Today in History:

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

Page 161 Chapter XI. GENERAL REPORTS.

Battery Gregg and the auxiliary mortar batteries firing slowly upon Sumter and a little on Moultrie (21 shots) and Simkins (wild) during the greater part of the day, Fort Moultrie (41 shots) and Battery Simkins (18 shells) replying slowly. In the afternoon the fire was more brisk. Soon after nightfall the enemy increased the rapidity of his fire, and a pretty heavy bombardment (principally from mortars) was kept up during the greater part of the night.

During the day, 144 rifle shots were fired against Sumter, of which 34 missed; mortars, 159, of which 92 missed. Monitor fired twice, struck both times. One shot passed through the flag.

During the night, 180 rifle shots were fired, of which 51 passed over; mortars, 282, of which 110 missed.

The following casualties occurred: Private W. J. Hadden, Company I, Twenty-eighth Georgia, killed by a fragment of shell; Private A. J. Clinton, Company K, Seventeenth South Carolina Volunteers, killed by a mortar shell while on post; Private E. Johnson, Company C, Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers, wounded severely in the face while on post.

About 10 p.m. one monitor and a wooden vessel, supposed to be the Flambeau, came up in front of Battery Marshall, and fired 7 shots. The 2 from the monitor fell short outside the first line of breakers. Four from the Flambeau fell short; one, however, passed over the battery. After firing the 7 shots, the vessels retired.

Captain Brown, of the Charleston, reports:

11.50 a.m. A large boat, without visible means of motion, has just come out from Gregg toward Fort Sumter, against the tide, and gone back.

Captain Seabrook from [found] in Stono Harbor two gunboats, three steamers, ten schooners, and one brig.

At 3 p.m. the enemy opened an embrasure at Wagner bearing on the city.

The calcium light reflected on the fort at 7.30 p.m.

November 13, 1863.-The enemy are reported to have inside the bar this morning twenty-six vessels, including the Ironsides, four monitors, one gunboat, two mortar-boats, &c.

During the past night quite a severe bombardment from the enemy's rifled and mortar batteries was sustained by Fort Sumter, which was struck one hundred and twenty-nine times with rifle shell and one hundred and seventy-two times with mortars. Fifty-one of the former passed over and 110 of the latter missed.

The Morris Island batteries to-day fired indiscriminately on Forts Johnson and Sumter, and Battery Simkins, Brooke Gun Battery, and Rutledge. Fort Sumter, as usual, however, received the most attention. Battery Rutledge returned the enemy's fire with 12 mortar shells; Brooke Gun Battery 60 mortar shells, which sometimes burst with evident good effect; Battery Simkins 40 shells, and Battery Cheves 2.

One private, at Fort Johnson, wounded, was the only casualty among our different land works.

Fort Sumter was struck to-day by 12 rifle shots and 129 mortar shells. Of the former fired by the enemy, 9 failed to strike and 96 of the latter missed.

One casualty (Private [J. G.] Pound, Company K, Twenty-seventh Georgia) occurred in the fort since last report.

Our telegraph cable across the Cooper River was broken to-day by the steamer Indian Queen. This cuts off communication with Sul-

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Page 161 Chapter XI. GENERAL REPORTS.