Today in History:

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

Page 634 Chapter XL. S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA.

believing that it could be an enemy, hailed and allowed the party to escape, although the officer in command states that several shots struck the boat during its retreat. The delay in firing was due to the fact that there was only one boat, and that it was known that a picket-boat was assigned to this station. The infantry garrison was relieved by a detachment of 2 officers and 40 men from each of the following regiments: Sixth, Nineteenth, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-eighth Georgia, and by Companies C and D, Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers, 96 men. The different position of the garrison have been assigned permanently to separate parts of the work, which it is hoped will contribute to the certainty of a repulse. The only casualty yesterday was the death of Private Calvin Giles, Company B, Twelfth Georgia Battalion, by the explosion of a mortars shell.

November 4.-The following is the number of shots fired to-day: Monitors, 86 shots, all reported hit. Number of rifled shots, 200, 26 of which missed; 136 mortars, 36 of which missed.

I have the honor to report that the fire from the fleet and batteries continued yesterday. Monitors fired 114 shots, all of which are reported to have struck; Morris Island fired 277 rifled shots, 40 of which missed, and 178 mortar shells, of which 17 missed; during the night, 92 30-pounder rifled shots with time-fuses were fired, all of which, excepting 15, exploded over and within the fort. The practice with these projectiles is very beautiful, the adjustment of the time being so perfect that the occupants of the gorge wall are secure from the effects of the explosion, which rarely fails to occur during the passage of the shell over the parade. The fire was directed yesterday upon the southwest angle, the upper casemate of which was breached, and in reverse upon the city face, the northern portion of which was somewhat cut and the traverse over the hospital partly knocked down; on the whole, the damage was not great. Captain W. H. Peronneau, Company G. First South Carolina Artillery, 40 men, relieved Lieutenant [Edward] Lowdes, Company K, Same corps, 40 men.

The following is a list of the casualties yesterday from the explosion of a mortar shell, which accidentally found its way into the battery: Privates William B. Eates, Company E; B. F. Morris, Company H; J. A. Smith, Company D; James Chambers, Company E; J. R. Morris, Company E, all of the Twenty-seventh Georgia. Concussion from explosion of shell in battery: Privates I. R. Stephens, Company E. [Apparently incomplete.]

November 5.-The following is the number of shots fired to-day: Rifled, 200, of which 43 missed; mortars fired 2143, of which 46 missed; monitors fired 68, of which 7 missed.

November 6.-The enemy fired the following number of shots yesterday: Rifled, 200, of which 43 missed; mortars, 213, of which 40 missed; monitors, 98; during the night, 58, of which 21 missed; monitors, 1, struck. The fire of the land batteries was directed on south west angle, upon which the effect was not very considerable. The fire of the monitors was directed on the eastern pan coupe: the crown of the eastern arch was destroyed; the debriefs fell in and assisted the work of the engineers. Private A. Lavender, Company F. Twenty-fifth Georgia Regiment, severe flesh wound, by fragments of shell, in the back.

The flag-staff was shot down to-day, and was replaced by Sergt. N. D. Currie, Company D, and Corpl. S. Montgomery, Company C, Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers. The following is the


Page 634 Chapter XL. S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA.