Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-07-20
THE ATTACK UPoN CHARLESTON


he took command, has been working to give the
rebels surprise, and to proceed with opera
tons looking to the reduction of Charleston
Gems. Seymour, Strong, and Wedges cooper
ated with Gen. Gilmore.
On Wednesday night, July 18th, Col. Serrill,
OF the N. Y. Volunteer Engineers, took six boat
loads OF men and proceeded up Folly river,
and under cover of darkness cut away the
splles which had been driven in the channel by
the rebels near Pawnee Landing, and on the
following Thursday night Lieut.. Parsons cut
awsy the balan ce of the spiles, and river was
therefore cleared. Up to the time of the ar
rival of Gen. Gilmore in South Carolina. the
rebels on Morris Island, on the opposite side of
Lighthouse Inlet, had been allowed to put mp
strong batteries, surrounded by sand bluffs and
mounting ten guns, with the exposed flank to-
wards Folly river protected by extensive rife
pits. We had no batteries nearer than Camp
Howell. We had some knowledge Of the rebel
works and forces, by spies and deserters.
enough to know that the batteries were good
ones and the troops few in number.
On Friday morning nearly all the camps
Folly Island were deserted, and our troops
commenced to move.
AT about a quarter to five a large party of
axemen stepped out in front of our batteries,
and cutting away the trees and small bush in
front of them, disclosed the giiStening embra-
sures to the gaze OF the Rebels opposite. Never
were men more astonished. They seemed to
stand paralyZed, as ii were with wonder as
battery after battery " as revealed to view, and
made no demonstration Of any kind. The en-
braSures having been cleared, the first gun
was fired by on the right. a thirty-pound
Parrot, and this was the signal for all the
batteries to open fire. This first shot, the gnn
having been sighted correctly, struck one of the
Rebel gun-carriages, completely disabling IL,
and was credit to company e., First United
States artillery. The Rebels replied with the
first shot from their fullest battery the right,
but the shot fell thousand yards behind our
batteries. 1t was now five O'Clock, and the
fire ON both sides became general. Our forty
seven guns and the monitors kept up the most
fearful cannonade on the Rebel batteries and
the Rebels tried in va n to live under it,
Gen. Strong's forces; who had now for some
two hours been lying up the inlet, con cealed
by the trees and bushes, slowly came down into
view OF the rebels. The rebels tried to depress
their guns IN order to sink these launches, but
the launc hes preceded by the howitzers Smelling
the bank. safely, with the exception OF one,
reached the shore to the left of the rebel hat
teries. Lieut.. Col. Rodman of the eth Con-
necticut, landed with twerty men as scouts
Upon his returning the entire force landed in
the midst of this terrible cannonade, and, led
by Gen. Strong, cap in hand, they fianked the
rebel rifle pits and then charged up to the rebel
batteries, which were unable any longer to
reply to our fire. Every battery was taken,
and our men swept up the beach, driving the
remnants OF the rebel force before them This
storming force consisted of the 9Th Maine 10Th
Pennsylvania, 4sth New York, Sd New Hamp-
shire, 9th Connecticut, and four companies OF
the eth Connecticut.
As soon as Gen. Strong's brigade had charged
and taken the rebel batteries, Generals Gill
more and seymour and STATS rode to the front
and superintended the crossing of artillery
and reinforcements Light artillery was thrown
across Immediately, and proceeded up the Nor
ris Island beach. Generals Gilmore and Sey
mour and STATS also crossed and took up posi-
ton on one OF the highest rebel batteries, which
commanded q full view OF the entire field of
operations. StroDg's force. led by the 9th Con
necticut, rapidly moved up the island and
hoisted the United States flag on large house
one thousand yards this side of Fort Wagner
In this honse they found also one hundred new
Enfield rifles, which they exchanged for their
own well-usPd muskets.
The Monitors opened fire at six O'clock and
although endeayorng to enfilade the rebel bat
teries, their gunnery not being as good as it
might be, was OF little practical effect, except
that the explosion OF those l5-inch shells % We
additional speed to the rebel stockholders
1t was now about ten O'Clock, and our men
Were IN possession of more than three fourths
OF Morris Island. We had taken the rebel
batteries, driven back the rebel infantry, and
were fastening on to take the only fort which
interviewed between us and Cummings Point.
But up-n nearing it the fire from it was so
severe that our troops fell back and protected
themselves behind sand ridges, about quarter
OF mile this side of it. The monitors, however
directed their fire npon this tort, and from ten
O'CLOCK In the morning until tour In the after
noon, Fort Wagner was their target Sumter
opened fire from her rbette guns al ten O'clock
and fred at intervals, first at the monitors and
then over our men.
Atfour O'clock the monitors having exhausted
their ammunition, ceased firing and retired
Gown the channel, while our men still rested
upon their arms within quarter OF mile OF
Wagner This fort is casemated, Fashioned
bomb proet fort. with a closed gorge and large
moat. 1t mounts nine guns, three bearing
toward the sea and six toward the lower end OF
Morris Island. Its moat Is one foot deem at
low water and six at high. The exterior siope
is al an angle OF forty degrees and it is rivetted
with cotton and sand bags. General Gilmore
determined 10 storm it at daylight the next
morning.
Saturday morning, at daybreak, the assault
ing party was formed in line, under General
Strong, and prepared 10 take Wagner The
force consisted OF the eth Connecticut in the
advance; two companies Of the 9th Connecti-
cut, supported by the 10th PENNSYLVANIA, Sd
New Hamphire and 9th Maine. The reserve
was the 18th and 10th New York. The whole
forcs was supported by two batteries of artil-
iery. But although the men charged in the
face OF a murderous fire of grape, canister and
bullets from the enemy's sharpshooters, and
although some Of the 7th Connecticut reached
and stood upon the parapet, the charge was
unsuccessful, and we retired to our defensive
line Col. Rodman and Maj. Hicks were badly
though not seriously wounded. The Monitor
Nahant kept continual Smelling over Wagner
and beyond II, in order to prevent reinforce.
ments reaching it. either from Sumter or Gum
mings Point. Thus closed the operations of
captured rebel tug in Charleston harbor, it
having come down to spy around our fleet
1t having been determined to take Wagner by
another method, our troops were set to work,
and the taking Of Wagner by assault was D.
bapdoned. At a. m. and 3 p. m. Sunday, tive
Monitors and wooden gum boat shelled Was.
Rer, but without any effect. Wagner and Cum.
ming's Point, or battery Bee, mounting three
guns, replied to the Monitors. Sumter, which
has ten Brooks guns mounted en- barbette, and
her easements closed with sand bags, opened
with two shots on our camps, about o'clock
In the afternoon, and wounded several OF our
men. A rebel boat was landing material at
NIncent's Greek for new battery, which the
Rebels were erecting between Wagner and
Cummings Point. Lieutenant Henry opened
upon this bea with his battery, and the seventh
shot pierced the boiler of the vessel. She has
not been removed by the Rebels
Inc reDels had landed a working party of
negroes and others on the inside Of Morris Is
land, where they We're intrenching. trans.
port steamer lay at q landing near by. Hamil.
toms battery OF regulars went down to q con.
venient point and opened fire on them, first
dispensing the working party ana then pep
perlng the steamer. The first shot disabled
her and killed man, according to the report
OF an ''intelligent contraband," who deserted
10 us; several more went through her. and we
nnaily blew up her boiler. A large rebel steam.
er started down from Charleston to her assist.
ance, but backed out and returned.
a premature discharge of gun took off the
n hn hn4 1885,