New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-07-30
THE ATTACK ON BATTERY
WAGNER.
Rebel Account OF the Affair.

"Personne," in The Charleston Couritr, gives
some interesting details Of Saturday nights assault
on Battery Wagner:
The Unonists had occupied Black Islsnd-a small
spot between james and Morris l-lands-and ,hrowu
NJ battery. They rad erected two or three addi-
tionsi batteries on Morris leland, about miles from
Fort Wagner and they had concentrated their fleet,
consisting of four Monitors, the Ironsides frigse
and four gunboais, some OF which threw she'll from
mor,ars Altogether the circle of fire embraced not
far from seventy guns From daylight until
oclock the firing was almost inoessant
10 this heavy fire our response was hut selcom-
probably not ofteuer than once III ten minutes.
During the whole Of this bOmbardmeni. until
six O'Clock in the evening our oasulties, strange
10 saw, only numbered four killed aud fourteen
wounded After this hour the lire increased 20
four-fold intensity. Nothing like the RAPID dis
charge from heavy artillery has been before seen
heard on this continent Battery Wagner was al
most silent.
Battery Gregg at Cummings Point, and Fort
Sumter taking part in the laundering chorus, Were
now firing with greater rapidly than at any pre-
yious tiine during the day.
During this critical period the majority Of our
troOps We're driven TO shelter beneath our bomb
proofs and other works erected for their protection.
But il was known TO tho officers commanding that
such demonstration on the part Of the enemy was
not without its object.
The enemy had hoped by this terrible FIRE not only
10 des,rov battery, but TO demorahlc our troops
In both they failed.
IA the shades Il night began 70 fall the lombard
m,nt measuraby relaxed. Gen. TalIaferro, one Of
" Stouewall Jacksons veterans, now promptly Or
dered every man 10 the parhpet, ana they were
hardly III their places before word WAS received that
the columns of the enemy were advancing 10 tho
attack.
Five minutes more and the column wac plainly in
sight appearing, according to tho statement given
the writer, 10 be seven lnes deep
Our batteries remained silent until the enemy
reached the vicinity Of our rhe-pi's, when grape
and canister were thrown into their ranks with
fearful precision and execution. Checked Tor an IN
slant only, they closed up the ragged gaps IN their
lines, and moved steadily on, until within lees than
50 Yards.
Barely waiting the Unionists TO get within a de-
strucive range our infantry opened their fusiiade,
and, FROM "a fringe OF lire that lined the parapet,
leaped forth thousand messengers Of death.
Staggering under u e shock the fret line seemed
for moment checked but puzzled on by those III the
rear, the whole now Commenced charge at
double quick" On they came over the sand hills,
tripping and stumbling In the pits their own shells
had dug until they reached the ditch OF the battery
then II was but a moments work for those who
survived our terrible fire of musketry, 10 Chamber
up the sOping sides of the fortication aud attempt
10 effect a Judgment But the men who met them
on the psrapet were as desperate as Themselves,
aud the contest that ensued was brief and bloody.
The antagonists were breast 10 breast. and South
ern rifles and Southern bayonets made short work
of human hfe. We could stop to take no prisoners
them The pafapet was lined with dead bodies,
white and black, and every second "as adding to
the number. IL was Of those rencOnters IN
which one side or the other must quickly yield or
fly. The enemy took their choice.
In less than five minutes, probably, the first line
bad been shot, bayoneed, or were IN full retreat,
rolling into the ditch or dragging their bloody bod
les through the sand hills their hands and knees.
But another line came. and another, and another,
each reinforcing It's predecessor, and the battle
waxed hot, fierce, and bloody.
Finally, however, the whole were driven back,
either into the broad trench at the base Of the bat
terry out Of reach OF our guns or scalnperns out oil
view III the darkuess Of the night
There was now comparative iull IN the tfiDg,
but ia fifteen or twenty minutes az the winter has
been informed, second column OF Unlonst' re-
peated the experiment. The fret assault Jailed
utterly, bat with The re-eniorcements that lOintd
the defeated party they c..Ine again with ouch
strength aud impe uoeity that between the extreme
darkness OF the night, which had now enveIOped
the entire scene, the difficulty Of distinguishing
friend and foe, and the confusion incident 10 sGch
an Occasion some two three hundred, as Is
estimated effected Odemen. in the vicinity OF the
chambers occupied by two Of our guns. Others
clambered 10 the top OF the magazine ana bomb
proof, while still others, as Is SAID clustered around
Union flag flying on the ramparts
1Dis position tho FedoIalr held for certainly mp
ward OF an hour. We were at fret comparatively
Ignorant OF their strength or exact location, bat
Ger. Taaferro, with the cool courage for which he
II distinguished. made close personal reconnos.
ance, aud soon had measures perfected for driving
them from the work. In the present attitude Of
1ic;ng statements shall not detail the manner in
Which this was done, but we do know that both
naior David Ramsey Of the Charleston Battalion
we .ev rely wosnded and Capt. Ryan, of the Irish
Volunteers, killed, while leading portion OF their
men Il charge against tho obstinate enemy.
In the melee ,nich followed the final arrange
ment Of the General, most OF the prisoners
captured whom We have in hand. Many escaped
over tnc sdes OF the battery, but others preferred
voluntary Surrender 20 the rick OF bang shot IN the
ba X.
Roth the Union land batteries and our own
Suwler and Gresg-weIe arpg " intervals during