The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-06-24

ing the. inner detenceS OF charleston.
The long and stubborn defence of Fort
Wagner had served it's purpose. The
demolition Of Sumter dd not open
the gate to the city. browning batter.
jes lined the inner harlor, prepared to
meet with shot and shell, hurled by the
same brave hands, the arinorcd fleet Of
the foe. Still, as before the destruction
OF Sumter, the enemy did not dare to
essay an entrance into the harbor. The
commander Of the feet, as if with pre-
mnnition Of The fate that would bcfall
him, utterly failed to realize the cxpcc-
tations which had been based upon the
supposed efficiency Of the ironclads.
The time had therefore come when
Wagner had ceased to be- useful, AMI
there was no longer q call for sacrifice
of life in its defence.
The Fedcrals were now two hundred
and fifty yards from the sallyport Of Fort
Wagner. he intervening space CON-
p1iSrd the narrowcSt and shallowcst
part Of Morris Island, over which the
sea in rough weather swept entirely
across. 1t had been the intention Of
Capt. Cheves to cut through this por-
ti"n, making n canal, which would have
rid. ned with each recurring tide, thus
dividing the Island at that point. Had
this been done no sap could have APP
preached nearer.
LAST B~oMBARDMENT.
At break Of day on the morning of
the 9Th Of September seventeen siege
and Coehorn mortars. thirteen 100. 200
and ~2U-pounder Parrot rifles opened
on the devoted battery, which still
loomcd up as defiantly as ever. The
NeW Ironsides took position a mile
distant, and from her cight-gun broad
side poured an incessant blizzard Of H.
inch shells against the sloping parapct.
exploding either over or within the
work. For forty-two consecutive hours
this iron hail descended, making a scene
as ~unsurpassingly grand as it was fear
full. One thousand four hundred and
eleven projectiles were thrown by the
land batteries alone, a~ggregating 15O,5O5
pounds of metal, 1880 pounds strik-
ing the boom-proof, and during the
night, when the fire Of the mortars was
most needed, as many as four shells
could be seen at once en- route for Wag-
ner. The garrison sought the shelter of
bocm-proof, traverse and rcvctment,
and the guns were silent.
Fort Wagner had now been held I'M
der a continued and furious cannonade,
by land and sea, night and day, for fifty
seven days. The Fcderals had been
forced to expend time. men and material
most lavishly in approaching it; foot by
foot they burrowed their way with pick
and shovel, they were Mt last within the
moat. Nearly all the guns in the fort
were injured and useless. Transporta-
ton Of men and supplies had become
most difficult and dangerous. The en-
envy were Over eleven thousand five
hundred strong on the island, supported
by n powerful fleet of ironclads and gun
boats, free to select their own time and
method Of attack. The calcium lights,
placed on monitors, ut q safe distance
abreast the fort, illuminsted the works
as brilliantly ut night as the sun by day;
while their shar~pshooters, under shelter
Of the darkness. sent death to every one
who was exposed, so that no repairs
aonld be put upon the fort.
Gen. Beauregard, who had for some
time beer considering the cxigencies of
the case, sent his chief engineer, Col.
Harris, with the engineer of the post,
Capt. F.. d. Lee. on Sunday, the 10th
September, to make a critical examine
ton of the fort, its capabilities of con-
tinued defence, and the position of the
encmy's sap. On receiving his report,
TO save the brave men forming it's gar
Fison from the desperate chances of an
assault, he gave orders for its evacua-
lion,
PREPARATION FOL EVACUATION.
The Confederate ironclads took posi-
ton just after dark on the evening of
the 9th, near to Fort Sumter, with their
guns bearing on Cummings Point to the
eastward of Gregg. 1t the same time
all the James Island batteries were pre-
pared to sweep the water faces OF Gregg.
Transport steamers took position within
the harbor, near to Cummings Point, to
receive the men from row boats, by
which the embarkation from Morris
Island was to be effected. Forty barres.
manned by proficient oarsmen from the
PdlmcttO State and Chic0ru, each un.
der charge Of a navy officer. the whole
commanded by Lieut.. Ward, Confcd sr.
ate States Navy, were in readiness ut
Cummings Point at dark. On Morris
Island. Col. Keitt in command. made all
necessary arran pements. a.s;.tal IN.