The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-11-04
DAYS OF '03 RECALLED
A Counterfeit Sumter Bo M
barded With Fireworks,
cHARLEsToN's BIG NAVAL DISPLAY.

No Sentimental Significance in the Event
--Usp of Flags strictly Prohibited--Ths
Effect Very RsaIistic--The Earthquake
Festival Ends Tonight.
CHARLESTON, s. c., Nov More than
60, 900 people witnessed the grand naval
display Of the Earthquake Festival last
night OF this number about 80, 900 !
lined the high sea wall and the remainder
witnessed the bombardment from steamer
and sailing vessels and small craft in the
harbor.
It was a perfect Charleston night and
the arrangements for the display worked
without hitch Fort Sumter built on
lighters was anchored in the inner bay
as were miniature representations Of the
batteries Oh Morris Island.
The First Regiment of Artillery Of the
State National Guards three batteries
manned the city sea wall representing
the batteries of Sullivan Island
Tug boats represented the attacking
fleet. The bombs used in the affair were
manufactured especially for the occasion
and produced realistic effects. There
was no sentimental significance in the
display, the only interest attaching to it
being the fact that the event which oc-
CURED April ., 1861, was the first engage
ment during the war in which the new
| ironclad warship5 came in collision with
a fortress or masonry.
The peculiar typographical surround
lngs of this narbor rendered such display
exceeding iHJer".ug.
! At S:l5 O'Clock Oue first shot was fired
| by battery from the suppositious Fort
| Moultrie at the feet of tug boats which
sailed down the bay.
This was replied to by boat represent
| ing the Weehawken, and then for two
/ hours the pyrotechnic firing was kept up
with a fidelity to detail which was really
won derful. @saa
The officers and crews of the United
States war vessels and the revenue cut
ters witnessed the display from the decks
OF the vessels aud were delighted. No flags
were used.
The celebration will wind up tonight
| with a grand ball rendered to the officers
of the feet and the finest display of fire
! works ever seen in the South.
The fleet engaged in the fight in 1868
was composed Of the Weehawken, guns,
Capt. John Rodgers; Passaic, 2 guns,
Capt. Percival Drayton; Montauk, guns,
Capt. John l.. Worden; Patapsco, guns,
Commander Daniel Ammen; Flagship
| New lronsldes l6 guns, Capt L. Turner,
| Catslkill, 2 guns, Commander Rodgers,
| Nantucket, guns, Commander d. Men.
Fairfax; Nahant, ? guns, Commander
Downes; KeOkuk, 2 guns, Commander A.
@. Rhiud.
The Canandaigua, the Housatonic the
Unadilla, the Wissahickon, and the
Huron were off the bar, but were not en-
gagged The fight began about 2 o'clock
in the afternoon. The first shots fired at
the fort came from the leading monitor,
the Weehawken.
One passed over the heads of the men
standing ready to fire the barbette guns
of the right fanks on the fort, and cut a
clean hole through the regimental Con-
federate flag flying on the George Wall
piercing it near the crossing of the two
cannons in the centre of its field
Not much damage was done to either
feet or the fort. The Keokuk seems to
have had some defect in her build
Commander Rhind, however, seemed de-
termined to test her fighting capacity to
the utmost
When the turn in the channel was
reached he came "bow on" to the fort,
receiving the concentrated force of all
!
from that port and from Sullivan's Island.
He was silenced after firing three shots.
The position taken seemed to him to be
about 800 yards from Sumter.
To those in the fort it appeared to be
hardly less than 900 yards At the end
, OF 20 or 30 minutes he was glad to escape
without being captured or going down.
His vessel was struck 80 times in the
hull and turrets, and 10 shots pierced her
through. The turrets were penetrated
by rifle bolts and l0-inch round shots
Riddled as she was it is matter of wonder r
how she escaped with her engines in con-
dition to take her out of the fight
That night she sank of the southern
part of Morris Island.
The following is statement showing
the number OF shots fired, and the casual
ties:
Confederate Posts--Number Of guns en-
gagged, rs; shots fired, 22O6; killed. A.;
wounded, 10; nearly one fourth were
smooth-bore 32-pounders, of no value
5 against armored vessels.
Federal Vessels-Number of guns ell
gagged, 23; shots fired, 430; killed, /;
, wounded %.