Today in History:

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

Page 363 Chapter XL. OPERATIONS ON MORRIS ISLAND, S. C.

George Pope, wounded; Captain E. L. Jones, wounded; Captain J. W. M. Appleton, wounded; Captain O. E. Smith, wounded; First Lieutenant R. H. L. Jewett, wounded; First Lieutenant W. H. Homans, wounded; Second Lieutenant C. E. Tucker, wounded; Second Lieutenant J. A. Pratt, wounded.

Enlisted men - killed, 9; wounded, 147; missing, 100; total, 256.*

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. N. HALLOWELL,

Colonel, Commanding Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers.

General TRUMAN SEYMOUR,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Morris Island, S. C.


Numbers 16. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph C. Abbott, Seventh New Hampshire Infantry.

MORRIS ISLAND, S. C.,

August 16, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit to Your Excellency the following report of the late engagement on Morris Island, S. C., in which the Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers participated:

I shall describe only incidentally the topography of Folly, Morris, James, and other islands, all of which are quite necessary to an exact understanding of the positions occupied at different times by the regiments, as there are numerous maps of Charleston and its approaches by land and water now published.

Neither shall I detail the movements of the troops only so far as to explain those of this regiment.

A little before midnight on the 17th of June last, we landed upon the south end of Folly Island, and in the morning marched up the beach to within about 2 miles of its most extreme northern point, and went into camp. From that time until the 10th of July, we were actively occupied either in the day or night on fatigue and guard duty upon the batteries fronting Light-House Inlet and Morris Island.

On the night of the 9th, the regiment was detailed to guard the just mentioned batteries against surprise by night, and at 3 a. m. of the 10th were ordered about a mile to the rear, to await the opening of the batteries. We formed in line of brigade upon the beach in the following order, viz: Forty-eighth New York, One hundredth New York, Seventh New Hampshire Volunteers, Sixty-seventh Ohio, and Sixty-second Ohio. The brigade was then thrown into close column by division, and awaited the opening of the batteries. At ten minutes before 5 a. m. the batteries opened, while the brigade of General Strong proceeded to land on Morris Island.

The cannonading was incessant for about an hour and a half, when the rebel batteries were nearly all silenced, and our brigade was advanced to Light-House Inlet, crossed, and, while huzzah were bursting from the victorious battalions, and while the Stars and Stripes waved from the heights, we marched up the beach to a point a few rods above the lookout, about 1 mile from the southern point of the island. From this point we were still advanced to what is known as the Old House, which is within 1 mile of Fort Wagner, the rebel stronghold

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* But see revised statement, p. 210.

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Page 363 Chapter XL. OPERATIONS ON MORRIS ISLAND, S. C.