THE SEIGE OF CHARLESTON AND CAMPAIGN IN AMERICA.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 19, 21 December 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE SEIGE OF CHARLESTON AND CAMPAIGN IN AMERICA.

(TYom the Satunlat IZci'ieii'.) The second seige of Charleston has beeu carried on in a mannfr very different from that of last spring. Then, the fleet, unaided in any material way by the army, attempted to force an entrance through, the forts which ijuardecl the harbour, and siifnallv failed. Now, on the or.her h=md, the two branches of of the service have combined, and arj engaged in carrying on the attack according to the most upproved method of systematic Warfare. After s. bombardment of seven days, the batteries of Fort Sumter have been silenced, and the work itself reduced to ruins. However, owing to the position Of the neighboring forts and batteries, the place cannot be occupied by thy invaders. In order to comprehend the plan of operations, and the value attached to the particular works, some knowledge of the defences of Charleston is nece sarv. This may be said to consist of three unes. of winch the fall of the outer two would, unles the defence should be most desperat :, entail the surrender of the; third. The first line of defence consists of the works which partially encircle the city, and which commands the mouths of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. The right of the second line may be said to rest on the batteries near James Isl nd Creek, and extend in an easterly direction to Fort Johnson, which is situated on a point of land at the northern extremity of J;imes Islam!, at a distance of two miles from the city. This may bo considered the mnst advanced point O f> the second line. Together with Fort lvipley, which stands on a small Island about half a mile nearer the city, and in a north- -westerly direction from Fort Johnson, it command.* the south chinnel leading to the Vshiey River. About three-quarters of ami'e nearer th^ city, eivel.ed on Folly J.sl.ind, is Castle Pnickney, commanding with its jjuns Folly Island Channel, whk'h passes between Fort Kiplev and Castle Pincknev, and Hog Isiand Channel, between Castle Pinckney and the mainland to the north of the harbour. The left of the second line of defence may be said to rest on the batteries erected neir She'n Crei.-k. about d:ie east of Cisile L'incknev. Nolle \>f" t lie defences of this second line have as yet been attacked. 'I he third line forms a semicircle, the right resting o-i Fort Johnson, and comprising the batteries on the southeastern part of James Island and the n>irth-wfst of Morris Island- — Fort Wagner being the most advanced point in the line, at rather more than two miles* distance from Fort Johnson, ai d i above four from C.'iaritston city. In a direct line to the nonh-west, between Fort Wagner and Fort Snmrer, is Fort (Jregg. on Ciunniiiiii's Po'nt ; and on an artilicial island in mid -eh -uuie.l, at a disLmceof three miles and three- eighths from the city, stands Fort Sntnter. Facing Fort S;imtei\ on ft.iiiiwln'n Lshiud, on the northern si ie- of the harbor, is B-Ur.ery lk-e ; a-iui i-n- ad vance of Battery 13':e, oj>;>"site Fort C-ivgg, is Fort Moultrie. Tm: Confederates have also other batteries on Sullivan a island, but no important work. ■Sdcli is a rough sketch of the dc'diecs of C lark-.sto i harbour. Fort Sumter — which has suffered so severe a bombardment, ;ntd, under the command of Colonel Uht-tr, has held out so gal'<i!it.ly — is a work built of solid brick .ml eouur ie masoiir\. Ihe walls nsc from the wntcr'a e-igv to the li -ight of sixt\ i \ ■ t: t , and are from about eight to twelve feet in thickness. Its weakest point, is on the south side. The woi k mounts — or rather, mounted before tin 1 recent bombardment — three tiers o! guns, two in cist-nates and one en barbtttc. Considering the defences of Charleston as an tneicufe, the attack mxy be said to have b>;cn diree'ed on one of the salient angles, of which Fort Wagner forms the apex. General Gihnore, commanding the Federal lau'l force;--, lias been .steadily c?ny;i<red for sonic time in pushing his approaches nearer the work, until at present his line of attack extends across th- narrow neck of land on Morris Uland, betvve.cn Lighthouse Creek and the main ship channel, at a distance of about -TH) yards from Fort Wagner. The baUeries on the left of the Hue, mounted w.ih the Parrott guns, are those which have battered Fort Sumter, and lately thrown sh>Hs into Charleston city. One gun "f a similar pattern and size was for the first time used in the siege of York Town, and was fired at a distance ot two miles and three-qjartcrs from the place, into which it threw shells with great ease. Tne Parrott guns are of cast-iron, with a wrought iron reinforce. They arc extensively used in the American army, both as field artillery aiul siege guns. On the Ist of August, a reinforcement of cSOOO troops arrived at Morris IsJand, while the naval force consisted of live iron- ' dads and seven wooden vessels, heavily armed. On the 17th the bombardment commenced, the ironclads engaging Forts Wagner and (Jregg, in order to silence the guns on those works, and so allow the heavy baLteries to play on Fort Sumter. One of the ironclads, the Catskill, engaged Fore Wagner at n distance of only 150 yards, and it was ti ere that her commander, Captain Rodders, and another officer were killed. The°Patapsco and Passaic engaged Fort Sumter at a distance of 1-100 yards. On the 18th and 19i.1i, the bombardment continued, although, on the IDJi, a heavy swell, which washed into the portholes of the Monitors, prevented the fleet from participating in the attack. On the 20th, the Parrott batteries opened on Fort Sumter at a distance of from 0000 to 4000 yards, and by the 2-tth the guns of Fort iSumter wer® silenced, and the work rendered inoffensive. During this time the Con-

federates had not been idle. The batteries on James Island, endeavored to enfilade the left of the Federal lines, aucl, together with those of Port Johnson, continued a severe but ineffective fire on the ironclads ; whilst Fort Wagner, althouh unable or unwilling to reply to the fire of the vessels yet reserved sufficient ammunition to resist any attack that might be threatened by tho land force. The casualties on both sides were singularly few, and correspond it> that respect with the returns of kil'ed and wounded at the siege of York Town. One cannot but admire the obstinacy which t,lie defenders of Fort Wagner have shown in resisting the attacks made on them. Theirs is a most important post, us is proved by the fact that General Gilmore acknowledges that until Forts Wagner and Gregg are captured, no direct assault can be made on Fort Siimter. In the meantime, the longranse guns of the Federals have succeeded in throwing shells into Charleston ; on the 24th, fifteen eight-inch Parrot shells fell in the city. This bombardment may, of course, cause much injury to the citizens, but will be of no service in reducing the defences. The supplies forwarded tor the purpose of the siege must have been immense ; but the wonder is that, with such great means of attack, both by land and sea, so little lias as yet been ; ccomplished. The Federal commanders cannot be blamed : they have shown skill in the conduct of the siege ; but it may be doubted whether the temper and discipline of the troops will allow of their being employed in direct, attack. it appears extraordinary th.it Fort Wagner has not long ago been captured by assault; but Admiral Ddhlgren i* unwilling to incur any risk to the. rl-et which is not absolutely uecessary, as he is anxious to reserve it lor what he terms future heavier work — viz. the reduction of the foits of the second line. Whilst the attention of the North is Concentrated on Charleston, rumour alleges that General Lee, taking advantage of the weakening and thenecess ty of maintaining a large force at New York, is preparing another advance on either Washington ur Mainland. Occupying as he does the country south of the Kappahaiinock, and also the Slienandoa valley, he is in possession of" two sides of what may be termed the theatre of operations — a position which writers on strategy con.-i ler most advantageous, iiS it enables its possessor either to attack, his enemy d rectly in ftont or to operate on his flank. A portion of General Lee's force holds Kredericksbui g, md a strong detachment lover clown mo 11 ippalianr.o^k, at Port Uonwav, is engaged n enforcing the conscription. Nothing of importance has lately occurred. A skirmish took nlace between the Federal Co!one.l Ivirkp,trick and the detachment, at Port Couw.iy, resulting in the repulse of the former. The Confederate armies cannot lack supplies, as, owing probably to tin; coucenti atiou of the Federal tlec: t at Charleston, several steamershave lately made their way into Wilmington, laden with every description of \v.-.rl:ke stores, including, it is said, fHi,OOO rifles. From General llosencranz and tho army of the Cumberland, but little news roaches us. General Brag 1 / is sniii to have been superseded in command by General Johnntone ; or probably the latter, as Conimauder-iu-ch'ef of the west, feeling the position at C ; • a t tunoo^a to be of greater importance than tn..t occupied by the army of the Mississippi, has thought prooer personally to t-ike tlie Command at that place. The line of the Tennessee rivt-r is still held by the Confederates, their ri^ht resting on Harrison, the centre at ( -hat tanooga, and \Ui left at Uridtreport, whilst the railway to Atlanta i'lirnusiies their iine of Commun.C.it ion. I. vent y-li vo thousand men are alleges by No ri I; t mi accounts to be t lu* st rengi h of the Confederate force i:i Teiinesee. The. annv of the Mississippi under General Grant appeal's to remain fir ihe present in •ictivc. Oiii: corps, the I7ih, holds Vi:-ksburg, and is suffering much from intennirtont. fever. The lo'h corps, under Geniral ()nl, is at -Natchez, whilst, that, of General Sherman remains in the position it held after tin! evacuai.'on of Jackson, viz on the j !>ii; U lit k River, near Hear and Clear (..'reeks. Tin's corps, in spite of, or probably owiny to, its severe work and active campaign duties, is in better health than the other two corps. The Confederate army under the command of General Harden occupies a position defending the line of railway which runs from Meridian to Mobile. No operations of sufficient importance to exercise any influence on the war have been lately undertaken by either side, eilher in Arkansas or Texas. The Federal naval authorities have organized means of defending the Mississipi. Gunboats patrol the river at intervals from Cairo to Xevv Orleans, whilst, between the stations, boats of light draught keep up a communication. Convoys arc also afforded to trading vess Is when demanded. Notwithstanding the present boastful tone of the Northern press, there is nothing in the conduct of the South, which evinces any symptoms of yielding. Should the intention imputed to President Davis of organising a large negro force be c;.rri':d into eiFcct, the character of the war will be changed. It will then be difficult for even the most violent abolitionist to convince himself that the war ou the part of the North is carried on with any object of benefit, to the negro; while the arming of the blacks will also be the strongest proof that the South can afford of its resolve at all hazards to continue the struggle until its independence is secured.