FORT SUMTER AT REST AND IN ACTION. Floating battery, dropped in their resonant | ming's Point iron battery, Fort Sumter at Rest. Sumter lay off in the waters, the centre of that appalling circle of fire. The early morning shadows had lifted from its ramparts to discover the Stars and Stripes floating from the garrison staff; but, it was as silent amid that storm as if no living soul | panted and fretted within its walls. It was the silence of duty-of men resolved on death, if their country called for the sacrifice. For months the little garrison had been pent up in the fortress, overworked and underfed; but, not a murmur escaped the men, and the hour of assault found all prepared for their leader's orders to defend the fort to the last. Sumter in Action. 75 of Sullivan's island, and the Enfilading bat- The zeal of the men was The sentinels were removed from the para- so great that the second The Bombardment. pet, the posterns closed, and the order given and third reliefs refused to for the men to keep close within the case- await their turns; hence, the number of dismates, until the call of the drum. Breakfast charges, during the first eight hours, led the was quietly served at six o'clock-the shot enemy to think that the fort must have been and shell of the enemy thundering against reinforced. The state of feeling among the the walls and pouring within the enclosure men may be inferred from an incident rewith remarkable precision. After breakfast, lated of a company of Irish laborers within disposition was calmly made for the day's the fort, not enlisted in the service. At first work. The casemates were supplied from they refused to assist in handling the heavy the magazines; the guns, without tangents or guns; but soon their ardor was enkindled, scales, and even destitute of bearing screws, and, ere long, every man was begrimed were to be ranged by the eyes and fired "by with the stains of battle. From that moguess;" the little force was told off in relays, ment until the cessation of firing, none composed of three reliefs, equally dividing labored more zealously or enthusiastically the officers and men. Captain Arthur than the Irish "irregulars"-as they were Doubleday took the first detachment, and fired jocosely named by the troops. Their devothe first gun at seven o'clock. The Captain tion, indeed, became reckless. An officer directed his guns at Moultrie, at the Cum-stated that, having ordered the barbette guns to be silenced, owing to the murderous June 4th, 1776, Moultrie was bombarded by the fire made upon them by the rifled ordnance British fleet from eleven A. M. until seven P. M., when the fleet drew off in a crippled condition. The fort was defended by Colonel Moultrie and 400 men, with a loss of fourteen killed and twenty-two wounded. The dead reposed in graves almost overshadowed by the smoke of the conflict of April 12th. of the Enfilading battery, he was surprised to hear a report from one of the exposed fortytwo-pounders. Proceeding to the parapet, he found a party of the workmen serving the gun. "I saw one of them," he stated, † See letter of Dr. W. H. Russell to London "stooping over, with his hands on his knees, Times, dated Charleston, April 21st. The Dr. visit-convulsed with joy, while the tears rolled ed Sumter shortly after the evacuation, and saw the down his powder-begrimed cheeks. 'What are you doing there with that gun?' I guns. The Bombardment. asked. 'Hit it right in the centre,' was the reply, the man meaning that his shot had taken effect in the centre of the Floating battery." Another officer present thus recorded the nature and effect of that literal rain of iron which, all the day long (Friday), poured in upon the still defiant walls: "Shells burst with the greatest rapidity in every portion of the work, hurling the loose brick and stone in all directions, breaking the windows, and setting fire to whatever woodwork they burst against. The solid shot firing of the enemy's batteries, and particularly of Fort Moultrie, was directed at the barbette guns of Fort Sumter, disabling one ten-inch columbiad (they had but two), one eight-inch columbiad, one forty-twopounder, and two eight-inch sea-coast howitzers, and also tearing a large portion of the parapet away. The firing from the batteries on Cumming's Point was scattered over the whole of the gorge, or rear, of the fort. It looked like a sieve. The explosion of shells, and the quantity of deadly missiles that were hurled in every direction, and at every instant of time, made it almost certain death to go out of the lower tier of casemates, and also made the working of the barbette, or upper uncovered guns, which contained all our heaviest metals, and by which alone we could throw shells, quite impossible. During the first day there was hardly an instant of time that there was a cessation of the whizzing of balls, which were sometimes coming half a dozen at once. There was not a portion of the work which was not seen in reverse (that is, exposed by the rear,) from mortars." The fire from the Cumming's Point battery (called the Stevens' iron battery) was particularly close and effective. Mounting several heavy Dahlgrens, and possessing a fine English (rifled) sixty-four-pounder, it proceeded deliberately to cut away the walls by sections, on the south-west side, and did more damage than all the combined guns of the other batteries. Anderson's heavy columbiads scarcely affected its mailed front. So, also, with the Floating battery-Sumter's metal did not disable it; and, through all the bombardment, it served an efficient part,-thus first The Bombardment practically demonstrating the availability of such structures for harbor defense and assault. At noon, Friday, the supply of cartridges in the fort was exhausted, when the blankets of the barracks and the shirts of the men were sewed into the required bags and served out. No instrument was in the fort for weighing the powder, thus forbidding all precision in the charge, and, as a consequence, much variation in planting the shot. When we add that the guns wanted both tangents, breech or telescopic sights-that wedges served instead of bearing screws, we can only express astonishment at the accuracy attained. Not a structure of the enemy escaped the solid balls of the columbiads and paixhans. The village of Moultrieville—a gathering of summer-houses belonging to citizens of Charleston-was completely riddled. The fleet appeared off the harbor at noon, Friday. Signals passed between Anderson and the vessels, but no effort was made to run the gauntlet. Along Morris and Sullivan's islands were anchored small batteries, commanding the harbor entrance, expressly de signed to prevent the passage of vessels over the bar and up the channel. To have passed these only would have brought the vessel in range of the irresistible guns of Cumming's Point and of Moultrie. No wooden frame could have withstood their fearful hail. The only feasible plan was, under cover of the night, to run in with small boats; or, to force a landing on Morris island, and carry the batteries by assault. Either plan would have proven successful, if conducted with spirit, though it would have entailed much loss of life. Why it was not undertaken, is only explainable on the inference that Mr. Lincoln did not want to retain Sumter. The possession of the fort was a matter of no military importance; a blockade would render all the defenses of the harbor useless. The assault on the fort would serve to initiate the War for the Union, and thus instate the President's policy for the suppression of the rebellion. The refusal to withdraw the garrison from Charleston harbor unquestionably was the subtle key to unlock the national THE BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER. 77 The Bombardment. ists would use every means The Bombardment. sympathies and to place | prove that the revolutionin Mr. Lincoln's hands the entire power of the loyal States. He counted well upon the madness of the Confederates, and simply opened the way for them to assail the Government by assaulting its garrison. This was the part for Fort Sumter to play; and, having played it successfully, it was not necessary to retain the position. The evacuation of the fortress, and the return to the North of its garrison, to excite public sympathy, would be worthings became intense, fairly stifling the men more to the cause of the Union than the reinforcement and retention of the stronghold.* During Friday's bombardment the officers' barracks within the fort were several times set on fire by the exploding shells, but were quickly extinguished, chiefly through the exertions of a New York police officer, a Mr. Hart, who, having visited the fortress, tarried with Major Anderson to serve when the crisis His daring and coolness in suppressing the flames, obtained all praise. came. Friday night the firing from the mortar batteries continued at intervals to keep the garrison from repairing damages or taking rest. Saturday morning, at the earliest light, the cannonading was resumed with redoubled fury. By eight o'clock the red-hot balls from the furnace in Moultrie came to The President, upon this occasion as upon others at a later date, displayed extraordinary sagacity. The London Times of April 10th wrote: "Thus the critical days and weeks fly by, and we know no more of the plans of the American Govern ment, and, for aught we can see, the American Gov. ernment knows no more of its plans, than on the first day when it acceded to office with a manifesto, the interpretation of which has exercised all the controversial talent of the country, and hitherto without leading to any conclusion. * with its dense fumes. The doors of the vault were, therefore, sealed, while the men crept into the casemates to avoid suffocation by cowering close to the floor, covering their faces with wet cloths. An occasional gun only could be fired, as a signal to the enemy and the fleet outside, that the fort had not surrendered. The colors still floated from the staff. When the winds bore the smoke and flames aside, its folds revealed to the enemy the glorious stars and stripes, waving there amid the ruin and treble terror, unscathed. Its halyards had been shot away, but, becoming entangled, the flag was fixed. Only the destruction of the staff could drag it down. This appalling conflagration seemed to inflame the zeal of the assailants. The entire circle of attack blazoned with fire, and the air was cut up into hissing arches of smoke and balls. The rebel general-in-command had stated that two hours, probably, would suffice to reduce the fortress, but twenty-eight hours had not accomplished the work; and now, as the besiegers beheld another and more invincible power coming to their aid, they acknowledged the service rendered, by frenzied shouts and redoubled * While the Coun-service at their guns. It must have been a moment to inspire the enthusiasm of seven thousand sons of the South, when flames and suffocation came to assist in reducing eighty half-starved and exhausted men. cils of the North are thus vacillating and undecided, the men of the South are working out the problem they have undertaken with every appearance of calmness and deliberation." The "Thunderer's" prescience was not then capable of penetrating deeper into the mysteries of diplomatic strategy than its correspondent, Mr. Russell, was, afterward, capable of About noon of Saturday, the upper service magazine exploded, tearing away the tower apprehending the spirit and capacity of the Northern and upper portions of the fort, and doing people. That apparent hesitancy demonstrated that Mr. Lincoln had a policy, as wise as it was far-reaching in its aims—that the "Councils of the North" were neither " vacillating nor undecided." more havoc than a week's bombardment could have effected. One who was present wrote: "The crash of the beams, the roar of the flames, the rapid explosion of the The Bombardment. asked. 'Hit it right in the centre,' was the reply, the man meaning that his shot had taken effect in the centre of the Floating battery." Another officer present thus recorded the nature and effect of that literal rain of iron which, all the day long (Friday), poured in upon the still defiant walls: "Shells burst with the greatest rapidity in every portion of the work, hurling the loose brick and stone in all directions, breaking the windows, and setting fire to whatever woodwork they burst against. The solid shot firing of the enemy's batteries, and particularly of Fort Moultrie, was directed at the barbette guns of Fort Sumter, disabling one ten-inch columbiad (they had but two), one eight-inch columbiad, one forty-twopounder, and two eight-inch sea-coast howitzers, and also tearing a large portion of the parapet away. The firing from the batteries on Cumming's Point was scattered over the whole of the gorge, or rear, of the fort. It looked like a sieve. The explosion of shells, and the quantity of deadly missiles that were hurled in every direction, and at every instant of time, made it almost certain death to go out of the lower tier of casemates, and also made the working of the barbette, or upper uncovered guns, which contained all our heaviest metals, and by which alone we could throw shells, quite impossible. During the first day there was hardly an instant of time that there was a cessation of the whizzing of balls, which were sometimes coming half a dozen at once. There was not a portion of the work which was not seen in reverse (that is, exposed by the rear,) from mortars." The fire from the Cumming's Point battery (called the Stevens' iron battery) was particularly close and effective. Mounting several heavy Dahlgrens, and possessing a fine English (rifled) sixty-four-pounder, it proceeded deliberately to cut away the walls by sections, on the south-west side, and did more damage than all the combined guns of the other batteries. Anderson's heavy columbiads scarcely affected its mailed front. So, also, with the Floating battery-Sumter's metal did not disable it; and, through all the The Bombardment bombardment, it served an At noon, Friday, the supply of cartridges. in the fort was exhausted, when the blankets of the barracks and the shirts of the men were sewed into the required bags and served out. No instrument was in the fort for weighing the powder, thus forbidding all precision in the charge, and, as a consequence, much variation in planting the shot. When we add that the guns wanted both tangents, breech or telescopic sights-that wedges served instead of bearing screws, we can only express astonishment at the accuracy attained. Not a structure of the enemy escaped the solid balls of the columbiads and paixhans. The village of Moultrieville--a gathering of summer-houses belonging to citizens of Charleston-was completely riddled. The fleet appeared off the harbor at noon, Friday. Signals passed between Anderson and the vessels, but no effort was made to run the gauntlet. Along Morris and Sullivan's islands were anchored small batteries, commanding the harbor entrance, expressly de signed to prevent the passage of vessels over the bar and up the channel. To have passed these only would have brought the vessel in range of the irresistible guns of Cumming's Point and of Moultrie. No wooden frame could have withstood their fearful hail. The only feasible plan was, under cover of the night, to run in with small boats; or, to force a landing on Morris island, and carry the batteries by assault. Either plan would have proven successful, if conducted with spirit, though it would have entailed much loss of life. Why it was not undertaken, is only explainable on the inference that Mr. Lincoln did not want to retain Sumter. The possession of the fort was a matter of no military importance; a blockade would render all the defenses of the harbor useless. The assault on the fort would serve to initiate the War for the Union, and thus instate the President's policy for the suppression of the rebellion. The refusal to withdraw the garrison from Charleston harbor unquestionably was the subtle key to unlock the national THE BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER. 77 The Bombardment. The Bombardment. sympathies and to place | prove that the revolutionin Mr. Lincoln's hands the ists would use every means entire power of the loyal to dislodge the obstinate States. He counted well upon the madness Anderson. Soon the barracks and quarters of the Confederates, and simply opened the were in flames, past all control. The men way for them to assail the Government by as- were then withdrawn from the guns, to avert saulting its garrison. This was the part for the now impending danger to the magazine. Fort Sumter to play; and, having played it The powder must be emptied into the sea. successfully, it was not necessary to retain the Ninety barrels were rolled over the area, exposposition. The evacuation of the fortress, and ed to the flames, and pitched into the water. the return to the North of its garrison, to By this time the heat from the burning buildexcite public sympathy, would be worth ings became intense, fairly stifling the men more to the cause of the Union than the re- with its dense fumes. The doors of the vault inforcement and retention of the stronghold.* were, therefore, sealed, while the men crept During Friday's bombardment the officers' into the casemates to avoid suffocation by barracks within the fort were several times cowering close to the floor, covering their set on fire by the exploding shells, but were faces with wet cloths. An occasional gun quickly extinguished, chiefly through the only could be fired, as a signal to the enemy exertions of a New York police officer, a Mr. and the fleet outside, that the fort had not Hart, who, having visited the fortress, tarried surrendered. The colors still floated from with Major Anderson to serve when the crisis the staff. When the winds bore the smoke His daring and coolness in suppress- and flames aside, its folds revealed to the ing the flames, obtained all praise. enemy the glorious stars and stripes, waving there amid the ruin and treble terror, unscathed. Its halyards had been shot away, but, becoming entangled, the flag was fixed. Only the destruction of the staff could drag it down. came. Friday night the firing from the mortar batteries continued at intervals to keep the garrison from repairing damages or taking rest. Saturday morning, at the earliest light, the cannonading was resumed with redoubled fury. By eight o'clock the red-hot balls from the furnace in Moultrie came to * The President, upon this occasion as upon others at a later date, displayed extraordinary sagacity. The London Times of April 10th wrote: "Thus the critical days and weeks fly by, and we know no more of the plans of the American Government, and, for aught we can see, the American Government knows no more of its plans, than on the first day when it acceded to office with a manifesto, the in * * This appalling conflagration seemed to inflame the zeal of the assailants. The entire circle of attack blazoned with fire, and the air was cut up into hissing arches of smoke and balls. The rebel general-in-command had stated that two hours, probably, would suffice to reduce the fortress, but twenty-eight hours had not accomplished the work; and now, as the besiegers beheld another and more invincible power coming to their aid, they acknowledged the service rendered, by frenzied shouts and redoubled While the Coun-service at their guns. It must have been a moment to inspire the enthusiasm of seven thousand sons of the South, when flames and suffocation came to assist in reducing eighty half-starved and exhausted men. terpretation of which has exercised all the contro- spondent, Mr. Russell, was, afterward, capable of people. That apparent hesitancy demonstrated that Mr. Lincoln had a policy, as wise as it was far-reaching in its aims-that the "Councils of the North" were neither" vacillating nor undecided." About noon of Saturday, the upper service magazine exploded, tearing away the tower and upper portions of the fort, and doing more havoc than a week's bombardment could have effected. One who was present wrote: "The crash of the beams, the roar of the flames, the rapid explosion of the |