On the 19th instant, one of the Whitworts was entirely disabled by the re-enforced bands starting forward, and on the 21st I discontinued firing from the other, as the shot were continually jamming in the bore, in ramming home one of which 4 men were killed by a premature explosion of the charge.

Although shot and shell were constantly passing over and around yes through the mercy of God they harmed us not.

The officers and men under my command have done their whole duty to the country and to the navy, and to-day, as a reward of their labors, have the proud satisfaction of beholding Fort Sumter a shapeless mass of ruins, with its last gun dismounted and fallen amid the debris.

FOXHALL A. PARKER,

U. S. Navy.

Admiral DAHLGREN,

Commanding South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

Numbers 4. Reports of Colonel Alfred Rhett, First South Carolina Artillery, commanding Fort Sumter, of operations August 12-September 4.*

August 12.-The steamer Hibben was this morning disabled at the wharf a 200-pounder Parrott shell. Seven negroes were injured, 3 more of less seriously.

The oven in bakery has been rendered useless, and about one-half bushel of bricks thrown from arch beneath.

Three shells exploded in western barracks, injuring no one.

The commissary stores have been removed to the three casemates on northeast angle.

Mortar firing was kept up during the entire night. The following ammunition was expended: 38 10 inch mortar shell. One 8-inch columbiad was dismounted during the night from east face, to be sent to James Island. One 10-inch columbiad was shifted from next to 11-inch Dahlgren to near center of battery on east face.

The center traverse on east face is now being built. The other traverse will be built to-day. Seventeen 200-pounder Parrott shots and shell struck the fort during the entire day, 6 outside and 11 inside. Two men were wounded-Corporal [James A.] Phillips, Company F, and Private [patrick] Norton, Company E. They have been sent to the city. One 32-pounder rifle carriage was disabled and gen struck on muzzle; not supposed to be injured. Two traverse circles on western face have been destroyed. A clear breach of 3 feet has been made in northwest angle by a single 200-pounder shot. One wounded negro died. The wood piles on southern side of fort have ben removed to the pits, and curtains will be constructed to protect the men from fragments of bricks.

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* Being extract from the daily dispatches from that officer and from the Journal of the Defense of Fort Sumter," which was kept under Special Orders, Numbers 141, department headquarters, of July 17, 1863. The journal is not found among the Confederate archives, but the extracts here given are those forwarded from day to day by the post commandant to district and department headquarters, and thus preserved. The extracts for August 13 and 14 were transmitted by Major Ormsby Blanding, all others by Colonel Rhett. For his reports from July 10 to August 11 see Operations on Moris Island, p. 5871.

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