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434 Norra Carottna Troops, 1861-’65.

inshore, her shot passing over us, and that was all. We got
comfortably to the entrance about 11:30 o’clock, and so ended

our second journey in.

“J determined this time to have a look at Charleston,
which was then undergoing a lengthening and destructive
siege. So, after giving over my craft into the hands of the
owner’s representatives, who would unload and put her cargo
of cotton on board, I took my place in the train, and, after
passing thirty-six of the most mise ‘able hours in my life,
traveling the distance of 149 miles, I arrived at Charleston,
or rather near to that city—for the train, disgusted, I sup-
pose, with itself, ran quietly off the line about two miles
from the station into a meadow.

“The passengers seemed perfectly contented, and shoulder-
ing their baggage, walked off into the town. I mechanically
followed with my portmanteau, and in due course arrived at
the only hotel, where I was informed I might have half a
room.

“Acting on a hint I received from a black waiter that food
was being devoured in the coffee room, and that if I did not
look out for myself I should have to do without that essential
article for the rest of the day, I hurried into the ‘salle-a-man-
ger,’ where two long tables were furnished with all the luxu-
ries then to be obtained in Charleston, which luxuries con-
sisted of lumps of meat supposed to be beef, boiled Indian
corn, and I think there were the remains of a feathered biped
or two, to partake of which I was evidently too late.

““AJ] these washed down with water, or coffee without
sugar, was not very tempting, but human nature must be
supported, so to it I set, and having swallowed a sufficent
quantity of animal food, I went off to my room to take a pull
at a bottle of brandy which I had sagaciously stored in my
carpetbag.

“But, alas! for the morals of the beleaguered city. I found
on arriving there, a nigger extended at full length in happy
oblivion on the floor, with the clothes I had with me forming
his pillow, and the brandy bottle rolling alongside of him,
empty.

“T first of all hammered his head against the floor, but

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BLocKaDE RUNNING. 435

the floor had the worst of it; then I kicked his shins (the
most vulnerable part of a nigger), but it was no use; so pour-
ing the contents of a water jug over him in the hope that I
might thus cause awful dreams to disturb his slumbers, I
— voting myself a muff for leaving the key in my
“Having letters of introduction to some of General Beau-
regard’s staff, I made my way to headquarters, where I met
with the greatest courtesy and kindness. An orderly was
sent with me to show me the top of the tower, a position that
commands a famous view of the beseiging army, the block-
ading squadron, and all the defences of the place. A bat-
tery had just been placed by the enemy (consisting of
five Parrott guns of heavy calibre) five miles from the ton,
and that day had opened fire for the first time. At
that enormous range the shell occasionally burst over or fell
into the city, doing, however, little damage. The elevation
of the guns must have been unusually great. I am told that
every one of them burst after a week’s, or thereabouts, firing.,
“Poor Fort Sumter was nearly silenced after many months’
hammering, but its brave defenders remained in it to the last,
and it was not till a few days before Charleston was aban-
doned that they gave it up.
“At the time I speak of the whole of the western beach was
in the hands of the enemy, Battery Wagner having suc-
cumbed after one of the most gallant defences on record.
While it remained in the hands of the Southerners it assisted
Fort Sumter, inasmuch as, from its position it kept the en-
emy at a distance, but after its capture, or rather destruc-
tion, the latter fort was exposed to a tremendous fire from
ships and batteries, and its.solid front was terribly erumbled.
“Surrounded, ltowever, with water as it was, it would have

_been most difficult to take by assault; and from what I could

learn, certain destruction would have met any body of men
who had attempted it latterly. There it stood, sulkily firing
a lot of shell now and then, more out of defiance than any-
thing else. The blockading, or rather bombarding, squadron
was lying pretty near to it on the western side of the en-
trance to the harbor; but on the east side, formidable bat-