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[482] was, after some casualties, abandoned by most of its inhabitants, who either moved farther up, or left altogether: while many of the buildings, including some of the most substantial and costly edifices, suffered severely. Blockade-running — which had long been a source of activity, importance, and profit to “the cradle of Secession,” in spite of all the gunboats, iron-clads, &c., that could lie off her bar, reenforced by the “stone fleet” --succumbed to and was broken up by the terrible missiles of Gillmore, though sped by guns mounted fully four miles from her wharves.

Meantime, Sumter, though still a volcano, was a volcano asleep — her guns mainly dismantled, her garrison hidden in her inmost recesses. At length, upon advices that the enemy was remounting some guns on her south-east face, Gillmore reopened1 on that face from his heavy rifled guns in Wagner and Gregg, crumbling it speedily into ruins, which sloped from the summit of the breach to the level of the surrounding water. Thereafter, a slow and irregular fire from Cumming's Point was maintained for weeks, or till nearly the close of the year; when, all prospect of a penetration of the harbor by the iron-clads being over, and no object seeming to justify a continuance of the fire, it was suspended, or thence-forth mainly directed against Charleston alone.

A luckless attempt2 to blow up by a torpedo boat the new Ironsides, as she lay off Morris island, and the foundering3 of the Weehawken, carrying down 30 of her crew, while at anchor in the outer harbor during a gale-owing to her hatches having been inconsiderately left open-complete the record of notable events in this department for the year 1863.

In North Carolina, little of moment occurred in 1863. Gen. D. H. Hill attempted to retake Newbern on the first anniversary4 of its recovery to the Union: attacking, with 20 guns, an unfinished earthwork north of the Neuse: but that work was firmly held by the 92d New York until reenforced; when its assailants drew off with little loss.

Hill next demonstrated5 against Washington, N. C.: erecting batteries at Rodman's and Hill's Points, below the town, which commanded the navigation of Pamlico river and isolated the place. But Gen. Foster had meantime arrived: finding a garrison of 1,200 men, with two gun-boats and an armed transport under Com'r R. Renshaw; while the defenses were well placed and in good condition. Hill had here his corps, estimated by Poster at 20,000 strong, with 50 guns. But he paused three days before assaulting; which precious time was well improved by the garrison in strengthening and perfecting their works-Foster peremptorily refusing to allow any espionage of his doings under the pretense of summoning him to surrender. Those days being ended, it was understood on our side that an order to assault was given, but not obeyed — our works being deemed too strong to justify the risk. Hill now commenced a siege in due forum; mounting guns on the several ridges commanding the town, with one on Rodman's Point, across the river; our small force posted there being easily

1 Oct. 26.

2 Oct. 5.

3 Dec. 6.

4 March 14.

5 March 30.

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