The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-03-22

hroo tne'Wail was large
p,eaeh made IN the north side of the far
oy me enemy's shells, which passins
NGr 'he south parapet, during the lone
anu terrible bombardment. in ,hei,
paraabola carried away casemates and
wall on the opposite side. The onenino
was large and low to the BERN of The
lolt, and if the assailing barges had gone
around there and kept il under beavy
IRE from oat'howitzers until s,orminv
party formed and assaulted il miyh;
nave proved q very vulnerable point in
our defence. But digress,
Capt. Lord, with his comnanv mad,
t1pp up from the Union Light Infantry" aud
uerman Fusiliers," and Capt. Walter
Win the Charleston Rihemen," were on
lhe gorge wall, east and west of the tIar
stan. Capt. Simons, with his company
was 10 defend the sally port and the gun
em6rasures in the hospital, while Caot,
Mulvany was ordered to hold the "Irish
oiunteers" in reserve ut n convenient
point, as an cold Guard" should a crisis
come. Such were the arrangements for
the night referred to.
was chatting with some officers in
the little Office near the hospital entrance
"A sort OF Social IIall"-whcn Mai,
fAilott came in aud attracting my attcn.
'ion by touch OF the arm. without the
siightest indication OF excitement "Do
you know the enemy are approaching in
oargcs. Sec that the orders for the .irht
are promptly carried out; go where the
men have been sleeping and be careful
mat all are at their post; report at nv
quarters, if not there, at flag staff" and
Was gone as quickly and as quietly az he
came. No alarm had been given up TO
thls lime. In Il moment all was hustle
anu hurry, but there was no confusion.
The commands were all in position
assigned them promptly, before the sen.
tinei had hailed and fired, and before the
signal rocket had gone up to notify the
surrounding batteries of the enemy's
approach and the direction of it. Vol
leyss OF musketry Immediately followed,
and soon Fort Moultrie and the Suli.
vans island batteries Joined in, while
the lronclads came steaming down the
harbor firing their bow guns rs they ap.
preached. The artillerists on Sullivan's
Island knew the proper elevation for
their guns to rake the BERN of Sumter
and the water.line of approach thereto,
and with marked traverses could fire as
accurately at night as by day, IA their
shooting proved. Their rapid and spirit
ed fire indicated how anxious all were
to join in
THE DEFENCE OF THE FORT
which had so long held out against such
terrible odds and now had not one gun
available in her own defence. The in.
iantry fire was not Of long duration, for
It's severity soon caused tie cry, "Sur-
render" from the enemy, and the reply
from our men, "Come in then" The
attack was a spirited one. The enemy
firing and grounding their boats in the
debris of the wall, rushed to the assault,
but minnie balls and brickbats were
showered upon them remorselessly, and
they found the ascent too hard road to
travel. To fall back was as dangerous
as to advance, for retiring boats were
bred on from the ramparts as long as in
sight, and the dark waters were lit up by
Inc exploding shells which swept across
the line Of retreat, hence surrendering
was the only alternative Some of the
men, in the excitement and hurry to
repel the invading foe, hurled upon
them, and no doubt with good effect,
Drickbats and pieces of masonry, which
NOVEL MODE OF WARFARE
gained for the battalion the soubriquet,
: 'Brickbat Battalion" Major F. K.
Huger, now of railroad celebrity, was in
the tight-then young man and an en-
thusiastic soldier-and rendered efficient
service. He was either volunteer aide
TO Major Elliott or attached to the signal
corps of the fort, l forget which.
The prisoners soon came struggling up
the steep, were disarmed and carried to
what was left of the "parade" and put
under guard. Over one hundred men
taken in," and some half dozen officers.
OF the latter one was desperately wound
ell, aud he bore his suffering SO well as
to excite the sympathy of all who saw
from Surgeon Presley, who commented
upon it, and lie had seen under his knife,
in field and hospital, many heroes with
fortitude to excite admiration. This
poor fellow was, however beyond the
doctors skill, and died that or the follow
ing day. The fight must have followed
gala day on the fleet, for one officer at
leust-a quartermaster or commlssary-
evidently dined out, and found naviga-
ton among the ruins Of Sumter a mos!
difficult thing to accomplish even with
the aid and guidance of his guard. The
funny part was his holding on manfully
to his carpet-bag" in all his trouble and
danger, and saying "he had expected to
come in the fort and stay, so he brought it
with him." 1t was surmised there was
more than clothing in this apparently
valuable bag-that it contained liquid
stores from his department. | forget the
result when it was investigated.
A BATCH OF ORDERS.
As soon after the Gght as practi-
cable Major Elliott ordered me 10 take
the captured officers into the little office
before referred to and demand the deIlv-
ery of all written orders, papers, &c,
which they had in their possession.
This politely did, and, as these gentle.
men were taken by surprise and had NOT
de- troyed them, tried to get out OF the
dilemma by joke, wanting to know
what | would do with private correspon'
dence, love letters, &c. ! replied the
seal would be inviolale with such ettu'
sions, but my commanding officer must
have and would read oil else; and then,
putting them on their honor as "othcers
and gentlemen" they gracefully yielded,
and no search of person was made-an
indignity to which the writer was HIM
self subjected year later, when an IN.
voluntary guest of"Uncle Sam" at Fort
DeIeware. The papers given up, furnish
ed Major Elliott with fund of informa'
tiou in regard to the number and names
Of the W sells comprising the heet,
and ,hc uelails made from the or.
fercnt tews and other matter relative 10 70
th sarge attack. I cannot now recail
sL oF mon and hoats engaged,