The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-02-15

mendous bombardment had ,aken
place, and the once lofty and stately
walls OF the Fort were shattered and
mutilated into indoscribable ruin.
Every gun had been dismounted,
some dashed down from the top OF the
high ramparss to the parade ground,
the rest removed to save chem.
The Fort continued TO receive the
constant firs from the enemy's feet in
grim silence with not one gun to re-
turn it.
One brilliant autumn evening Col.
Rhett, being at home for few min
CITES, asked my sisters aud myself if
we would like to visit Fort Sumter
with him that nigh..
We were enchanted with the propo. .
sition, aud our father, who never
checked ambition, or encouraged tim
idity, having given his consent, we
were soon in warm cloaks and ready
for the adventure.
1t was an adventure; for tho' the
Yankee fleet was only shelling the
city and Fort cintermittently that
night, the bombarduept might at any
moment have bec2me heavy one.
Many shells fell short and plunged
into the Harbor; one might easily
come too near our boat and put an
end to our expedition. But no such
troublesome apprehensions marred
our delight, and the shells that went
Kissing and roaring over our heads to
the city, only increaaed our excite
ment and enjoyment.
The boat left the City under sail,
but when about mile from Fort
Sumter, the moon began to rise d.
rectly behind the Fort. The white
sail was promptly dropped being too
tempting target to the gunners Of
the feet, and the oars were manned.
AS we drew nearer and nearer the
Fort, the moof rose higher and high.
er, flooding with light the water, and
illuminating the ruined fortress.
Then there arose before us one of the
most weird, fantastic and beautiful
pictures ever witnessed.
Through huge holes, crevasses and
broken arches, and portions Of arches,
the moon light cleaned and glittered
making every outline clear-cut and
distinct. Talking and laughter ceas.
! ed. We sat as tho spell.bound, gaz
ing at the graudly picturesque sight.
We felt as tho transported in vision
to some unknown, historic region, we
saw the phantom ruins of by.gone
age.
We reached the landing place, and
the spell was broken-the magic gone;
but not the intense irterest nor the
glamour Of the scene; for after visit
ing the strange, dark bomb proofs
and having clambered up from one
broken remnant Of wall to another
until we reached remaining position
OF the highest rampant, we looked
down and around upon as strange and
wild O sight as can we'll be coDjured
up by the Imagination.
! Far below us, the illusion Of the
moon light increasing the distance,
was the former parade ground. II
looked es though an earthquake had
aPhhsa59d and rent It IL ffffoomm fffoomm end < &c
end. The debris of all that vast de.
struction was heaped here, there and
everywhere; q half buried cannon lay
with huge mouth pointed upwards,
camp fires burning surrounded by aoi-
diers, whose faces were now. brought
out in strong relief, now lost again in
the red glow added q weird, unhealthy
appearance to the surrounding deyaa.
tation. High above in some broken
arch, whore o recess was found !, q fire
burned and figures Of soldiers were
silhousetted against the flames. In
one Of them . blacksmith seemed ia
| be- at work, and the blows Of his ham.
mer came TO us aoross the vide spaoe,
muffisd BY the oeaaeless wash and
break Of the waves at the base OF The
walls. And the splendid moonlight
| edorned ara glorifiad The awful de.
asruction Of hesSsud Fort o. which
We had all been SO proud Tho history
| of whose deRenae must ever be q proud
| memory to our, people. ;,sS
Wevere sha only, women who enter.
/ ed Fort Sumter from the time che
bombardment from the feet ecom.
menoed, until some time after Cue was
Was over. Elise Rhets Levin. 4,
Is
III i vVh an, ~ z - =, a, :, 70 az 81 u