1 
LIST OF NEW ADVERTISEMENT*, 
fire from James Island, established heavy batte¬ 
ries on tny left within effective range of Charles¬ 
ton, and'have opened with them after giving 
Gen. Beauregard due notice of my intention to 
do so. My notification to Gen. Beauregard and 
his reply thereto, together with bis threat of 
retaliation and iny rejoinder, have been trans¬ 
mitted to the army headquarters. The pro¬ 
jectiles from my batteries entered the city, and 
Gen. Beauregard himself designates them as the 
most destructive missiles ever used in war. 
The report of my Chief of Artillery, and an 
accurate sketch of the ruins of Sumter, taken at 
12 o’clock, noon, yesterday, six hours before we 
ceased firing, are herewith transmitted. 
Very respectfully, your ob't serv t. 
Q. A. Gilmore, 
Brig. Gen. Commanding. 
Office of Chiks of Ahtilikuy, Dxiart- V 
mknt or Tine South. > 
Morris Island, 8. C., August 23. ) 
General 1 have the honor to report the 
effect our breaching batteries have bad on Fort 
Sumter, and the condition of that work to-night. 
At the close of the seven days’ bombardment the 
gorge wall of the fort is almost a complete mass 
of ruins for the distance of several casements, 
and midway on this face ramparts are removed 
nearly, and in places quite to the arches, and 
but tor the sand bags with which the casements 
were filled, and which has served to sustain the 
broken arches and masses of masonry, it would 
have long since been entirely cut away, and 
with it the arches to the Hour of the second tier 
of casements. The debits on this front now 
formB a rampart, reaching as high as the floor of 
these casements. The parapet wall of the two 
north-easterly faces is completely carried away. 
A small portion only has been left in the angle 
made with the gorge wall, and the ramparts of 
these faces ate also a total ruin. 
Quite one-half of our projectiles seem to have 
struck the parade and parapet of these two faces, 
and judging from the ruin, extends around, 
taking in the north -east face as far as can be 
seen. A portion of this luce, adjoining the angle 
it makes with the south east face, is concealed, 
but from the great number of missiles which 
have fltiuek in this angle during the last two 
days, it cannot be otherwise thaii greatly dam¬ 
aged, and 1 do not think any gnus can bo left on 
this luce in ti serviceable condition. The ram¬ 
parts In this angle, as well as in this easterly 
lace, must be plowed up and greatly shattered. 
The parapet of this latter face is torn off 1 in many 
places, us we can see, and I hardly think the 
platforms of the remaining guns on this lace 
could have escaped. 
With the aid of a powerful glass, I can't deter¬ 
mine that more than one of these guns can he 
used, and it has been dismounted once. The 
carriages of the latter are more or less shattered, 
and such is the parapet and parade in the imme¬ 
diate vicinity of this gun that it probably could 
not be served any length of time. In line, the 
destruction of the fort, is so far complete that, it is 
to day of no avail in defense of the harbor of 
Charleston. 
By a longer tire it could be made more com¬ 
pletely a ruin and a mass of broken masonry, 
but could scarcely lie more powerless in defense 
of the harbor. 1 therefore respectfully submit 
my opinion that a continuance of our lire is no 
longer necessary as giving us no end adequate 
for the consumption of our resources. 
Very respectfully, your ob’t serv't, 
John N. Terrer, 
Col. and Chief of Artillery. 
The following is the communication from 
Beauregard to Gen. Gilmore protesting against 
the bombardment of Charleston : 
Headers Dkr’t of Somi Carolina, i 
Georgia and Florida, > 
Charleston, Aug 20. S 
Sir:— Last night at fifteen minutes to 11 
o’clock, during my absence on a reconnofasance 
Of my fortifications, a communication was re¬ 
ceived at these headquarters, dated headquarters 
of the Department of the South, Morris island. 
South Carolina. August 21st, 1863, demanding 
the immediate evacuation of Morris Island and 
Fort hi turner by the Confederate forces, on the 
alleged ground “that the condition of Fort Sum¬ 
ter. the rapid progressive destruction which it is 
undergoing from my batteries seem to render its 
demolition in a few' hours a matter of certainty, 
The Boardman, Gray & Co. Piano Fortes—Siberia 
Oostars Vermin Exterminator—Henry R. Cottar 
Dorchester NarsorW— M-rrhall P Wilder* I'.ak, 
Hint and.Ornamental Trees—KiUa, r * Bam- 
Nurser.v for Sole or Partner Wanted—£. ?.f. Critte 
W eavers Imf.t-oveil Orchard Whilllelrees 
Flax Machinery—B P. Johnson. 
Juiinotia Arntninnta— EllwaneM * Bnr.-v. 
Good I arm for sale—John C. Bom-c-T 
■im.OOO two year old Aw-le St.,cits— P. Bowen & Co 
Nur-rrv Slock t.ir Kale tor Cash—A mi, - A. Neweoi 
Dissolutioniof Co-Partner-hip—John C. Birdseli. 
Tnorapbe do Onnde—Cer.rce I,. Oarringtou. 
Russel)’* strawberry Plant*—.J. Keeeb. 
Male and Female As-c-nr* Wanted—Clmllen. 
Special Not lee*. 
The Best M"gnj.'ne—Tiekunr'* Fiehis. 
I)r. ltandal)'* ' Practical Shepherd," 
soldier, I now solemnly warn you that if you 
fire again on ibis city without giving timely 
warning, I shall feel impelled to employ such 
stringent means of retaliation as shall be' avail¬ 
able during this attack. 
Finally, I reply that neither the works on Mor¬ 
ris Island nor Fort Sumter will be evacuated on 
the demand you have been pleased to make. 
However, I am taking measures to remove all 
the non-combatants who are fully aware of what 
they may expect at your hands. 
Respectfully yours, 
G. T. Beauregard, 
General Commanding. 
The Charleston papers of Monday last refer to 
Gen. Gilmore'6 fire on Saturday night: 
Between 1 and 2 o’clock on Saturday A. M., 
the enemy commenced firing on the city, arous¬ 
ing our people from their slumbers. Twelve 8- 
inch shells fell into the city, thirteen in all being 
fired. Fortunately no persons were injured. 
Several shells fell in the direction of St Michael's 
steeple, and fell either in the vacant lots in the 
burnt district on King street or more generally 
fell in the middle of the streets, as exhibited on 
the corner of Queen and Rutledge, where an 8- 
inch shell tore up the plank road and dug a large 
hole in the ground, and another shell entered the 
w arehouse of Y. W. Williams A' Co., corner of 
Paine and Church streets. It entered the roof 
and exploded in the upper story, making a large 
opening in the brick wall of the Medical Pur¬ 
veyor’s storehouse, scattering things in great 
contusion. Some loose straw for packing, which 
caused the fire alarm bell to rlog. bringing out 
the firemen, w a* extinguished before it had made 
any progress. Four large shells fell in this local¬ 
ity. One large piece was picked up aud exhib¬ 
ited in the guard-house, where it was the subject 
ol much curiosity. 
Rebel papers of the 29th announce the death of 
John B. F'ioyd, of Abingdon, Virginia. 
A meeting of citizens of North Carolina, re¬ 
presenting every county in the 1st and 2d Con¬ 
gressional Districts, and a part of the 3d, was 
held in Washington, N. C., on the 11th ultimo. 
The 1st North Carolina Union regiment stationed 
at that point participated in the meeting. Ad¬ 
dresses were made and resolutions adopted 
expressing sympathy w ith the great conservative 
parly of North Carolina; declaring an energetic 
prosecution of the war in this Department to be 
the only means by which the Union sentiment in 
the interior of the State can be made practically 
useful In restoring her to the national protection; 
asking the government for re-enforcements for 
this purpose; accusing the Confederate govern¬ 
ment of perfidy and cruelty towards North Caro¬ 
lina; declaring that her people are therefore 
absolved from any funher obligation to sustain 
it, placing the responsibility for the destruction 
of slavery npon Jetf. Davis and his co-conspira¬ 
tors against the Union —expressing the belief 
that North Cardin,-, vill, notwithstanding, find 
ample compensation in the blessings of free iabor 
for the present inconvenience of emancipation: 
rejoicing in the last victory at Ihe Kentucky 
[ elections; denouncing copperheadism at the 
North, and commending the ability and patriot¬ 
ism of the admini.-vaLoi. in the conduct of the 
war. 
The steamer C. N. Thomas arrived at Fortress 
Monroe on the 28th from Newbern, with Lieut, 
Sterling, of General Peck's staff', as bearer of 
dispatches. 
A dispatch from the blockading fleet says that 
on the A. M. of the 2Gth inst., a sloop of war of 10 
guns, with the British flag flying, swept past the 
blockaders. and immediately hoisted the rebel 
flag and passed into Wilmington. This is the 
fourth armed vessel that has run into Wilming¬ 
ton within the post six weeks. 
Rebel papers received from Morehead City say 
that Jetf Davis has decided, after a conference 
with the Governors of the Confederate States, to 
call out 500,000 black troops, who are to receive 
their freedom and fifty acres of land at the close 
of the war. 
A dispatch dated the 28th nit., says that Quan- 
trell's men are scattered in their fastnesses 
throughout the border counties, and are still 
being hunted by all the available troops from all 
parts of the district. Many of them have aban¬ 
doned their worn out horses, and gone into the 
bush afoot. They were all remounted at Law¬ 
rence on horses captured, and went off leading 
their own horses laden with plunder, nearly all 
of which they abandoned in the chase before 
they got far into Missouri. Over 300 horses have 
already been taken by our troops, including 
some of those taken at Lawrence. Most of the 
goods and money stolen hare been recovered, 
and will, as far as possible, be restored. 
Reports that 20 more men have been killed 
have been received since yesterday morning, 
making a total of about 80, which will probably 
be largely increased before any considerable 
part of our troops withdraw from the pursuit 
No prisoners have been taken and none will be. 
All houses in which Btolen goods have been 
found have been destroyed, as well as the houses 
of known guerrillas, wherever our troops have 
gone. Gen. Ewing intends to destroy the houses 
of all persons in the border counties outside of 
our military stations, who do not remove pre¬ 
vious to the 9th of September, io accordance 
with an order. 
Missouri.— The steamer Live Oak was cap¬ 
tured on the 2Gth ult, at Berlin, by a small gang 
of gnerrillas, who, after robbing the boat and 
passengers of $700, allowed them to proceed. 
Tennessee. — Col. Winslow's command ar¬ 
rived at Memphis on the 21th inst. from Vicks¬ 
burg, via Grenada. At the latter place they 
met Col. Phillips'force, which recently destroyed 
so much railroad property. 
®I)C 3Tctus Conbntser 
Fling out the old bauner, let fold after fold, 
Enshrine a new glory as each is unfurled; 
Let it speak to our hearts still as sweet as of old, 
The herald of Freedom all oxer tta* world. 
Let it float out in triumph, let It wave over head, 
The nohle old ensign, Its stripes and its stars; 
It gave us our freedom, o'ersbadows onr dead, 
Gave might to our heroes, m.uic sacred their scars. 
Let it wave in the sunbeam, unfurl in the storm, 
Our guardian at morning, our beacon at night, 
When peace shines in splendor athwart tier bright form, 
Or war's bloody hand holds the standard of might. 
Unfurl the old banner, its traitors crush down, 
Let it still be tlie banner that covens the brave, 
The star spangled banner, with glory we own, 
’Tis too noble a banner for tyrant and slave. 
— All negroes in the army of the Potomac are being 
enrolled, 
— There is considerable cotton coming into Memphis 
by w agon. 
— An Indian has been drafted and accepted in the 2d 
Maine district. 
— Ex-President Day, of Yale College, has just complet¬ 
ed his 90th year. 
— All accounts represent Russia as making tremendous 
preparations for war. 
— A couple were lately married in Lynn, Mass., whose 
united ages were 152 year*. 
— Eleven dollars in rebel currency were recently paid 
for o gold dollar in Macon, Ga. 
— The Western papers continue to complain of scarcity 
of laborers, especially field hands. 
— It is understood that Gen. Hooker is to hare active 
command at some point in the 8outh. 
— There are 10,000 rebel prisoners at point Lookout, 
Md., who have the same rations as our soldiers. 
— Seven hundred deserters have within two days been 
sent from Washington to join their respective regiments. 
— It is stated that in all sections except Southern 
Kentucky the drouth has cut the tobacco crop short one- 
half. 
— Major Philip Kearney, nephew of Gen. Phil. Kear¬ 
ney, died a few days since of wounds received at Gettys¬ 
burg. 
— Mrs. P. Baker, of Brooklyn, Ct., lately killed in her 
door-yard a rattlesnake four feet long, and having eleven 
rattles. 
— The Senate of Alabama have resolved tli&t the 
people have “lost confidence in Generals Pemberton and 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 5, 18G3. 
The Army in Virginia, 
The rebels made a daring raid on the Rap¬ 
pahannock on the 27th. capturing two gunboats 
of the Potomac flotilla and the revenue cutter 
Putnam. The rebels came ofl'in small boats and 
Beized the Satellite, killing the Captain. They 
then dashed on the Leslie, which they succeeded 
in taking. A signal was then made to the Put¬ 
nam, which came into their clutches. Each gun¬ 
boat carried one 9-inch Dahlgren gun. 
The month of the Rappahannock in blockaded, 
and it is not believed that the rebels will get the 
boats out of the river, otherwise they might come 
up the Potomac and do much damage. 
Advices from the army state that nothing of 
interest has transpired for a few days past 
It seems quite plain that Lee has no intention 
of crossing the Rapidam most of his army being 
on the southern bank, and even deserters re¬ 
porting that it will fall back still further. 
The positions of the rebel army are now some¬ 
what thus:—Ewell lies near Orange Court 
House; A. P. Hill nearRapidan Station; Long- 
street stretches f rom U. S. Ford to Fredericks¬ 
burg, and his pickets on the Rappahannock down 
to Port Royal; Lee's headquarters lie about two 
miles beyond Orange Court House, on the Gor- 
donsville road. 
A cavalry force, under Fitzhugh Lee, crossed 
the Rappahannock on the 28th, near Corbin’s 
Neck, six miles below Fredericksburg, but was 
speedily routed by the brigade of Gen. Custis. 
with a loss in prisoners of three engineer officers, 
and a number of privates, yet unspecified, in 
killed and wounded, before recrossing the river. 
Our loss was slight, and no officers injured. 
At noon of the 28th a party of guerrillas at¬ 
tacked a party who were conveying the mail 
from a cavalry division at llarw’ood Church, 
killing one man and captnringfonr others. They 
took the mail and made their escape. 
Early on the same morning three rebel sur¬ 
geons, with their instruments, were captured 
this side of the Rappahannock by our troops. 
They did not deny tbeir connection with the 
rebel army. They will be tried immediately as 
Col. Winslow 
brought in 100 prisoners. 
Arkansas. — Gen. Steele and the Arkansas 
expedition are progressing finely. There has 
been no battle yet,, but one is in prospect 
Mississippi. — The cavalry expeditions sent 
from Vicksburg and Memphis rnet on the 18th at 
Grenada. The object was to capture or destroy 
the cars and locomotives run therefrom Jackson 
by the rebels. The rebels were on the lookout, 
and the cars were filled with fence rails, ready 
to lie fired on the approach of our troops. The 
train was run over the bridge across the Yalla- 
busha river, and the bridge burned. Fifty-seven 
locomotives and four hundred cars were de¬ 
stroyed by the rebels. This makes seventy- 
seven locomotives captured or destroyed, as the 
direct result of the Vicksburg campaign. 
Tbe Cincinnati Gazette has a special dispatch 
from Cairo, whic h says that. Gen. Pemberton was 
shot at Selina, Ala., last week. 
Gen. Grant and staff'and Adj't-Gen. Thomas 
left Cairo on the 21th for Memphis. 
Over 100,000 bales of Confederate cotton have 
been captured near Natchez. 
Gen Herron is on an expedition up the Red 
river. 
There are 8,000 rebel troops at Monroe, 65 
miles west of Vicksburg. Gens. Walker and 
Heber are in command. Gen. Kirby Smith is in 
Texas. Gen. Joe Johnston's forces are scattered 
in the Chunkey river country. 
yard look as if “the Yankees” were contemplating a 
movement on Mobile. 
— Gen. llulleek has ordered the suspension of the pro¬ 
posed harbor defences at San Francisco, having concluded 
to adopt another plan. 
— Over $13,000 have already been subscribed at Boston 
for the purpose of organizing colored regiments in the 
South and South-west. 
— There was a tornado iu Buena Vista, Wis., on Friday 
week. Every house was blown down, three persons killed 
and fourteen wounded. 
— The 100,000 bales of Confederate Cotton recently 
seized near Natchez, are worth $20,000,000. This will 
help to foot the war bill 
— Tbe Savannah Republican pitches into the Raleigh 
(N. C. ) Standard strong, and urges the banishment of the 
editor as a submissionist. 
— The Richmond Examiner denies Parson Brownlow s 
report that Kx-Gov. Aiken of South Carolina is a prisoner 
of the Southern Confederacy. 
— The total wealth of Bostun, as valued by the city as¬ 
sessors, is three hundred and two million five hundred and 
twenty-seven thousand dollars. 
— The Washington Star suyB we have between 70,000 
and 60,000 rebel prisoners, and Jeif. Davis has about 30,000 
of our men, awaiting exchange. 
— Henry Noyes speored a sturgeon near the dam in 
Lawrence, Mass., lately, which measured 7 feet 1 inch in 
length, and weighed 104 pounds. 
— The steamer Nellie Rogers, belonging to the Chotteau 
Fur Company, has arrived at St. Louis with 20,000 buffalo 
robes and 450 bales of mixed furs. 
— The last London News announces the failure of a 
member of the Stock Exchange apparently from his “con. 
nection with the Confederate loan.” 
— Silver coin of small denomination is beginning to 
peep out. When a man passes one the papers speak of 
him as “ achieving a daring exploit. 
— A Georgia paper complains that upward of 47,000 
citizens in that State are exempted from draft, comprising 
clergymen, teachers, physicians, &c. 
— The Lancaster (Pa.| Intelligencer says that out of 
the draft of three thousand in that county, only about 
two hundred soldiers was the product. 
— The largest bakery in the world is said to be the Gov¬ 
ernment bakery near Alexandria. It is a one story build¬ 
ing and covers over an acre of ground 
— Two petrified men have been found near Castlemaine 
in Australia. They were in a sitting posture—veins, mus¬ 
cles. finger-nails, teeth, &c. , all perfect. 
— The Republican Slate Convention of Minnesota have 
nominated Col. Stephen A. Miller for Governor, and 
C. D, Sherwood for Lieutenant-Governor. 
— At a late sale of autographs in Paris, a rag of yellow 
paper was sold for 500 francs. It was a note written and 
Signed by Martin Luther, and dated 1531 
— The master builders at Washington find great diffi¬ 
culty in obtaining competent help. Bricklayers are es¬ 
pecially scarce, and command good wages. 
— A Washington correspondent states that the forces 
ordered to re-enforce Gen. Gilmore will make his army 
larger than that with which Grant took Vicksburg 
— The female prison in Kansas city fell in Tuesday 
week, burying in the ruins eleven women. Four were 
killed, one mortally wounded and six slightly injured. 
NEWS PARAGRAPHS 
Movements in the West and South-West 
Kentucky.— Gen. Burnside has notified that 
all ferries on the Ohio and other streams within 
the limits of the Department of Ohio, the mili¬ 
tary highways, and where the interests of the 
service require it, will be subject to military 
authority. 
Kansas.— QuantreH’s force reached the head¬ 
waters of Grand liver. Cass county, about noon 
on the day after the burning of Lawrence, and 
then divided into squads of forty or fifty, and 
scattered in varions directions. Our troops were 
half an hour behind, and were also divided and 
continued the pursuit. 
A detachment ordered from Lexington met 
part of the rebel force near Pleasant Hill—killed 
seven, aud recovered a considerable amount of 
the goods taken from Lawrence. 
Major Plumb aud Major Thatcher overtook a 
company in Lafayette county, and killed 30 of 
them. The total number of guerrillas killed, 
according to last reports, was between CO and 70. 
Our detachments are still in pursuit. 
It is ascertained that Quantrell's whole force 
consisted of 300 selected men. who assembled 
from Lafayette. Saline. Clay, Johnson and the 
border counties, on Thursday noon, at the head 
of Middle Fork. Grand river, fifteen miles from 
the Kansas line, and on the same day started for 
Kansas. Scouts brought word that afternoon to 
the military station at Aubrey, six miles north 
of the place where they crossed the line of their 
assembling on Grand river, and an hour after 
their entraee into Kansas, other scouts brought 
word to that effect. The information was com¬ 
municated at once to all the stations on the bor¬ 
der. and to the district headquarters at Kansas 
City. 35 miles north of Aubrey. A delay of 
three or four hours occurred at each station, in 
gathering the patroling and scouting parties, 
when the pursuit began from each station sepa¬ 
rately, leaving a portion of the troops to watch 
that non-conibatauts shall have tin opportunity 
to withdraw from beyond its limits. Usually the 
time allowed is from one to three days, giv¬ 
ing lime for the withdrawal at least, of the 
women and children. Yon. sir, gave but four 
hours, knowing from existing circumstances 
that your notice could not reach me in less than 
two hours, and that it would take two hours for 
a communication in reply to reach Fort Wagner. 
With this knowledge, you threaten to open fire 
on this city, not to oblige it to surrender, but to 
force me to evacuate those works which you. as¬ 
sisted by great naval force, have been attacking 
40 days. Batteries Wagner, Gregg and Fori 
Sumter are nearly due north from your works 
on Morris Island, and distant therefrom from une- 
half a mile, to two and a half miles. This city, 
on the other hand, is to tbe northwest and five 
miles distant from the battery opened on it this 
forenoon. It would appear, therefore, that 
despairing of reducing those works, you resort to 
the novel measure of turning vour guns against 
the old men, women aud children, and hospitals 
of a sleeping city, an act of inexcusable barbar¬ 
ity, from your own point of sight, inasmuch aB 
you allege that the complete demolition of Fort 
Sumter from your guns in a few minutes seems 
to be a matter of certainty. 
Your omission to attach your signature to such 
a grave paper must show the recklessness of the 
course upon which you have ventured, while the 
facts which you have knowingly fixed a limit to 
receive an answer to your demand, which made 
it almost beyond the possibility of receiving any 
reply within that time, and that you did actually 
open fire and threw a number of the most de¬ 
structive missiles ever used in war into the midst 
of a city, taken unawares and filled with sleep¬ 
ing women and children, will give yon a bad 
eminence in history—even in tbe history of the 
war. 
I urn only surprised, sir. at the limits you have 
set to your demands. If, in order to obtain the 
abandonment of Morris Island and Fort Sumter, 
you feel authorized to fire into this city, why did 
you not include the works ou Sullivan and 
James Islands—nay, even the city of Charleston 
—in the same demand ? 
Since you have fell warranted in inaugurating 
Sumter are nearly due north from your works 
on Morris Island, and distant iherefrom from onc- 
halt a mile, to two and a half mites. This city, 
on the other hand, is to the northwest and five 
miles distant from the battery opened on it this 
forenoon. It would appear, therefore, that 
despairing of reduciUE those works, you resort to 
headquarters by Col. Robinson. Two men were 
captured, and after all the information desired 
was obtained from them, they were released. 
Having succeeded in all the objects of the re- 
connoissance, the expedition returned on the 
28th. 
revived. Good st«dy meals and clean comfort¬ 
able lodgings are what the convicts get, and 
honesty is frequently not so well off as to enjoy 
those blessings. 
Commander George W. Rogers, acting fleet 
captain to Admiral Dahlgren, who lost his life in 
Charleston harbor, August 17, was born in New 
York State, but was appointed from Connecticut 
in 1836. He was successively attached to the U. 
S. Coast, Survey and to the African squadroD, 
and in 1861 was given the command of the gun¬ 
boat Tioga. Subsequently he commanded the 
Kaatskill, on which vessel he was killed. 
An instance of the display of a chivalric spirit 
and honesty on the part of the South took place 
after the battle on Morris Island, when various 
sums of money, private papers, pocket books and 
mementoes, belonging to the Union soldiers who 
had died while prisoners in their hands, were 
sent into our lines under a flag of truce. Those 
articles had been carefully labeled and had been 
well preserved. Some of the sums of money 
were as high as $222 and the total amount of 
cash returned was $4,090.06. 
Department of the South, 
The following important dispatches—from 
Gen. Gilmore to Gen. Halleck, and;from Chief 
of Artillery John N. Turner, to Gen. Gilmore— 
have been receiv ed in Washington : 
Headouautkrs Dbi’aptmknt lp the South, ? 
Morkjs Island, August 24th, 1803. j 
To H. IV. Halleck . 11 ~ash inrfon .—Sir : — I 
have the honor to report the practical demolition 
of Fort Sumter as the result of our seven days 
bombardment of that work, two days of which a 
powerful north-east storm most seriously dimin¬ 
ished the accuracy and effect of our fife. Fort 
Sumter is to-day a shapeless and harmless mass 
of ruins. My Chief of Artillery. Col. J. N. Tur¬ 
ner, reports its destruction so 'far complete that 
it is nn longer of any avail in the defense of 
Charleston. He also says that by a longer fire 
it could be made completely a ruin and a mass 
of broken masonry, but could scarcely be more 
powerless as a defense to the harbor. 
My breaching batteries were located at dis¬ 
tances of 3.330 and 4,240 yards from the fort, and 
now remain as efficient as ever. I deem it un- I 
