FOUR YEARS UNDER FIRE AT CHARLESTON.

There was a great rush and crowd the next morning after the first shells were thrown into the city to see where they fell and the effect The fragments of which they had produced. one were discovered in the neighborhood of the store of G. W. Williams and Co., to the rear of It had shattered the the Charleston Hotel. building, and buried itself in the street just in front. Another had attained the distance of a square farther to the north, and fell at the corner of Anson and Hasel streets, scattering its fragments far and wide. It was soon positively ascertained that a residence in the lower part Even should of the city was no longer safe. the Confederate batteries succeed in silencing the "Swamp Angel," the energy and enterprise of the Northerners would soon command another station, where they might repeat the experiment, Houses in and perhaps with greater success. the upper part of the city, therefore, began to be in demand, and that exodus commenced which, upon the establishment of the Union batteries Morris Island, left the lower districts of the upon town a complete solitude.

above to the ground beneath, by which, in case
of such accident, an escape might be made.
Strange to say, though the shells fell like a rain
of iron all around, striking the guard-house op-
posite, riddling the City Hall on the north, plow-
ing up the grave-yard on the south, and almost
demolishing the Mansion House in the rear, yet
this steeple was not once struck, nor was the
body of the edifice injured till a short time pre-
vious to the evacuation of the city.

It was interesting to notice the varied effects of the shells in their descent into the city. Certainly one half failed to explode, the percussion shell being so arranged that it must fall at a particular angle in order to crush the cap which ignites the combustible material within. Failing to explode, they would simply drive a hole through the wall or roof against which they struck and bury themselves in the ground below. Many accidents occurred from digging up these unexploded missiles and attempting to extract the fuse. When a shell exploded on striking the noise was equal to that of a good sized piece of artillery, and it was certain to produce A It was ascertained when the Union troops had the greatest destruction for many rods around. obtained possession of Morris Island that they I have seen almost the whole front of a twotrained their guns on the city by the tall, massive story building torn off by a single shell. About no one of the large shell entered the loft of a warehouse on steeple of St. Michael's. numerous churches of Charleston do such inter- East Bay Street, and striking the joists of the esting associations cluster as about this time-hon-roof at a particular angle, caused the whole ored edifice. It is reputed to have been built after a design furnished by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St. Paul's, London. Its organ was played at the coronation of one of the Georges; its chime of bells, by far the sweetest in the land, was originally brought from England, whither they were taken back upon the capture of the city in the Revolutionary war by the British. Here they were put up at auction, and bought in by a wealthy Englishman, who, after the war, returned them to the church. It was just in front of this church, at the corner of Broad and Meeting streets, that a statue of William Pitt used to stand, which was struck by a ball from the British batteries erected during the Revolution on James Island, and which threw their shot right into the streets of the city. The mutilated statue may still be seen standing in the grounds of the Orphan House.

A 30-pound roof to slide off to one side. Parrott exploded between the roof and ceiling of one of the churches of the city, made fifteen apertures of different sizes in the ceiling, demolished a bronze chandelier over the pulpit, broke the reading-desk, split the communion-table, partially demolished two or three pews, and made several rents in the floor beneath-all the effect of a 30-pound Parrott, the fragments of which were afterward collected and fitted together. Another shell tore open a Bible upon the pulpit-desk of a church, leaving a leaf upon which were conspicuous the words, "An enemy hath done this." A large two-hundred pounder struck the Second Presbyterian Church in Charlotte Street just in the rear of the portico, and so seriously injured it that it was apprehended But the percussion shells, though more destructthat the whole front of the church would fall in.

During the whole of this present war the stee-ive to property, were not so destructive of huple of St. Michael's has been converted into an observatory. Near its top a room was constructed, fitted up with a stove to keep its occupant warm during cold weather, and furnished with a powerful telescope, through which all the movements of the Union army could be easily distinguished. Night and day the observer was kept at his post, transmitting not only frequent records of the various manoeuvres of the enemy to the quarters of the general in command, but also making note of every shot fired at the city. There was imminent danger lest some one of these shot might strike the steeple and choke up the narrow passage by which alone a descent could be effected, and so a rope ladder was stretched on the outside from the observatory

man life as the time fuse shells which were
thrown comparatively late in the siege. The
fragment of a shell one day entered a barber's
saloon and took off the head of a negro while
engaged in his work. Another negro walking
along one of the principal streets of the city, and
hearing the approach of a shell ran into an alley
to get clear of it, and crouched behind a door.
A couple newly married were
The shell entered the alley, struck the door and
killed the negro.
A shell had struck the house during the
found one morning lying dead in each other's
arms.
night, penetrated to the chamber in which they
were, and extinguished the life of both at the
same instant. In a house in Queen Street a
woman was sleeping in her bed when a shell pen-

etrated the roof of the building, passed through | the bed, just grazing her outstretched arm, and then sank through the floor into the cellar beneath.

cate the channel. The most dangerous point, and, that which demanded the exercise of the greatest skill to avoid, was a narrow tongue of land which ran out from Sullivan's Island just opposite Sumter, and which was known as the Breakwater Jetty. Here the channel is not only very narrow but takes a sudden turn, and it was in making this turn that the vessel was in danger of getting aground. The Union artillerists aft

the blockade-runner, and whenever they saw a light from the opposite shore of Morris Island, which they supposed was intended for the guidance of a vessel, they would immediately open fire. They had a way too of sending out picket-boats which would quietly allow the vessel to

came impossible, and then by means of rockets would signalize the fleet outside.

Yet notwithstanding the occurrence of so many casualties, people soon became hardened to the idea of danger, and would not hesitate to take their walks in the lower part of the city even when the shells were passing overhead. One of the most amusing incidents of the bom-er a while learned many of the cunning arts of bardment was the eagerness exhibited by the boys of the city to obtain possession of the shells. The sound of the approach of one would no sooner be heard than a troop of them would be seen dashing through the streets to the spot where it was likely to fall. Arrived at the place they would immediately commence to ex-pass till it had rounded the jetty and return becavate it with such instruments as they could command. The fragments of the shells they would sell for old iron and obtain a very good price for them, but the copper ring which banded the shell was especially valuable from the great scarcity of copper in the arsenals of the Confederacy. An unexploded shell was picked up one day near the bridge at the head of Rutledge Avenue, on which had been inscribed by the Unionists, "Find your way to the arsenal, old fellow!" When we reflect that the arsenal was only two squares distant, and lying directly in the line which the shell was pursuing when it fell, we must give to the Union artillerists the credit of having been remarkably good shots. The accuracy of fire which was continually exhibited astonished the people of Charleston more than any thing else. I had frequent occasion to notice this accuracy. A fire would break out in the lower part of the city and the Federals would train their guns with such exactness that the shells would fall directly into the flames. Upon one occasion one of the fire engines was struck while it was being worked, and some of the firemen severely injured. Recalling the fact that these shells were thrown from a distance of over four miles, the accuracy of aim will appear astonishing indeed.

More particularly was this accuracy of fire exhibited when directed to the blockade-runners that were unfortunate enough to get aground in running into or out of the harbor. They were generally discovered at daylight, and in the course of a few hours hardly a vestige of them would remain.

During those long wearisome days and weeks when the city was under fire almost the only event of joy which would occur would be the arrival of some one of these blockade-runners. The business was finally reduced to a science. Even in the darkest night the cunning craft would work their way in or out through the tortuous channels of the harbor. When outwardbound the captain generally went down to Sullivan's Island upon the evening of sailing to learn the disposition of the Union fleet and plan the course of his exit. Lights also were always prearranged along the shores of the island, or suspended from boats in the harbor, in order to indi

The chase of a blockade-runner was the most exciting thing imaginable. Like a hunted deer it would speed through the water, its fierce avenger after it, every beam from stem to stern quivering through the violent pulsations of its great iron heart, and the dash of the paddles as in their lightning-like revolutions they would strike the water. Sometimes not only was one half of the cargo thrown overboard, but every combustible thing that could be laid hold of crowded into the furnaces to increase the steam. Some of these blockade-runners were very successful. I knew of one which had run the gauntlet no less than nineteen times, and had consequently proved a mine of wealth to its owners. When a vessel had once run the blockade it was considered to have paid for itself, and every subsequent trip was consequently clear gain. The captain generally cleared on each round trip ten thousand dollars in gold, and the pilot and mate in proportion.

To be at all connected with or interested in a blockade-runner was in those days esteemed in Charleston a signal piece of good fortune. It insured at least a partial supply of the comforts and luxuries of life; for the ladies an occasional new silk dress, the envy and admiration of the streets; for the gentlemen a good supply of Bourbon-a box or two of cigars, or a larder filled with Stilton cheese or West India fruits. By-and-by came an edict from Richmond forbidding the importation of luxuries of this kind, and restricting the cargo of a vessel entirely to those articles which the country needed in its military operations, or which contributed to the supply of the actual necessities of the people. One half of the cargo of the vessel going out was also required to be devoted to government account, and one half of the cargo of the vessel coming in. This, of course, greatly curtailed the profits of the owners, but still immense fortunes continued to be made on both sides of the water.

It was about this time that a large number of Union prisoners were brought into Charleston from various parts of the South. They were sent here partly for security against the Fed

eral raids, which were becoming very frequent | potatoes, a natural product of the soil, one dolthrough the land, and partly on account of the lar each; a barrel of flour five hundred dollars, scarcity of provisions, which compelled their and other things in proportion. A family of distribution through the various cities and towns four could hardly live on rice and the ordinary of the country. The officers at first were crowd-cow-pea soup under one hundred dollars a week. ed in with the men, and both were placed under Butter, coffee, sugar, and tea were among those fire in the lower part of the city. Upon a re- luxuries about which the least that was said the monstrance, however, sent up from General better. Gillmore, on Morris Island, and a threat to The effect of this low diet, combined with the retaliate, which was actually carried out, these great anxiety attendant upon the support of a prisoners were removed to a place of compara- family and the political state of the country, tive security. Among the officers who were soon became apparent in the countenances of the confined in Charleston at that time was Gen- people. Never have I seen men grow old so eral Seymour, whose frank and gentlemanly fast as the inhabitants of Charleston, from the bearing won for him the high respect and ad- time the shelling of the city commenced down miration even of his enemies. Upon one day to its occupation by the Union troops. Heads he sent for the Rev. Toomer Porter, rector of which were of raven blackness became silvered the church of the Holy Communion, with whom with gray during the interval of only a few he had had a slight acquaintance before the months. Faces which were as smooth as an war, to come and see him. Mr. Porter accord- infant's became seamed and furrowed with ingly went, and in course of conversation the wrinkles. Boys looked like old men, and old General remarked that he had sent for him to men speedily dropped away and died. Never inquire whether arrangements could not be made has there been such a mortality among old peowhereby himself and his fellow-officers could en-ple as among the old people of Charleston since joy the privileges of religious worship. If so, he the commencement of this war. The anxiety, was desirous that Mr. Porter himself should come change of diet, and circumstance, were more the following Sabbath and preach to them. In than advanced years could endure, and they reply to the General's request Mr. Porter imme- went down by scores to the grave. diately remarked that he “thought there would be no objection made to his coming, but that he would feel himself obligated to perform the whole service of his Church." "Certainly," replied the General, not at first comprehending his meaning; "I am sure that there is no service which will be more acceptable to myself, having been educated in your Church-and perhaps I may say to my fellow-officers." "But you do not understand me, General," continued the clergy

man.

"I mean to say that there is in our service a prayer for the President of the Confederate States, which I could not deem myself at liberty to omit." "As for that," replied the General, "I myself care nothing. There is no one whom I consider so greatly to stand in need of being prayed for as Mr. Davis. However, I can not answer for the sentiments of my brother officers, and I will consult them and let you know our determination by the approaching Sabbath." The other officers were accordingly consulted, and the result was that Mr. Porter received a note from General Seymour, the following Sabbath, stating that, upon the whole, it would not be agreeable that the services should be performed under such conditions. A clergyman, however, was found who, though of the same denomination, consented to respect the scruples of the Union officers and to omit the prayer.

Every day, as the war continued, the currency became more and more depreciated. Four months before the evacuation of the city gold was selling as high as seventy for one. This, of course, greatly increased the price of provisions, and rendered living to those who were dependent upon annuities or salaries a serious A piece of roast beef, adequate for a family of three or four, cost forty dollars; sweet

matter.

Among the calamities which befell the city not the least was the conduct of the troops who had been quartered in the city for its protection. One or two companies of them were stationed on the Battery, and of all the thieves, burglars, and highwaymen who were ever brought together, I may not hesitate to affirm these were the worst. They roamed through the lower part of the city perfectly unrestrained. There was not a house which they did not enter, plundering it of furniture, of carpets, of books, of every thing upon which they could lay their rapacious hands. Leaden pipes were dug up; copper pumps were carried off; even the locks and keys of doors were abstracted, sent out of the city, and sold. By-and-by the lives of people who ventured into this part of the city to look after their abandoned property were not considered safe. The marauders prowled the streets, gun in hand, ready both to rob and murder any one who ventured within their power. For a season no one ventured out after nightfall, in any part of the city, without secreting a revolver about his person.

The lower portions of the city, thus given up to be a prey and plunder, soon began to evince the most unmistakable appearance of dreariness and desolation. Some of the streets became so covered with grass as to conceal the cobblestones beneath. I have seen cows and goats quietly pasturing where for years the highway had been worn by the corrosion of passing vehicles; I have seen the crow and the owl roosting where for years the tramp of horses and the rattle of cart-wheels were almost the only sounds to be heard; I have seen rank weeds springing from the gutters of streets which were once busy with the tide of passing men, to such a height

366

as almost to exclude from view the opposite In the midst of picturesque scenery which sidewalk. The highways of Herculaneum and renders the journey between Toulon and Nice Pompeii never filled one with such a feeling of the most delightful railway ride within our utter loneliness and desolation as some of the knowledge, we were fortifying ourselves at erstreets of the lower part of the city of Charles-ery point against the impositions which were to assail us at its terminus.

ton.

The young divine rolled his r's, disheveled his hair and beard Teutonically, and responded "Nix versteh" to every word addressed to him in his mother tongue by the wife of his bosom (for who does not know that a tax of thirty per cent. is levied on English speaking on the Continent?); while his Frau made fresh bends and nicks in her old hat, and subdued herself to the normal aspect of a parson's wife.

Arrived at the station we selected our voiture, subjecting the driver to the severest crossexamination, and demanding his number and the printed "tariff" as precautionary measures, and shaking our heads frowningly at his mildest inquiry or suggestion.

At last the climax of all this misery and suffering approached. It became evident to the far-sighted that by the march of Sherman through the State the city must of necessity be evacuated. Military men, however, persistently refused to acknowledge this necessity; they refused to acknowledge it even while they were secretly transporting the large supplies of ordnance which the town contained. Finally, the truth was made apparent to all by the violent explosion of ammunition which it was found impossible to carry away. Then followed the heavy tramp of the retreating soldiery, and the bursting out on every side of the city of vast sheets of flame and clouds of smoke. The order from the commander was, as I know from unquestionable authority, that every building should be laid in ashes. Thanks to a merciful Providence, the iniquitous and barbarous edict was only partially consummated when the Union troops marched in and saved the city. The ap-cumbent feather-bed. All this until we made prehension, tumult, and horror of that day will never be effaced from the mind, and can only be compared with the exceeding joy arising from the sense of relief produced by the entrance of the Union troops.

A NICE TIME.

[URRAY is not infallible.

M

I shudder at the audacity of this heresy. The disinterestedness of my motives might be impugned were I to confess that we are even now smarting from the effects of excruciating torture endured in blind devotion to this Dagon "Christmas-Eve: Fine of English travelers. music at St.Luigi di Francisi at 11 P.M." (Vide Murray's “Rome.") Accordingly we sat for two (seemingly im-mortal) hours, and were stunned by the emulative roar of Bulls of Bashan and Buffaloes of the Campagna. Even the divine music of the "Pastorella," heard in St. Peter's two hours later, hardly sufficed to heal the wounds thus ruthlessly made.

"

But the special indictment on which I dare arraign the omnipotent culprit is of another

sort.

In his Hand-Book for France, and again in that for Northern Italy (1864), the gravest charges of extortion are brought against NICE. Landlords, lodging-agents, merchants, and the native population at large, are represented as unrighteously leagued against the defenseless traveler. In consequence of this statement, and the rumor current in Paris that the prices had doubled under the smiles of royalty, we poor pilgrims, traveling on a clergyman's moderate salary, paid in greenbacks, and forced to multiply every charge by two and a half at the least, approached the Mediterranean with hydrophobean spasms.

At our hotel (which I need not state was a Dutch one) we ate our meat with no gladness and singleness of heart, regarding every mouthful as a half-franc piece, and laid down upon our couch with hearts heavier than the superin

the appetizing discovery that we were actually living more economically than in Paris (where our quarters were very agreeable and reasonable), and infinitely more so than in London.

For the benefit of our countrymen, for whom the climate of this delightful city may be prescribed, but who are obliged, like ourselves, to count the cost, I give our experience somewhat in detail.

At the Hôtel et Pension Suisse, 25 (not 27, as in Murray) Rue Massena, we occupied for six days a large and comfortably-furnished apartment (frescoes included), on the third floor; were supplied daily at any time we chose previous to 10 A.M. with excellent café au lait, bread, butter, and eggs; déjeuner at 12 noon, of beefsteak or its equivalent, with potatoes, bread, butter, cheese, and vin ordinaire; dinner at 5 P.M., of four or five courses, sufficiently varied and excellently cooked. For this, together with candles, fire, and "service," we paid seventy-four And this was in the height of the seafrancs. son, and within five minutes' walk of the beach, the Promenade des Anglais, and the Russian Empress! The Swiss landlord and lady speak English, moreover, and, best of all, are true republicans—the most intelligent and sympathet ic discussers of American affairs whom we had chanced to meet in our wanderings.

At the table d'hôte I must confess I was nearly stunned by the sonorous gutturals and disenvoweled sentences; but this was in consequence of the young divine's inhuman habit of Dutch. fraternization at every opportunity, leaving his unhappy spouse to gather such particles of knowledge from amidst the deafening jargon as a slight acquaintance with "Ollendorf's Method" made possible. Indeed, the whole sojourn in Nice was embittered by the apprehension that,

going from bad to worse, my liege lord might | ing never been used-together with remnants come to balance himself on two legs of his chair of plasters, pills, and croton-oil. between courses at dinner, brandishing wildly his fork, which, utterly divorced from its lawful use, should be employed alternately in shampooing his head, cleansing his teeth, and setting home an argument to the heart of his vis-à-vis, with the oracular “Ja wohl !” vociferated at intervals as regularly recurrent as the chorus of the Greek drama.