New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-09-21

overcome them
Far, Wagner is located on broad part OF the
island: i. can be approached only over mario"
strip OF sandy beach, not more than ~ yaroS
wide. and the front which it thus presents TO
bcsegirg party is $50 yards in length.
The difficulties attending its reduction by
land approaches, and which are quite novel III |
the history of sieees, may be thus enumerated;
I The work was not and cOuH not be invested.
Its communications with Charleston were open
in rear. and il was therefore, of little ne to dis
noun, lbs guns, as the enemy were thus able to
keen tie armament at It's maximum strength,
and to repair during the nighttime the
injuries Of ;hc day. .. The entire garrison
Of The work was kept in bomb-proof shelters,
and beyond the reach Of any kind Of artillery
Is. Ii mas (bc'0re Wagner taught rs better) o.
maxim Of engineering, that the bcsiegers must
envelope at lcast one side Of the work by the
usual zip-zag approaches, and Of a depth Snin-
cieni to protect the men, To comply with tins
rulc was impossible; as, if attempted at all, they
would have to dig their way up the narrow ana
shallow strip of sand beach, afIording but TWO
feet Of depth, aud front not ercceding one
eigih rs great as that Of the erfwy.
II is now evident that Gen. Gilmore met
these unusual requirements in manner as SIM
pie as it was fkillful and bold; and, undoubt-
edly, he would have carried out the whole OF
his original plan, had not sense Of imminent
danger caused the enemy TO run away from the
final assault. = ~
The work wasapproached in the usual method
ny ag-zag, but limited in length and depth to
the narowness and shallowness Of the strip Of
beach. Throughout the progress of the ap-
proachcs, especially as the bcsiegoiS neared the
fort, the sap Wa. exposed to direct and thanking
fires from sharpshootcrs and from the guns OF
Wagner throwing grape and canister The.
batteries on James Island, with their long.range
guns. took our trenches in flank and in rear,
and those on Sullivan Island played on unceas-
ing fire upon the patien, and persistent workers
in that little, shallow beach, until the sap
reached 80 near to Wagner that these distant
batteries ceased FIRE which was a. likely TO
bit friend as foe. The ditch Of Wagner was
reached on the night Of the 9Th inst. Tie
las.au!, was ordered for the next morning az low
tle.
We have described the d.iiiculie and dangers
Of the task. Lei u now briefly .'a'c tae means
employed 70 cradc them:
J. \ calcium light Of great power wa, used
20 illumine The enemy, works AZ night. This
lc.ded tie Gre of our .larpshootcTs, while IL
oazllcd tie sigh, Of thJ.e Of the enemy, and
enabled q. 70 prevent their making repairs.
2. An artillery FIRE wa, KEEP, mp night and
day. throwing she'll over the heads Of our sap-
rsrs. thereby keeping the enemy IN their bomb
proof 81 elters. So accurate and terrific wa the
a-t llery. c.pccially tie mortar fr', that our
sspper. repeatedly got ont Of The trench and
locked with perfect impuniiy into the ditch Of
Wagner
2. TIE trenches were pushed forward bp Fort
Wacnrr on the channel front, thereby masking
I'D 70, guns, and al.o that IN asauliine col
rmn lhorld DC exposed to no fire except mus
| tdrr.
Nl tlcre novel condition. were pre.cr.hcd by
Gen Gilmore. aud executed with aimIuble
precision and courage. How vel ihey solved
3D. liLcul, problem VIC al.,aly know. The
simplicity Of tue method only enhances is
merit. Had the enemy further contested on
advance, il was intended to put the assauliinr
column in trenches a, . o'clock On the morning
Of The sth instant, and keep up The mortar ire
on tie font, 80 that the garrison could not
emery. IN their shelter until the assaultng
column mounted Tie parapct. This assault
va. 10 BE- made or tho east, north, and west
face. Of Wagner, by passing The fort on the
"a 20. ,ast) face at low water.
Bui when ihe morning came, the enemy were
not there. They had mo stomach for another
eight with the intrepid and rc'olut' foe With
whom they struggled in the ditch and on ithe
parlpois IN the midnight assaults Of the previous
month. They left during the night, having
previously applied slow matches 10 the maya
zines of both Wagner and Gregg, with the IL
'Cntlon of blowing them up. This intention
our men frustrated.
pula Somouci-tha landing at Morris
E-aud-,he demolition of Sumtcr-WA0YER.
" The greatest is behind" Whatever may be-
thought Of the many deeds which may illumi-
nate the sad story Of this Great Rebellion the
capture OF Wagner and Gregg by Gen. GILL
MORE will be regarded as the greatest triumph
Of engineering that history has yet recorded.
EINrIREAIIhNl. IRiEG.