Today in History:

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

Page 175 Chapter XI. GENERAL REPORTS.

Not a round was fired from the James Island works, and but few from Sullivan's Island.

Fort Sumter was struck but four times out of the 6 shots fired by the enemy.

Major [W. H.] Campbell to-day relieved Major Manigault in command of artillery section 2, James Island and the latter withdrew his siege train to the vicinity of Fort Pemberton.

Major Jenkins reports that the enemy are collecting the boards taken from the houses in Legareville on the head of the wharf.

The pile-driver has been at work all day, and has driven thirty-five or more in the river.

J. R. Saunders, of Company C, Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, and S. E. Legare and J. L. Taylor, Stono, scouts, returned to-day from a reconnaissance of Kiawah Island, each with a prisoner-horses, arms, and accounterments-from the Third Rhode Island Artillery. These prisoners state that the enemy's force on the island is six regiments of infantry and one light battery. In recognition of the gallantry of the men who captured these prisoners, the commanding general was pleased to direct that the prisoners' horses, &c., should be turned over to the captors.

The enemy's fleet of Port Royal to-day is reported as follows: Two steam frigates, two steam sloops of war, one cutter, two iron-clads five wooden gunboats, and ninety transports.

December 6, 1863.-The Ironsides, four monitors, flag-ship, one sloop of war, one gunboat, two mortar-boats, sixteen transports, &c., compose the enemy's fleet inside the bar this morning. Six vessels, as blockaders, are outside the harbor.

Not a shot was fired last night, and to-day was remarkably quiet. Only 7 shells were fired from the Morris Island batteries, all of which were directed against Sullivan's Island. None of our batteries responded, and no casualties are reported.

Major Campbell, with Captains [Thomas A.] Holtzclaw's and [S. M.] Richardson's companies, Palmetto Battalion, light artillery, relieved Major Manigault's South Carolina siege train and a section of Company C, Georgia siege train.

The changes in the armament of Batteries Haskell, Tatom, and Ryan (left), required by special orders from department headquarters, were also executed.

Weather cold and blustering.

December 7, 1863.-The enemy again quiet to-day. Not a single shot was fired from any of their batteries, and only an occasional one from Batteries Bee and Marion.

Twenty-seven vessels are inside and seven outside the bar, of the usual character.

Colonel Harrison, commanding at Fort Johnson, reports that a few experimental shots were fired form that post of the 10-inch rifled gun. The result of the practice, however, is not stated.

General Walker reports that Privates [S. E.] Magrath and [D. A.] Fripp, Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, have returned from a reconnaissance around Beaufort Island. They saw three regiments of troops on the island, and state that they can land there with impunity, as the enemy are not on the qui vive for scouts.

The fleet to-day at Port Royal is as follows: Two steam frigates, two steam sloops of war, one steam cutter, two iron-clads, five wooden gunboats, and ninety-two transports.


Page 175 Chapter XI. GENERAL REPORTS.