The siege of Charleston.
The events of the week past at Charleston have not been of unusual importance. Our batteries were daily shelling the enemy's rifle-pits near Wagner, but with no apparent effect. Early in the week the enemy's troops on the island were relieved by a fresh force, which was landed at Oyster Point. A body of troops was also transferred from Folly to Morris Island. On an average there were daily inside the bar seven iron-clads, three sloops-of-war, three gunboats, and six mortar schooners, which were all more or less engaged on different, and sometimes on the same days,--The Charleston Courier, of Thursday, says:‘ The bombardment of Fort Sumter, Tuesday night, by six monitors and the Ironsides, was by far the most severe attack, and of longer duration, than any previous attempts made for the reduction of the fortress. The engagements of the present siege, and that of the 7th of April, 1863. were nothing in comparison with the fight of Tuesday night. The incessant roar of heavy cannon had the effect of rousing our citizens from their beds and burying them to positions at White Point Garden, which was soon thronged by anxious spectators. The attack commenced about half-past 11, the monitors coming up within eight and thirteen hundred yards of Fort Moultrie, and opening a terrific fire on the east wall or sea face of Fort Sumter.
’ Fort Moultrie and our batteries on Sullivan's Island, together with battery Gregg at Cummings's Point, replied with spirit, and the engagement becoming general a continuous roll of shot and shell whistling through the air was kept up for nearly five hours. About half-past 12 the Ironsides moved up and joined in the bombardment, when the whole horizon at times seemed to be on fire. The object of the enemy was evidently the complete demolition of the east wall, and against that nearly the whole of their tremendous fire was directed. Fire was also kept up occasionally on Sullivan's Island.
Some of the enemy's shells struck the Moultrie House, in which was quartered a North Carolina regiment. One man was killed instantly, another had his leg shot off, and a third wounded so severely in the leg as to make amputation necessary. It is believed neither can recover. These were all the casualties on Sullivan's Island. Fort Moultrie and the batteries sustained no damage.
The monitors, it is reported, by those who had the best opportunities of witnessing the fight, were struck nearly one hundred times. Every time a shot struck a stream of fire was observed in its wake. Two or three of the monitors are believed to be seriously damaged.
The "Nondescript or Devil" attached to one of them was completely riddled and shot away. The "Devil" is reported to have grounded on the reef between Fort Sumter and Morris Island.
About two hundred shot and shells were thrown against Fort Sumter during the action. Of these one hundred and sixteen struck the fort, inflicting serious damage on the serf wall, leaving several of the arches and sand embankments only intact. We learn that the shot even penetrated the latter two or three times near the crown of the arches. A shell exploded in the immediate proximity to Col. Rhett, who was on the parapet on the look out, behind a traverse, scattering the pieces around him in every direction. Col. Rhett escaped unhurt.
The firing between the land batteries continued uninterrupted yesterday. The enemy has opened with some new guns in their battery on Gadberry Hill. They are also reported working slowly on their sap, and advancing upon Wagner. The only change of importance in the enemy's fleet yesterday was the appearance of an additional monitor, making seven in all besides the Ironsides.
Up to a late hour Wednesday everything remained quiet, with the exception of an occasional shot between the land batteries. No further demonstration has been made by the fleet.
A dispatch from Charleston, dated the 4th, says:
‘ Things are getting pretty hot at Wagner. The enemy have advanced, their sappers being only about one hundred and fifty yards distant. Sharp firing is continually going on.
’ The enemy have not fired at the ruins of Sumter lately.
The Mercury thus explains the sinking of the Confederate steamer, with troops, in the harbor Tuesday night:
It was, some time since, ordered by District Headquarters that no vessel entering the harbor of Charleston at night should be allowed to pass Moultrie until daylight. For some nights past the enemy's vessels had come up the harbor towards the obstructions, under cover of the darkness. On two different nights they were discovered and fired upon by Moultrie. On Saturday night the probability of their passing into the harbor was so great that by dispatch from District Headquarters the batteries were directed to be manned all night and special vigilance observed. Under such circumstances, then, at about one o'clock Sunday morning, a vessel was discovered coming from the direction of the fleet. She had no visible light, and showed no signal whatever, but steadily advanced up the harbor. She was too far to hall.--When within range Fort Moultrie opened fire. Still no signal was observed. After some time a dim light was seen, apparently (as it afterwards turned out to be) a candle. This also disappeared. Soon after a small boat was seen coming ashore, and the firing ceased. It then appeared that the steamer was forced by the low tide to run far out to avoid the long sand bar which runs out from Sumter, and a strong tide still running, she had been carried still further out. She was not seen to go to Morris Island, because, as she probably went at high water she crossed inside of Sumter.
