Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-08
s1RaE CAPITALIZATION.


 An Interesting Paper Read by Conn mandeP ". g. WelleS Before the Hls- tOrical SoeleeY-The Brave COnnectf- cut Reglments-Sumpter Defiant to the Last-ReSOIutiOns by she Society. An interesting paper upon Connecticut 1 soldiers at the siege of Charleston was read | by Commander W. s. Welles, U. s. N., be- 1 fore the Historical society last evening.
 Among the things Commander Welles said ! was:
 Connecticut is not compelled to make much
 research to fill her citizens with pride for
 the deeds of her sons upon the tented field.
 The record they have made in commercial,
 legislative and martial fields is unparAlled in
 the annals of many great nations. My pur-
 pose is to contribute little to your view of
 her sons in the theater of the late war. l
 knew if our people could only fully realize
 the deeds and sacrifices of their heros, they 1 would look upon their graves with reverence ] and honor them continually.
 Early in the history of the war foothcld was made by our troops in South Carolina. | Early in 1863 the government made deter- ! mined effort through Admiral Dupont to | compel South Carolina and especially Charleston to recognize the Union suprem- | AAASs | by seventy-seven rebel guns of heaviest 1 calibre. It was of the memorable engage ments of the war. The sixth regiment was under the command of the brave Colonel John L. Chatfeld. The brigade was under General Alfred H. Terry. General Joseph R. Haw1ey was with the troops of Conneeti- cut, as were also General E. s. Greeley and the commander of the Tenth Connecticut regiment, the gallant Colonel John L. Otis. The Connecticut soldiers were ideal gentle men, but too much praise should not be given them for to all generally should our praise go.
 On the morning of the tenth day of July the dense masses of rebel batteries were opened upon us. It was the Sixth Connecti. cut that first made the landing upon the island and proceeded to the Beacon House. which in few moments burst forth in flames. All day long our monitors kept up fire of shell and canister, but for some strange reason the rebel stronghold did not yield. The following night the rebel force was repulsed, and in the morning cur troops rushed upon them in Fort Wagner. Volley after volley was poured into our ranks, but the Seventh Connecticut, almost in the face of defeat and death, kept to the charge. A retreat was finally necessity and out of the 191 men in the charge 103 were gone; of twelve officers but four returned. All the Connecticut and New York regiments also severely suffered.
 Another assault was deemed advisable. So from July 12 to IS the army line was in- trenched and gradually pushed up towards the enemy. Six days of preparations and intense anxiety elapsed. At daylight on the 18th presaging calm brooded over camp and sea, the Confederate flag flew defantly over Sumpter and Wagner crowned with black death dogs of war. Rebel flags quiv- cred with the breeze at every point of the landscape. Our ironside monitors and moved up 10 eight hundred yards of Fort Wagner. Heavy dull thuds were beating against us in the boats all the way. In mo. ment all was changed. The command from the hagship was sounded. The guns roared and the deep answering boom of the rebel batteries stubbonly continued. All day long this grand scene continued. The forts seemed to blaze and boil with the heat of tho conflict as gap and breach was made and filled up. The men on our ships toiled, their bodies blackened and hair whitened by smoke from the guns. Finally we saw long lines of troops moving over the beach. Our boats redoubled their fire as eur men pressed forward. Our hearts beat fast in sympathy. Great banks of smoke from the days can- nonade hung over the forts. Column after column pressed forward and at Q double quick they dashed upon the banks of Wagner. The rebel troops emptied their guns upon them from the parapets of the fort. Two Massachusetts regiments and the Sixth Connecticut were in advance. The black pail of night at last settled in all its gloom, and still the conflict was raging. The assault wore into our little band. unsupport ed, of 160 men struggling against rebel power of ], ,60e men. They were not re-en- forced. The reserves, although ready, were not pushed forward, and the right of our column was cut down and nearly annihilat- ed. Very few of all our troops came out un- hurt. Four thousand men were engaged and 2,000 lay dead and wounded before the works. Some regiments were entirely de- stroyed and some lost all their officers and were otherwise shattered.
 A quarter of 6 century afterwards the rebel commander wrote that the Sixth Con- neoticut charged under Colonel Chatfeld and won portion of the works.
 In the morning the stretch before the fort was actually hid with dead bodies. Some had rushed into the sea and there lay, their ghostly faces washed gently by the bloody waves.
 The position, however, had to be captured, and steady advance by earthworks was im- mediately begun by our troops. In this the Twelfth Connecticut performed marvellous work. A famous "swSmp angel" or "mud lark" battery was raised in single night.
 Sumpter was captured twice, by army and navy. Both prepared an expedition separ- ately on the same night. Gen. E. S.Greeley, then major, was in command of the aESaultln& 1OrCe. OQ the nlRnE or SepS6m Der 30, 1863, our iron clad fleet made an attack on Sumpter. It seemed as if the hell of flame had swept upon the Notifications of the eonfederacy. The siege continued 67 days The final day came. The rebel garrison evac- usted their defences during the night and Morris Island was ours. The port at Charles ton was now practically closed for blockade | runners, and this was 8 hard blow to the | confederacy. The siege was brilliant for the \ display of dogged pertinacity and splendid | military engineering. The confederate flag still continued to wave over Sumpter till \ February IS, 1865, when Gen. Sherman's I flank movement through Georgia compelled ! its surrender.
 After Commander Welles finished his pa per brief "reminiscences were given by Gen. ! A. H. Terry and Private Brown, who partici- | pated in the actions before Charleston. A | vote of thanks was rendered to Commander Welles by the society.
 The following resolutions were then read | by Prof. s. E. Baldwin and accepted: In view of the fact that the newspapers of this city and the Seymour Record will be regularly to the office of this society without charge during 'he year 1s'9; therefore.
 Resolved That u e thanks of the New Heven Col ony Historical society are hereby rendered to the publishers and editors of the New Haven Register I he Palladium, the JOURNAL AND COURIER. the Nor ! hing News, the New Haven Union and the Seymour ' Record for their lberality and courtesy to this ,iety.
 erve and cause to be bound in suitable manner complete copies of said newspapers for preservation md also transmit to the several newspapers men | toned the foregoing resolutions.
 New Haven, Jan. 2, 1859. ' The society then adjourned after admitting everal new members.
 MR. ". B. MILLEE.