The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-04-30
WAR STORIES.
How Charleston Saw the First Confederate
States Engagemenc.

must be struck that would make the
ears of every Republican tingle, and
whose dreadful effects will be felt by
generations yet to come.
The crisis had arrived and we were
fully prepared to meet it. The work
that awaited the morrow was of mo-
mentous character, but we had count
ed the cost and had resolved to do it
or die in the attempt.
At the grey Of the morning Of Fri.
day the roar Of the cannon broke upon
the ear. The expected sound was an
swered by thousands. The houses
Uere in few minutes emptied of their
excited occupants and living stream
poured the streets to the wharves and
battery.
At thirty minutes past four the
conflict was opened by the discharge
of shell from the howitzer battery on
James Island, under the command Of
George S. James, who followed the
riddled Palmetto banner on the bloody
battle fields of Mexico.
MAGAZINE EXPLODED.
The sending of this harmful message
to Major Anderson was followed by
deafening explosion, which was caused
by the blowing up Of building in front
of the battery.
While the white smoke was melting
away into the air another she'll which
Lieutenant W. Hampton Gibbcs has
the honor of having fired, scared its
no.sclcss way toward the hostile forti-
ication.
The honored lnissive described it's
beautiful curve through the balmy air
and falling within the hostile fortress,
scattering its deadly contents in all
directions. Fort Nfoultrie then took
up the tale of death and in moment
the guns from the redoubtable gun
battery on Cummings Point, from
Captain McCready's battery, from
Capt. James Hamilton's floating bat
terry, the Enfield Battery and other
fortifcations spit Forth their wrath at
the grim fortress rising 80 deAantly
out OF the sea.
Major Anderson received the shot
and shell in silence. Some excited
onlookers, ignorant of the character Of
the foe, were fluent with oonjectures
and predictions that revived the hopes
fast dying out Of their hopeful and
tender hearts. But the short lived
hope was utterly extinguished when
the deepening twilight revealed the
stars and stripes floating proudly in
the breeze. The batteries continued
at regular intervals to belch forth iron
vengeance, and still no answer was
returned by the foe. About an hour
after the booming began, two balls
rushed kissing through the air and
glanced harmless from the stuccoed
bricks of Fort Moultrie. The en-
brasures of the hostile fortress gave
forth no sound again until between
six and seven O'Clock, when, as if
wrathful from enforced delay, from
easement and parapet the United
States officer poured storm of iron
hail at Fort Moultrie, Stevens iron
battery and the floating battery. The
broadside was returned with spirit by
the gallant gunners at these import
ant posts.
AHAIL OF SHOT.
The firing now began in good car.
nest. The curling whito smoke hung
above the angry pieces of friend and
foe, and the jarring boom rolled at
regular intervals on the anxious ear.
The atmosphere was charged with the
smell Of villanous saltretre, as if in
sympathy with the melancholy scene
the sky was covered with heavy clouds
and everything wore sombre aspect.
a boat bearing dispatches for Gen.
Beauregard frol.i Morris Island reach
ed the city about nine o'clock and re-
ported that all the batteries were
working admirably; that no one was
injured and that the men were wild
with enthusiasm. a short time after
the schooner Petril, from Hog Island
Channel, reported that shot from
the guns of Stevens Iron Battery had
told upon the walls Of Fort Sumter,
and also that Fort Moultrie has sus-
tanned no damage. About half-past
nine O'Clock Captain r. s. Parker re-
ported from Sullivan's leland to
Mount Pleasant that everything was
in fine condition at For. Moultrie and
that the soldiers had escaped unhurt.
The came dispatch stated chat the en-