The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-01-18
LAST WEEK IN WAGNER.
looNTINUED FROM PAGE oNEl


would soon succumb to this destructive
iire. A portion Of our signal corps had |
been specially detailed to observe the |
signals Of the enemy. Every dispatch
slgnalled between Gen. Gilmore, OF the
Federal army, and Admiral DAhIeren.
OF tSe navy. was transmitted by our
slgnal officers to Gen. Beaureyard in
the city, and such as he desired us to
know were then sent to Col. Kjett for
his information and guidance. One of
these dispatches, which was read by Col.
keltt to a few of US who were in his
confidence, detailed the plan of an attack
on Battery Gregg which had beon agreed
upon between Gilmore and Dahlgren,
The arrangement was made by which
Oadlgren was to furnish the boats and
Glllmore the men, and Battery Gregg,
at Cummings Point, was to be sur
prlsed. But for this inf ,rmation it seems
certalo that Gregg would h ave falleu and
the Confederates on Morris Island GU
on from all hope Of escape; The expedj-
tlun was to come in boats with nj III III
oars from the creek which separates
james from Morris Island. aud when ,N..
Reels OF the boats struck tho beach tAc
men were to jump out and charyc the
battery. Capt. Martin 1. Sellers. with
his company, (St Matthew's R'n.s,) and
Company r, (Beauregard Light luuu.
try,) under the command OF Lieut. A. j
Minis, with detachment OF litLy mcu
from the 28th Georgia, uader command
OF Capt Hayne, were de allied AZ rein
torcrments for Battery Greg. Tnc
whole detachment was put under LhA
command Of Capt. Sellers. UI4
was killed before he reported with Is
command to Sellers. The same shell
which killed him killed lieut. Il. A..
Blum.)
The assailing force sent to capture
Battery Gregg came accOrhn" ~ go
gramme, but they were tno parties >rir
prlsed. AS soOn aa their boats stuck
the beach they were grectc wi,hu vote,
In their faces and disciiayGr o. Gru!"
and canister from the elcvrn-Inch Guns
on the parapat of Grc.&. NNt n man
landed. Their boats puShc Of III On.
fusion, return:eg, as they lcf,, a d"Su'L-
orY lire. They were sOnu uu' O, s@h. in
the darkness. We los, one n.un belong
Ing to Company j., who was Killed
by the sabot of shot from one DI the
guns of Gregg, fred over tho heads Of
our men on the beach. H. WAS very hard
to depress these Guns sufficiently TO
make them very effective Tnc btltcry
had not been constructed with the cX-
pectation of an attack from that Gircc-
ton.
1t WAS apparent that it wCuid not he
practicable to keep the whole force on
the parapet Of Wagner Tonight as usual
1t WAS determined TO reduce it as much
as at all consistent with prudence, AID
depend on getting the balance Of the gar-
rlson in position IN time TO meet an as
sault, should the enemy attempt ono.
,- Ihe men were directed TO protect item.
selves as we'll as possib" by kcepinL
close to the parapct, which afforded 5omc
shelter except against shells bursting
overhead. The salient anglo became
untenablc, and small squad OF Com.
panY +, ST Mathews Rifles, was lett
there.
The bombardment was tcrrlic and
grand all night. The fleet Withdrew at
the approach Of darkness, as was their
custom. The lire Of the Parrot Guns
slackened somewhat, but the mortars
kept it up incc ssantly. -Four or five
shells could be seen TO start at the same
time from battery behind the last
parallel, and this was frequently repeated
The shells would come nlm:nt through
the air like metcors, bursting, rs tho
enemy's gunners seemed to dC3.gu they
should, sometimes in the air, sometimes
on the parade and sometimes on the
parapet.
During the night it was reported that
the enemy were advancing to charge our
works. 1t was a relief TO men and Of.
lcers TO believe that the last struggle
was about to be made, and that the aw.
1ul cannonade was about to be exchanged
Tor musketry and u hand to hand fight
with the baYonets. The enemy again
displayed calcium light, this time turn.
ing 1t upon our fort and Lighting up tho
works brilliantly. ExcepTin the shadows
1t was light enough to read ordinary
print. To ha:sS tried the experiment,
however,, would have been certain death.
The 9Aen kept III the shadows of the
paNapet and traverses. Mai. John Glpv-
=, or had command Of two companies and
was charged with the defence of the sea
face and flank wall outside OF the sally
port.
SIXTH OF DECEMBER, SUNDAY.
Daylight came at las, and with it !
the quickening Of the fire from the |
Parrots OF the enemy. The lloet came
up again and Joined in the lombard.
ment, and 1t soon became as grand and
terrible as it was yesterday. The fort
was going rapidly. a large detail was [
constantly at work. but the covered
ways and entrances to the magazines
and bomb proofs could scarcely be
kept open. The entrance to the GOV.
cred way leading into the salient was
entirely closed 10y the sand drifts .
caused by the enemy'5 shot and shell.
The bombardment was a repetition Of {
yesterday. Men fell on every side and 7
the litter bearers and surgeons had as |
much as they could do. 1t was the G
custom to send the wounded up to the /
city at night. Our opportunities per, i
mltted us to remove very few of the I
dead from the island during the latter a
Gays OF the siege. The suffering Of the t
men was somewhat allayed by digging t.
wells IN the bomb-proofs. Tolerable t
water was thus obtained, but not in a
sufficient quantities. The heat was in. s
tonse and the air in the bomb proofs II
became very foul and hardly supported y