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June 20, 1863, The Charleston Mercury

Since the repulse of the fleet of iron-clad gunboats on the 7th of April, our people seem to have settled down into a condition of complacent inertness concerning the public defences in this locality. Now, confidence is undoubtedly a good thing, and its moral power is an admirable auxiliary, particularly in all military operations. But a false confidence based on self-deception, when once rudely shaken at the time of trial, only leads to demoralization and wild dismay. In our judgment Charleston is not yet saved, and this is no season for supineness in the furnishing and application of labor and material for the further security of this city. There are no signs of a final abandonment of the enterprise of taking Charleston. On the contrary, there are decided indications that the attempt will be renewed in some direction or other.

The land forces of HUNTER’S Department exhibit no appearances of diminution since the early retirement of the reinforcements sent from FOSTER. Several regiments are unmistakably on Folly Island, and these have been busy in building an entrenched camp, in erecting strong works, and in mounting heavy long-range guns bearing upon Morris Island. Little Folly Island is only a projection from Folly Island, and may be reoccupied any day. Several other regiments are on Seabrook’s Island, where they too have an entrenched camp, and today we publish that they are moving in the direction of James’ Island. The Yankee pickets in front of General WILLIAM WALKER’S troops, in the southern portion of the State, have recently been doubled. From Beaufort and from Hilton Head, within the last two weeks, two bold and completely successful raids have been made by the enemy, destroying many hundreds of thousands of property, with the prospects of the rice crop in one of the finest grain-growing regions of the grain-needing Confederacy. Besides the various squadrons of wooden ships and gunboats hovering upon our coast, six iron-clads are still in our waters. Commodore FOOTE, who has superseded DUPONT in command of the naval forces, is a man of energy, daring and great success; and he is a bitter hater of the South. The desolation of our country and the reduction of Charleston will be with him a labor of love, engaging his untiring and utmost efforts to accomplish. By land and sea we need to prepare to cope with enemies actuated by undisguised and unmitigated ferocity, and manifesting the disposition to leave no stone unturned for our overthrow and utter ruin.

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