The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-29

| the rest combined-that is a sail or ride
DOM the bay amid the immense fortifiI
| cations and coast defences to the ocean
| and also a trolley ride to the pleasure
| resorts Of the city. No visit will be
complete without this experience. Lying
| at the ferry slip. awaiting the hourly
| arrival Of her human cargo, is the new
| double-end steamer Commodore Perry
of the Charleston Consolidated railway,
| in readiness to make a trip across the
| Cooper river to Mount Pleasant, a half
| hours ride. This floating Neptune soon
leaves the city, receding from view the
| United States custom house standing
| majestically overlooking the harbor,
while historic st. Philips spire, with it's
| beacon light, rises heavenward in It's
| God-given mission of guiding mariners
for the last two centuries into port.
Soon we pass near to Castle Pinck-
| ney. where on the island are the ruins
| Of an old Spanish fort, erected prSb-
| ably two hundred years ago, while be-
| fore us is Fort Sumter, upon whose
walls the writer stood, soon after 1t
| was vacated by the Confederates, with
| the Stars and Stripes floating above It,
| But too soon landing at Mount Pleas
| ont is effected and we exchange the
steamer for the electric observation
car, at a thirty -mile-an- hour speed
over Sullivan's island. The village Of
| Mount Pleasant is situated on n high
bluff of yellow sand, and with it's back
| ground of dark foliage. as seen from
the steamer, forms a pleasing picture.
1t was originally the summer resort for
planters. Although not possessing the
| fine beach and surf of Sullivan's island,
1t gets as much of the cool sea breeze
and has the advantage of easy access
from the surrounding country by walks
and drives, and during the winter
season is fine field for sportsmen.
Truck farming is the principal industry
and is very profitable.
sULL1vAN's ISLAND.
Sullivan's Island has long been the
favorite resort for Charlestonians and
for many years, even before the war,
each summer presented a scene of
much gaiety and fashion, like Coney
| island and other summer resorts. On
this island are places of more than
passing interest. Here is Fort Moul-
trie of both Revolutionary and Civil
War fame, and Fort Jasper. named in
honor of the gallant Jasper who re-
life in the "Seventeens;" both equip
ped with rapid-firing guns just prior
to the late Spanish-American war.
Here, also. is the grave and monu-
ment erected to "Osceola," the Sem
mole chief. besides the great mortar
batteries. consisting of twelve 12-inch
guns. The Federal government has
recently purchased a large reservation
~ s,1,,~
erection Of permanent barracks for
the First United States artillery, now
stationed here.
The establishment of garrison for
Fort Moultrie also Forts Jasper and
Capron and the latest new fortitica-
tions, as a part Of the coast defence
(Which are the largest in existence on
the Atlantic coasD, has added much
to the life Of the island. Owing to the
Sea Shore railroad running in and
around it, a new settlement called
"Atlanticvlle" has been started with
many summer residences. Here is a
very fine beach over three miles long
with safe and delightful surf bathing.
Nearby Moultrie, it is safe to say, are
half dozen new coast defences;
armed with the heaviest of modern
ordnance and all placarded with the
admonitory words: NO Admittance."
FORT SUMTER.
But the gray pile battle-scarred fort
ress. known all over the world as Fort
Sumter. Is the greater attraction, with
a greater history. The distance across
the channel from Moultrie to Sumter
is 5,723 yards. Sumter is built on an
artificial island of sand and contains
nearly five acres. Before the war
It stood so feet above the water but
was reduced by the bombardment to
20 and % feet. This famous strong
hold has been newly armed with the
heaviest of modern ordnance; and
with it's four 12-inch disappearing, and
twelve 12-inch barbette, besides six
rapid firing guns, stand now. as
then, an impregnable sentry at the
haTbor gates. From both Mouitrie
and Sumter we secured valuable rel
les. No visitor is allowed a inns son
to either fortress, without a permit
from the war department.
From memoranda received from
trustworthy source, l group the fol-
lowing facts regarding the lombard
ments, demolition and silencing and
final evacuation of Fort Sumter, for
1t Is claimed Sumter never Surren-
dered, but was evacuated only when
the troops withdrew from Charleston
on the entrance of General Sherman's
army into South Carolina, Feb. II,
1865, after 567 days of continuous mill
tary operations against both harbor
and city. 1t Is claimed the city of
Charleston suffered little damage from
the firing of the Union batteries on
Morris island. While they covered,
with extreme range, about one-half
of the city, the strain on their rifle
guns elevated so high, G,OO0 yards dis
tanO, had the effect of bursting up
wards of fifty of them. This was the
fate of the Swamp Angel" the fam
Gus 200 FOUNDER rife, which opened fire
August II, 1868, and burst after the
thirty-tifth round. They claim, in
point of military offensiveness, the
bombardment of Charleston was
poor substitute for not being able to
get within the harbor and capture the
city. An idea of the amount of this
firing may be gathered from the re-
turns made for the winter of 1863 and
"a, after the Confederates evacuated
Morris island, in September, 1868. In
the five months, 1850 shells reached
the city, being at the rate of seven
teen per diem.
When Colonel Anderson surrendered
Fort Sumter to the Confederates, after
its bombardment, April IA, 1861, Cen
eral Beuregard at once prepared to
make it impregnable with great skill
of foresight and contrivance as to
entirely disappoint all hope of surren-