natural inference was, that on the morning of that day,
we should witness the opening of the long and anxiously-looked for
engagement.

Sad rumors had come to our camp, that eighteen soldiers who had
gone out skirmishing within the rebel lines, on Wilmington Island,
had been captured, and were prisoners within the walls of Pulaski.
How far this event may have hastened the attack, we know not; but
on Thursday, the tenth, instead of Friday, the eleventh, the
bombardment began, and the thunder of our mortars shook the earth
and rent the heavens with their roar. Pulaski returned the fire
with a promptness and energy that seemed to bid defiance to our
batteries. Throughout the whole day, the storm beat unceasingly
upon the doomed fort, raining shot and shell like hail against its
walls and upon its ramparts. Solid steel-pointed shot, from
columbiads and Parrotts, aimed with a precision that indicated not
only great skill but a knowledge of the point of danger in the
fort, perforated the walls and buried themselves in the thick and
heavy masonry. Once, twice, thrice, four times was the rebel flag
shot away; but as often was it replaced. At seven o'clock in the
evening, the firing ceased, and there was a lull in the storm,
only, however, to be renewed again at midnight, and kept up at
regular intervals until sunrise, when the engagement increased in
greater vigor than throughout the preceding day.

The morning was clear and beautiful, but not calm. A stiff breeze
came from the East, as if to bear the terrific reports of the
cannonading to Savannah, whose distant spires and towers gleamed in
the sun. Our blockading fleet, with accompanying transports, lay at
anchor in Tybee harbor. Here and there a gunboat, firing occasional
shots, could be seen moving about in Wilmington sound, while the
Unadilla, Hale, and Western World occupied their positions in
Wright and Mud rivers. Tatnall's fleet was no where to be seen, and
all things in the direction of Savannah seemed as quiet as though
that city was peacefully and securely reposing, as in other days,
under the broad folds of the American Union.

It was a sad and woful day to the cities of the South, when her
rebel princes renounced their allegiance to the government, and
raised the traitor arm of rebelli