A battery had just been placed by the enemy (consisting of five Parrot guns of heavy calibre) five miles from the town, 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 abandoned that they gave it up.