Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-07-30
From the Charleston Courier.
THE SIEGE OF CHARLEsTOn

we are enabled this morning to present our readers
with reliable and connected narrative Of the late night
assault Battery Wagn-r. and The principal antece
Gent events of the day
First, it should ka stated that the Etdera.s occupy
the Southern half ef Morris Island, embracing about
tTo niles. Every available point OF attack on this
space had been made to brstie with their cannon On
Gregg's Hill, or Look OUT, (as it termed during
our b0G1bardment Of Fort SumteF) they had erected
batteries and signal station. and these, with tie fleet
payed seedly.upop works for several days. Mean
while the enemy lDdust ously prepared other t0tlca
tons On the Isiard, the nearest bel about three
tourths Of mile from Fort Wagner. Ite others
located on the line OF Greg2s Hi and eXteEdt about
a mile TO the lett locking orlh@ard from that point
The attSr were comparatively ont OF effective range
These preparationsA being complete d. the fleet PREPARED
to operate with the lard batteries, and accordingly
on the morning OF be eighteenth it moved into line,
the whole forming imRensa seml circle OF ire
4 few minutes after s O'Clock in the norping the
bom5sf0ment commenced al from this time increased
in Intensity until nearly DUSK when It culmnated in
one 0! Ge grandes and most fearful storms OF shot and
she'll rained upJn battery this Continent No
language do justice to the at ibis time. Tie
sound like long continued reverberatiUn Of thun-
der peal following peal III Ell cession, rapid that or
could scarcely discern interval. The air filed
with but sting sfC"n1 of iron who solid and
splntered fragments buried thens Ives in almost every
loot OF the devoted Fort. Immense shells rking the
slope bounded over the parapet and rolled the
parade ground, to burst and scatter there. Others
ard over the water throw huge v0umes OF cat and
ssa high IN sir, while still more peLc;ra:ed and were
Gst to sight In the broad earthen sides OF the battery
On right ard left could be seen shooting out tongue
oil flame from every gu0 and th' fantastic shapes OF
smoke would Hnyer Tor q moment and drift way in
clustering hanches tstooos and spra wreaths to min
gle with the heavy clouds that had gafherfd IN the
Northern sky.
Through all this terrible ordeal our arlelists con
sisting OF Captains 1atum and Adams Companies Of
South Carolina Regulars detachnents from Captains
Buckner and DiXOn's Companies from the C3d Georgia
Re yment and the Oharleston Battalion of Infantry
DraVely maintained their positions in the Fort Nine
thousand shot and shel, as is estimated, fell around
them-killDg and manning others, but they never
fllnched.
The casualties during the day did not exceed eight
killed and twenty wounded Among the many ipci-
dents related, is which has before been published
but is repeated here for correction. When the Con
federa,e flag shot down, Msjor Ramsay, Leute-
nant Reddck, OF the 63l Georgia Volunteers AN Ser
geants Shelton an6 Flynn of the Charleston Battalion
under heavy fire Immediately replaced it The staff
At Ghe same time Captain Barn well, Of the Euginters
ng battle flag planted it on the rampars. Sub
sequentIy the latter shot away, when Private Gil
iiard OF the Charleston Battalion with lntrepdty
worthy OF all praise repanted It its original posi-
tion.
The assault OF the Federals being Anticipated the
different commands Of The garrison as as the firing
ceased, were ordered to their respective positions be-
hind the ramparts. These as follows: Ol the
right three companies OF the Charleston Battalion
Lieut.. Col. Gaiiard the lett the fty.tirst
North Carolina Reginent, 687 stroDg Col. Ell. Nc
kethan, which extended 20 the bomb proof where the
line continued still to the lett by the Thirty first
North Carolina Regiment. A portion OF the latter
regiment asO held reserve he parade ground
Outside the fort The left, holding that wing, were
two more companies of the Chac!eaton Battalion.
The Artl!erists we're under the general command of
Lieut.. Col SimkiDs, OF .he First Sou b Carolina Regu
lars, and consisted OF the Companies already Gamed.-
In addition to these the Light Battery ot Captain
Du Pass, and srctioa OF How under Lient L. D
Waties.
The enemy advanced as has before been described,
and received with terrible fe OF grape canister
and small arms from the long line Of the Fifty-first
North Carolina, AID the Charleston Battalion. the lat
ter by of their position pouring the advancing
Columns eLfiading fire. b yrhese two Commands the
Federals handsomely reptled and left behlrd them
q ground strewn with dead and wounded.
! second attack was shortly after wards made On the
left, and here there being hut Slight ressarc9. the
my vigorously pressing forward, and We having bu'
determined men at that point to hold them in ct e:k
cleared the DITCH cambered the sides 0 the Battery
entered at the salient angle aud planted their flag Du
RIG his period and subsequently, the howi'z4rs OF Lieu
tenant w les 5lst NOTtn Carol ma, aud the Charies
ton Battalion, sweeping the ditch and sope of the
Battery with 8paterlDg showers OF grape and nusle
~, the effect OF which prevent enemy either
from receiving support retTeating to their Ices.
The remainder OF the column were driven back, and
assisted In Their etrograe progress by both
artillery and that OF Fort Sumter and Battery
CIR gg. We saould not omit to state here that the la
ter Battery opened fire Federad during the day
and evening, Whenever they within range, aud
it were, stood gin sentinel NJ the back door Of is
brother Wagner
The obi ct now was to dislojge the enemy ia the
Fort. Col Harris, tic Engineer in charge, placed a
h0wltzer the let Of the TORT outside, ad Gt9 Tai
.,tp,go called for volunteers. Maj Mcdonald, With
Cos 100 3 tho Fifty first North Carolina gmeut
anoug Others responded but selecting Captain Ryans
detachment OF the Charleston Bdttao On, the General d.
r. ed tn NJ to charge into the salem. The Order Was
but unfor unaely the loss Of the brave Ryan
caused hesitation am JDg the men, and IN momrnt
the opportunity was lost. Moi .msay had also ia q
in similar atttmpt. Meanwhile e Federals man
tanned their positlon keeping up and ceyit desu
Tory FIRE for upwards OF an htuc. Finally, prepar
atons to attack was completed At this juno ure a
Company OF the Fhrty-eec0Dd Georgia, Col. HARRISON
from the rear aud they surrendered. Thus coded the
bstte and thus Was Won, COZ sdering the odds, oil
the greatest victories OF the
Various incidents of the fight have already been pub
she'd and various nanss mentioned in connection with
the gallant conduct of Off ers and men,. There are
several Of the latter however which have been unavod
aoiy omitted, and insert them here. Capt. DuPass
and Lieut.. Waties OF the First Regular Artillery
(woundedl and Lieut. PoWe acted with bravery that
was not surpassed by any OF their comrades. Lieut.
was knocked down four times BY shells, was grazad
above the eyes by ball which lett its mark, had his
clothes shot through, and hnaiy wounded 10 the
arm Out of detachment of thirteen men under
Lieut. Waties, who Whstood the combined attack BY
land and water and the night assault five were killed
aud four wounded. Only tour were untouched The
names are given below.
The Colonel, 1t. Col, Major and eff ,ers aud men
generally, Of the 5lst n. G. Regiment, also behaved
with great steadintss and galantry. Capt. Iwiggs
Ad't Gen the staff of Gen. Tala!erro, aid Captain