Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-09-09
THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.
TIE YANKEE APPRO ACHES on MORRIS ISLAND
HOW THEY WERE COSDUCTED, ETC.

The edi,cr of rhc Savannah Republican, who has re-
Gently been on visit to Char .stop gives ilsight
in.o matter which but fw outside of Charleston have
heretofore understood With lbe Republicans elucidl.
ton we can clearly see how The enemy has been en-
abed to approach gradually upon Wagner by land. The
Republicans account is follows:
The capture Ct our life pits before Battery Wagner
Wedle day evenSg last aud our failure to r.ake them,
IN ~ require a word of explanation. have add
tonal for aYng il undestO in the fac. that
the operations the island at the time under tie
direction OF cur gallant and esteemed young country
man, Col George p Harrison, Of 'he S2d Georgia.
The life pits situated ately in front OF the
battery aud between three and four hundred yards dis
tan, from that work. They commence some hundred
Yards from the beach the Ifs, and run in q sonth
Tls etly direction the right being further from the bat
terry than the eI ocross the island which is very
loW 81 there to lit bordering the marsh They
contained ioom for eighty six men. The ine of the
Cnemys works at least the nearest approach, also
tended ocross the island and combined with line
formed the letter v their lett and our right coming
within thirty p of each other. IL will thus be
that their sappng operation have been conducted with
the greatest skill and ehcielcy. Tber zig ZIG works
like an immense itnce, stretch for mile or more
up the isand and they continued burrowing until they
sctually brought their works almost up to our
The unmtsty reader will better understand such opera
tons 10 the face OF enemy when he learns that they
are conducted behind large iron cylinder, called
4sap" which is arranged that II pushed forward as
tie work Progresses sordng almost perf,cs protection
to the advance force OF ggers who til up the earth
high enoug for those who behind to enlarge and
strengthen the hue to the extent desired with little or
risk from cannon balls and sharpSlooels in font.
shell dropped into the rtEches tmes creates havoc
among the workers, Enl putting il there is a nce work
not very easily accomplished te.
On the afternoon in question the enemy opened
tIeinendous f'e ON Battery Wsgn roa oil the SEE
yeIest OF the sege-iIom all their land batteries TWAS
evident That they intended 10 follow Il with assault
FIRST upon the rifle pits aud then upon the main work Co..
Harrison watched their every movement often from the
paTapet, which is position OF imminent peril aud
armed his relief picket guard for the night on tue pa
rade Of tie fort IN The midst OF mos CALLING fire. Some
id OF its intensity may be formed from The fact that
he Lest eight men in the Tort while organizing this
force Heretofore the attack Of the enemy has been
made at dark hu in this insaEce while the heavy firing
Gu the battery progressing and before rundown,
large body Of troops suddenly turned the point of their
works on Our right and II upon tie cGeis with tre-
mendous fury. Ia f.ss than five minutes ,long their
eutire ae Of works large body numbering not :,s
than fifteen hundred men over pp,d the tn nchos and
forming Immediately inc ne Of rattl charged across
the nArrSw space upon our rife pits. Oar Lad but
moment to fire. but did 81 be II they could under the
Cincunstapces They otcourse were overpower d, but
fought trIvey 10 the last OF the eighty
SIX seing either xii ed captured in tie pts take
especial pleasure in recording their 49, as they oil
belonged the Gi.t North Carolina which has brough.
odium upon itself BY the bad conduct Of some OF its
men on former &C asoD,
While this movement successful il was not unre.
sisted and wttOu, loss. Such WIS the fire from TIE
Yankee batteries and sharpsbo upon the fort that
it impossible to keep the the guns fer
ment; some firing, however done 10 spie of it,
In addition Colonel Harrison planted howiizers ON
the beach, viii gr pc and tchrapnei moved down
large numbers Of tie e1emy, but Ill force were
eventually .cOmuSlled retire
They had gaiUed point for which they had been
striving for weeks most important for their future
operations against the battery and not to be sup
posed that 30 ssgac Gus nma1dyr as Gilmore, with
abundaI OF troops at his bidding, had faei TO
cure it by posting ample renforcements convenient
distance in the B sides tbis-for which
the enemy will find out when they attempt the march,
but which it would be improper her, to specify
could not deploy column the island in oat of
the oIt for the purpose Of soiming the rife pitt and
tquenty, W, uld have 10 eend the forward by
flank march aIony the beach until the enemy saould
be reached thus exposing them 10 rakiDg fire along
the whole lire
All tle'e considerations havisg been maturey weigh
ed, Col. Harrison wisely Determined not to make the
however anxious he might be to recovr the lost
ground. VITA al his force engaged and tia, e. gait
great odds and to every disadvantage repVse FLull
have surely resulted the fall Of the bait r., whit Q
was Determined to hold. A more rash and ambitious
commander would have made the attem sni in doing
60 probably lost ALL Under the circuns ances Col II.