Year: 1863

q


"A correspondent Of the New York Hortd
writing from Morris Island, under date oI


Aug. 80, says:


There has been a feeling prevailing mere,
up toSwithin the last few days, that the
rebels had been laying trap for us. The


Camp Cassandrasprophesled that the rebels
wouldsere long open upon us from batteries
of which we had no knowledge aud from


guns of enormous caliber. The effect OF
this unexpected performance on the part of
our opponents would be, the croakers said,
to drive our army from Morris Island with
immense loss of life and total loss of all our


artillery and munitions of war. But as


day after day has passed without verifying


these predictions, and as the rebels are


known to possess no ordnance they can


bring into position to accomplish any such


results, bug bears of this description have


ceased to terrify even the most timid


The story ahoat that the rebels had re-


moved all the heavy guns from Fort Sumter


and placed them in other batteries built in


new and better positions, there is serious


cause to doubt. Guns, or what looked very


much like guns, have been re .nJ,.l.;el amid


the ruins, and although they have given a.


vet no sign of life, yet it can hardly be
doubted that they have been replaced in
position for some special purpose, and will
yet, wheh the time comes, prove their eXs
istence by the execution done by their
shells The fort to, looks as if it had
been strengthcn : / mass resembling cot
ton bales is thichiy planted amid its ruined
walls.


The corporars guard of garrison still
hold their position. and the secession rag
knocked down SO often during the lombard
ment, yet waves defantly in front Of Gil
more's heavy guns and the turretS of the
monitors. That the fort could have been
taken and occupied is the general impress
ion, but it is thought that General Gilmore
and Admiral Dalhgren have come to some
understanding on the subject, and, to &C
some unknown military or naval
object, have concluded to let Beauregard
hold on to the place little longer and float
his flag over it with impunity; when the
time comes it is expected that no difficulty
worth mentioning will be experienced in
re-occupying this old government strong
hold, and replacing in triumph tho honored
old flag that Anderson carried away with
him. In the meantime the rebels are ma
king constant efforts to strengthen the place;
and since it has ceased to be the focus of
The terribly artillery fire that for some time
assaled it, it is to be supposed that they
are meeting with comparative success. A
from the feet, who made re-
up the bay on Saturday night, |
counted no less than twelve tugs plying be-
tween Fort Sumter and Charleston. He
reports that they all unloaded at the fort, |
but being compelled to retire before he could


axe any discoveries respecting their la
ling, of course nothing but surmises can be
1ad on the subject. There was party
working on the fort on Saturday, supposed
% be mounting heavy gun that has been
lismounted during the bombardment, by
one of the 2O0-pound parrots.


On Wednesday last, as soon as night set
n, the admiral with the Ironsides, and all
the monitors sailed in to attack the fort
out, owing to some misunderstanding on
the part of some Of the commanders, the
vessels we're not got into position until too
ate to commence an attack, and they were,
n consequence, compelled to retire, this
being arrived at the more
readily owing to the boisterous nature Of
the weather, which, for the last week, has
oeen more or less threatening Thus the
,ebels have been unimpeded in their efforts
to repair the delapidated masonry. and it is
ust possible that it may prove a little
stronger than was expected, when the next
attack is made upon it.


Tuesday or Wednesday are now the days
fixed by the universal rumor in the camp
for the grand attack on the forts and bat
teries in the harbor