Today in History:

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

Page 619 Chapter XL. BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER, S. C.

An hour was lost by separating and sending away 61 hands; present force, 110.

August 30 (journal).-The entire day, 634 shots and shell were fired at this post; 322 struck outside, 168 inside, 144 missed.

About 400 10-inch mortar shells, 200 42-pounder rifled bolts, 20 11-inch shells and shots, a lot of wheels, elevating screw beds, elevating screws, trunnion plates, 1 barrel brass, 2 barrels of lead, 27 pass boxes, 1 box of sabots, 1 barrel of tow, 2 sets of traversing gears and segments, were shipped by steamer Etiwan. Garrison worked a part of the night.

Casualties: Privates A. E. Woolright and F. Ward, Company C, Twenty-eighth Georgia.

Damage at Fort Sumter most apparent inside. On east barbette battery two 10-inch columbiads, serviceable up to-day, had carriages broken; one 10-inch columbiad muzzle shot off and dismounted. Parapet all shaky and partially demolished; traverses badly cut up. There arches, with ramparts, on northeast front, cut away and tumbled in, burying some commissary stores; east scarp, near southeast pan coupe, has large blocks knocked away from face of second tier casemates arch, exposing segment of arch and displacing sand filling.

Two more such places on a smaller scale on same point. Working party last night only 100 men, engaged in repairing damage on east barbette, caused by very destructive fire of yesterday; restored traverses on either side of 11-inch gun. Filed breaches in parapet and repaired middle traverse, also prepared cushion on berm for columbiad thrown over.

Two 10-inch columbiads thrown over ramparts.

[August 31.]-At 2.30 a. m. Fort Moultire opened fire on steamer Sumter, loaded with two regiments relieved from duty at Morris Island about 600 officers and men belonging to the Twentieth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers and Twenty-third Regiment Georgia Volunteers.

Steamer Sumter was disabled and a large hole knocked in her side, and is reported going to pieces.

No report yet of the killed and missing from the steamer Sumter.

August 31 (journal)-The entire day, 56 shots and shells were fired at this post; 34 struck outside, 5 inside, and 17 missed.

Night force engaged in securing upper west magazine passage and casemate arches over hospital. Garrison detail during day employed filling one of the east upper casemates where sand had been slightly dispatched by breach near crown of arch.

About 275 rifled bolts, 32 42-pounder and 20 11-inch shells and shots, 1 box tallow, 1 large box brass, 1 carriage, 1 pass box., shall implements, 1 box priming wires, sundries, &c., 150 grape, were shipped by steamer Etiwan.

The Twentieth Regiments South Carolina Volunteers, Twenty-third Regiment Georgia Volunteers, and Captain Mathewes' Company of artillery, left for Sullivan's Island on steamer Chesterfield at 8 p. m. About 100 incendiary shots were shipped to Sullivan's Island.

No casualties.

September 1 (journal).-The entire day, 382 shots and shells were fired at this post; 166 struck outside, 95 inside, 121 missed.

At 11.40 p. m. six monitors and the Ironsides moved up and commenced


Page 619 Chapter XL. BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER, S. C.