Today in History:

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

Page 636 Chapter XL. S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA.

department on the nights of November 7 and 8, as submitted by Captain Johnston, engineer in charge:

Force, 170 hands; discharged 2,700 bands of sand and some timber; repaired, raised, and enlarged traverse west circular stairway, filled mortar holes on gorge bomb-proof and traverse in rear of northeast lower casemate battery. Carpenters worked on ladders, ventilators, and chevaux-de-frise; being to remodel the latter. No wive fencing yet built, as the expected posts and frames have not yet arrived from the city.

November 9.-The number of the enemy's shots yesterday amounted to, rifled, 93, of which 33 missed; number of shells, 188, of which 45 missed, and monitors, 11, of which 5 missed; during the night, 58 rifled shots were fired, of which 16 missed. The fire of the land batteries during the day was directed chiefly upon the southwest angle, without serious damage; that of the monitors, upon the scarp wall of the northeast face, which was not materially injured.

Recapitulation of the week.

Rifled, from land batteries:

Fired.......................................................1,803

Missed........................................................411

From mortars:

Fired.......................................................1,467

Missed........................................................359

From monitors:

Fired.........................................................471

Missed.........................................................19

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Total fired.................................................3,741

Struck......................................................2,952

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Missed........................................................789

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Total fired during the previous week........................5,565

Struck......................................................4.748

Missed........................................................817

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Aggregate fired since the opening of the present bombardment.................................................9,306

Struck......................................................7,700

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Missed......................................................1,606

I have to correct an error into which I was by the report of an officer detailed to take the measurement of the rifled projectiles fired from the monitors. Their correct diameter is 8 inches and not 6 1\2, as was reported; length 20 inches. Five negroes were wounded yesterday by the explosion of a mortar shell, and by bricks, thrown by a riffled shell at night; 1 dangerously, 1 severely, and 3 slightly. I add condensed statement of work done, submitted by Captain J. Johnson, engineer in charge:

Force, 160; discharged 1,700 filled sand-bags; filled mortar-shell holes over ventilators above and in rear of battery; repaired bomb-proof cone over stairway of southwest angle; began covering west end of gorge bomb-proof chevaux-de-frisse along three-fourths of sea slope; spiked plank along east half of gorge slope; former taken in before day by garrison. No frames yet arrived for iron fence. They shall be made here, is not sent to-night.

November 9 (to General G. T. Beauregard).-On the night of the 4th, 86 rifled shots fired, 60 of which struck; during the day of the 5th, 200 rifles shots fired, 157 of which struck. Mortars fired 213, 1`73


Page 636 Chapter XL. S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA.