Today in History:

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

Page 616 Chapter XL. S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA.

Private [Henry] Davis, Company C, severely, 2 negroes slightly, wounded. Land batteries opened fire at 7.15 a. m., and are still firing. The entire day, 633 shots and shells were fired at this post; 282 struck outside, 210 inside, 141 missed.

All the barbette guns have been disabled, with the exception of the 11-inch Dahlgren gun, east face. Scaling effect on east face and southeast pan coupe very great. East parapet very much shattered. All the guns in three-gun battery, second tier of casemates, disabled; east magazine safe. Eleven thousand pounds of power removed to east magazine during the night; 15,000 pounds of powder kept in western magazine and ready for shipment; 50 Brooke bolts, 50 10-inch solid shots, 50 10-inch shells, 20 rifle shells, 20 loaded shells, ammunition chests, rammers, sponges, &c., ready for shipment.

Force of 210 negroes engaged all night in strengthening western magazine against reverse fire from the monitors, and in repairing and magazine against reverse fire from the monitors, and in repairing and strengthening traverses on east barbette battery. The flag-staff was shot away twice. The whole garrison worked all night.

Henry Davis, Company C, died on the way to the city; Henry Osteen, Company D, slightly wounded, head; Lieutenant Boylston, adjutant, severely wounded, back; Lieutenant Fickling, severely wounded, leg; Lieutenant Scanlan, ordnance officer, slightly wounded, arm; 2 negroes, severely wounded, head; 1 negro slightly wounded, head.

Land batteries opened fire at 6.30 a. m., an d still firing slowly. August 24 (journal).-The entire day, 150 shots and shell were fired at this post; 112 struck outside, 14 inside, and 24 missed. I consider only one gun, 11-inch Dahlgren, east face as serviceable in action.

The fire to-day principally upon southeast [pan coupe and east scarp.

The former has its lower casemate embrasures breached, and the upper casemates probably . The east scarp has a large displacement along its whole extent, with one or two penetrations in lower casemates.

Firing to-day at intervals of half hour, and with some light and one heavy 10-inch Parrott guns. During the night, working parties employed filling with sand-bags four penetrations at lower embrasure on southeast pan coupe and east scarp; also adding to security of west magazine, and repairing traverses on east barbette. Eleven thousand pounds of power removed from east to west magazine during the night. During the day, Colonel Gilmer, chief of engineers, and Colonel Harris, chief engineer of the department, visited this post officially, and also General Ripley after dark.

No casualties. The whole garrison at work all night.

August 25 (journal).-The entire day, 175 shots and shells were fired at shims post; 62 struck outside, 36 inside, 77 missed. The fire to day more destructive inside than out. East scarp more scaled and cut up, but without any decided breach. Interior damage in northeast casemates, upper and lower; but two of them more or less damaged by fire in reverse, cutting away pieces, chipping arches, and damaging terre-plein.

One shell penetrated gorge ramparts over the east magazine and exploded, sending smoke above this crack in filling of terre-plain, and below this probably cracked arch of passage between inner and outer doors of upper magazine. In magazine proper, no smoke at all was found. The east magazine are without any damage. The stone work of re-enforce is intact. The shock of the 10-inch Parrott shells is very great.


Page 616 Chapter XL. S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA.