The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-01-24

taxing place anu hau seliI Ineli u"lecS
forward either to make another attack
on Battery Gregg or to discover our
movements. They had intercepted
two of our boats and captured forty
nine men. In obedience to the warn
ing summons the little squad of Off
GERS hastened on, but Major Huguenin
had been twice struck that day by
fragments Of shells, which had explod-
ed near him, and was so lame that he
could not advance rapidly. eco on, )"
he said to his comrades, "and I will
overtake you" But when he reached
the beach he found, to his dismay,
that in the darkness and confusion
they had gone off and left him, sup
posing him to be on board. His posi-
tion was now truly a melancholy and
precarious one, for the guns of the
enemy's batteries and those of the
feet swept the open beach, as the tide
was out, and if he returned to Battery
Wagner he would find no refuge there,
as he hoped every instant to hear the
explosion of the magazine, and Moul-
trie and all of our batteries had been
instructed to concentrate their fire
upon that work as soon as the signal
Of our having evacuated Morris Island
was given. To surrender himself a
prisoner was also dreadful. Just as
these fearful alternatives presented
themselves to his mind boat, which
was apparently going out to sea, swept
by. He hailed it and was informed to
his Joy that it was ten-oared Confed-
crate barge which had turned back to
escape capture, and was going round
by Sullivan's Island. The officer in
charge, in reply 10 Huguenin's earnest
appeal, "For Gods sake, take me with
you, replied, "The Yankees are too
near to stop, but wade out and we will
take you I'M"
So the last Confederate soldier who
left Morris Island waded out breast
high in the water, and was hauled
aboard as the boat shot by.
They reached Fort johnson at about
o'clock in the morning, and found
that Col. Yates and a detachment of
the 1st South Carolina regular artillery
were about to set off for Morris Island
to make an attempt to rescue him, but
the effort would probably have been
vain.
A report that Major Huguenin had
been killed preceded him to the city,
and when he reported himself at about
8 o'clock at Gen. Ripley's headquar-
ters the greeting given him by the
General was very characteristic. In
his bluff military manner he said:
"Is that you Why, l thought you
were dead. I am glad to see you.
1t appears, therefore, that in South
Carolina, as we'll as in Scotland,
"short greeting serves in times of
war.
Gen. Beauregard was much disap-
pointed at Batteries Gregg and Wag-
ner not having been blown up. Why
the jealous and reliable officers who
were deputed to do this failed to ac-
complish their design was because the
fuses they were ordered to use were
defective.
As soon as Major Huguenin was
told that the duty of blowing up Bat
terry Wagner was assigned to him he
cut off several pieces of the fuse and
touched them off to ascertain if this
important factor was in good order,
but he soon found that it was worth
nothing. In some parts the fire died
out after being kindled and in others
the powder hared up so quickly that it
was anything but slow match. He,
therefore, went to Col. Keitt, and said:
"ThiS fuse will never explode the
magazine. 1t was brought here in an
open rowboat, and probably got wet,
for it is useless; but, if you will allow
me to use my discretion, l will guaran-
tee such an explosion that where Bat
terry Wagner now stands there will
soon be creek. We have two barrels
of resin here. l will put them into
the hospital, which adjoins the pow
der magazine, set them on fire, and
open the doors of the magazine, so
that the flames may soon ignite the
powder, and if the Yankees take pos
session of the fort one minute after l
leave it, no man will be found bold
enough to venture to 60 in to try to
extinguish the fire.
Col. Keitt calleda council Of officers
to consider the question, but they
decided that, as the commanding gen.
eral had said "a fuse,'' nothing else
could be used. So the letter of the
order was obeyed, while the important
object in view was lost sight Of.
The fuse was accordingly lighted
the night Of the evacuation, and after
burning awhile the fire died out.
Neither Battery Wagner nor Battery
Gregg consequently were blown up,
and the enemy quietly took possession
of them next morning, and mounting