The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-02
ASSAULT ON BATTERY WAGNER
JUDGE TWIGGs' DESCRIPTION OF
THE MEMORABLE FIGHT.

The Terrible Reimbursement of the
Fort for Eleven Hours FittinGly
Pictured, and the story of the
Terrible Assault and Bloody Re-
pulse ThriIIingIy TOId-Tributes to
the Brave Men Who Fell on Both
Sides.
The address of Judge H. d. D. Twiggs
to the Confederate Veterans at the Guards
Hall last night upon the Assault Upon
Battery Wagner" was thoroughly enjoyed
by large audience, which was frequently
aroused to enthusiasm by the eloquent
flights and glowing word pictures of the
speaker.
Judge Twiggs was introduced by Judge
, Failigant, who was in a more than usual
happy mood and whose remarks were loud
| ly applauded. Gen. p. McGiashan, first
vice president of the Confederate Vete-
rams Association, presided at the meeting.
Judge Twiggs began his address with
description of the defenses around Charles
ton, and the positions of the opposing
forces, the feredal forces besieging
Charleston, the harbor of which was de-
Tended by Forts Sumter, Moultrie, Gregg,
Battery Wagner and other fortincations.
The battery was very strong earthwork,
located on the upper end of Morris Island,
the work having been constructed under
the direction of the best engineers of the
Confederacy. There was considerable pre-
iimnary fighting leading up to the main
attack. The Federals had constructed bat
teries under the direction of Gen. Gilmore
on the other end of Morris Island and were
preparing to make things decidedly I'M
comfortable for the Confederates. An at
tack on the fort on July Il was repulsed
with severe loss to the Federals. Col.
Charles II. Olmstead and the Savannah
troops participated in the defense on that
| occasion
Gen. w. F. Taliaferro, of Virginia,
whose death was recorded in yesterdays
Morning News, was in command of the
fort, and Judge Twiggs spoke feelingly of
his old commander. He was assistant in
spector general on the staff of which
Lieut.. Henry c. Cunningham and DIR.
Joseph Clay Habersham of Savannah,
were also members.
Besides the batteries which Gen. Gil
more had constructed on the island, the
enemy had a number of monitors and
gunboats in the river, which daily she'll
ed the fort and made things as unpleasant
as possible for the Confederates. The gar
rison was composed of less than 1900 men
from North Carolina, South Carolina and
Georgia. Opposing them were the enemy
with over 5000 men, forty-two large siege
guns in their four land batteries, and
number of 8. TO- ~ and 15-inch guns on
their monitors.
The day was one which he Will never for
get, Judge Twiggs said. Early in the morn
ing he breakfasted with DIR. Harper of
Augusta, one of the surgeons, their break
fast consisting of hard crackers and but
ter, the latter being considered a treat
Their meal was interrupted by a PARROT
shell which buried itself in the earth out
side the door and then exploded, throwing
up large amount of earth and filling the
pail containing the butter with sand 1t
was the beginning of the bombardment
They foresaW that the fort was to be as
sailed by the entire land and naval force
of the enemy. The whole seventy guns Of
the enemy opened and for eleven hours
the air was filled with shot and shell of
every description. The Confederates re-
piled as best they could, but their arma-
ment was far inferior to that of the enc
my, and many of their guns were soon
disabled The infantry resorted 10 the
bombproofs. the roofs of which were al
of the shells which fell within the port
The wooden buildings in the fort, which
had been used for officers quarters and
medical supplies were torn into splinters
IL was hot July day, and the men In the
bombproofs We're most uncomfortable
Gailards battalion from Charleston pre-
ferred to remain on the outside. sheltered
under the wall of the parapet.
The blazing July sun was obscured by
the clouds of smoke from the bursting
shells. The fort shook like a ship in. the
grasp of a storm. All the heavy guns on
the sea face of the fort were soon disabled
and but for the bomb-proofs and The para
pets the garrison would soon have been
annihilated. The halliards were cut by the
shot and the garrison flag fell. A score
of men ran for ii at once. Four officers
seized hold of it, carried it back to the
parapet and ran it up again. This occu-
pied some little time. Capt. Robert Barn
well, seeing that the flag had fallen, seiz-
ed regimental battle flag and rushing out
upon the ramparts, held 1t there while the
garrison colors were replaced The scene
of Sergt. Jaspers exploit at Fort Moultrie
was i'm full view of this scene. There was
one Jasper at Moultrie,' said Judge
Twiggs. There were a score at Wag-
ner.'A
Thousands of people at the battery and
on the housetops at Charleston watched
the DomDardInent with eager interest.
When the garrison flag fell their hearts
fell with it, for they feared the garrison
had surrendered When the flag was re-
placed, shout went up from thousands of
Threats and thousands of women waived
their handkerchiefs towards the men in
the fort.
Judge Twiggs' remarks upon the senti-
ment attaching to a flag of ones country
aroused great applause. Had the Con-
federate states" he said adhered TO the
Stars and Stripes thousands would have
tlocked to their cause who remained away
and other thousands would have refused
to fight against It, The Stars and Stripes
are again the flag of our united country
Long may it wave over The land of the
free and the home of the brave 1t is the
symbol of a union that will never be sun
dered. The people of the South are as
loyal TO that flag to-day as are those who
live to the northward."
There was further applause when the
speaker alluded TO Fitzhugh Lee who
fought so well under the Stars aud Bars.
now nobly UNFOLDING the honor of the
Stars and stripes at Havana This was
followed by an eloquent panegyric upon
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