Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-21
The First Georgia Regulars At the Siege of SaOannab.

After the battle of Waterloo on Johns
Island. S. C. In July. 1854 the regulars
crossed the Stone river on the steamer De-
Kalb and landed on James Island. We
marched TO battery Tatum where one-half
OF the regiment remained, and the rest
marched TO battery Hascol on picket duty,
On the 18th OF July the regulars went
into quarters at Secessionville where
was told the first secession flag was IN
furled 70 the breeze. AS South Carolina
was the first state to leave the union so
we viii take a peep at our surroundings
and see where we are at. There were five
or six houses in a row along the edge of
the marsh Cused <or summer resorts) run
ming north and south with a line OF breast
works between the houses and the marsh.
South OF the houses was Fort Lamar, a
battery of several heavy guns. and a short
distance west of the houses was a bomb
proof TO protect the soldiers from the enc
mics fire.
No doubt a great many OF The Journal
readers would like TO know what bomb
proof Is. so we will build one on paper.
First, dig a trench feet wide and feet
deep. then set up timbers on the sides with
one across the top. plank up on the out
side and over the top, then cover the
whole about 10 feet with dirt leaving the
1t is a petty warm place SLED with SOL
diers, but not as warm as II would be
among the bursting shells. On the east
was Norris Island. a long stretch Of land,
destitute of vegetation. occupied by Fed
erals with one battery little south Of Sc
cessiOnville known as Battery Joe. On
the north end OF the island there was three
batteries. Wagner. Gregg and the Middle
battery. North of them was Fort Sumter.
to the right OF Sumter Fort Moultrie, and
TO the left Fort Johnson. all three held
by the Confederates. It was interesting
seated on the bombproof to watch the
batteries on Norris fire on Fort Sumter,
which was at that time battered down on
the sea front. nothing but brick bats and
mortar; although IL was garrisoned and
the Confederate flag fiOated I'm defiance
over the ruins. During the day all shots
were fired at the face Of the fort, and at
night mortars were used that dropped the
shells within the fort. You could watch
them by the lighted fuse as they 'circled
over through the darkness and dropped In
the fort. The firing was kept up on Fort
Sumter for 1-2 years, every five minutes
during the day and night. without 1t being
taken until the evacuation Of Charleston
in 1866.
II made me feel sad to watch poor. help
less old Fort Sumter in ruins and unable
TO defend the flag that fioated from its
ramparts. Moultrie and Johnson defended
Il until the evacuation, at times making
IL awful hot for the Federals on Norris.
One morning while seated on the bomb
proof saw what looked like large build
ing near the Federal batteries, and on
making enquiry was told that IL was oc-
cupied by Confederate officers who had
been placed under the fire OF our batteries
in retaliation for some Of theirs who had
been placed under fire by the Confeder-
ates. I could not find out anything more
about ii and several years ago / wrote up
the second bombardment of Fort Sumter
for the Sunny South and made enquiries
about them. receiving the following from
Mississippi officer, signing himself one of
the coo. In the spring OF 1864 General Sam
Jones, In Command at Charleston, con-
fined a number OF Federal officers In that
part OF the city exposed to the fire of the
batteries OF the Federal General Gilmore.
The fire could be justified by no mill
tary necessity, simply wantonly endan-
gerfng the lives of noncombatants and
needlessly destroying property. General
Jones sought TO stop this by exposing
these officers to the fire. In retaliation
the Federals ordered a number of Confed-
crates to be placed under the fire of the
Confederate forts. The stoclOade Of pine
poles, u or II feet high, was built I'm front
Of battery wagons as IL faced Fort Moul-
trie and the shots exchanged between
these two forts passed directly over them.
None Of the prisoners were injured by the
firing, though at times quite heavy. Six
hundred officers ranking from captain to
colonel, were confined there. having been
brought from Fort Delaware for that pur-
pose. They were guarded by the 5th
Massachusetts,. the first colored regiment
raised in the civil war. Most Of these ne
groes were bright, intelligent men, and
real kind to their prisoners, but the ne
grOes held no Office higher than sergeant,
so their authority was limited. The white
officers from the cocl1-eyed colonel down
were as ungodly a lot of cut threats as
ever wore the blue. or any other color, as
TO that matter. The prisoners remained
under fire for six weeks, and were then
sent to Hilton Head and Fort Pulaski,
and in March. 1866. were returned to Fort
Delaware. Several times the gunboat at
the mouth Of the river and battery Joe
ran us into the bombproof. The gun
boat was out OF range, but Fort Lamar
dismantled Joe's fort for him. Picket
duty at night was extremely heavy, while
we remained at the houses during the
day On the first of August we were or
dered back to Savannah, and arrived on
the ID, going into camp near the park, and
were placed in charge Of 600 Federal Off
GERS confined In the city hospital Guard
duty was light, the officers giving no
trouble, and made but one attempt to es-
cape, and that was by digging under the
brick wall that surrounded the hospital,
and was discovered by a COW caving In
on the outside. Being first sergeant of
Company N, 1 had nothing to do with
them, but 1 heard no complaint of any
kind. Being old soldiers the regulars OBJ
served the golden rule and treated them
as they would wish to be treated in the
same condition. A prisoner was held, the
best you could make of IL and the boys
did everything for them they could, even
TO selling greenbacks, gold and jewelry
for them so they could have Confederate
money TO purchase such things as they
needed, or could get. On the 18th of Sep
TENDER they were sent to Charleston I'M
der the belief that they were going to be
exchanged.
Guarding prisoners we found very diff
ferent from duty at the front. so the boys
were full Of life and mischief too. Gus
Clover Of company @, John Teddy Of
company E. Alvin Parr OF company NJ,
and several more just as bad were a hard
set. never tired or out Of sorts, but al
ways ready TO have some fun at some
one else's expense. One night after taps
they came to my tent, pulled me out Of
my bunk on to the company parade
ground. then joirSd hands around with
me In the centre and marched around
singing OF Grimes. that good old man
that wore the long-tailed blue. Next
they commenced on Rye Straw which they
claimed had 3 verses in II and all just
alike. After marching around until they