The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-10-16
too1onER Il, 1872

'"nS S.ar>-the ar.
of the gunners III the works. From 3 p,
beating kthe roll. Then. >ud1aI%'.. 4Tga.
of flame lllumlned the SkE,a> the Ir.r" "a "a
~, Johnston, Noultre and Steven. put.
%taneously helched their broalSae> ~, >.-.-
grim granite pentagon out I'm tho ~
Rapidly the other batteries Joined ~.
rus until the circle Of fame seemed q,
ted. 1t was a magnifccnt Snerte@1l
vault of heaven traycrsed by >brr
shells, ascending from al sides. AM ~ I.
lacing their fiery trails; the countless A. ii~,
sheet lightning from the woyk,.tIa ;n',
white clouds of smoke BLOWN. seawarI.
sullen pounding Of the heavy rsrs FL ~
tinous thunder, or the echoe, from r.
monster vulcan; the tar-away sbont.
soldiers, the awei murmur Of the 1n,.r.. v.
ofspectators, combined II ciyea yr1rE-
sublimity to this first rare scene in tLa
ing Drama of civil war!
Fort Sumpter received the storm. ~
and shell with apparent indifference
a light was visible, nor a sign Of rf.
classmates remained closed, the paramr,
were knocked off their carriages w;+L'
spending and only the fac. fopr;r-
from It's high staff, precluded the I'M.
that the garrison must have fled lv n;-L.,.
join the feet outside. This %singuiar sT.
continued through nearly three bnrr. 4,
length a small party Of EIue-coat> ,n~
upon the parapet, and ''plumpcl' ~ho. ..
shot against the face Of the Iron R.t,.
thinking the p~lunging fire must cut rhr.r
any thickness Of railroad iron. Rm-
heavy balls glanced off harmlessy.
This lron-Battery was an cxnerinar.
military engineering that caused con>;I.~r
concern until tested. 1t was constrgrpil
Mai. G.. II. Stephens at Cummings Pm.
only 1900 yards from Sumpter. to which
presented an incline plane, or @sloneinr f..
covered with layers of railroad iron. tir6,
riveted the whole supported by inm".
logs Of yellow pine, and fankcI 6v ba>,.m.
of sand-bags. There We're three Winl.a.
or portfolios, with iron shutters workalI.
a lever. When the muzzle Of the qpr r,
out to fire, the shutter was raised. and vt.r
the gun recoiled the aperture instant.
closed. The slope Of the iron face was >..
ficient to cause the huge balls to bounce r-
like marbles from the shell Of a turtle TL.
only damage done to this work during H..
two days fight was the i&mmiDg ofonc 9TH.
shutters. 1t seems, however. that most ..
Anderson shot were aimed too ligb a,I
passing oyer the gunneIa heads. ,p'a.l.j
through the marshes in rear. stirring nh
large flocks OF s~ea-fowl, whose scream, un..
added to the unearthly din.
In explanation Of this poor guurcrv it is
tangents to the pieces; his elevations being
managed by wooden wedges. an uncertain
makeshift.
THE FLOATING BATTERY.
Maj. Stevens had the honor of namlu-
another experiment in armor plating, Whose
success led to the creation Of the more ce.c-
DRAFTED Stevens Battery" at Hobokc0,
New Ork, whereOn Gen. George +. Nc
Clellan for several years after the war acted
as constructing engineer. The Charleston
Battery was a rude structure Of Palmetto
logs, sheathed with iron plates, having four
ports, with shutters like the railroad iron
Battery. 1t was not designed, as was gen
orally supposed, as a morcaLle battery. but
merely as a fortified raft to furnish a pIatll.~
tor guns at a marshy point where 1'
redoubt could be constructed. When IN
surrender was demanded, the ra.,
foated to the west end Of Sullivan Is
land, and anchored. 1t did good work, ami
suffered no damage: though struck ~
times.
A PRUDENT FLEET.
AS above stated, the armed steamer Horn'
carrying s guns and 100 men was
sighted by the Confederate nOtiila abou.
1usk on Thursday evening, and the fac.
transmitted to Gen. Beaurcgard BY sI-oa.
'ockets. a storm was prevailing, and ,Le
ia not attempt to cone near the B41
next morning she was joined bg the
turnee and Inwhuton, the three coming
tlrectly to the entrance Of the harbor, where
hey remained as passive s ectators dur1a-
entire bOmbardment. This conduct O.
egularly commissioned war vessels cHcitet
much contempt from the Contederates ani
among the Federa's. But there
$ reason to believe the commanding Office.
lad secret instructions not to 90 to The r.
ue If he found the fort be~leagured. lie
Alncolnites well knew the best way to ""'.
whtrtr1pd Of m~Iignotioa HroUghoat n,
Worth which should '~'emuncpote the @"'>
MT d1re their masters into the sea" WQu.1
to sag to May. anderson, "Do yo,W d's.
perish IN the ruins Of ,Sumpter!'
1t was no doubt their secret wish th@i
\ndarSOn cIo,,II fLnc ,,a.I Da+aar WDI!A