Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-29

soldiers quarters OF the upper easements.
and swept destructively through the lower
ones Many were Scorched in their hunks.
and some We're cut off from the stairway
and had to be rescued through an opening
in the wall by long ladder. nv this ac-
rident eleven men We're killed anu lofty
one injured.
For several nights everything = pro-
visions water. even the reliefs OF fresh
troopS-had TO be brought in by ladders
from the wharf to the upper classmates.
Then it was necessary, after TINS level
was gained to ascend yet higher, 10 the
top of the massive embankment OF sand
and debris that closed and protected those
high-arched classmates from the IRE OF
the fleet and batteries Thence. from the
crown OF those arches, and through a
small opening men. boxes and barrels
had to be brought by ladder, down fuily
thirty feet to the interior of the fort. 1T
weeks before the burnt quarters
could be reoccupied
The use of the calcium light was re-
sorted to by Maj Gen. Gilmore in his
siege of Fort Wagner. and again from
Cummings Point Considering the dis
lance three-quarters of mile, the lllu-
rninating power at Fort Sumter was very
great. The first night the light was dis
played in the winter of 1863. | read by
il the largest type of newspaper. our
sentinels on the wall were daZZled and
annoyed by it. The darkness of the night
and of the waters around the fort was
seemingly increased tenfold by the con
trast. The appearance OF TINS hsh'
thrown upon the battered walls ard
arches of Fort Sumter, was always Strlk-
ing and beautiful.
In the DAYS of Fort Sumter's prime \
conspicuous object was the great flag
staff in the northern angle. Rising 10
j height of so or 100 feet above the har-
Dor it received the bolts and shells OF
Gillmore's first bombandment. until
spintered TO a stump, it ceased to be
used. and smaller flag was displayed
on the walls.
Before that the large garrison flag lad
been cut away seven times, and replaced
by climbing. This | saw done repeatedly
by Private John Drury and once bv
Sergt. Schaffer. both of the 1st South
Carolina Artillery. Afterward, when the
flag flown from the southeastern
angle. and again from the center of the
gorge wall ! witnessed featS of replacing
il under fire.
November ~ 1863. the shot marker at
the lookout on the western extremity of
the gorge, Private James Upper. jr of
the Charleston Battalion. seeing the flag
shot away. walked. exposed the whole
length of the crest, to the point where
he was met by three others of the same
command, c. B. Foster, w. c. Buckheis-
Ter ana ~ y. biuelt, VINO Ildd CltifHDefeu
up by the ladders. But his comrades
We're ready, and with their assistance he
managed to display the flag in about
twelve minutes. They were all exposed
to great danger. One shell struck the
flagstaff out of their hands.
January 30, 1864. the flag was shot
away at the same locality. and replaced
by Privates Shafer and Banks assisted
by Corporal Brassingham, all of Lucas
Battalion of Artillery, and greatly aided
by the acting adjutant of the post. ii.
Rentivoglio Middleton of the Signal
Corps.
Later in the same year the flag of the
post was moved to the center OF the
gorge wall, at a point on the crest.
cessible by short ladder from the top
Of the bombproof quarters. The practice
with two thirty FOUNDER Parrot rifles
at Cummings Point, distant three-quar-
tiers of a mile. was so fine that more
than three shots We're seldom required
for cutting down the staff; sometimes a
single shot sufficed.
X x
June 30, 1864. the flag was reported
shot away. The larger part of the staff
remained fast in the crest of the gorge.
while the splintered spar, bearing the
flag, was thrown inwardly to the ground
But some slight delay arising in the
planting Lieut.. Charles II. Claibourne
of the 1st South Carolina Infantry reg
ulars) mounted the wall with the colors,
and in full view of the enemy, and I'M
der a rapid fire, dashed the two parts of
the staff together with the halyard ropes,
assisted by two brave, spirited men or