Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-07-30

uil0NNNN@~ANN
tho 10Th inst. Gen Gilmore lost no time i;
in throwing up batteries on Morris islano' t
within 800 yards of Fort Wagner In or 4
dar 10 reduce it by siege. On the morning
Of the 18th, twelve or fifteen heavy guns. I
,,,,.a n, position, besides eight or ten NOR ,
tars Gen. Gilmore therefore determined
IN commence the attack, which was opened
at II o'clock, A. M. II
The bombardment was conducted IN
spirited manner Gilmore's batteries lnluat-
inc the work, and Admiral Dahlgren's
five monitors, the Ironsides, two mortar
schooners aud three wooden gunboats,
quickly Joined in the engagement
The enemy replied briskly from Fort
Wagner aud Battery Bee, just beyond the |
Cummings Point, while Fort Sumter kept |
nm sharp fire from the guns OF her south
western face. among which were two rtled
pieces of heavy cahbre. Most OF me
fire Of the rebels was directed upon the
monitors and the other naval vessels, only
an occasional shell being sent toward the
batteries. Although the iron clads We're
| repeatedly struck, they suffered very niue
| real damage, and the only losses IN the
| batteries were a lieutenant Of the Seventy
| sixth Pennsylvania regiment, who was
| killed by a chance shot, and the woundin9
of six of the gunners.
Soon after O'Clock the lrng from ft'
Wagner ceased. 1t was then known mat
our brave fellows had succeeded IN dis
mounting one gun, and it was also pretty
well ascertained that another OF TIE reoei
pieces had burst. These facts lea TO the
suppostion that the enemy had evacuated
the work. and it was determined to at
teont it's occupation. For this purpose
two brioades. consisting of the Eth Con
necticut regiment, the Sd New Hampshire,
the 9th Maine, the 76,h Pennsylvania, the
48th New York, under Brighten Strong,
and the 7th New Hampshire, 9th Connec-
!, ticut. 62d Ohio, Tooth New York aud
! | sam Massachusetts, colored under Col.
f Putnam, who had been under arms ali day
4 screened from the enemy behind a range
: of sand bills, in the rear OF our works,
g were ordered forward.
This was at dusk, and both brlgades
- were formed in line on the beach, the reg
: iments being disposed in columns, except
4 ING the coored regiment which for some
i. reason was given the post OF extreme
=. honor and Of danger in advance, and wa
- drawn up in line of battle, exposing IT.
= full front to the enemy, This movemen
of troops was observed by Sumter, AM
d fire was opened at once upon them, with
q ont doing injury. as the shells went owe
.. the heads of the men.
I. Gen. Strong's brigade under this FIR
l. moved along the beach at slow time to
about three-quarters of a mile, when th
:. men were ordered to lie down, In thu
II uosjtion they remained half an hour, Sum
+ fer meanwhile being joined in the cannon
{ ade by the rebels in Battery Bee, bu
without effect upon our troops. 1t wa
now quite dark, and the order vas give
r. for both brigades to advance, Genera
IS Strone's leading and General Putnam
within supporting distance. The troop
10 went forward at quick time and IN dee
silence until the 54th Massachusetts, LEI
bv its Col. Shaw. was within two hundre
N wards of the works, when the men gave
i fierce veil and rushed up the glacls, Close
( " followed by the other regiments OF tn
. brigade
The enemy, hitherto silent as the grave
=. while our men were sWarmlng over U
5, glacis, opened upon them furiously wit
grape. canister. and continuous iusllad
of small arms. ...---
a. The gallant negroes, however, plunge
OF on regardless of this murderous reception
and many of them crossed the ditch, a
IL though il contained four feet IF waite
ad gaining the parapet. They were dl'
lodged, however, in few minutes VII
hand grenades, leaving more than one-ha
e. of their number, including their bra'
colonel, dead upon the field.
The Sixth Connecticut Regiment, undt
g. Lieut.. Col. Rodman, was next IN suppo
of the Fifty-fourth, and they also sutfere
terribly, being compelled to retire after
~ stubborn contest. The Ninth Nam
y. which was the next in line, was broken U
~ by the passage of the remnant OF the r
pulsed colored regiment through Its line
ed and retreated in confus on, excepting thr'
e. companies, which nobly stood the
:, ground.
ea It now devolved upon the Third Ne
ID. Hampshire regiment to push forward, al
IT. led bv Gen. Strong and Col. jackson
gs. person the gallant fellows dashed !
ly: against the fort. Three companies act
al ally gained the ditch, and wading throu!
the water found shelter against the Ell
bankment. Here was the critical point
the assault, and the Second brigade, VIII
should hare been mp and ready to suppt
their comrades of the FIRST, were una
couutably delayed. Gen. Strong To
ors gave the order to fall back, and lie do'
on the glacis, which was obeyed wlthc
e confusion.
1t was while waiting here, exposed
D, the heavy FIRE, that Gen. Strong "
H wounded A fragment of she'll enter
E his thigh, passing entirely through t
u fleshy part and making a serious woun