The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-24
j. II. HERSHMAN N, Editor
STRUGGLE FOR MORRIS ISLAND

NIGHT ASSAULT UPON OUR WORKS - SIG
NAL AND BLOODY REpULsE OF THE FOE.
Saturday last will be day which will be
forever memorable in the history of Charles
ton. The heavy rains had moderated the cx-
cessvc heat of the preceding fortnight, the
morning sky was coudless and the light breeze
scarcely ruffled tho placid waters of the harbor
BoMBARDMENr OF BATTERY WAGNER.
About eight o'clock the desultorv cannon
adc with which the experience of week had
made our community familiar was again hcart
For nearly three hours the enemy's fire was
maintained with the usual deliberations; but
about eleven o'clock it was noticed that the re-
ports came in far more rapid succession. BY
noon it became well understood that the foe
was resolved to subject our position to an or
deal much more severe than any which, up to
that time, it had encountered. At that hour
as we learn by accounts from Morris Island, the
converging fire of the enemy against the bat
terv had become truly fearful. Five Monitors
the frigate Ironsidcs, seven wooden gnnboats
thrown up on the lower portion Of the Island,
kent ND q constant rain of shot and shell into
our works No less than sixty-fvc heavy guns
and cioht mortars are known to have been in
play against us. At one time, so rapic was the
fire, that the reports averaged twcnty-seven per
minute. One of the Monitors lay northeast OF
Battery Wagner and two to the southeast, while
the Others, with the Ironsidcs kept position
nearly opposite the sea face of the battery
The wooden gunboats man9uvrcd at some dis
tance outside the line of "turretted monsters,
relying chiefly upon their long range rifed
siege guns. There were two Yankee batteries
on Morris Island-one, consisting of two guns
and a mortar, was located at Craig's I'LL, with
in about eight hundred yards Of our battery;
the other was beyond Graham's House, and
had an armament of eight rfled shell guns
1t is estimated that during the day, no less
than nine thousand shells were fired at the
battery.
The bombardment, as viewed from emincn-
eos i The city, was a grand and terrible sight.
The ,,ui!z.n. from Fort Moutre to Vinegar
Hill. was cruwnr,! with the shifting masses OF
the smoke Of til. conflict. Each moment the
enemy's shells, sometimes singly, sometimes IN
clusters, could be seen bnrsting nst above the
site of Battery Wagner; but when, at inter
walls. the clouds OF white SMOKE lifted for time
from the scene, the flag of the brave garrison
could be seen still waving defantly in the
breeze, while with grim regularity and deliber.
alton our guns kept replying to the foe
For eleven consecutive hours the lombard
ment ragged with more or less violence. About
dusk the fire, which during the afternoon had
been incessant probably with the design 'oi
aemoralizing our men and uniting them fol
the expected nights work., began to slackcn
considerably, and at dark ceased almost en-
tirely. The results, thus far, had been OF q
character to give us good cause for encourage
ment and graduation. The damage to our
battery was Insignificant and of kind easily
and speedily rcparable. The bombproofs had