Today in History:

117 Series I Volume XXVIII-I Serial 46 - Ft. Sumter - Ft. Wagner Part I

Page 117 Chapter XL. GENERAL REPORTS.

1.30 p.m. Loaded bark arriving from southward. The usual number of vessels off the harbor to-day. The iron-clad reported yesterday as missing from Hilton Head has joined the fleet here, making six monitors now inside the bar.

6 p.m. In the past twelve hours, 107 shots have been fired by our batteries and 395 by the enemy.

6.30. General Gillmore telegraphs by signal to Admiral Dahlgren:

Three guns on Sumter were knocked out of sight to-day, and another is cocked up in the air and points toward Morris Island. There was a serviceable gun on Sumter this morning; there is none now.

Mr. J. Fraser Mathewes reports that he has landed on Commercial Wharf a 32-pounder banded rifled gun brought from Sumter.

At 11 p.m. Fort Moultrie opened on six monitors and the Ironsides, which had advanced to the attack of Sumter, and did not cease until the withdrawal of the enemy's vessels at daylight. The firing is thought to have been excellent. One hundred and twenty-one shots in all were fired from Moultrie. The following Yankee dispatch was intercepted:

Colonel T-:

Open with all your guns on Sumter, and keep them going till dark.

GILLMORE.

Three hundred and eighty-two shots were fired at Fort Sumter, of which 166 struck outside, 95 inside, and 121 missed.

At 11.40 p.m. the Ironsides and six monitors attacked the fort, and after firing 185 shots retired at 5 a.m. One 8-inch gun was thrown over parapet and shipped off; also a lot of ordnance stores, &c. Three privates slightly wounded.

During the night, the enemy succeeded in advancing their lines a short distance toward Wagner, notwithstanding a steady fire was kept up on them from that work. At daylight the enemy opened on Wagner with mortars, and continued at intervals during the entire day. The two 32-pounder howitzers on the salient are still disabled; the two 8-inch shell guns on the land face are also partially disabled. From the guns and howitzers, 203 shots were fired in the past twenty-four hours, and from the mortars, 61 shells. The effective strength on the island is 1,601.

September 2, 1863-4.15. The six monitors and Ironsides, which commenced an attack on Sumter last night at about 11.40, have just withdrawn, and our Sullivan's Island batteries, Wagner and Gregg have ceased firing. The monitors were seen to have been struck many times.

6 a.m. In the last twenty-four hours, 982 shots have been fired by our batteries and 691 by those of the enemy.

5 p.m. The enemy have been remarkably quiet all day, and in the fleet have been engaged placing sand-bags on the decks of monitors. Inside of bar, thirty-eight vessels, including Ironsides, six monitors, three gunboats, seven mortars, schooners, &c. Outside of bar, thirteen vessels.

6 p.m. During the day, Batteries Simkins, Cheves, and Haskell have been firing occasionally. In the past twelve hours, 66 shots have been fired by our batteries and 148 by the enemy. Colonel [Thomas H.] Johnson telegraphs from Hardeeville:

No change in the fleet at Hilton Head since yesterday.

Only 38 shots were fired by the enemy to-day at Sumter, of which


Page 117 Chapter XL. GENERAL REPORTS.