Today in History:

191 Series I Volume XXXV-I Serial 65 - Olustee Part I

Page 191 Chapter XLVII. OPERATIONS IN CHARLESTON HARBOR, ETC.

FORT SUMTER, February 20, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report the Ironsides, 4 monitors, 4 tugs, and 15 sailing vessels inside this morning; 5 blockaders outside, and 4 river steamers and 6 schooners in Light-House Inlet. No wooden gun-boats in sight except those of deep draught used as blockaders. A party working at the outworks of Gregg, cutting down the slopes to a lower level. A detachment of 3 officers and 50 men from Eighteenth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers relieved 50 men of the Twenty-seventh South Carina Volunteers last night. The provisions of paragraph 3, Special Orders, Numbers 39, department headquarters, appear to have been misunderstood at the headquarters of Seventy Military District, as no relief came from that quarter last night.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. ELLIOTT, JR.,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant I. JONES,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

FORT SUMTER, February 21, 1864.

I have the honor to report that there are two wooden gun-boats inside this morning; in other respects the fleet remains the same except that a three-masted propeller appears to be sunk outside in about 5 fathoms of water. She lies in the direction of the buoy formerly known as the Chumming's Point buoy; she is one of the heavy-draught blockaders. Six officers and 100 men from the Twenty-second South Carolina Volunteers and 3 officers and 54 men from the Holcombe Legion relieved 9 officers and 150 men from the Eighteenth South Carolina Volunteers. I must call attention to the fact that no order for nor notice of this change was extended to me. Two shots were fired at us yesterday, both of which struck. The soles of all the embrasures at Gregg have been lowered and their splay very much increased, affording greater facilities for the guns to assist in defense against an attack.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. ELLIOTT, JR.,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant I. JONES,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

FORT SUMTER, February 22, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report the fleet unchanged this morning; all colors flying; a national salute was fired at sunrise; form the rapidity of the firing and caliber of the guns, it is almost certain that the Ironsides participated. The practice of our mortar batteries on Sullivan's Island has been excellent this morning, silencing the 30-pounder at Gregg. Four Parrott shots fired yesterday; 3 struck, 1 mortar shell missed. Captain Fleming with 60 men relieved Lieutenant Kemper last night.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. ELLIOTT, JR.,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant I. JONES,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Page 191 Chapter XLVII. OPERATIONS IN CHARLESTON HARBOR, ETC.