Today in History:

467 Series I Volume XXXV-I Serial 65 - Olustee Part I

Page 467 Chapter XLVII. CORESPONDENCE, ETC.-UION.

time has been working in the Engineer Department of the rebel Army. He has never been in their militarfry service. He states that there are two regiments on Sullivan's Island, one of which is commended by Colonel Keitt, but does notknow the name of the commander of the other. Colonel Alfred Rhett commands the artillery on Sulluvan's Island, James Island, &c. General Ripley is in command at Mount Pleasant. There are three brigades on James Islandm, viz, Hagood's, Wise's, and Colquitt's. Walker is in command at Pocatoligo, with not a very heavy force. An attack is expected at Savannah, whither General Beauregard and staff have gone to look after matters. He says if our guns be rained on the steeple of the church on Citadel Green, or a little to the right of it, from Morris Island, our shells will be likely to make Beauregard's quarters a very uncomfortable dwelling-place. I have caused them to be pointed in hat direction. Our shells are now thrown too far toward Ashley River and many of the fall in the burnt district. The church spire alluded to is the tallest one toward the east and is painted brown. Few people have been killed, but mny houses ruined. The other day a shell burt on the deck of their new ram, without doing her damage. Last Sunday night a shell went through the roof of a house, struck a chair at the foot of a bed in which a man and his wife were sleeping, and passed into the cellar without injuring either of them. Another shell struck a house in Calhoun street, went through the bed between a negro and his wife, and thence passed into the cellar, leaving both uninjured.

He enumerates the following guns in position in the city: The "big gun" is mounted on Frazer's Wharf, next to the new custom-house. It is a 13-inch, is rifled, and the porjectile weighs 700 pounds. It was cast in England. At White Point Garden, otherwise the Battery, are mounted four guns, viz, one 11-inch rifled, from the Keokuk, two 6-inh rifled, and one 10-inch; at the foot of Laurens street, two 8-inch columbiads and one 6-inch rifled; Half-Moon Battery, near the gas-house, about the foot of Calhoun street, two heavy guns; and two 10-inch columbiads at Chisolm's rice mills, foot of Tradd street, on Ashley River.

Everybody has left the city except the very poor people who cannot get away. All the necessaries of life are extravagantly high; flour from $130 to $150 per barrel; men's shoes, $150 per pair; men's calf-skin boots, $250 per pair. Rebel money has depreciated until it is worth only $22 for $1 in gold and $18 for $1 in silver. He states there is one wealthy Union man in Charleston who had expended a good deal of money quitley for the comfort of our prisoners. The remainiing population are Union at heart. The city is garrisoned by one regiment of conscripts. The rebels are building three new iron-clads, one of which is 200 feet long, plated with 4-inch iron, and the others are the size of the Chicora.

They have put up three strong bomb-proofs in Sumter since the first bombardment. The garrison conists of not less than 300 or 400 men, but he does not know when they are relievd. Colonel Elliott still commands the fort. Hand grenades are ready on the perapet to throw down on an assulting party, and the wharf is mined. They have made a "frise" to put out at night and take in before daylight. When they are being shelled cooked rations are taken down from Charleston in the night for the garrison. In Sumter htere are hree guns mounted in the lower casemates toward Sullivan's Island.


Page 467 Chapter XLVII. CORESPONDENCE, ETC.-UION.