Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-07-24
Prom chs Gh.rles.sn Mercury, July @l

Terry WAGNEk-A NIGHT ASSAULT
Upon OUR W0RKS-SIGNAL AND
BLOODY REPULSE OF THE FOE.
Saturday last was day which will be for
ever memorable in the history "f Charleston.
The heavy rains had moderated the excessive
heat of the preceding fortnight, the morning
siv was cloudless, and the lignt breeze scarce.
" rufficd the placid waters of the harbor.
BoMBARpMRNr OF BATTERY WAGNER.
About eight o'clock the desultory cannonade
With which the experience Of q week had made
cur community familiar was again heard. For
nearly three hours the enemy fire was main
taincd with the usual deliberation : but about
eleven o'clock it was noticed that the reports
came in far more rapid succession. BY noon
it became we'll understood that the foe was re-
solved 10 subject our position to an ordeal
much more severe than any which, up to thnt
time, it had encountered. AT that hour, as we
learn by accounts from Morris Island, the
conYercing fire of tue enemy against the
battery had become truly fearful. Five
Monitors, the trigate Ironside, seven wood
Gu gunboats, with the land batteries
which tho Yankees had thrown up on the
lower portion Of the island, kept up con-
slant rain of shot and shell into our works.
no less than sixty-fre heavy guns and eight
mortars are known to have been IN play
against US. At one time, 50 rapid was the
ire, that the reports averaged swenty.seven.
per minute. One Of the monitors lay north.
east Of Battery Wagner and Two to the south
east, while tho others, with the lronsldes,
kept up position nearly opposite the sea
face Of tho battery. The wooden guubuats
uanrurrcd at some distance outside the line
of "turret4ei monsters" relying chiefly upon
the. long-rauge riAed siege guns. There
were two Yankee batteries on Morris Island
one, consisting Of two gu,is aud mo&ar, was
lo,uted ut Cruig's Hill, within about eight
hundred Yards nf our battery the othcr was
beyond Grahaln's House, aud had an arma-
mcnt Of eight riicd shell guns. 1t is est!ma-
ted that during the day, nc less than nine
thousand shells were fred at the battery.
The bombardment, as viewed from emf
nences in the city, was grand end terrible
sight. The horizon, from Fort Muultrie to
Vinegar Hill, was crowned with the shifting
masses OF the smoke Of the conflict. Each
moment tho enemy shells, sometimes singly,
sometimes in clusters, could DO seen bursting
iust above tho cite of Battery Wagner; but
when, at intervals the clouds OF white smoke
lIttu LOT Il lllllB INC stciic, VII W Wv
brave garrison could DO seen still waving de-
family in the breeze, while with grim regu-
Iariry and dtiiberatiun our guns kept reply.
ing to tho Toe
For elaron consecutive hours tho lombard.
mcnt IA ,;ed with more or less violence. About
.lusk the fire. which during the afternoon hud
been inceSsant probably with the design Of de-
lnura!aiug eur men and uniting them for the
expected nights work. legan 70 slaeken Con-
.lcrably, and q: dark crascl almost entirely.
The results, thus lar, had boon of character
I, give us good cause for encouragement sud
-ra'ula;lou. The damage to our Battery WAS
insignificant and Of klni easily and speedily
rtpa'ablc. The bombprools had afforded eff
.;cnr protection to o large portion Of tle garri-
.pn ana our casualties AT O'Clock, y. Ia, were
hut four killed and fourteen wounded. OF tie
uemy'$ losses from our fire, if any, we have,
o.: course, no Trustworthy account. Fort Sum.
ter. which bore part in the action. sans snve. =
ii SHELLS into tho Craig Hill Batteries, and also
INTO the camp OF the enemy, about 81 miles
distant it is believed, with good effect.
TIE NIGHT ATTACK.
At p few minutes before eight O'clock cur
p;ckets gave notice that the enemy, in heavy
irrce was moving TO the assault. The attacx
was not unexpected, and our men. though
much faded Ivy the tatigues and exposure of
the day, spraug to their places with zeal end
amerity. The enemy advanced in two col
umns Of about 1000 mon each, the whole I'M
Ter the command of Brigadier Gen. Strong
The column which attacked our right was
composed partially Of negro troops, who were
put in the advance. On cur left, the other
column advanced with spirit, under severe
lire from the Dahlgrcu guns and columbiads Of
Fort Sumter. A. the column advanced ut tho
dnuble.quicl, the guns ofBat,ery Wagner also
opened.
When the enemy had reached point about six
ty yards distant, our infantry posted behind the
parapct, poured CALLING fire into the moving
masses the Yankees, nevertheless, in consider.
able force, succeeded i'll gaiu-g the trench, and
began 20 Chamber up tn. sides of the Battery.
At this momont, Lieut.. Walies, of Blakes Bat.
terry, who was in charge Of two brass howitze-s
belonging to a detachment Of artillery under
Capt DePass. ut Whites Bgttalion) opened q
r,kng fire which swept the trench plaj ing terrific
havoc il the ranks of the assailHnts. The
huwiizers had been assigned to this position
which they occupied so ndvautagcousiy for us,
At the instance OF Col. Harris, OF the Engineers,
all the horses belonging TO the section having
been pu, hors DIT combat during. the day.
Twice the enemy was driven back at this part
oi our works, tho left,) and the trench filed
with the cneny's dead afests the severity of
tho conflict there.
On the right, the negro troops were met
WITH terrible cross FIRE Of musketry. Here
was posted, among other troups, the Charles
in y manner worthy the fame their organi1a-
1 4 lla H.,
second assault was still moro desperate than
TIE first. hu, it was met and ropellei in the
same gallant style BY the bravo troops
Gcorgialls. North Csrolinians, ard sons ui our
own citv-who stocd shoulder to shoulder in
lie fight.
In the centre Of CUR lines small body Of the
enemy succeeded in Cunning Judgment in a
salient, the gun OF which had been disabled
Here they maintained their posi;iQ for more than
an hour. 4 gallant bit unsuccessful Rttemrt was
made to dislodgc them, in which Capt Ryan fell
and it was not u:ti smnll force Of Gcnrgianr
hid assembled the magazine and thus gained f
position to command the sacrt that the auda-
ciuus Yankees surrendered. At the time this &C.
Cured the firing elsewhere had ceased. and tbs
G orgians accomplished the purpose without fir
ing gnn. The movement by which this wa:
effected was undertaken at tbs srgges,:on Q;
Gel. fta"rlH.
TIE RELATI-E lnSsrs.
The f. hit lastel from 3 nnti /, p. IN. and was
OF = desperate character throughout. The enn4
E:ys losses were very haa"y His killed nnt
wounded mus. have been ut least 500. The
! rumbcr Of his dead left On tho field and hurried
| by us yesterday ezcended 6O1. We captured oveI
two hundred prisoners. including tow of thu
| negro troops
Our own losses were comparatively light. /:
| is estimated tha. our killed and wounded will
not exceed 100. Among these. however, waro
some valuable officers, such rs Lieutenant ca!
Simkins and Captain Tatun, ofthe LIST S c In
fanny. and Capt Ryan. of the Charleston Rat
,rIiun, killed, aud Major Ramsay. Of the Chsr'ea
| ton Battalion severely wounded.
| FACTS. INCIDENTS. ETC.
Fort Wagner occupies ne: rly the sita OF =
small sen battery, constructed nnlc- tn diioc.
! tiuf Of III. iate Colonel rhomls VI. Wagner
| I,1,,l email nnr,ion az thjs ser h,;tr-y i