Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-09-05
WAGNER AND GREGG rorrERIyg

WAGNER AND GREGG TOTTERING.
Mr.. q. Z. Fulton, editor Of the Baltimore
A@er1eon, writing to that paper from Flagship
Phliade1phia, on Morris Island, August 20,
1853, Gays:
Battery was resumed on Sunday night, and q
nun Der Of Greek fire prolectiles thrown into
the city. The great elevation required for the
:. ;i"-pouha raLrott used for this purpose caused
u 10 bnfst before the nights work was over
Ihre being no recoii to the gun at the elevation
required, the strain on the breach OF the gun is
immenfe, and such accidents must be looked
1or. Two sea. coast mortars of similar calibre
are, however, being mounted in the battery by
M aPa the good work of shsling
This battery is novelty in engineering, and
is an exemplification Of the energy and perse
Nerance, as we'll as the skill, OF General Gil
mt re. The "Marsh" is a vast gro with of cane
bordering on Light House Inlet and Morris
Island, directly facing James Island, which
runs parallel with Morris Island. 1t is about
mile wide, and borders the island nearly its
whole length. At low tide il Is dry, but at high
water there is about four feet of water over its
whole extent. When General Gilmore an.
Ing battery in the middle Of the marsh they
pronounced it an impossibility. He, however,
set them at work and superintended it himself
Scows were procured and loaded with bags of
sand, and at every tide foated into the marsh
and piled on the selected spot.
They sank down in their watery bed and rap
idly disappeared, but the process was still con-
rinued with each renewing tide until an i'm.
mense bank, towering six feet above the tops
OF the canes, was visible. Strong traverses
were erected, and after due time given for it to
settle, the gun was placed on one of the scoWs,
and hoated through the canes at high tide to the
site OF the battery, where IL was moored and
soon mounted, the work having all been done
al night, it being in full view OF Fort johnson
and the James Island batteries. They spent
immense quantities of ammunition in endeayor-
ing to dismount it, but could not succeed, their
hot niSh Col ~rHD
mile distant it does not look larger than the
turret OF monitor. -.-
No one had any idea that this gun was in
tended for the city of Charleston II was sun
posed to be to en- filade the rebel works on James
Island. Gen. Gilmore kept his own counsel on
the matter, and procured asupply Of Greek fire
and even when the shells were thrown In the
dire cton CT the city there was an uncertainty
us 10 whether they had reached their deetina.
tion. A dense cloud OF smoke arising from the
city gave hope of the success of the experiment,
which was next day verified by the flag OF truce
boat with Beauregard's indignant protest, and
the urgent appeal Of the foreign consuls for the
safety of the persons and property of their sub
j-cis. The good work will soon be resumed
with two sea- coast mortars instead Of one gun.
Fort Sumter being now defunct, the atten-
11on OF Gen; Gilmore will next be directed to
Wagner and Gregg. Sumter protected these
works and on the occasion Of the two assaults
swept off and drove back our troops. Having
got I'D OF Sumter, Wagner and Gregg will
soon be at his mercy, and will not much longer
r, main in rebel possession. Wagner is being
undermined by our sappers, and may be ex-
pected to "go up at any moment.
Gen. Gilmore has such q penchant for doing
unexpected things, that l should not be sur
plised TO see him take Gregg over the head of
Wagner. He has also other novelties in hand
will the country generally. He always aims
to do exactly the thing which the enemy does
not expect him to do.
AT sunset on Wednesday one Of the most fu-
rlous cannonades OF the siege took place at
Fort Wagner. Gen. Gilmore got possession of
me enemy,s rifie-pi,s on "Vinegar Hill," In
me rear OF wagner, advancing his lines one
huhureo yards, and captured 7S prisoners, in
ciuoIng two officers, in the engagement. We
iay cr In 1ulI view OF the battle, and the ex-
OF sky per minute, interspersed with rifle
IoIeys. The rebel batteries on James Island
poured in shell in abundance, and whilst this
hilmIsh was gong on three OF their shells are
II Io'ted 10 have fell and exploded among their
own men, causing great havoc. When less
'han one hundred yards divide the contestants
II Is difficult to throw shells distance of two
mits and half with the necessary precision.
learn that the Richmond papers claim to
have Iepulsed General Gilmore in this brilliant
little skilmish, but the facts are the very re-
verse. The contest did not last more than half
an Lou1, and our loss was ten killed and sew
enieen wounded. Our men were armed with
hand eIenades, and used them most fearfully
on the enemy, driving them out OF their pits
and leaving many of their dead and wounded
in our hands, besides seventy. eight prisoners.
These miniature mortars, called cohorns, for
throwing shells from one to two hundred yards,
" also used by both sides, whilst the siege
batteries plowed the enemy's works with their
heavy shells. 1t ceased with dusk as suddenly
As commenced, and as the object of the attack
was ;aned-the posse ssion OF the enemy's rifle
PITS, which we sun hcld-it may be presumed
that General Gilmore's claim of victory can
not lie disputed
Two lays Later-Further Details.
FLAGSHIP PHILADELPHIA, OFF MORRIS
IET RI
Weehawken, Commander Calhoun, was or
dered 10 make reconnaissance in the vicinity
OF Fort Sumter, with directions to shell Battery
Gregg, at Cummings Point. She got within
lange of Gregg about ten o'clock, and continued
TO throw shell into that work up to noon, firing
W it'll remal kable precision, notwiths tanding
the roughnPss OF the sea. She threw up great
clouds of sand and her shell appeared to enter
one side OF the fert and pass out the other. The
rebels fired one shot at her as she advanced,
but remained silent during the remainder of
the bombar dmeht wagner was entirely silent,
and it is believed its guns have all been dis
mounted and Sumter, although within easy
range, showed no signs of life: At noon, just
the Spaulaing left, the Weehawken was
called out, and returned to her anchorage.
The shelling OF Fort Sumter had been DIS
continued for nearly week, it being regarded
as a defnnct concern, the last gun having beea
toppled from its parapet week ago by Gen.
Gi!moTe's 3OO.pound PARROT. On Saturday,
however, the Rebels We're observed to bring to
Sumter a schooner load of cotton, and to ba
busily engaged in building traverses with
them on the only corner of the parapet which
seemed to be uninjured. Just after sundown
on Saturday evening it became evident that
they had mounted gun there, two shots hav
ing been fired from it apparently to obtain the
channel range.
There being still some show of life in Sum-
ter, it was determined by Gen. Gilmore to
again open his siege guns upon it, and Sunday
morning the Naval Battery. now under com.
mand of Lieut. Reamy, and the BOO. P9nnd
Parrott, recommended the bombardment They
continued all day on Sunday, and resumed tne
work again this morning, having caused the
disappearance of both the trayerses ana tns
gun, and still further disfgured the mass OF