The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-03-10

of Charleston remaining. for it has been
their desire to make bonfire of the place.
The citizens now remaining there are in
debted solely to Col. Bennett and his troops
for the preservation oftheir homes.
Walk with we up the city this morning.
and you shall see such gratitude as you
never yet have seen. We reached the
wharf. Stepping upon it l met an old
man, bending beneath the weight Of many
very heavy years-such years as slavery
gives. l said: ''Are you not afraid of us
Yankees. uncle!" "No, massa. God
bless you. have prayed many a night
for you to come, and now you are here.
God be praised" He clasped my hand
and kneeled upon the planks TO give appro-
pirate expession to his overfowing graft
tude.
VISIT TO SUMTER
After a ramble of several hours through
the city, an account of which must de-
fer to another letter, the party made a
visit TO Sumter, entering by the sally port
where Major Anderson and his faithful
few entered on that ever to be remembered
January night of 1861. The fort bears
little resemblance to Its appearance then.
externally or internally. No portion of
the original face of the wall is to be seen.
except on the side towards Charleston
and Il portion of tina, facing Moultrie.
From the harbor and from Wagner it ap-
pears only tumuli-the depris of an old
ruin.
All the crsemates, arches, pillars and
parapets are torn up, rent asunder and ut
terly demolished The great guns. which
two years ago kept the monitors at bay.
which famed and thundered awhile upon
Wagner, are dismounted. broken. over
turned, and lie bdried beneath the noun
tain of brick, dust, concrete. sand and
mortar. After Du Points attack. in April.
1868. reinforcement of palmetto logs
was made on the harbor side and against
half of the wall facing Moultrie The low
er tier of caSemateS was filled up with
sand-hags. but when Gen. Gilmore obtain
ed possession, his fire began to crmmble
the parapet. The rebels endeavored 10
reconstruct the wall. or to maintain Its
original hei ght by gabions filled with sand.
but this compelled a widening of the base
inside. Thousands of bags filled with
sand were brought TO the fort at night.
Bomb-prootS were constructed. Day af-
ter day. week after week the pounding
from Wagner was maintained so etiectually
and thoroughly that it was impossible TO
keep a gun in position on that side.
The only guns now remaining are five
or six on the Moultrie side in the middle
tier o.: easements Five howitzers were
kept on the walls to repel an attack by
small boats. the garrison keepiug under
cover or seeking cover whenever the look
out cried, "A shot -
CHereamr de tiilese of pointed sticks pro-
tects the fort from a scaling party. AT
the base outside are iron posts and wire
net work. There Is also submerged net /
work of wire and chains kept in place by
floating buoyS
For four long years the cannon of Sum-
ter have hurled their iron bolts against the
rights of man: but the contest there is !
ended The strong earthworks on Suli-
vans and JohnSton'S islands. the batteries
in the harbor, Castle Pickney amp Fort
Ripley. those in the city erected by slaves. |
are useless now and forever. except AS
of folly and wickekness. As
stood there upon the ruins of Sumter. /
looking down into the crater. the past like 4.
a panorama was unrolled exhibiting the /
mighty events which will forever make il /
historic ground. The silent landing of
Major Anderson at the postern gate. the
prayer and solemn conservation
OF the little band 10 defend the flag till the |
last, the long weeks of preparation. the I'M !
beetle old man at Washington, the Star of
the South turning her bow Seaward, the 18th /
OF April. the barracks ON fire. the supplies |
exhausted, the hopelessness OF success, the
white flag flung out, the surrender. and
all that has followed. were the pictures of
the moment /
There must be one other event upon
that spot-the hoi>ting of the original flag
by Major Anderson-to make the piano.
rama complete Then, the place repos-
sesSed, lis walls reconstructed, will remain
forever, beacon and a warning to all
who become traitors TO the country and I
enemies Of the republic.
In my next letter l shall give informa-
lion relative to the bombarlment of
Charleston and the present condition of /
the city. CARLETON.
A DARING RoBBER--A great excite
ment prevailed at RouSe's Point. New