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t yOLJL . XETTER8 FROM MORRIS ISLAND, j Morris Island, So'pt. 18tli. -j I have written about almost everything j pertaining to the siege of Charleston. Forts, batteries, torpedoes, monitors, jgnnboats, monster guns, etc., have been respectively brought on the stage and j made to play their part in the tremendous drama. It strikes me that now is a littiug I time to let your readers know somewhat j of those who are behind the screen con- : trolling the minutia cf the struggle. The j erection 01 eacn battery, the b filleting of ! every ibrt, the planting of every gnn in j the siege of ChailestonTs made in accord- j ancc with a plan or drawing prepared after the most exact scientific calculation. As Iievemer sitting quietly in his studio dem- j onstrated that a planet must revolve some- I where outside the orbit of Herschell, aud > then, turning his glass upon that portion of the heavens, found it and named the ' new world Neptune, so the work of the j Deduction of Sumter, and of all the fortifications of the harbor exist in diagrams and plans which are followed with mathematical precision?the grand summing j np of which is Menda est Charleston, livery appliance of science, every resource ! of ingenuity, every energy of the brain, assisted by education and experience, j have been brought to bear in the prosecution of this siege. On the other side erm&l care and labor have been exnended in the effort to render the capture of the j ?ziy an impossibility. Genius und engineering ability of a high order produced j Wagner and Gregg aud strengthened i Sumter, and we have yet that to do which j will tax our every resource. The advantages gained already are a sure earnest of Itimate if not speedy triumph, and as j ?thing of startling import is now transpiring this may be a favorable time to gratify the public with a glance at the actors engaged. As first in command and foremost in labor we must refer to the commanding General Q. A. Gillmoke. This gentleman was born in the township of Black .River, Lorain Co. Ohio, on the 28th day of February, 1825. His parents still reside there. At Elyra he re- i ceived an academic education and in 1845 entered the military academy at West Point, graduating at the head of his class 1 in 1849. From the academy Gen. Gillmore was brevetted a second lieutenant engineers July 1st, 1847, promoted to ! a first lieutenancy July 1, 1856, to a cap- j tainey August 6, 1861, and to a majority j in Juno 1863. In the autumn of 1849, j CJen. Gilhnore married the daughter of T. O. Mahew, Esq., of "West Point, N. Y. y-oar sons are now living as the issue of tills marriage. Previous to the out-break the rebellion Gen. Gilhnore's military services had been such as are usually assigned to young men in time of peace. In one respect his case forms an exeep- j tion to the general rule. It was then he laid the foundation of his latr successes ' and jiresent world wide reput tion. By a long series of experiment' upon the kreeching effect of shot of different ca!ikres upon various kinds of masonry he *ilemonstrated to ins own satisiacnon wnat hn luis since illustrated and proved to the "otKrld in the fall of Pulaski and Sumter. 3a October 18G1, Capt. Gillmore was appointed chief engineer to Brig. General Sherman commanding the land forces of tfce expedition to Port Royal. The turning point in his career, that which rendered his uame famous, marked an era in tee. history of engineering, 3nd the power mi ritled ordinance to demolish masonry, eras the seigc of Pulaski from Tybee island is the spring of 18G2. The reception of tee news of the fall of Pulaski startled tfie government as well as the nation and oa recognition of his distinguished servi<res, Captain Gillmore was appointed a Brigadier General of Volunteers April 28, 18G2. In the winter of the same year he ^ ^Htea^nec^flH^^l^itary district the THE FREE SOUTH, FATUI filed. Tills wai an engagement with Gen. Pegrr.m at Somerset, whose force was twice his own, and whom he routed after an engagement of five hours with severe loss. His victory was the result of masterly strategy and hard fighting. The i.:,.x " _e xi._ _ e r\i 1 x xi m&iuijr ui iue seige ui v^nuriestuii tuus far has ben pretty thoroughly written and all I need say here, is that,every part of it bears the stamp of the genius of the commanding general and has added to his former reputation. Harpers "Weekly of September 12th, contains an excellent likeness of Gen. Gillmore. The peculiar animation and force of expression of the original is wanting however in the picture. Gen. Gillmore is a man of decided religious convictions, correct in his deportment, active in his habits, and tireless in his labors. His manner is social, cordial and frank. His larg3 light blue eye has rather a subdued and benevolent expression. His mental calibre is of a high order and he would shine in the field and in strategy as well as in planting cannon. Hi3 presence is gentlemanly, noble and dignified. r ___ rn t> t> T 4 i .1. j__ major ?. n. i^roojxs, ue camp 10 Gen. Gillmore comes next in order. This gentleman was horn near West Point, N. Y., was educated at Gilcspie's celebrated engineering school at Schenectady in that state. He entered the war as a Lieutenant of a N. Y. Volunteer Regiment, and was with Gen. Gillmore at the seige of Pulaski, and under his masterly directions reduced to unexpected practice the principles he had been taught in the academy. He served in Kentucky with the Gen'l. as aid in 1862. His well earned promotion to the majority occurred since the seige of Charleston commenced. He lias had the entire charge of the engineering work against Wagner and of a part of that against Sumtef. Major Brooks is a man of solid worth, modest and unassuming in his character and must be known to be appreciated. Gen. Gillmore places the highest estimation upon his abilities and entrusts the execution of the most important matters to his hands. Whilst this seige is remembered, the name of T. B. Brooks will not be forgotten. Col. oerreli, uapt. lteese aua lieutenant Suter, assistants to Gen. Gillmore have acted a more general anil miscellaneous part, and the historian will faithfully chronicle their names and services. Col, J. W. Turner, Chief of Artillery, graduated with honor at West Point in 1855, and has been on duty in Oregon, Florida and the plains of the West. His duties have consisted mostly in mounting guns and superintending everything pertaining to ordnance. When it is remembered that we are engaged in an artillery war and that some of our guns are the heaviest that was ever mounted, it will be conceded that his duties have not been light. It is thought by knowing ones that he coul i without occasion for blushing exchange the eagle for a star. Though it does not exactly enter into my plan yet I cannot take my leave of headquarters without a reference to the services of Brig. Gen. A. H. Terry. The military bearing of this gentleman had almost indelibly fixed the impression in my mind that he had spent some four vears at West Point or in some other mil itary school. But the fact is, when the war broke out he was a thriving Connecticut lawyer and fast rising to distinction in his profession. He now commands the 1st division in the department. I have heard hie name frequently mentioned in connection with the tight on James Island at the time of Gillmore's advance upon Morris Island, and all parties award to him high soldierly qualities. As commander of a division he is ever vigilant, and nothing is allowed to get out of place. He is one ol the most polite men in the world to do business with when every thing is right on your part. Though bred a lawyer, yet every part of military etiquette must be scrupuously observed. His tal jT>AV, FEP'HR^BEB. 2*. "*563. ents are oi alngu order and would win lor their possesor distinction in any held he might choose to enter. Some other names I would like to mention in this connection but an order is in force prohibiting any reference to brigades or their commanders. Some if not all of these are candidates for a *tar or an additional star and perhaps we had better defer taking their pictures till they don their new uniform. M. Mobris Isiaxd, Sept. 20th, 1863. Since my last nothing decisive or important to the public eye has occurred in front of Charleston, The fleet has not to my knowledge fired a gun since the Weeliawkcn was got off the bar and out of harm's way. Gen. Gillmore has formed a plan for future operations which should be learned by the rebels only by experience. They simply have the satisfaction of seeing Wagner and Gregg metaphorosed into loyal batteries, by the strong but now free hands of those who were once their slaves. Of tlio nature of the changes made, the calibre of the guus to be mounted, the purpose they are t :> serve and how soon they w'll break the seals of their mission are matters concerning which the conspirators must be left to conjecture. They seem not to have forgotten the value of those strong points. Their firing and shelling from Johnston and other batteries indicate that Beauregard has a greater anxiety about them now than he had when garrisoned by his own men. It is an important and to us a glorious fact that Gregg is at least a mile ? ? ?? oiromn l\af. nearer vjuhucmwu mau mo o?nm^ whit tery, which scattered Greek fire tlirougk the city sometime ago. Should it be in the General's plan to try that game from Gregg, the gunners at Jeast will have the privilege of seeing where the shell strike and witnessing the effect produced, for the heart of the city is in full view of Cumming's Point. One of our heavy guns has been replying to Johnson and Tort Simpkin's for the purpose of relieving, I suppose, our men at work in the forts. It does one good to see with what j>reeision our gunners will explode a shell or ! plant a shot just where they want it, and do this as often as they have occasion to fire. Furloughs have been granted to a small percentage of the army and already the boys are off to loved homes far away. Our siege works, however, will not be allowed to slacken in the 1-f.ast on this account. We can hold the island, for no land attack could dislodge us now, and prosecute the ? * ' i - # tl i worK preparatory 10 a iuruier movement with a little less force than we have at present. I have seen the Charleston Courier of the 16th ult., and find it a very readable sheet. It contains the best description of Sumter as a ruin I hare read or imagined. The late explosion of a magazine on James island killed five persons and wounded it was not known how many. Col. Hifaluten Kcitt was in command when Wagner was evacuated, the rebels are puzzled about our present movements but expect an immediate attack from the fleet; the streets of Charleston are desolated and things generally in rebeldom wear a gloomy aspect. Will your readers put the following facts together and draw their own inference : No regiment on the island has been more exposed at the front than the 0/1 Q P VnliinfAMv Xrthfl nmn llM bfifill injured by shot or shell thus far during the siege. Entire abstinence from all ^iat intoxicates is the faithfully observed law of the regiment by both oflicers and privates. A glass of water will not shield from a-shell, but a glass of whiskey may send one into its path. M. Monus Island, Sept. 21, 18G3. The rebel batteries have been quite active for the last 21 hours and the following casualties have been reported to medical director. It is likely that a few others may have been killed or wounded whose names were reported only to reg _ - ~ -<** NO. 38. lLUCiiUil bUigcOUS. i.'lV>Ui V.iUi, x CUIt learn I fear that many of the boys have become so familiar with bursting shell, and have escaped so many times thai they have become a little careless, failing to "cover" when they might and when, j they should. Sept. 20, (}. tV. Richardson, Co. I, 0th Maine, flesh wound in the leg; 8. II. Day, Co. D, 0th Maine, wounded in thigh. Sept. 21, Amindis Lilly, Co. D, l'Uth Pa.,, woundedt j in the hip by a shell, m ?rtally; Gotleib Hartfelder, Go. l), lokto Pa., wounde.l In the face and arm, slightly. The following casualties were produced by the explosion of a single shell.. W. A. Rich, Co. P. 4th N. H.: Geo. Wagner. N. T. Independent Batt ilion. : Peter Riley, Co. X, & K. L*. Battery,; Harvey Shaddlnger, Co. A, 104th Pa. Yours, H. [From the Tribune ccrropondtnce Sept l'.J The flag of truce which w.nfc up last week to fort Samter with clothes, money and some provisions for the prisoners captured in the unfortunate naval assault of the 8th inst., returned bringing a num>4 ber of messages from the prisoners to their friends in the fleet. Also, the impertinent statement that should we fire I on Sumter they would place our men on the parapet. I am told that Admiral Dahlgren has expressed bis intentiow* should this inhumanity be exercised, to lash the prisoners we have belonging to i them to the turrets of our monitors and j give battle. These would prove, I imagine, a more effective safeguard than either bales of hay or cotton. The following are the names of the officers captured : Lieut commauuer E. P. "Williams, LL G. C. Remey, Flag Lieut. S. W. Preston, Lieut. E. T. Brower, Easign Benjamin. I H. Porter, Lieut. C. H. Bradford, wounded in groin, severely, Lieut. Meade, U. ?L ; M. C., Acting Master's Mate Hbuey, U! S. M. C., also wounded and a prisoner, : Sailinaker Dayton, ia hand. Gen Beauregard's obstinate holding of i this point would seem to indicate that it is, even in its present dismantled and rej duced state, the key to Charleston Harbor. Under the lires of Forts Moultrie, Johnson, Battery Bee, and B-auregard even did we occupy it, we could hardly put it in an offensive position ; it must remain as it is now. In the precise relative value which it is to the euemy in this * seige, so is the possession of it to us. We may hope, therefore, its occupation by our forces will not long be delayed?that the late repulse, instead of disheartening, will only tend to make us more determined, and that ere a week shall pass our Hag i shall float where so long the standard of : rebellion has waved in defiance to the I progress of our arm*. THE OBSTBUCTCONS. It is surprising that nothing has been done to discover the character and magnitude of the obstructions in Charleston Harbor. That their importt nee has been magnified and exaggerated, I do not ! doubt. They are a bugbear and a scare, : which serve to paralyze without sufficient reason the action of tne fleet No attempt has been made that I am aware of to pass by them, so that it is not actually known at this day whether such an effort would not meet with success. It requires no complicated machine to remove them, I think, tor they must necessarily be of a. simple character to allow free passage to blockade-runners and exclude oar ships at pleasure. It is generally thought thai there is one principal chain to winch the minor obstacles are attached, an<l that it is raised or lowered to suit circumstances. Now,:it is natural to suppose that if this, chain were severed, the whole arrangement would chop to the bottom, and the reduction of the {Sullivan's island batteries . - be rendered unnecessary, as Charleston would then be at the mercy of oar ironclads. This might be accomplished in numerous ways. A vessel loaded with, combustibles might be towed up against this chain, and exploded by means uf a. slow matcn, which would tend to blow toatoms the whole construction. This idea, I believe, has been suggested already ; it *1-1 - " "1 1M_ 1__ x - appears a sensnue one, auu inteiy 10 succeed, if tried. Grappling-hooks attached, to an empty shell, and tiirown from a? mortar to the precise spot where this chain, rests, then drawn back by steam power, might result in breaking it. I am settingfortii no ideas of my own ; I cnJy wish to urge the necessity of doing something in tins matter even if the means tried be experimental. If they are successful, it is enough ; if they fad, no harm can b? , done by the trial. new monitor, the Tecuruseb, was 1 unched at Jersey City on SaturdayShe is 220 feet long, 45 beam, 12 depth ot hold, and 7}.* draught.