The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1863-07-18
with their fifteen inch she'll and for two hours the

| CdnnOUdQe was ledrl
At about quarter past eight, General Strong's
brigade effected safe landing, the howitzers hav-
ing shelled the shore, and charged upon the rebel
batteries after having fanked the rife-pits and
captured some rebel infantry. The rebels tried to
depress their guns which were all en- barbette, in
order to prevent the landing, but were unable to
dc so. and soon General Strong leading the charge
! the 9Th and 7th Conn.,, 9th Maine, 10th Penna.,
4Sth N. Y, and Sd N. H., were in possession Of
the rebel batteries, and persuing the retreatlng
enemy up the beach. Immediately two batteries
of artillery were ordered across the inlet, and
General Seymour superintended the sending over
of reinforc ments, the regiments having been un-
der arms since four O'Clock, and ready for any
success or defeat which might attend u.s. Gener-
al Gilmore and staff crossed the inlet and mount
ing one of the rebel batteries directed operations
The monitors also, moved up the channel and
shelled the island in advance of us. The rebel
batteries were all one gun batteries, with the eX-
ccption of one ofthe southernmost, which was
mounted with two ten-inch nsortars. The number
of their gun batteries was seven, and mounted re-
spectively two eight inch common smOoth-bore
guns, eighteen-pound Parrott, twenty-four
pound rifed gun, and eight-inch smooth-bore,
small Whitworth three-inch and an eight-inch gun.
Two of these guns were center plntle, and fire on
siege carriages The line of th=se batteries ran
parallel with the Morris Island beach and their
line of fire frmed with ours an angle of thirty de-
grees Tney had but two magazines, and no bomb
proofs or splinter proofs. We came very near
capturing an ammunition train which was coming
down to their relief. The rebel officers report
that their force was as follows four hundred and
fifty infantry, 800 of which belonged to Col. Gra-
ham 2lst s. G.. Vols, aud $50 to Col. Nelson's
7th S. G. Bat. One hundred and ten men manned
the batteries. They were companies and Z, OF
the lst S z. Art. Capt. Mitchell son OF the bogus
Irish patriot commanded the former and Captain
Macbeth of charleston, commanded the latter
The 9TH Conn. captured two flags, one storm
Aap. the other new confederate flag. The sail
ors who rowed the launches, seized the state flag
of the 2lst S. C. Vols, in tent. The rebelcamps,
of which there were two near the batteries, gave
many indications Of their occupants having been
completely surprised by the opening Of our bate
ries, and the storm of iron, which fell on every
sde of them.
Our troops in their victorious march up the
beach, did not omit to visit large house within
hundred yards of Fort Wagner, and appropriate
one hundred new Enfield rides, which they found
therein. Beyond this house was another, which
the rebels had used as commissary storehouse.
Upon this was raised the 9th Conn, State fao,
which regiment lead the advance, and the U. 5.
flag. These flags were both shot away afterwards
by the fire of sumter and Wagner, which forts
opened fire soon after we landed. Our force,
having reached near Fort Wagner, found the fire
of the fort too hot, and fell back to safe distance
while the monitors endeavored to silence the fort
The monitors were unable to do so, and retired at
four O'Clock in the afternoon from the conflict
Our troops during the rest of the day were pro-
tected from the rebel fire of Sumter and Wagner,
by the iunumcrable sand ridges, which traverse
tue island in every direction.
Gi lmore decided to assault upon Fort
Wagont daylight the next morning. and General strong
brigade wa, 70 be the stormig party At daylight ac-
coringly the assault made, III the following order
The a Conn led the assault supported by the 10th Pa
Sd H. 9th Conn.,, and 9th Maine The reserve was the
9Th and lO0th New York regiments formed oblque Fort
Wagners bastion closed gorge, casenated fort with an
exterior slope % feet and ditch some twelve feet wde
having in it at low tide foot Of water and at high tide
SIX 1t mounts nine guns four bearing seaward the rest
iland. men charged it, they were met 6y raSng
Are of nusketry from rebel sharpshootsrs
p.rspet and grape and canister from the guns The
charge was unsuccessful and after short action our men
S bck to their protection and the taking of Fort Wagner
by assault was abandoned The Ndhan kept up sheng