Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-08-21
CHARLESTON DURING The WAR
Scenes and Incidents i'm and
Around the City of the Caro-
liDas During the Late
"Unpleasaptness Be-


iiDas During the Late
"Unpleasantness" Be
tween the States.
| written for the VIRGINIA CITIZEN by James
4. Powell. one of the boys who was there.
PART IL.
After the fall of Fort Sumter, Il Z
Federals attacked our soldiers on
Morris Island, and after a stubborn
resistance our soldiers were forced tt
leave that Island. The last fight
was at Fort Wagner where our men
fought for two or three days.
have heard Mai. McIver, now judge
of the Supreme Court of South Car.
olina, say that for two days all the
water they had to drink was hall
human blood.
On taking Morris Island the Fed.
erals commenced to fortify it By
throwing up breastworks after plant
ing a number of their heaviest guns
at Vinegar Hill and Fort Wagner
From the latter point they shelled
the city of Charleston, throwing
shells from their mortsrs into The
heart of that city, distance of over
six miles. One night a shell wal
thrown in the city which lighted or
the top of house, the inmates OF
which made a very narrow escape
The shell passed through the third
story down to the second floor where
gentleman and his wife were sleep,
ing, struck the bed, and passed be-
tween their feet and on down to the
first floor before it exploded. Fortu-
nately no one was hurt.
Continued Efforts were made BY
the Federals to capture James Island,
but they all met with failure, oui
men always driving them off with
heavy Losses. One night about fifty
barges. we'll and fully equipped with
men, came up for the purpose of tax.
ing Fort johnson on James Island
Our officers found out by some means
what their intention was, and the
commanding officer sent one thous-
and men to that fort with orders to
''lie low" and wait until signal
was given. At the same time orders
were sent to Fort johnson to open
fire from twelve cannon with grape
and canister at the signal. When
the barges had gotten within about
twenty-five yards of the shore thu
signal was given, when a thousand
niles and twelve cannon belched
forth "death and destruction" upon
them. The barges were all destroyed
and not q man escaped to carry the
news home. The next morning the
whole river was afloat with dead men
One night steamer Was sent by the
Federals to try and see if they could
not run the gauntlet of torpedoes
aud thus reach Fort Sumter. Wher
within four or FIVE hundred yards oi
that fort the steamer struck fric
ton torpedo which exploded. Tn,
steamer was thrown some ten fee
out of water and split wide open, de
stroying nearly if not quite all or
board of her.
We had on Sullivan's Island tall
slender Irishman by the name of Pa
0'Reilley, who had charge of six
FOUNDER rifle. Pat was all exper
gunner and had practiced with hi
gun so much that he could "put" ,
shell wherever he pleased. / hav,
more than once seen him throw ,
shell in the smoke stack of steamer
The Yanks put up very large bras
cannon on Vinegar Hill and begal
shelling Sullivan's Island with il
1t became so annoying that Col
Rhett ordered Pat to silence that gun
At the second shot Pat put shel
in the muzzle Of the gun, burst
ing it to pieces. What damag,
was done We could not ascertain. buI
in few minutes we saw about fift,
ambulances making for that point il
shot haste" Not long before W
evacuated the Island poor Pats gui
bursted, killing him instantly.
| Frequently one of the blockad
runners would run aground and he
captain would abandon her. Thi
was always feast to the officers q
headquarters. They would get up
wrecking party headed by one o
more of the officers and at nigh
would 20 aboard the boat, help them
selves to anything that would brinI
them in any money, bring the good
ashore and the next morning tax
them to Charleston and dispose o
them, taking the lions share an,
giving small pittance to the me-
who had done the work. Anon,
other articles brought In by wreck
ing party one night were six barrel
; of sugar. They were rolled up i
front of headquarters and a ma
with heavily loaded gun was set b
!, watch them. Just about dayligh
he dropped off into q doze when on
!, barrel was spirited away withou
leaving track, although the plac
was three or four inches deep j
. light sand. A diligent hunt ws
made for that barrel of sugar and al
ter four or five days search it ws
learned that the kettle drummer ha
it. He was Immediately strung u
10y the thumbs and kept there unit
his hands were 30 swollen that
could not beat his drum for two {
three weeks.
The "Old Ironades,"a Yankee gu
boat, had been lying off the mout
of the harbor near Sullivan's Islam
for some time and had become sue
a nuisance that our officers dete
mined either to sink her or drive ht
of; 30 they had long cigar shape
torpedo boat built with q pole abor
fifty feet long attached to her boy
On the end of this pole was placed
very heavily loaded torpedo. Whe
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