Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-05

management of it was so much
needed that he could not resist the
pressure of the Government upon
him to resume it. 1t was with inf
mite regret that the Guards gave him
up.
In 1864 the defenses of Savannah
were nearly stripped of troops. In
this emergency Major Screven raised,
under the direction of Gen. Henry
r. Jackson commanding, a local bat
TALON of five companies, enrolled
from the employees of the railroads,
mechanics and Others in the city, and
was assigned to its command with
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Under the law of Georgia an cleo
ton to fill the vacancy was in order
But it was universally understood
that when the corps, with the con
sent of the State, entered the Con-
tederate service, it became subject to
the law of the Confederacy govern
ing such cases, and the law of the
State and its own rules were sus-
pended. Under the law of the Con-
federacy applicable to the case, Capt.
Basinger, of Co. A, as the next Off
Ger in rank, was entitled to succeed,
and u commission was accordingly is
sued to him as Major, bearing date
May 20, 1868. Lieut.. II. +. Screven,
under the same rule, became Captain
of Co. A, and the other officers of
that company went up each one
grade, Sergt. p. N. Raynal being
elected to the Junior Lieutenantcy.
EXPEDITIONS FROM FORT BoGGs.
The battalion remained i'm charge
of Fort Boggs until July 1868, slowly
recovering from the effects Of the
sickness of the previous summer.
The mOnotony of this duty was some
what relieved, however, by two eX-
petitions on which it was sent-one
in October, 1862, to support a battery
at Coffee Bluff, on the Little Ogee-
chez River, reported to be threatened
by gunboats-the other in June, 1863,
to Sansavilla, in Wayne county, to
repel an expected ascent of the A lta-
maha River by the gunboats which
had just destroyed Darien. On the
former occasion, Maj. Screven was
in cOmmand-on the latter, Mai.
Basinger. No enemy appeared, how
ever, and all the battalion got by
these expeditions was some very Sc
we're marching and some experience
in field duty.
1t was during this service at Fort
Boggs, and before Major SereVen's
resignation, that Major John b.
Gallie, former Captain of the Chat
ham Artillery, was killed in defend
ing Fort McAllister against an attack
by the enemy's ships. His remains
We're taken to his home in the city,
and the Guards were detailed by the
General in command as the funeral
escort. On July 10th, 1868, large
force landed from the enemy's fleet
off Charleston, made an attack on
Morris Island, and commenced the
celebrated siege of Battery Wagner,
one of the principal defenses of that
city. On the 9th, in expectation OF
such an attack, "a reinforcement was
sent over from Savannah, consist.
ing of a part of the 1st Volunteer
Regiment, under Col. 0lmstead; the
10Th Ga. Battalion, Lieut.. Col. Capers
and the Savannah Volunteer Guards
AT BATTERY WAGNER.
The reinforcing troops reached
Battery Wagner after midnight OF
the 10Th, and found the utmost con-
fusion apparently prevailing. With
out undertaking, in so brief asketch as
this, a minute description of the
work and its surroundings; it is
enough to say that the Guards were
Immediately posted in its most adj
vanced salient-certain, by its posi-
ton, to be the point of the expected
attack. The attack was made in
force Just before dawn on the 18th.
For the details Of it any interested
reader is referred to the general his
tory of the war.
At the sound of the first shots from
the pickets the Guards were at the
parapetof their bastion, arms in hand
and ready. There were one or tive
guns in the bastion, but the gunners
were not there.
The attacking force was close upon
the heels of the pickets as the latter
! came in. As soon as they were neal
enough to be plainly seen i'm the
darkness which prevailed, which was
not until they were within fifty OF
one hundred yards from the counter
scarp, the command to fire was given
and the Guards delivered volley
\ from both fronts of their bastion with
deadly effect.
This was the first discharge from
the fort. 1t checked the enemy
the gunners got i'm TO their pieces
in moment the whole front of the
fort was blazing with a rapid fire OF
infantry and artillery-and though
the attack was vigorously pressed,
the enemy were soon repulsed in dis
order. The loss of the enemy in
killed, wounded and prisoners was
800. The loss of the garrison was IL
in ALL of whom were of the Guards
A killed and wounded. Among
the wounded was Lieut.. Upper, OF
Co. A. The entire loss was small,
but the distribution Of il makes il
apparent that the Guards bore the
brunt of the attack. And it is but
small commentator TO say that their
conduct was worthy Of their history
and reputation, and elected from the
Commanding General marked com.
mcnt on what he styled the IRE.
markable individuality" of the corps
DURING THE SIEGE.
The enemy now proceeded 10 be-
siege in form. And their batteries
and ebarr-aboOfpra faOurad In n con.