The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-02-23

Gem Sherman with MS NICUOAEo4e
army. which had occupied Columbia
the previous day, made 1t necessary
for the smll body of Confederates 10
retire in order to escape certain us-
feat. Charleston had been reduced %
a mass OF smoking ruins by the bom-
bardment. and the work OF destruction
was completed by Gen. HaTdee before
he abandoned the city.
The fall of Charleston was the &C.
casion of great jubilation in the north.
The South Carolina metropolis was
1ool, upon as the source and fountain
head of the ideas for which the Con-
federacy stood. The civil war had
opened at Charleston in April, 1861.
when Major Anderson had been forced
to evacuate Fort Sumter, a brick
stronghold built on a shoal in Charles
ton harbor, about three and a half
miles from the city. Anderson the
federal commander at Fort Sumter,
had only eighty men under him when
attacked by Gen. Beauregard. On
April IA. 1861, the Confederate flag
was raised over the fort, and there It
remained until February IS, 1865.
OF all the cities of the south,
Charleston was most hated by the
PEOPLE of the north, and they clamor-
ed for its fall. In April, 1868, fleet
OF monitors was dispatched against
the city, and on the seventh of that
month the battle of Charleston harbor
was fought. 1t was a disaster for the
fleet. for the artillerists OF Fort Sum
ter. made every shot tell. The Con
federate gunners, according to Euor-
pean experts who witnessed the con-
| flict. did the best work in the history
of warfare, and Union officers after
wards declared that the shots, rapid
as the ticks of a watch" never failed
! to hit the mark.
In July, the Union forces resumed
the assault by land and sea. Batteries
were erected on Morris island, about
1000 yards from Fort Sumter, and in
week over 5000 projeciles. weigh
ing from 100 to 500 pounds each, were
hurled against the fort. The fort was
demolished and its guns silenced, but
the devoted garrison held on amid the
ruins. Reapeted assaults were made
On Fort Wagner and Sumter, but the
blue lines were again and again hurled
| back with fearful slaughter. In Sep
TENDER, the garrison beat off another
naval attack. In October, lombard
ment was commenced which continu.
ed forty days, and it was resumed in
1864 A veritable rain OF shot and
shell poured upon Charleston, and
, death and destruction held high car.
nival in the stricken city.
Gen. Gilmore, desparing Of capturing
Fort Sumter by assault, laid seige to
the city and its defenses. The sap
perg and miners gradually won their
way to the battery and another as
sault was to have been delivered on
the day the Confederates, hearing OF
the approach of Sherman, abandoned
the city and completed the work OF
destruction.
The Confederate flag was hauled
down by the same men who had rails
ed it, and when the union forces en-
tered the city they found only smok
ing remains on which to plant the ban
ner which had triumphed only after
months of bombardment and the sacri
flee of thousands of lives. The fall OF
Charleston virtually ended the death
knell of the Confederacy when the
following April the surrender of Lee
at APPROXIMATION, brought the long and
bleeding conflict to an end.