The National tribune., 1893-04-06
FO RT WAGNER AGAIN.
Comrade Says there were Men from Sew
eraI Regiments in the Fort.

~ C. MILLER. 10Th Pa. takes Lieut..
Skrzsa Kost to task for saying he was in Fort
-. Wagner on the night Of the 18th OF
July, 1863. did not think that any
one doubted that fact. | don't understand
Lieut.. Kost as stating that the 9th Conn. took
the fort alone, or that the 30 men were all
of the 9Th Conn, nor do / understand him to
say that they took all Of the fort; but the sea-
face baston southeast bastion we certainly
did take, and held it until after midnight. But
think Lieut. Kost is mistaken III the number
of prisoners.
A. j. Palmer, late Presiding Elder of New
York district. says there were 140, of whom 20
belonged to the 4Sth n. Y. S. G. Miller speaks
OF high ridge. / don't remember any ridge
until we reached the fort. II 9 also says he was
under Ere less than 10 minutes. If that is so
he never got near the fort, as the distance was
| 1850 yards from the place where We started.
| We formed line that night in column by
| company; the 9th Conn. was in advance, 4sth
| n Y next, the 81 n H.. 10th Pa, and 9th Me.
| followed The 54th Mass. had already gone
forward and had been repulsed before we
| started.
| Just before the order was given to advance
! Gen. Strong rode down the line. and remem-
| Der his saying az he rode by our regiment
| "4Sth, want you to sleep in Fort Wagner to-
night" Shortly after his voice rang ont clear,
| Column, forward double gnick, march! ~
| and forward on the full run rushed. We
struck the fort at the southeast bsstion, it being
| defended by the 3lst n. T..
| Beauregard claims that they disgracefully
| abandoned their bastion. Gen. Taiaferro says
| that the southeast bastion WAS weakly defended
| and to it q considerable body Of the enemy
made their way.
Now, ask, would he have said that If we
had not taken the southeast bastion? Lieut..
Col. Green, of the 4sth N. Y, was killed inside
| of the fort in the angle by the big gum Capt.
| Paxson was wounded inside OF the fort, and
| number of other officers. The 48th lost that
| night ID officers killed and wounded out of 15
engaged.
The rebel Gen. Jones says that n few of the
| bravest of different regiments, namely, 18th
| N. Y. and 9th Conn., continued to press for
| ward, bearing their colors, aud striving toreach
| the ditch and mount the parpet, and We did do
| it.
! Does not Lieut.. Kost remember the volley
| fired into us through mistake by the Tooth
n. Y as We stood on the parapet of Wagner /?
| number belonging to other regiments and
| myself were ordered to leave when it became
! certain that we cond not hold what we had
taken at such a loss of life. Capt. Coon. of Co.
| E, was the man that told noe TO leave. Some
| did not leave, but held that baston until after
midnight, when they surrendered.
| A good many were killed trying to get back.
| S. c. Miller must net think because he did not
get into the fort that no one else did, for there
are a number of the 48th left who were in the
| fort; among Others a. j. Palmer, ID. d., Pastor
| of ST. Pau's Church. New York City.
| If s. G. Miller wishes more proof will give
| it to him in the shape oil an article from the
| pen of Gen. Taiaflrro. He says: 1.-THE party
| which had gained access By the salient next the
sea could not escape. but they would not sur
render and, in despair, kept up constant fire
| ON the main body of the fort
| Capt Rion, of the Charleston battalion was
| ordered to dslodge them. and the gallant Irish
| man, at he head of bis company, dashed at the
| reck less and insane men, who seemed to insist
| upon immoation. The tables were now sngu-
| larly turned. The assailants had become the
assailed, and they held fort within a fort, and
| were protected by the -traverses and gun. cham
! bers behind which they fought
"Rion rushed at them, but fell, shot outright,
| with several Of his men, and the rest recoiled.
| Col. Harrison's regiment the Bed Ga, were or
| dered to move along on the traverses and bomb
proofs, and to plunge their fire over the strong
| hold. Still, for time, they held out, but at
| last surrendered"
| Mr.. Charles Conley, in referring to the furi-
| Gus charge of the 9th Conn. aud 46th N. Y,
said: q In spite of the most deadly fire. they
crossed the ditch, bounded up on the parapet,
drove the 3lst N. C. with the bay0net, and en-
| tered the southeast salient of the fort"
| do not claim that they were the only regi-
ments that entered the fort, for there were
men inside the fort from nearly all of the reg.
ments engaged.
| If c. Miller needs more proof 1t can be fur
ished.-W. REvILL, Co. K, 4sth N. Y, Crono-
! mer's Valley, N. Y.