The New York herald., 1863-09-25

fort sumter on the me-=:ax U lne 18Th OF Juiy on,
forces never aaaadoned positions they had 50 bravo,
gained
EsoisFsRisG OPERATIONS COMMENCED
On the morning OF the 18th OF July engineering onera
tons were at begun with the view of reducing the
remaining rebel works OF Charleston harbor and wero
commenced by the breaking Of the ground for the siege
u foft Wagner The FIRST parallel then entered upon
" tue same fatigue party that had helped construct
Sue oai'efy on Venus Point, and the mornng-the
iah'-a similar line for heavier guns begun on the
GENERAL GILMORE OWN MISUNDERSTANDING or YoEr
|
General Gilmore, in order 10 have all tho engineering
oiefat'ns under his Immediate supervision 10 pre-
vent mistakes sng issued on the morning or Ju,y l6
an order announcing that all such operations civ and
"hu'ry connected with active operations in the fold
"ouia DO conducted under his immediate order and su
pe''Hon ite named certain officers whom he had So
aS MS assistants, and then commenced work IN
su ofnes'' mo defcnces were rapidly pushed to com
pe'on ana al daylight on tho morning OF tho 18th he
opened on Fort Wagner. Tho bombardmcnt was followed
al night by the gallant although unsuccessuI assanit
through which General Strong lost his fe The furious
bombarding OF ono whole day succeeded bv nm eoualv
furious assault, without reducing the work convinced
'ehera Gilmore that TO succeed another plan would be
! necessary.
APPROACHES MADE pARALLEs
0eterfnin6d
rcr TO tho remaining works Morris Island and "a
For sumter by means OF parallcis-the much abused
spsA being found 70 be all mportant-and on July 81
heavy rifle gun battery was begun the e in advance
OF the first parallel Two days afterwards the second
parallel was opened. The work had been done under
Darkness the limos pushed forward successfully
six hundA ID yards and by two nights labor the Union
troops weA within half mile of Fort Wagner II WAS
cessary to mako this important line OF d.
fence and mb and splinter proofs wore at once con-
structcd Trs this line other saps were begun while
still dmA ortant operation commenced In the
rear OF this par, ulel.
MsAoHNG N oRKs AgArNsr sUxrER-suxrxR REDUCED
At short dlssaa zee in the Of these paraleIs and
out Of the extro range OF the fire OF Fort Sumter
Geners Gilmore, q the 25th Of July, commenced the
erection Of heavy IA batteries for the purpose or
operating against st heretofore considered mrregnabe
work Tho batteries rore got In readiness In sufcioot
time 10 open ,trated fro spon the fort on the
mernng of tho 17h Of August and after soven doys r
ing reduced 1t into "s apeess mass OF ruins" the
23d OF August, 1853.
MARsn nATrrRA '-rm REooMorssANcx
About tho latter end Of sJaly General Gilmore deter
mined to plan. heavy poce Of ordinances at certain no.
stion so as by direct limo a. are to command tho city
or Charleston spot seA,ctod a distance or about
four and half m'os IN air limo from that city, but
alas 1t was in swamp Of soft and slushy mud in which
a man would sink " his waist ln the Grmst portion
while slender iron rod would sink OF its own weight to
the depth Of twertynve feet. No substantial ground
any where But the battery had here to be built and
mud yet conquered General Gilmore How It was
done yet secret; but done 1t report was sub.
miited to General Gilmore August O. detailnga plan
for tho operation The plan approved. and two days
after the men were set TO work.
TIE WORK COMMENCED ooMrLsrED.
On August Z, 1858, sufficient number Of hands wore
engaged upon the work to insure early compile
ton OF the same The trees Foly Island nine miles
from tho selected spot, feled shape and
the tmbers hauled in trucks overland Lighthouse
let, whence they RATED ave miles further their
destination, who sandbags and implements from,
another direction aud all this vas done within range Of
the rebel batteries, located In the woods beyond the
marsh But who would have suspected that what Gen.
Eeauregard could not do in two and half years, with
broad daylight and opposition, would havc been a..
tempted by 30 young officer. who had been only few
days in that vicinity especially he would have and
did work during the nighttime, under tho o
the rebels, and within range Of their gunss Night after
night was thus employed. until, the morn.
ing OF the 10th OF August the upon tho complet-
ed battery its sides rising dozen feet OF the slough
and snrmounted by tho heaviest ordnance the service
The construction or this work undor tho circumstance
glorious victory.
THE THIRD AND FOURTH PARALLErs.
On the 9th day Of August the system OF approaches
against Fort Wagner further pushed forward by the
establishment Of the third parallel The sap roller con.
tinucd to forward slowly and steadily sometimes
before and sometimes on tho heels Of tho Union plckos
Nearer and the works that would eventually
destroy Fort Wagner until the 2st OF August while
the bombardment OF Fort Sumter going on the fourth
parallel was opened BY this advance important point
until then held by the rebel sharpshooers was secured
and ave days after ridge, within two hundred yards Of
Fort Wagner was carried at the point of the bayonet
DEMAND suRREyDE-rug .sswAMp AvGyLn
ou the 2lst OF August s63, General Gilmore sent 70
General Beauregad demand for the evacuation OF Fort
Sumter and the works Morris Island under threat
Of Immediately opening fire upon the city OF Charleston
in the event OF refusal The communication being
treated with apparent contempt the "Swamp Angel,
opened upon the city at halfpast O'Clock A. NJ on
tho 22i with shells loaded with Greek nre,r very IN.
aninablc material not casiy oxtingushed The effect
OF these shells 70 excite the greatcst Indignation OF
General Deaurcgard. who declared such mode OF war.
faro arocoas, and unworthy OF any sodior.n That any
should presume to shell the city ho doomed safe
while the dcfences thereof in existence
thing no could not understand appreciate corros-
pondeuce cnsued between the bcligorent generals,
which. point OF argument. Gen. Gilmore out the
better of tho two.
CEs. GILMORE APPOINTS Az Acryc cinsg xy0iyEss.
Having established his batteries and conducted his en-.
snccrng operations to his satisfaction General Gilmore
tho Goth OF August relieved himself OF abora Of
the closer attention TO the engineer portion OF his depart
mont by appointing Captain Reese, Of the Engineer
corps the United states Army assistant aud consulting
engineer bis star Through him all future orders con.
uoced with the engineer service be delivered 70
him all reports pro n,. 10 bc rendered. and by him
all engineering material would be collected Issued.
TuE PAsALLs-LAM ATTACK urox WAGNER.
Tho nth parallel last cons.racted the mor,ars
from whch beched their shells upon and iuo Fort wag-
the 6th Of September, while the heavy guns that
had demolished Sumter, and the 1eet turned also
upon this work and upon Battery Gregg All tho rehss
works except Wagner replied 70 this attack and tho BON
bardment must have boon fearful. The drns kcps
up on 9Th OF September with equal vIgor tne
6.h Brt. aithough Wagner slsnt, Il not crApy.
fus sApPss woRKIxs ctom UP 10 raR yoRr.