The victory at Charleston.
Terrific Cannonading — night assault the Slaughter of the enemy, &c.The Charleston papers, of Monday, bring us the particulars of the bloody fight there on Saturday evening. The Federals had occupied Black Island — a small spot between James's and Morris's Islands — and thrown up a battery; they had erected two or three additional batteries on Morris's Island, about one and three-quarter miles from Fort Wagner, and they had concentrated their fleet, consisting of four monitors, the Ironsides, a frigate, and four gunboats, some of which threw shell from mortars. Altogether, the circle of fire embraced not far from seventy guns. At day light these opened, first deliberately; but as the morning were on the fire increased murderously. Two monitors, two mortar boats, and the Ironsides, had by 10 o'clock formed a line nearly in front of Battery Wagner, and about noon these were joined by two additional monitors. We make up an account of the engagement from the Mercury and Courier. From 8 o'clock until say 6 o'clock the firing was almost incessant. There was scarcely an interval that did not contain a reverberation of the heavy guns, and the shock of the rapid discharges trembling through the city called hundreds of citizens to the battery, wharves, steeples, and various look outs, where, with an interest never felt before, they looked on a contest that might decide the fate of their fair city. The picture was one not soon to be forgotten Gray old Sumter lay like a half aroused monster midway of the scene, only occasionally speaking his part in the angry dialogue. Far in the distance were the blockaders, taking no part in the fray. To the right, on Cummings's Point, was a little mound of earth, and every now and then we could see a band of artillerists gathered around the guns, a volume of smoke, and far to the right exploding in the vicinity of the enemy's batteries its well aimed shells. Still to the right of this was Battery Wagner, clustered above which, now bursting high in air and letting loose their imprisoned deaths, now striking the sides of the work, and anon plunging into the sand on the beach, and throwing up a pillar of earth or dashing into the marsh and ricocheting across the water, could be seen the quickly succeeding shells and round shot of the enemy's guns, abreast of Battery Wagner. Scattered at short intervals were a portion of the Federal fleet, and from there we could distinctly observe almost every second the bright flashes of flame that told of the earnest purpose in which they were engaged.--Still further to the right, but concealed from view by the trees on James's Island, were the land batteries of the enemy, whose location we only knew by the heavy puffs of smoke that shot suddenly up into the air, then drifted away towards the dense clouds that had already gathered over the field of conflict. During the whole of this bombardment, until six o'clock in the evening, our casualties, strange to say, only numbered four killed and fourteen wounded. Battery Gregg, at Cummings's Point, and Fort Sumter, taking part in the thundering chorus, were now firing with greater rapidity than at any previous time during the day. The entire horizon appeared to be lighted up with the fitful flashings of the lurid flames that shot out from monster guns on land and sea. During this critical period the majority of our troops were driven to shorter beneath our bomb proofs and other works erected for their protection. But it was known to the officers commanding that such a demonstration on the part of the enemy was not without its object. As the shades of night began to fall the bombardment measurably relaxed. General Taliaferro, one of "Stonewall Jackson's veterans," now promptly ordered every man to the parapet, and they were hardly in their places before word was received that the columns of the enemy were advancing to the attack Cooped up as our troops had been all day, and breathing the impure air of a crowded bomb proof, the summons met with a cheerful response, and they quickly repaired to their respective positions. The lines of the Federals, several hundred yards distant, could now be descried advancing through the gloom, bearing towards the beach, as if to make an attack on that side of Battery Wagner. It was about quarter to eight o'clock. Five minutes more and the column was plainly in sight, appearing to be seven lines deep. Our batteries remained silent until the enemy reached the vicinity of our rifle pits, when grape and canister was thrown into their ranks with fearful precision and execution. Checked for stant only they closed up the ragged gaps in their lines and moved steadily on until within less than eighty yards. Barely waiting for the Federals to get within a destructive range our infantry opened their fusillade, and from a fringes of fire that lined the parapet leaped forth a thousand messengers of death. Staggering under the shock, the first line seemed for a moment checked, but, pushed on by those in the rear, the whole now commenced a charge at a "double-quick." Our men could not charge back; but they gave, a Southern yell in response to the Yankee cheer, and awaited the attack. On they came over the sand hills, tripping and stumbling in the huge pits their own shells had dug, until they reached the ditch of the battery; then it was but a moment's work for those who survived our terrible fire of musketry to clamber up the sloping sides of the fortification and attempt to effect a lodgment. But the men who met them on the parapet were as desperate as themselves, and the contest that ensued was brief and bloody. The antagonists were breast to breast, and Southern rifles and Southern bayonets made short work of human life. We could stop to take no prisoners then. The parapet was lined with dead bodies, white and black, and every second, was adding to the number. It was one of those encounters in which one side or the other must quickly yield or fly: The enemy took their choice. In less than five minutes probably, the first line had been shot, bayoneted, or were in full retreat — rolling into the ditch or dragging their bloody bodies through the sand hills on their hands and knees. But another line came, and another and another, each reinforcing its predecessor, until the battle waked hot, fierce, and bloody. Finally, however, the whole were driven back, either into the broad trench at the base of the battery, out of reach of our guns, or scampering out of view in the darkness of the night. There was now a comparative full in the firing, but in fifteen or twenty minutes a second column of Federals filed down on the beach towards the left of the fort in much the same manner as that pursued by the first--These repeated the experiment that had just before terminated so disastrously to their companions, and, with a bravery that was worthy of a better cause, dashed upon the work. The first assault failed utterly, but with the reinforcements that joined the defeated party, they came again with such strength and impetuosity that between the extreme darkness of the night, which bad now enveloped the entire scene, the difficulty of distinguishing friend and foe, and the confusion incident to such an occasion, some two or three hundred, as is estimated effected a lodgment in the vicinity of the chambers occupied by two of our guns. Others clambered to the top of the magazine and bomb proof, while others as is said, clustered around a Federal flag flying on the ramparts. The last statement is not improbable; but the informant from whom many of the foregoing facts are gathered, states that the only colors flying from the parapet were our own battle and Confederate flags. This position the Federals held for certainly upwards of an hour. We were at first comparatively ignorant of their strength or exact location; but Gen. Taliaferro, with the cool courage for witch he is distinguished, made a close personal reconnaissance, and soon had measures perfected for driving them from the work. In the melee which followed the final arrangements of the General most of the prisoners were captured whom we have in hand. --Many escaped over the sides of the battery, but others preferred a voluntary surrender to the risk of being shot in the back. Both the Federal land batteries and our own — Sumter and Gregg — were firing at intervals during the engagement, and during the retreat the latter greatly facilitated the "change of base" The fight lasted from 8 until 11 P. M., and was of a desperate character throughout. The enemy's losses were very heavy. His killed and wounded must have been at least 1,500. The number of his dead left on the field and buried by us yesterday exceeded 600. Two hundred and thirty one of their wounded were in the city last night, including several negroes. Our own losses were comparatively light. It is estimated that our killed and wounded will not exceed 100. Among these, however, were some valuable officers, such as Lieut.-Col. Simkins and Capt. Taham, of the let S. C. infantry, and Capt. Ryan, of the Charleston Battalion, killed, and Major Ramsay, of the Charleston Battalion, severely wounded. Colonel Shaw, of Boston, who commanded the 54th Massachusetts (negro) regiment was killed on our parapet. The Lieutenant Colonel of the fame regiment surrendered his sword to Colonel Gaillard. The Major and one of the Captains were also killed. Another Lieutenant Colonel was killed just as he had mounted a bastion. Colonel H. S. Putnam, of the 7th New Hampshire, (acting as Brigadier General.) was left dead in front of our lines. Dr. Duck, of the U. S. Navy, and the Adjutant of a Connecticut regiment were captured, and a Yankee Assistant Adjutant-General was killed. Lieut. Col. who fell shot through the breast, commanded the artillery of the post. We learn that Lieut. Col. Del Kemper, the distinguished Virginia artilleries, succeeds him. A wounded negro in to be put into every ward of the white Yankees. The latter kicked at the base alliance, but the surgeons have plainly told them that if they put themselves on a par with the negroes as soldiers the same relation must be maintained under all circumstances while they are in our hands.
