The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1865-04-22
First Rrgt. n. Y. Vol. Eng'rs.

First Hr2t. n. Y. Vol. Eng rs
4 This Regiment has been so intimatel
CONNECTED with all the operations in th
ADepartment of the South that the histor
{of one contains the history of the other
q The 1st Battalion, commanded by Col
dE. W. Sarrell, landed here on the mem OF
Ssable 1th day of Nov, 1861, as portion
gof the original expedition familiarl
known as the "E. c." in command o
zBrig. Gen. T. w. Sherman. Its dutie
commence1 with the erection of the lon,
: pier (still in use) and in the construction
Sof ourpresent line of intrenchments. Tn
construction of the pier, no doubt, was
the most arduous, and toilsome dut,
they have been engaged in as the De
epartment at that time was without tn,
many conveniences for labor, which j
s. now possesses. The first logs cut for i
were drawn by detachments of Engineer
from the place of telling to the water
edge, and as long timber was required
it was RATED from this and the adjoinin!
Islands by detachments detailed for tina
special duty. Probably every officer ant
man of that 1st Battalion did their ful
share of duty on the Pier. The Quarter
masters Department hasfrequently borne
Testimony to the value of and its appreci
gation by the Government. Those of III
Ronly, who remember fatigue details o.
tsone and two thousand men, unloading
Vessels in small boats, and the beach
strewn with Quartermaster, Commissa
ry and Ordnance stores for a mile OF
! more along the beach, can realize the
) change, and enjoy the facilities which We
now possess.
The siege of Fort Pulaski; constructing
batteries on Tybee, Jones, and Long
Islands, in the Savannah liver, again at
tested their skill and endurance. At the
1 same time one company under command
/ of Capt. A. F. Sears, accompanied Gen.
Wright on his expedition against Fernan'
! lima and Fort Clinch, and Immediately
commenced repairing or rebuilding thai
work in accordance with the Original
1 plans found at the fort, work in which
HCapt. (now Major), Sears is still engaged
In the meantime Fort Mitchell, or
4 Skull Creek, Fort Stevens at Beaufort
land several minor works, were completed
1after which they were ordered to Folly
Island, where they erected batteries
against Morris Island. But it was after
the capture of Morris Island that, between
Z the Beacon Aouse and Fort Wagner, the
Engineers earned for themselves mama
second to that of none in the Army. Ex
posed to constant and destructive fire
from the enemy, they never ceased to ap.
Rproach, and battery after battery arose
nearer and nearer to the enemy's lines
until Fort Sumter was reduced over the
heads of the rebel garrisons of Forts
Wagner and Gregg. The works which de,
fled assault from both Army and Navy,
7succumbed to the spade of the Engineers.
! At the same time they built the celebra,
ted "Swamp Angel, which sang so sera'
yphically in the rebel ears of Charleston.
They were then employed reconstructing
: the rebel batteries and building new
works on Folly, Long and Black Islands,
land in the el ection of the many beautiful
signal towers which now dot the coast
between this place and Charleston.
Early in 1864 battalion accompanied
i the expedition under Gen. Seymour to
Florida and was engaged in the erection
Iof works for the defence of Jacksonville.
A portion Of the regiment then ac-
3companied the 10th Army Corps under
command of Major General Gilmore to
/ Virginia, where they have since remained,
distinguishing themselves with the Army
/ of the James, in Engineering operations
connected with the siege of Petersburg
land Richmond.