Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-11-12
MORNINGLEADER.
THURsDAY MORNINe NOV. IL, 1898,
GsReral GIin0re's OperaIIsng . 0haflsa-

General GIim0re's Operations At Charles
We extract the following article from
~. the Army and Navy Journal OF october
24th, in reference to General GinmOre's
operations at Charleston. The author OF
st is Professor and graduate Of our own
Military Academy graduate Of the prin-
eipal one in France, as well as one Of the
most celebrated military writers Of the
day. There is no man in this country or
Europe better qualified to give q correct
and intelligent review Of the operations
at Charleston than the author of this arti-
Gle. It fully demonstrates that there new
is4= er was campaign in ancient or modern
times that developed such important re-
suits to the engineer end artillerist in so
short time as this. Almost every day
was prolific in valuable experience, and
that, too, in apparent violation Of many
time .honored axioms. The results have
astOnished the most skilful engineers and
artillerists Of Europe, have honOred and
strengthened our country abroad, and
have cast undyiDg fame upon the name Of
Quincy A. Gilmore, the brave and skilful
a. General, who alone planned, and with the
aid of our brave and invincible soldiers
conducted the campaign
From the Army and Navy Journal, October "a
SIEGE OPERATIONS AGAINST FORT WAGNER.
- The siege of Fort Wagner, considering
p the character Of the ground over which the
approaches were made, marshy on one
side and suhje to be overfowsd By high
tides; the narrow front for the develop
mant of the parallels and zigzags and
the heavy fires TO which the besieee ers were
subjected without being able to reply to it
by counter-bstteries, forms q memorable
-l' epoch in the engineers art, and presents
lessons fruitful in results.
Morris Island, the site Of Forts Wagner
and Gregg, is but q narrow ridge Of sand
formed by successive socumulstons from
-- the beach, running along the entrance to
Charleston Harbor. This ridge slopes from
the shore inwards terminating in the salt
marshes, intersected by narrow creeks,
which lie to the west Of it. The width of
the portion disposable for the trenches in
! ~ no point exceeds 225 yards, whilst in 9TH
ers it narrows to 25 yards at high tide.
The plan Of attack, it is now known,
II, proposed by General Gilmore, was lst.
r To effect Judgement on the South side of
.sIa Morris Island, which ii was known that
the enemy was then strongly terrifying.
81. ID. To besiege and reduce Fort Wagner,
by which all the works on Cummings
Point would necessarily fall Sd. From
the positions thus gained to reduce Fort
Sumter. 4th. The vessels of war to re-
move the distractions at the entrance Of
the hsrbor and reach the city by running
-s- BY the works on Sullivan Island.
The first point was effected by the d. !
version made on the Stono which drew off |
half the enemy's forces from Nor |
ris Island and rendered its capture by |
- M
was done July 10Th.
It is known that two assaults on Fort
Wagner were unsuccessful, though the |
troops making il were on the brink Of |
efecting their object. These failures led |
to a modification of General Gillmore's
plan, which was 10 effect the reduction or
'sG demolition Of Fort Sumter, from which an
a-a1 annoying fire was kept up on his trenches
E- over Fort Wagner, before advancing on
the latter work, the fire of which he ex-
d pected to keep down from destructive ef-
le feot5 by his mortar batteries and the iron
elads Of the Navy. How thoroughly this
was done by the heavy guns of his batter
q ries at distances Of Z. $50 and 4240 yards
is well known. In letter to C friend,
General Gilmore, with characteristic can
dor and modesty, saws q" take no special
credit to myself for the attainment Of this
result 1t was simply the development
OF the power Of skilfully-seryed artillery,
PGTTou is The real hero"
Having effected this important object.
the approaches and other works against
Fort Wagner were mere easily pushed for
ward: ARMED with seventeen heavy guns,
well hanked, with a wet ditch, a bomb
proof for It's garrison that resisted the
heaviest shells, approachable only in front
Of the narrow sandridge which narroEs
down to 25 yards in width just in front of
the work, guarded on the east by the sea
and on the west by Vineents Greek and
the marsh from surprise, seen in reverse
By Battery Gregg and thirty guns on Sul-
Pc Hvsn's Island, in flank by the batteries
on James Island whilst all the ground in
sdvance Of it is swept at one point or an
other By all its guns, a more difficult pyo-
hlem has seldom if ever, been presented U
forthe solution Of the engineer then its
reduction; certainly none in modern
times.
In spite Of these obstacles; in spite of
the shifting sand under him, over which
The tide swept more than once during his
sdVanoei IN spite Of the succor and relief
of the garrison from Charleston, with I
which their communications were fr,,e y
General Gilmore addressed himself to his c.
task with that preparedness for evarv n
-. eventuslity and that ienacity Rhioh are N
characteristic traits of his character. II
The sketch accompanying this suceipet
account reduced carefully from an au W
thentic copy, shows so well the skillful di- q
reetion given to the approaches, and the .
means used for guarding than from scrties. ms
that nothing further is requisite for a full de
comprehension of The siege works. The
trst parallel and the batteries in il were All
Feedy, on July 18th, and the fire was open- tn
60 at $50 yards several hours prior to N
the assault on that day. The second par =
sllel was opened by the flying SAD on The b.
2od July at 75O yards from the Fort, was "a "a
made the principal defensive line, was weli Il
secured from sorties, and contained tbs
preaching batteries afterWard used aV,.;pst
Sumter. The third parallel, at $50 Yards | ?
was made by the flying sap also, on An
gust sth,and beyond this point the srencb-
es were sometimes pushed forwasG, bv tbs
lying sap, sometimes by the full san. As n, R5
opportunity demanded. Ehe fourth par- D,
sllel, ct eoogt 20G yards, was rads on aaII
me I'd Esd August The fifth naraIIsI 81
s. 2pV yards on ridge wrested from tbe y
enemy, August 18th. Beyora this point 4
the approaches were Simply zipzsgs. MAJ u
Ing very actue angles w,th aon6 n3A.- =. Li