Today in History:

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

Page 410 S.C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XL.

I could see nothing of the personnel of the infantry except the sentinels in front who exercised a good lookout, and a working party, which, though slow, seemed doing fairly for men under mortar fire, a shell coming at least every three to four minutes. They reported 40 rounds of cartridges in the cartridge-boxes. Disposition: Sixty-firs North Carolina guarded sea face and left salient: Eighth North Carolina the remainder of land front and right flank on the creek.

Details from Sixty-first North Carolina picket in

advance.................................................... 100

Picket in rear, two-thirds one sea beach and one-third

on marsh................................................... 100

In quartermaster's, commissary, and ordnance

departments................................................ 48

Second engineer relief at Wagner, beginning at

midnight................................................... 76

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Aggregate effective........................................ 324

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Eighth North Carolina, first engineer relief, ending at

midnight, at Wagner........................................ 75

Engineer detail for the night at Gregg..................... 75

On guard................................................... 60

Resting on their posts on land front, this regiment

having worked several nights............................... 183

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Aggregate effective........................................ 393

The fatigue detail at Cumming's Point are ordered to stack arms there and support Battery Gregg, when necessary.

Artillery.- At Battery Gregg, Captain Lesesne reported his battery of 3 heavy guns in effective condition, but wanted cartridges for the 9-inch Dahlgren. On my arrival in Charleston, 3 a.m. to-day, I notified the district ordnance officer's clerk that 130 cartridges and one quadrant were needed for this battery and sundry articles for Battery Wagner, as specified by Captain Hill.

A 10-inch mortar was being placed in position at Cumming's Point by Captain Harleston, First South Carolina Artillery, who has done valuable service in the ordnance department. He could not give me any information as to implements, equipments, &c., but I presume that the mortar is now ready for service.

The two field howitzers were reported effective, but have been now loaded for some time. I recommend that they be reloaded, and dismounted during the day, like those at Wagner. The right wheel of one of the limbers yesterday by a piece of shell and ought to be replaced if the commanding general desires that the limbers should be ready to move.

Flank curtain. - At Battery Wagner, Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, Second South Carolina Artillery, commanding; from left to right; two field howitzers on left flank; in good order; no spare sponge; the left howitzer cannot trail sufficiently to the left to fire well into the moat; Lieutenant Murdoch in charge.

One 8-inch sea-coast howitzer, in good order, worked by Mathewes' artillery. The revetment of parapet was being changed in front so as to give wider field of fire.

Sea face. - Two 10-inch columbiads, in good order, in charge of Lieutenant Alston, First South Carolina Artillery. One 32-pounder rifle gun in charge of Captain Smith. This gun is reported in good order, excepting the vent, which I found unserviceable. I could thrust the priming-wire down about 7 inches when it was stopped by iron. A gunner's gimlet could not open it, but a vent drill was expected from Charleston (which reached Cumming's Point as I left), which would bore it out.


Page 410 S.C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XL.