The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-28
BATTERY WAGNER.
An Interesting Sketch Of Its Heroic
Defense.

THAT Were Made and RepuIsed-A
por,arkabIe Incidental Rain of
shot and Shell-Sorne Savannah Men
T-+ba earrison-A Removal of a Big
cun Under Trying Circumstances.
sosnes and Incidents Graphically
Portrayed.
ro,ar nv NJ c. Kollock, and read by him be-
fore the University Club of savannah.
glance at the map of Charleston har-
bor shows a well fortified port, the de-
.criDtion and history of which are inter-
osting in the extreme. Thirty years ago
that was part of our confederacy which
caused many anxious and sleepless nights
N the leaders in that great struggle
both north and south. AS you approach
from the sea by the main or ship channel,
vou have on your left Folly Island, then
Morris Island, with Battery Wagner some
,bree miles from South End and Fort
cregg atCummings' Point. On the right
hand Sullivan's Island, with Fort Mar
shall Batteries Beauregard and Rutledge
then Fort Moultrie, supported on each
side bv mortars-and next in turn we see
Marion
nd Sumter stands out alone, the brave
sentinel who is always on the alert and
watchful in every direction. Then fur
then away to the left, on James Island,
are Batteries Maskell, Cheves, Simkins,
Forts Johnson, Woempler and Glover,
with Fort Ripley and Castle Pinckney at
the mouth of Cooper river, and White
Point, or Battery Ramsey on the main
land.
This embraces large area-too large
SPACE to cover at this time, for Maj. John
Johnson an able military engineer, de-
voted some 276 pages to the subject, with
an addition of III pages of appendices.
Let US simply confne our thoughts to
Norris Island and vicinity, the chief
point of interest being Battery Wagner.
Old Battery Wagner.
What scenes and "reminiscences must
your name recall TO those gallant heroes
who so ably defended you against over
whelming numbers, and made for you a
record which claims bright page in his
tory Let me state here that | claim
nothing of personal experience with
Wagner, as my brief sojourn in the har-
Dor was altogether on James Island.
This was sufficient, however, to interest
me in many historical facts and incidents
relating to Morris Island.
This island, we are told, can be de-
scribed as from three and half to four
miles in length the northern portion of
which is narrow and low, but proceeding
southwark we find it much wider, the
surface broken by sand-hills, some of
which rise about forty feet above the sea.
At the north end, called Cumming S
Point, we see Fort Gregg, whilst Wagner
is to the southwark, extending across. the
island from shore to shore, having front
width Of $50 feet-a little over one-eighth
Of mile. There seems to have been
two opposite opinions by military
Wagner belonged. Gen. Beaureguard
in his report states sit was not a work
OF the most formidable kind, but an ordin-
ary te!d work with thick parapets, but
with bitches Of little depth" Gen. Gil
more, who had been so often repulsed by
wagner commended always that il was
formidable on account of its APP
proaches, as well as its plan and arma-
ment The latter. by sad experience,
Haa evidently learned to respect our lit
ue sand battery. 1t was christened
fort wagner by the enemy after so
many weeks Of stubborn resistance.
Inc defenders of Wagner proved them
serves ever ready to fight, and prevented
Iue enemy from forcing an entrance on
more IMAM one occasion, as we will see
iqrlner on, thus deserving the name
ueloes OF Wagner" of which they have
every reason to be proud
Inc southern soldier who served his
tWun'Ty honorably, need never blush, al
Vuougn the bird of victory did not finally
perCnon MS banner In recent address de-
Gyerea before the Confederate Veterans
association Of Savannah, T. B. Catherwood
BayS lusL and glowing tribute to "The
tul'sale Soldier in Camp and Conflict -
ne ne says the purpose comes to me to re-
oan you some incidents Of the confed-
era.e soldiers life, as best seen by the
.SeSoI confederate private soldiers, and
W convey to you the impression made
Spou Ihe mind and heart of foreign
Urn confederate soldier by the valiant
uau alValrous comrades with whom it
I TaS ms privilege and pride to serve for
ioiF sake; TO recall how be-
Siin am camp life almost as toy sol
SiSlS-carpet knights these same con-
To a9taVes suddenly aroused by the mo-
ns OrvoHS movements of their enemies, and
nc ct,Vu ny the necessities of the mighty
wor uoion took prominence amongst the
"utIu famous warriors and patriots. and
~ served their sovereign states and their
so ouuIJ mat they achieved reputation
cob grt 70 mat of none of the renowned
eTT J,Vs whose achievements in every age
nj I ,ranon the most glorious records
tbe instance the phalanx of Macedon
9partans whom Leonidas led
her 1 Upirl $ 10000; the legions of Rome in
cb,dP SHtulest days; the well-nigh irwin
the ooeetI.v.inaigenlans, who conquered even
nior ttasIerlai obstacles which nature had
TetnSeu 10 the path to glory: the men of
co TAas VINO died at the Alamo. and whose
ia|,aoes conquered at San
bn1dass the ever glorious six
1ris uuieu at Balaclava. or that brigade of
NJ ~ FeAles who, upon the decisive field
wara W yyenoy. swept back the mighty
nrasoI vi English victory, saved France.
tbo o1oIEeq the prestige and the ma iestv of
eratos a .I monarch; indeed these confed-
slnsr;. won reputation and a glory as
Oh O ,re 10 that of the great Napoleon's
9iess IIia Hu, as a war in defence of a peo.
siios i;ioerlles, their affairs and tbAir fire
sarrid 10 Worthier of Concentration and of
in NJ '.e IMAM that which finds its motive
quest" "l4oiIlon' or IN The lust OF con-
batt bate earliest record of ANYTHING like a
IsIsT5y having been used ON Morris
mem was on Jan. 9, 1861. when a detach-
ma M, lhe cadets from the Sonth caro-
Star of "a academy opened fire on the
der.orn attempted to relnforee Mai An
and nd ~, m Fort Sumter Win oof troons
abortF ~ ~. islons. She was forced m tnrn
This we ''o ,,. accomplishing her mission.
beginning of tu s 81 regard as practically the
Son h1 70 remember father fo,,ebt oc,oiT,st
40, ''D.her against b,.a.t - - = y - 49,