The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-04-11

Charleston. Its guns commanded the
chanpcl approach to that city. The
enemy had effected landing on the
southern end of the island, afld, NOV
ing up their forces, had erected heavy
batteries about l 600 yards in front of
Wagner.l The latter, which was occu-
pied by our troops. wac a large bas-
toned earth work, inclosed On all
sides and situated upon q neck of the
island 80 narrow that the battery
(more properly for) extended across
it's full width two hundred and fifty
yards at that point from the sea or
ship channel on one side to Vincent
creek, deep and narrow salt water
creek, on the other. This island was
long, low, sandy, sea island, almost
deDuded of growth save for few pal.
motto trees, q number Of which grew
along the banks of Vincent creek.
There was situated near the banks of
this creek an abandoned two. o.story
wooden house, much nearer the enc.
my'o works than ours, which a small
body Of Che enemy 6ok possession
Of. In fact it was the headquarters
Of their night outpost picket.
From the upper windows of this
house q band of sharpshooters had
been constantly harassing the garrison
at Wagner by firing plugging shots in
their elevated positions from their
long range rifles, and scarcely a day
passed without some soldier in the
open parade Of the fort being killed
or wounded. OF course, the troops
could not perpetually remain under
cover in the sitting bomb proofs, and
they were necessarily exposed to the
rifle fire of this unseen, pitiless foe,
dealing death day after day. They
could not be dislodged by infantry, Of
they had the near support Of 10000
troops in their own works (our force
in the fort being less than l 500 men,
They could not be shelled by artillery
because We were dey and nigh,
strengthening our works, and any ar
tillery demonstration from our for
would have resulted in drawing upor
US the concentrated fire of all the
enemy's siege gnns, which were of ths
heaviest oalibre.
In the daytime the enemy's picket,
were drawn from the house. leaving
only the sharp5hootsFs 10 do th5ii
daily, deadly work. No feasible ex
peaiens could Be adopted to burn thi,
house aud abste this intolerable nuis
ance, and night alone Brought rsiiei
to the harassed garrison.
1t was possible for. q very few men
under the shelter of The creek bank il
places and The scaut growth Of shrub
berry, to. approach sie house 10 The
| day time; but no considerable dtmte1
could do 30 without being seen q,
once, aud It was, Of course, impraoti
cable to do so at night. Al the time
! mentioned was captain OF infantry
ssss. detached detached ::sssss =S regimen. il;
Virginia, and: was temporarily assign.
ed TO staff duty with General William,
B. TaliafefTo, who commanded For,
Wagner, as inspector general, Oue
morning in July, 1853, about a week
Or ten. days before the bombardment
and assault on the 18th Of July,
Lieutenant. J. Doughty. Of Angus.
n, Ga, who ia still living In that
city, received . box of eatables from
home and invited mo, Lieuteuaut nj:
Hit aud Thomas Tatt, also of Angus.
ta at that time, aud Sergeant Hopps,
from Missonri, 20: dine with hin :in
his quarsers In lie fort. !. y We we're en.
joyins. 3, only 90 ,ravsnous soldiars
could, the delicious viands Swhioh
tender hands at home had stored
away in this precious box : and had
nearly fiaished our meal when one oi
Tatt's men came in hurriedly andre,
ported, With . voice qniyering with
emotion, that E. yell known eomrade
OF his command (whose name !: she
writer hss forgotten,) had just been
shot dead in shs open fort .by one E:of
the. :ensmy's1 sherpsBeoters from .ths
house referred 70, = IS f., t: s. s. n :
Tut sprang from his ssatI his dark
eyes flashing Ere, with ! strange ltsht
gfeanius from their deptins,,S 81 : nd, icoik.
Ing into our fsees, said with his own
ses hard vith tdstermipation mud sv;th
fq4ry wristen ia every; line. Boys. !.
lot nsget d rifle Apieee aud ia $ar, ls the
d.-n saseaia from that honso ST ia y ana
burn sit. or perish III. / mo Sstten. 81, q
There were ave OF % { ppfsaent sTTuttl;,
Doughty. Hit, Hoppa snd 4 nyself in,
Al y - -