Today in History:

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

Page 486 S.C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E.FLA. Chapter XL.

efficient post quartermaster, kept his only wagon moving the wounded from Wagner to Gregg, under the direction of Chief Surg. William C. Ravenel. Strange to say, none were were hurt by the enemy's fire, which from time to swept across the road. Of course the wounded were embarked first.

Dr. Ravenel performed his arduous duties with alacrity and zeal, showing every kindness to the wounded and stunned, who poured in from sunrise on the 5th till the evening of the 6th. He left about 10.30, leading his ambulance corps.

I am happy to state that the majority of the wounds were slight, though disabling the men for the time.

The guns in the batteries were spiked, and the implements generally destroyed; equipments mostly carried off. The magazines were not blown up, owing to the faulty character of the safety-fuses used for the purpose, which were ignited-that at Battery Wagner by Captain Huguenin, assisted by Captain Pinckney, district ordnance officer, and that of Battery Gregg by Major Holcombe, under Captain Lesesne's instructions and the supervision of Captain F. D. Lee, and Lieutenant Stiles, of the Engineers.

The enemy were within 30 steps of the front of Battery Wagner, the voices of their sappers could be distinctly heard. Any attempt to break off the trunnion or shatter the carriage of a gun would have been distinctly heard and our movements discovered. Besides, the gun-chambers had been filled with loose sand displaced by the enemy's shot, and the guns could not be managed. I attempted to move the sand, but my working parties were broken up as soon as put to work. The enemy had planted heavy mortars within 100 yards of the battery, and they could and did throw their shells into any designated spot. They could hear the movements of a party at work along the line, and would kill, wound, or disperse the men. Property had to be destroyed within 30 steps of the enemy, and while they could hear the voices of our men in this close proximity to them, the whole garrison had to be removed. Their land batteries and fleet swept every inch of ground between Batteries Wagner and Gregg, and any suspicion of our movements compromised, if it did not destroy, the safety of the garrison. All the guns were effectually spiked.

At Battery Gregg everything was destroyed but the two 10-inch guns. They were prepared for bursting when the last party embarked. Before this party arrived, the enemy's barges fired upon ours transporting our troops, and also turned their fire upon us.

An attempt had been made by the enemy in barges the preceding night to assail and capture Battery Gregg. The number of their barges then in easy range could not be ascertained.

I was informed by the engineer captain (Lee) that the explosion of the magazine would destroy the guns. The fuse was lighted, burned well, and no doubt was entertained of its igniting the magazine.

The rear guard from Battery Wagner had embarked under fire from the enemy's barges. These barges, I am convinced, gave the enemy the information of the withdrawal of our garrison.

The guns of Battery Gregg were spiked.

My chief exertion was to save my men, whose future services will, I trust, be worth much more to the Confederacy than what I failed to destroy to the enemy. Had instructions been sent to me earlier, more might have been done.

Lieutenant Stiles, assistant engineer, stationed at Battery Gregg,


Page 486 S.C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E.FLA. Chapter XL.