At
Charleston, Wednesday morning, four of the enemy's batteries on
Morris's Island, mounting eleven guns in all, opened on Battery Wagner, assisted by the
Ironsides and two of the monitors.
The Ironsides retired after being struck by a gun from
Sumter.
During the evening another fire was opened upon Battery Haskell (on
James's Island) from a new Yankee battery created on
Black Island.
It is probable, from this new fire and the fact that 27 transports are lying in
Stono river, that a movement upon
James's Island is contemplated by
Gen. Gilmore. Thursday morning the
Ironsides and two monitors commenced bring and shelled Battery Gregg all day, and the new battery on
Black Island threw an occasional shell into Battery Haskell, on
James's Island.
Our entire casualties during the two days were four killed.
Gen. Beauregard inspected all of the batteries on Thursday.
A telegram from
Charleston yesterday (Sunday) says "all is quiet here.
The weather is clear and hot." A good deal has been said about the distance from which guns may reduce a fort, and
Fort Pulaski has been cited in the discussion.
The nearest guns to
Fort Pulaski were exactly 1,620 yards distant. They were five 30 pounder Parrots, one 24 pounder, two 32 pounders, and two 42 pounder
James's guns.
With these, and three 10 inch Columbiads, 1,657 yards distant, the whole work of the reduction was accomplished in eighteen and a half hours cannonading — The remaining batteries were all mortars and totally ineffective.
Fort Wagner, which the
Yankees are now bombarding, is to-day strong or than it was yesterday, and stronger yesterday than it was the day before.
Every bit of the damage done is instantly repaired, and the battery is being made infinitely stronger.
