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TIIE FIRST BREACH IN FORT SUMTER. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.
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Mujor .Tolm Johnson writes to the editors that the Sumter had been silenced for a week prior to that date,photograph was taken on September 8th, 1883, during a The picture shows the full height of the wall ot the par-heavy engagement between the iron-clad fleet and the apet, the first breach, and the fallen casemates ot theforts oil Sullivan’s Island, including Fort Moultrie, north-western wall of Fort Sumter.
Elliott liad heen selected by me with care for that post of honor and danger.He proved himself worthy of the confidence placed in him; as did, later on,Captain John C. Mitchel, who relieved him on the 4th of May, 1864, and lost hislife while in command there on the 20th of July, 1864; he was succeeded byanother brave officer, Captain T. A. Huguenin, who was fortunate enough toescape uninjured and only left the fort at its final evacuation on the 17th ofFebruary, 1865. Another gallant officer, Major John Johnson, of the Con-federate States Engineers, was of much assistance in the defense of the ruins,and remained therein while they were held by us.
The instructions for the evacuation of Batteries "Wagner and Gregg hailbeen prepared by me with much deliberation and thought. Tlie withdrawal ofihe troops began as previously agreed upon, and was conducted in silence,'with great coolness and precision. My orders were carried out almost to theletter. Owing to some defect in the fuses, however, the powder magazinesof neither Wagner nor Gregg were exploded, although they had been lit,"with all due precaution, by able officers. The wounded and sick had heenfirst removed; then the companies were marched by detachments to theboats prepared to receive them, and embarked under tlie supervision of the