The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-10-07
a<iu Correspondence of the Statesman
Operations Before. Charles
TON. b Hi -vitU5t
Folly ISLAND, s CT
September 10. 1863

! September 10, 1868
EDrroRs Quo STATESMAN: IF my
nleuiory serves me rightly tire last time [
wrote dated from Brooke's Station, Va
at twhlca time predicted grand ''burdIe
race in the direction of Washington, D.
| Or 1T did come off as you are aware,
andalthough the Potomac Army personat
ed the tortoise on the black Stretch" it
outdid even the sole OF the oldafox in the
oUtstart But as the march into Penn
sylvaDia and out again areesow matter OF
historyit would be superhuoas for me to
pass in review auy portion connected there
with, and | will 5onfne myself to events
transpiring in and arouad the famous and
rebellons harbor OF Charleston;
| On the 18th day of Aug. our division,
composed of the 25th O. " l., the 18th
o. v. l., the II Conn.,, 10th o. v. l., 41st,
157th, 18th. 144th New Yosk, 74th Pa,
| and 10th Massachusetts arrived on Folly
Island, S, c. This island lies south of
Morris Island, separated only by a narrow
channel, extending coastwise distance of
nine miles, the point Of deharkation for
(which is at Stone Inlet Soon after our
! arrival here, the 1st brigade, 10Th, aud
18th O. ". T., the 18th. Conn, ,4Oth Mass,
157thand 144th New York, were ordered
/ to Morris Island, amid the sands of which
we .bivouacked for the period of ten days.
While there | had my first view of Sum
tier, that grand old pile of stone and sand
bags, the reduction ofwhich has cost Uncle
Sam untold piles ofgreenbacks; mountains
of gunpowder and shell having been con-
sumed in putting daylight through it.
1t has been done, however. qNotwithstan
ding the braggart boast of Beaureguard
that he could hold Wagner and Sumter
against the combined, Yankee army AID
fleet, ,,they arenow ours-thatis the ruined
walls of Sumter and the rife pits, spiked
guns, and torpedoes of Wagner and Bat
/ terry Gregg; in fact, the entire island is
ours, not .sreb'' remaipingy except a few
half. starved. miserable looking prison
ters.a4 afiisis sls ti heel ~ v PEA
! On the night of the 9th the enemy evac-
uated Forts Wagner and Gregg, having
previously removed the greater portion OF
/ heir artillery and ammunition, and on thet
morning ofthe 7th our forces took pos
session, the Ohio boys, as usual, taking
! the lead Great, caution was required to
bpreSenta general ''blow up, the unscrup-
.Huious devils having applied the torch to a
.hfuse connecting with the magazine, and
I'distributed all manner OF torpedoes in ev-
lery direction Among the various con-
llttivanees tor%'letting blood, ~ fwasa species
Of pike, resembling a boat-hook, firmly
planned in the sand and inclinipg outwdrd
SO as to reach about the middle ola man.
This was intended for any party attempting
to storm their works during the night,
But one prisoner was taken, he having
iEbeet lei, no doubt, to BLOW 40 the maya
zine aud con,miit other like noble and self
sacrificing, deeds Of valor on the approach
of the enasty Yankees Whether his
courage oozed out on our approach. or
whether his aration of whNkey had been
enlarged, / am unableto say but the mag
lazine did not blow up, and the patrlotl?)
I is now in durauce vile.i = - ssH
Quite novel expedient was resorted
ITO in order,l all lsother' attempts failing, to
induce our OWE men to blow themselves
: up Near the magazine were four dead
: bodies, attached to which were wires run
ming into the magazine, the slightest pull
ton which would have ignited it. The fact
E6f the bodies being lefe tuhburied excitec
4 Isuspicion, and xaminations disclosed the
Z presence of the wiref The prisoner taker
q was then interrogated and compelled t.
point out the locality of the hideous tor
j lpedpes- To each torpedo "a small 4sticl
! WAS attached, on touching which an instan
= taneous explosion was the consequence
The torpedoes. were principally made o
: lager beer kegs each. containing twenty
II Ave or, thirty pounds of powder. Our boy
: : amused themselves by throwing clubs a
Il them, by Yhiehmeaps quite number wer
slexploded. f9Ysis a,iS seiaJ Oh ;siagl4
= From Wagner and Gregg. the effect Q
Sdpuf!heavy metal oniSnnter is plainly visi
!, Bile. One entire side and end is a complet
J mass of ruins, daylight showing througl
!. in many, PLACES from the opposite side
J The rebelrag stu foatssbase III. a, thi