Today in History:

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

Page 400 S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XL.

lar mortar practice succeeded throughout the day. The effect was to increase the casualties seriously. These will be found in the returns accompanying this report; but the daily reports were from this date interrupted.

During the afternoon, Major Frederick [F.] Warley, Second South Carolina Artillery, was seriously wounded by a splinter. A boat being sent down with an officer to relieve him, was on its return captured, with himself, the coxswain, and 10 men, at about 9 p. m., by some of the enemy's barges which had pushed in under the cover of the darkness. The supply of Morris Island and the relief of the Twenty-eighth Georgia Regiment were, however, effected during the night without further loss.

Fort Sumter having been held through the siege and cannonade by the First South Carolina Artillery, under Colonel Alfred Rhett, until its armament had been disabled, and the services of the artillerymen being elsewhere required, the commanding general determined that it should be held by infantry. Several companies had been before relieved by troops from General Colquitt's brigade, and on the night of the 4th the Charleston Battalion, under Major [J. A.] Blake, relieved the garrison, Major Stephen Elliott, jr. relieving Colonel Rhett in command of the post. Colonel Rhett was placed in command of the interior batteries in and about the city, with Castle Pinckney and Fort Ripley.

The enemy kept up a continued fire on Wagner during the night of the 4th, and pushed forward his approaches to a close proximity of the ditch. The shortness of his range and the proximity of his support enabled him to inflict more injury on the garrison, a larger force being necessary at the parapet to guard against assault.

Early on the morning of the 5th, the Ironsides combined her fire with the enemy's land batteries, all concentrated on Wagner, with considerable effect, the land guns being directed against the southeastern salient and those of the Ironsides enfilading the land face and curtain of the work. The effect was to severely injure the traverses and communications, to disable the guns and equipments still more effectually, and increase the list of killed and wounded heavily, it amounting to over 40 for the day at Wagner and Gregg.

Certain indications of an attack on Cumming's Point during the night by boats having been observed, Colonel Keitt was directed to prepare to receive it, which he did at early dark by sending strong parties to the support of Battery Gregg and into the sand-hills between it and Wagner. While making these preparations, Captain [J. R.] Haines, commanding Twenty-eighth Georgia, and Lieutenant [R. A.] Blum, of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers, were killed by a mortar shell. They were both gallant and meritorious officers.

The enemy kept up a fierce mortar practice on Wagner, and at dusk sent in two monitors, which kept a heavy fire on Battery Gregg and its water approaches until about 1 o'clock on the morning of the 6th, when they hauled off. Soon after, the attacking party made its appearance in from fifteen to twenty barges by the interior passages, coming from the junction of Vincent's and Schooner Creeks. They were discovered by Captain [H. R.] Lesesne, who opened upon them with 10-inch grape. Major [James] Gardner, of the Twenty-seventh Georgia Regiment, commanding the position, threw his infantry forward and opened fire. The enemy was evidently surprised and in confusion, his officers calling out not to fire, that they were friends.


Page 400 S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XL.