of the
country Immediately around Charleston
was considered deadly, at that season of
the year, to white persons, and that If any
MI hi g n No
in the sparseIy settled interior, had fed on
the beginning of the Ere to the Immediately
surrounding country to escape his shells,
they would naturally, after SO long an in
termission of FIRE, return to the city to
escape the malaria, more deadly than his
projectiles.
On the 9th of October, after an interval
of more than two months, without a word
OF warning, be again opened FIRE, and threw
q few shells into the ciIy-just enough to
frighten, irritate, and kill few non com
'batants, but not enough TO produce any
military result-and then ceased firing for
three weeks.
On the l7th ofNovember be again opened
and continued a very slow FIRE. 1t was
apparent that the FIRE was especially di-
recIed at churches duriDg the hours of
public worship. ChrisImay day ls63-the
anniversary VI tu0 huNcut VI TUG EIluCe VI
Peace, when the angels proclaimed peace
on earth and good will 10 men, day of
general thanksgiving and r,joicing-was
ushered in by Maj. Gen. Gilmore With a
FIRE more than ten-fold heavier and more
continueRs than usual.
These facts, aside from the express de-
claration OF Maj. Geu. Gilmore, show con-
clusively that the object of the fire was not,
aud has not been, what you alege, aud
they show besides that it has been con-
Quoted in q spirit of mere malice and
cruelty
If, therefore, your object in ordering or
permitting the 6re is the destruction of the
works you mention, it is very manifest that
your suboTdinates who Immediately direct
il are actuaied by no such purpose.
By your long residence in and near this
city, you especially have accurate kuoWl-
edge of the location of the works in ques-
tion-and If, after you receive this letter,
your FIRE is directed as it has been hereto