An incident at the forts.
--At an early hour yesterday morning, while the gunners were firing blank cartridges from the guns of the Iron Battery at Cumming's Point, one of the guns loaded with ball, the men not being aware of the fact, was discharged. The ball struck the wharf of Fort Sumter, close to the gate. This, it appears, caused some excitement in the garrison of Sumter, for three or four of the ports fronting Cumming's Point were soon after thrown open. No warlike reply to the unintentional shot was given, however, and about two hours afterwards a boat was sent over to explain the occurrence to Major Anderson. The Major received the message in good part, and thus the matter ended, after having caused no little talk at the harbor forts and in the city. --Charleston Mercury.
