The Ironsides moved in at 1.30 on the morning of the 2nd, and, taking a position at from about 1,500 to 1,800 yards from Sumter, opened her broadside. She was too far from Moultrie for effective practice, which was ordered to be kept up and concentrated on the leading vessels. This was done until 4.40 a. m., when the fleet retired, two monitors apparently injured and requiring assistance. Their fire had been principally directed against Fort Sumter, apparently with the intention of doing as much damage as possible. This was effected to the extent of demolishing nearly the whole of the eastern scarp, but only three casualties (all slight wounds) took place in the fort. Two men of the Fifty-first North Carolina, were killed on Sullivan's Island, by the explosion of a shell from the fleet.

The Twenty-fifth South Carolina Regiment was to have relieved the Thirty-second Georgia and Eighth North Carolina, on duty at Morris Island, but owing to the engagement the communication was interrupted and only a detachment effected a landing.

While the cannonade was going on, an occasional fire was kept up on Battery Wagner, and the enemy pushed forward his works of attack to within about 120 yards of the eastern salient. Owing to the difficulty of communication and supply, the garrison was compelled to husband the ammunition for the heavy guns; but a fire was kept up to impede their progress as much as possible. The sharpshooters on both sides on Morris Island were busily employed in the day, but the batteries against Sumter were idle and the fleet were apparently employed repairing damages and resupplying their ammunition. The casualties at Wagner were 1 killed and 6 wounded.

At night the movement of troops, attempted the previous evening, and the supply of Morris Island were effected, and at 11 p. m., Colonel L. M. Keitt, of the Twentieth South Carolina Volunteers, relieved Brigadier-General Colquitt in the command of that position.

The night of the 2nd [September] passed quietly at Battery Wagner, the enemy pressing forward his works, and our own forces repairing damages and planting torpedoes to obstruct his progress. Early in the morning of the 3rd, he opened his mortars and continued the practice throughout the day. The casualties for the day were 1 killed and 6 wounded.

A quantity of ammunition and stores were removed from Fort Sumter during the night of the 2nd. The 3rd passed away without the enemy's firing upon that work, and the garrison and hands were employed in reliefs. At night the shipment of ordnance and stores was continued. One 10-inch gun, one 8-inch, and rifled 32-pounder were removed from the berm of the fort and transported to the city by Mr. J. Fraser Mathewes. Lieutenant Julius M. Rhett succeeded in throwing from the parapet two 10-inch, one 42-pounder (rifled), one 8-inch, one 11-inch, and one 32-pounder rifled guns during the nights of September 1, 2, and 3.

The night of the 3rd passed with comparative quiet, the enemy working at his approaches and pushing them forward with vigor, covered occasionally by his mortar practice. When morning dawned he neglected Fort Sumter, but kept an occasional fire from his land batteries on Battery Wagner, and kept his sharpshooters busy in sweeping the parapet from the captured rifle-pits. The monitor fleet lay quiet, apparently repairing damages and taking in ammunition.

About 8 o'clock, the Ironsides opened fire on Battery Wagner, which was kept up until about noon, when she hauled off and regu-