The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-01-18

turned them over to the engineer and
ordnance officer in charge. Capt. II.
Press Smith, OF the regular infantry, was
IN mmand. Lieut.. Edgerton, of the
came regiment, formerly a sergeant in
Company b, (Washington Il oh! Iufan-
try was assisting HIM. The euemy
poured their shell into Sumter, Wang
ner and Gregg all day. At dusk, as in
structed, L reported with my detach-
ment at Fort Wagner, and we com.
menced our tour of duty. By 10 or III
| O'Clock the rest of the regiment arrived.
The companies did not all come together
and they were stationed on the perapet
OF Wagner as they came, relieving q
North Carolina regiment, which lett the
island by the Same boats which brought
the remainder of the 25th S. G.. V. The
28th Georgia, small regiment, occupied
a part OF the land face. The balauce.
of the land face, all of the sea face, and
flank wall outside, running from the fort
to low water mark, were occupied by
the 25th S. &. V. Major. Glover was as
signed to the command OF the llank wall
and the sea face. l had command of the
land lace and the general supervision of
! the whole regiment. Tne two regiments
the I'd South Carolina artillery Gin all
about $500 elective mer) constituted
the garrison Of the tort. The 9th
Geogia was kept IN the sand hills as re-
serve. Battery Gregg was gatrisoned
by company Of regulars. These were
all of the Confederate troops on the
island. The fire cf tho enemy was not
very brisk during the nj hit, but there
was very little chance for any rest on
the part of our loops. was directed to
make the salient angle, on the land face,
regimental headquarters. Major +. +.
Marley, of the ID South Carolina artl
lery was chief Of artillery and had the
general supervision of all the
guns. During the night Col. Lawrence
Nj Keitt, of the 20;h S)u.h Carolina
Volunteers, came down, and relieved
Gen. Colquitt. who left the island,
THIRD OF SEPTEMBER, THURSDAY.
Enemy still approaching. Ole of two
OF our guns and one mortar keeping up
steady fire. Tho men OF tic 25th were
| IN high spirits, a great many Of them
went to work building defcnces On tho
walls Of the fort with sand bags, in
| which they constructed loop holes,
through which to fire at the enemy
whose works were provided with similar
meaus of offence aud defence. Firing
through theae loop holes had become
very dangerous, yet it was steadily kept
up. AS soon as light Was seen through
one Of these holes the "Eederal sharp.
shooters" fired, and not unfequently
succeeded in sending their balls through.
Each side fired at the flashes OF the RI
fies of the other. Our men, alter firing,
showed their hats into the loop holes to
darken them before they drew out their
muskets. which when reloaded were put
cautiously back, and the hole covered
by man before the hat was withdrawn.
Private Wallace, of Company G., re-
ceived Yankee ball in his piece, which,
| happening TO be Of larger calbre than
the enemy's gun, did not lodge. He
| took 1t out, put down a charge OF
| powder, and SEM the bail back toits for
mer own. Musket firing and the hissitg
OF balls were incassant. The enemy did
not today make N uch use of his artillery
but was hard at work in his trenches.
Not man could be seen, but line Of
spades was visible as they were lifted
up to throw the sand out ct the trench
on the side towards us. There was no
entire cessation OF fire, but onlya slack
enlne of tue artillery. Oar James Is
land batteries and Fort M3ulttio brskly
cannonaded the enemies trenches all
day. The fleet came up, as was the
custom. every day, and opened tire on
us throwing eleven and fifteen inch
shells. They were often tbroan with
small charges OF powder, r;cocheted
along the water, and striking near the
top of the covered ways fell nearly yer.
tlcally, searching every part Of cur
works. Some Of the fifteen inch shells
were loaded with smaller shells, which,
when tie large shells burst, would have
their fuses ignit ID and would explode,
scattering their plec3s in every direction
and doing much damage. During the
day from one fourth to orc third of the
men were kept on the parapet. The
rest were allowed to remain IN the bomb
proofs. At nightiall they were all
turned out and kept on the parapet all
night. The enemy had gotten so near
that we could be heard making our dis :.
positions iOr the night. The fire was
then qulckened and shot and shell came
literally like iron hail. The garrison
had great deal OF work to do constant.
ly repairing damages. 1t was soon ap-
parent that this fort was near it's last
DAY. The exterior slope Of the salient
was drifting slowly into the ditch under
the enemy's fire.
FOURTH OF SEPTEMBER, FRIDAY.
The enemy commenced lively can
nonade this morning. Quite auunber
OF Que sharpshoOte:s' stands were
knocked down. The firing of the sharp
shootera was very brisk on both sides.
and continued so all day. The United
States nag was put up by th enemy AZ
the head of his trench, nov only about
one hundred yards from the salient.
MY opinion was that the intention Of
zen. i'llmore wa to pass tho fort at
low tide and assall us from the rear.
| dhere was ia width at low water about
aalty yards OF hard beach between our
iauk @ wall and low water mark. This
Ta MAS one OF the defects OF our work.
mere wa' time when q line of pail
saues fN might have been driven to- low
that Water ,ha mark; .af;. The engineers thought
Cnat Inc salient would be the pojnt ot
assault. This would bauo ho W