New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-02


Of the Union; that the Germans with rare exceptions
have been loyal and rue while the English and Scotch
have jealousy preserved their own nationality, but
when not neutral have been regarded as favorable to
the North.
VISIT 70 FORT SUMTER.
On Tuesday accompanied Gems Gilmore and
Webster to Fort Sumter Gen. Gilmore generously
extended the coveted opportunity to visit the now
classical ruin to large number Of loyal ladies and
gentlemen. We went out in the W. W. Colt which
lay off the fort on the side nearest to the city
steamer had sunk near the Fort We landed In small
boats the water quito shallow there. The General
and staff and some ladies landed in the first boat The
wall to the right Of the fort looking toward 1t with the
back to the city, is about forty feet high
being strengthened by heavy timber.work outside In
tie center it is perhaps about twenty-five feet high on
an average. This side Of course has been less dam.
aged than those which were exposed to the fires Of the
batteries on Morris Island aud 10 the fierce lombard.
ment Of the iron clads .
You enter through very low passsge.way, hundred
feet or 90 In length and emerge into an area of about
an acre. Viewed from tho inside the walls or rather
deferses. look high and really formidable.
The fort originally was peutagon. built Of brick,
stately and high Every 10 familiar with its externa!
appearance before the insurrection. Its siege has
ieyolutionzed the art Of military engineering 1t is
now shown that tho old style Of brick or stone wall
iefenses ere far less efficient than esrthworks or
lines Of gabions. Gabions arc large, deep wicker
baskets filed with earth or sea or quartz sand Tie
brick walls Of Sumter that faced Morris Island
almost entirely demolished but behind where they
stood layers after layers Of gabons with terraces
and bomb proofs both for soldiers duty the guns
the parapets. and quarters for tie officers and
men, The defenses average, should think, about LOG
feet in thickness. Every shell that demolished q
portion OF the exterior brick wall therefore, only
strengthened the defenses IL tossed the brick from
positions whore ii Of little to make the interior
lines heavier Sumter reminds one Of the innocen,
criminal who told her conessor that she loved to be
ruined.
The bomb. proofs Of the sennels and soldiers duty
are little steep holes, down which they ran and hid
themselves soon they saw the smoke Of the guns
on Morris Island remaining there until the she'll ex'
ploded The heavy siege guns are concealed and pro-
tected beneath these impregnable defenscs and are
worked In underground galleries The quarters Of the
officers and men are also bomb.proofs underground,
or rather indergabion rooms commodious and SAFE il
nrous. Tie area Is entirely unoccupied. with the eI
cepton of a railway which runs from the entrance
toward the officers quarters on the further side. To
guard the fort against attack the sides that have
been battered down. there are wires stretched along
the parapets and lncs Of ehirear at the bot
tom TO trip up and arrest the charge Of assauug
party. The fort, which looks like a ruin. is thus
stronger in Its dilapiudc than II was in its original
state On the left band side looking from the city,
heavy timber works protect the old brick WALL which
are there quito high. but were badly damaged by the
bombardmsnt Of the monitors under Admiral Dupont
Herr pen description Of snch scene is necessarily
somew bat exceedingly obscure but those who desire
low Fort Sumter looks on the exterior can ind
accnrrc drawings Of 1t in Gen. Gilmores recent book
on tho sege and two Of Frank Leslies artists took
sketches 81 the interior during our visit to 1t.
When Gen. Gilmore and his party reached the para
pet Of suntcr they waved their hats and cheered 1t
was gratifying sight for patro. to witness-our
general who had bombarded it long. there its
master.
reached the same parapet myself saw young
,flcer. looking musingly and long toward Morris Is
there the Old flag floating over his head
apparently unconscious Of everything around him.
lie walked away at ast-rathcr haltingy. for he was
ninc ana WCulCeu-stiil gazing to"nu W ahncI. ~
was Lieut. james, "a Of the dstin guishcd author)
VITO as wounded in that celebrated assault Fort
Wagner In Which Shaw lost his life and gained his I'm.
Ito Is on Gen. Gilmores staff now. his
wound having unified him for active service In the
field.
Our flag was hoistod at Fort Sumter on Saturday
asst by Capt. Bragg young officer Of Gen. Gillmores
staff Long may it wave there
wAsHINGToN's BIRTHDAY.
At an early hour this morning all the steamers block
,de runners, and supply ships in tho harbor pre-
,ented brilliant aud beautiful appearance. They had
III their flags displayed ard at !? O'Clock salute, In
honor of Tie Father. fired from every vessel The
negroes. men, women, md boys, crowded the wharf
and manifested as usus the sncerest delight When
seed all dem Aags" said one Of them, +" say Is no
nre for de Rebs to fight lie Yankees"
Mr.. Getty. the agent Of the Philadelphia bounty 70
Savannah invited large party to dinner to common
prste the day. Gen. Webster Chief Of Gen. Shermans
,taf) presided. The dinner held at the house OF
,oored man, noted Qike the New.York Downings and
he Boston SMITH. for being the chief Of the class of
caterers In Charleston.
After tho dinner (probsbly the best that has been
eaten in this lean and empty -beed city since the
blockade began the following toasts We're proposed,
responded to- and drunk with the customary honors,
"The Memory Of WasAington-First 10 peace. first In
war. first in the Hearts Of his countiymen."
"Ths President Of the United Satss-Here, In the last
ditch OF the Rebellion. We love him for his fidelity
honor bin for his integrity, and praise him for his stead
fustness TO our cause and principles
Response by Mr.. Coffin OF Ths Boston Journal. who
made a speech eulOgistic Of the President
"TAs Army Of the United Siaies-' ON TO RICHMOND"
GEN Webster replied to this toast and in the course
isp rks taft how
had predicted the fall Of Savannah and Charleston, not
MS nero possibilities but to the exact dates He
iwe also on the fact that this differed from all
Others recorded by history, US It was peculiarly and
wholly Peoples war.
"7ie Nary Of the United Sia.es--Coumbla rules tho
waves"