Today in History:

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

Page 637 Chapter XL. BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER, S. C.

of which struck. Monitors fired 78, all of which struck. During the night of the, 58 rifled shots fired, 37 of which struck. Mortars fired 1 shell, which struck. During day of the 8th, 93 rifled shots fired, 60 of which struck; 188 mortar shells fired by monitors, 6 of which struck; during the night of the 8th, 58 rifled shots fired, 42 of which struck.

November 10.-The following number of shots were fired yesterday: Rifled, 61, of which 21 missed; monitors, 25, of which 7 missed.

Mortar shelling by night was resorted to for the first time since the commencement of the bombardment. The rifled practice was also more frequent than on previous nights. Number of shots from rifle, 154; missed, 62. From mortars, 182; missed, 50. The heavy guns from the land have ceased their fire to a great extent. The rifle practice is conducted almost exclusively from light pieces. Day firing has in like manner given way to night. This may indicate that their heavy ammunition has been much reduced and their heavy guns endangered. They may have resorted to night firing as a means of covering an assault, which I think will probably be attempted within the present week, as the bright nights will, after that period, have come in.

I have the honor again to direct your attention to the propriety of assigning [W. L.] Trenholm's section of howitzers to duty at this post. The only casualty yesterday was the wounding of Private M. A. Brown, Company C, Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers, slightly, i the foot and ankle.

The post-boat from its moorings last night and drifted away. The telegraphic cable was cut by a shell at a distance of about 50 feet from the fort; communication has therefore been suspended. Captain Johnson, engineer in charge, reports that no sand-bags arrived last night. Force repaired top of traverse in rear of battery, resumed filling ordnance store-room southwest angle, placed chevaux-de-frise along the whole of east slope.

November 11.-The following number of shots fired yesterday:

Rifled, 46, of which 8 missed; mortar shells, 50, of which 25 missed; monitors, 30, of which 9 missed. No casualties occurred.

A detachment of 100 men and 10 officers, under the command of Captain [E. A.] Crawford, of the Seventeenth South Carolina Volunteers, relieved a detachment of 100 men and officers from the Sixth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-eight Georgia Volunteers.

A false alarm was created by the report of a blue light. The men got upon the ramparts in fair time, with only a moderate amount of skulking.

November 12.-The number of shots fired yesterday was from fired guns 23, of which 13 missed; from mortars, 196, of which 113 missed.

During the night 146 rifles shots were fired, of which 33 missed, and-mortar shells, of which 5 missed. First Sergt. Wales S. Langford, Company G, First South Carolina Artillery, was wounded in the head, slightly, by a piece of shell, while with his company on the parapet.

At 8 p. m. a calcium light was displayed at Gregg, for the apparent purpose of illuminating our works and preventing the location of obstruction upon the slopes.

At 9 p. m. rapid musketry firing was observed at Gregg, while voice were heard to cry out "Halt!" The occasion has not been discovered.


Page 637 Chapter XL. BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER, S. C.