72

INSIDE SUMTER IN ’61.

hard to find, and most of the blankets were already in use covering loadedshells. The fire was raging more fiercely than ever, and safety demanded thatthe uncovered powder be thrown overboard. This was instantly done, and ifthe tide had been high we should have been well rid of it. But the tide waslow, and the pile of powder-barrels rested on the riprapping in front of theembrasure. This was observed by the enemy, and some shell guns wereturned upon the pile, producing an explosion which blow the gun at thatembrasure clear out of battery, but did no further damage.

The fire had now enveloped the magazine, and the danger of an explosionwas imminent. Powder had been carried out all the previous day, and it wasmore than likely thatenough had siftedthrough the cartridge-bags to carry the fireinto the powder-chamber. Major An-derson, his head erectas if on parade, calledthe men around him;

1

l'AUBETTE GUNS—EFFECT OF1IIE RAKING FIRE FROMFORT MOULTRIE.

RUINS OF THE CASEMATES NEAR TIIE SALLY-PORT, AND OF THEFLAG-STAFF. FROM PHOTOGRAPHS.

directed that a shot befired every five min-utes ; and mentionedthat there was somedanger of the maga-zine exploding. Someof the men, as soon asthey learned what thereal danger was, rushedto the door of the magazine and hurriedly dug a trench in front of it, whichthey kept filled with water until the danger was considered over.

It was during this excitement that ex-Senator Wigfall of Texas visited thefort. It came the turn of one of the guns on the left face of the work tofire,— we were now firing once in five minutes,— and as the cannoneerapproached for the purpose of loading, he discovered a man looking in at theembrasure. The man must have raised himself to the level of the embrasureby grasping the sill with his hands. A short but lively altercation ensuedbetween the man and the cannoneer, the man pleading to be taken in lest heshould be killed with his own shot and shell. He was hauled in, Thompson,the cannoneer, first receiving his sword, to the point of which a white hand-kerchief was attached, not by way of surrender, but for convenience. Once