THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON--CONTINUED BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER--DEFENSE
MAINTAINED BY THE OTHER WORKS--THE TORPEDO BOATS-BOMBARDMENT OF THE
CITY--TRANSFER OF TROOPS TO VIRGINIA--PRISONERS UNDER FIRE-CAMPAIGN ON
THE STONO.
On August 24, 1863, General Gillmore, in a communication to the
general-in-chief of the United States armies, said: "I have the honor
to report the practical demolition of Fort Sumter as the result of
our seven days' bombardment of that work. Fort Sumter is to-day a
shapeless and harmless mass of ruins." It was on this day that the
garrison, under Colonel Rhett, was visited by General Ripley and the
chief engineers, Colonels Gilmer and Harris, and it was determined to
hold to the last extremity the fort which Gillmore had reduced to "a
harmless mass of ruins." The men worked night after night transferring
the contents of the magazines to safer places, preparing much of the
munitions for shipment to the city, and building new works from the
débris. The east magazines were not damaged.
Colonel Rhett's journal of the 25th has this entry:
Finished securing west magazine from reverse fire; began traverses
on parade at entrance to passage now used for hospital sally port.
Magazine and telegraph office repaired and filled up with bags....
Restored traverses on east barbette. Embrasures on northeast and
northwest faces in process of being bricked up.
After this the fire from the Federal batteries on Sumter was
comparatively light, until the 30th, when 322 shot and shell struck
outside and 168 inside, doing a great deal of damage. Next day,
Fort Moultrie by mistake opened upon the steamer Sumter, carrying
two regiments from Morris island, disabling the steamer, from which
600 officers and men belonging to the Twentieth South Carolina and
Twenty-third Georgia were saved by boats from Fort Sumter and the navy.
September 1st was another destructive day for Sumter, six monitors
and the Ironsides aiding in the fire. On September 4th there was not
a single gun en barbette, and but one smooth-bore 32-pounder next the
sally port on western face that could be fired. Colonel Rhett reported:
The northeastern and northwestern terre plein have fallen in. The
western wall has a crack in it extending entirely through from
parapet to berme. The greater portion of the southern wall is down.
The upper eastern magazine is penetrated; the lower eastern magazine
wall is cracked. The eastern wall is very nearly shot away; a large
portion of the wall is down, the ramparts gone, and nearly every
casemate breached, and the remaining wall very thin.... I consider it
impracticable to either mount or use guns on any part of the parapet,
and I deem the fort in its present condition unserviceable for
offensive purposes.
The work of repair went on, however, and on September 4th the
Charleston battalion arrived at the fort, under command of Major
Elliott, and relieved Colonel Rhett, commanding, and Captain
Fleming, Company B, detachment of First South Carolina artillery and
Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Georgia volunteers, who had endured
the first tremendous bombardment. Colonel Rhett was put in command of
the interior batteries in and about the city, with Castle Pinckney and
Fort Ripley.
As soon as the Federals occupied Battery Wagner, it was opened upon
by Batteries Simkins and Fort Moultrie and the works adjacent. Soon
afterward a flag of truce was sent to Fort Sumter, with a demand for
surrender, which was refused by Elliott, though he was utterly unable
to maintain an artillery fire. Following this refusal, the Ironsides
and five monitors came up the channel and opened fire upon Sumter and
the Sullivan's island batteries. At Battery Beauregard, Lieut. E. A.
Erwin, First regulars, was killed.
On the 8th, the fight with the ironclads was renewed, and one shell did
fatal work in Fort Moultrie, disabling an 8-inch columbiad, exploding a
magazine, and killing 16 and wounding 12 men of Capt. R. Press Smith's
company of the First regulars. Besides these casualties from the
explosion there were others, including Capt. G. A. Wardlow and Lieut.
D. B. De Saussure, wounded.
About 1 o'clock on the morning of the 9th, an attempt was made by
the Federals to land a force at the foot of the ruins of Sumter and
carry the position by storm. Major Elliott waited until the thirty or
forty barges of the enemy were within a few yards of the southern and
eastern faces, when he greeted them with a rattling fire of musketry,
while hand-grenades and fragments of the ruins were thrown over on
the advancing foe, completely demoralizing him. At the same time the
gunboat Chicora, Fort Moultrie, the Sullivan's island batteries and
Fort Johnson, warned by signal, swept the skirts of the ruins and the
water round about with a fire that nothing could survive. Elliott
captured 5 boats, 5 stand of colors, 12 officers and 109 men. Among
the colors captured was a worn garrison flag, which, it was believed,
was the flag lowered in 1861 by Maj. Robert Anderson, and hoped to be
hoisted again by this storming party.
On the night of August 20th, Capt. J. Carlin, commanding a torpedo
ram, with a guard on board under Lieut. E. S. Fickling, made an
attempt to explode a torpedo against the New Ironsides. As he ranged
up alongside, Carlin was hailed, and to the demand for the name of his
craft, he replied, "The steamer Live Yankee." The ironclad was swinging
to the ebb, so that it was impossible to do the work undertaken, and
Carlin's only hope was of escape. In this he was successful, although
the Ironsides was soon sweeping the horizon with her guns. On October
5th, another attempt was made to blow up the Ironsides, by Lieut. W.
T. Glassell, C. S. N., First Assistant Engineer J. H. Tombs, Walker
Cannon, pilot, and James Sullivan, fireman, on board the propeller
David, a small submerged steamer. The boat approached the ironclad at
9 p. m. at full speed, and when hailed, Glassell answered with a shot
from a double-barreled gun. The boat struck fairly under the starboard
quarter, and the torpedo was exploded about 6½ feet below the surface,
but it proved to be of too light a charge (70 pounds) to injure the
heavy plates of the enemy. The David was riddled by the fire of
small-arms from the Ironsides, and almost swamped by the great column
of water thrown up by the explosion. Although the little craft escaped
sinking, the fires were put out and the iron ballast thrown among the
machinery, so that it would not work when the engine was reversed.
In this critical situation, and believing the boat to be sinking,
Glassell and Sullivan jumped overboard, and swimming in the direction
of the enemy's vessels were made prisoners. The pilot stuck to the
boat, and Tombs, after being thrown overboard, swam back to it when he
saw that their cries of surrender were not heeded. The two coolly got
up steam under a continuous fire and managed to make their way back
up the channel, escaping two 11-inch shot sent after them, passing
through the Federal fleet and within three feet of one of the monitors.
Though unsuccessful, this was justly considered one of the most daring
exploits of the war, and inspired Beauregard to ask for the purchase of
swift torpedo boats from English builders.
On November 15th, Maj. John Jenkins, Third South Carolina cavalry,
reported that the enemy had reoccupied Seabrook island (John's island)
in large force. On the following day there was a considerable action
between the Federal monitors and the Sullivan's island batteries,
Capt. Jacob Valentine commanding at Fort Moultrie, Capt. C. H. Rivers
at Battery Rutledge, and Maj. W. S. Basinger at Battery Marion.
During October the Federals were busy making Batteries Wagner and Gregg
formidable against the Confederate defenses, without much molestation
in their work, while they maintained the bombardment of the ruins of
Fort Sumter. The reports of Major Elliott show that 625 shots were
fired at Sumter on the 27th, with particular attention to the gorge
wall, and on the 29th, 1,039 shots. Their effect was to cut away all
the arches on the sea face, and to make that and the gorge easy of
access. It was evident that the enemy was preparing for another assault
from boats. As many shots of all calibers struck the fort on the next
day, and this destructive torrent of rifled shot and shell and mortar
shells, from the batteries and the monitors, continued for several
days. The casualties in the fort were comparatively few, the main loss
being the burying of twelve members of the Washington light infantry,
Twenty-fifth regiment, and one man of the Twelfth Georgia battalion.
While they were in position for mounting the parapet in case of
assault, a Parrott shot struck an iron girder of the sea wall, and the
roof fell in, crushing them.
On November 1st, the southwest angle was the main object of the
bombardment. The flagstaff was twice shot away, and replaced by
brave men of the Georgia battalion, who were finally compelled to
substitute their own flag for the riddled garrison flag. On the 4th,
Major Elliott remarked, regarding the rifled shells: "The practice
with these projectiles is very beautiful, the adjustment of the time
fuses 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." On the 6th the flagstaff
was again shot away, and replaced by Sergeant Currie and Corporal
Montgomery of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina. On the 12th, again,
some of the Georgians had the honor of replacing the flag under fire.
Hardly a day passed without some one being killed and several more
or less seriously wounded. During the week ending November 16th,
over 3,000 shots were fired at Sumter, and on the night of the 19th
a second attempt was made to land a force from barges and storm the
ruins, but Elliott and his men were on guard, and their musketry fire
prevented the barges from reaching the island. On the 24th, Capt. F.
H. Harleston, having gone down the slope of the sea face to inspect
the obstructions against storming parties, was mortally wounded by a
Parrott shell.
On November 28th Elliott reported:
Private James Tupper, shot marker, Charleston battalion, seeing
yesterday morning that the flag had been shot down, walked along
the whole extent of the gorge wall, on the parapet, and endeavored
to raise it. Finding that the staff was too short, he procured an
additional piece of spar, and with the assistance of C. B. Foster and
Corps. W. C. Buckheister and A. J. Bluett, succeeded in splicing and
planting the staff, under a very heavy fire directed at them. One shot
struck the flag from their hands. It was a most distinguished display
of gallantry.
About this time the continuous pounding of the ruins by the enemy's
projectiles had produced a steep slope on the exterior of the fort,
with very insecure footing, and Colonel Elliott, after an examination,
had no serious fears of an assault. On the 11th, the most fatal
calamity in the history of the fort occurred--the explosion of the
southwest magazine--a danger of which the heroic defenders had been
in constant dread. The occupants of the adjoining rooms were killed
or badly burned, and the flames, which instantly caught, spread with
fierceness, filling the casemates with stifling smoke. As soon as the
enemy observed the fire, he opened upon the fort with rifled shells and
mortars. Colonel Elliott was slightly wounded, Capt. Edward D. Frost
and 10 others were killed, and 40 sustained more or less serious
injuries. Capt. John Johnson, Lieut. L. A. Harper and Capt. M. H.
Sellers were distinguished for bravery and coolness amid the excitement
and danger. The fire was not entirely extinguished until a week later.
[Illustration:
MAP
of Charleston and its DEFENSES.
Compiled from Surveys of
PORTIONS OF S^T ANDREW'S and CHRIST C^H PARISHES
BY
LIEUT. JOHN JOHNSON, C. S. Eng^rs.
THE HARBOR, JAMES I^D, FOLLY I^D, MORRIS I^D,
SULLLIVAN'S I^D, AND LONG I^D
NOV. 1863.]
[Illustration]
On the last of the year the undaunted Elliott recommended that he
be provided with two iron shields for casemate batteries, which he
said would render his position one of "comparative invulnerability."
His report at this time showed that since August 12th nearly 27,000
projectiles had been fired at Sumter, of which 19,808 had struck.
During the same time 38 men had been killed and 142 wounded.
On Christmas day an artillery attack was made upon the United States
gunboat Marblehead, lying off Legaréville, by Col. P. R. Page, but with
the assistance of the Pawnee the vigorous efforts to capture the vessel
were repelled.
During all this period Forts Moultrie, Johnson, Simkins, Cheves and
other batteries, maintained an effective fire upon the enemy's works
and fleet, and attempts were otherwise made to destroy the naval force
of the Federals, but without success. On October 11th four floating
torpedoes were set afloat from Fort Sumter with time fuses, but they
exploded at too great a distance from the fleet. On the 15th the
submarine boat was lost in an attempt to run under the navy receiving
ship. As soon as she sunk, air bubbles were seen to come to the
surface, indicating that the manhole was not properly closed. Capt. F.
L. Hunley and seven men were lost.
In November, the throwing of shells into the city, which was commenced
August 21st, was resumed with more frequency. Mr. T. S. Hale, the
observer at St. Michael's steeple, reported his post as the enemy's
principal line of fire, radiating to the northeastward as far as St.
Philip's church. He counted 27 shots on August 21st and the three
days following, and 3 on October 27th, but the regular bombardment
may be said to have begun on November 17th, after which to January
5, 1864, 442 shells fell in the city. The shells first thrown were
200-pound Parrotts, but later 100-pound projectiles were mainly used.
Only five deaths resulted, two ladies, two civilians, and one slave.
A number of buildings were ruined, and thousands of persons compelled
to leave their homes and seek refuge in the upper part of the city
or in the interior of the State. The heaviest bombardment in 1863
was on Christmas day, when 150 shells were fired at the city, and a
considerable fire caused in the vicinity of St. Michael's church.
Several citizens, soldiers and firemen were wounded.
In December, 1863, a complete system of interior defense was perfected
at Fort Sumter, by the aid of which the garrison, in the event of being
driven to take refuge in the casemates and bomb-proof, could protect
itself, while signaling for assistance from the surrounding Confederate
batteries. Through the heroic efforts of its garrison, under eighteen
months of constant fire, the stronghold was maintained as an effective
part of the city's defenses. Says Major Johnson:
From having been a desolate ruin, a shapeless pile of shattered walls
and casemates, showing here and there the guns disabled and half
buried in splintered wrecks of carriages, its mounds of rubbish fairly
reeking with the smoke and smell of powder, Fort Sumter under fire
was transformed within a year into a powerful earthwork, impregnable
to assault, and even supporting the other works at the entrance of
Charleston harbor with six guns of the heaviest caliber.
The shelling of Charleston continued during January, 1864, on one day
273 shells being thrown, and in the latter part of the month the fire
on Sumter was renewed. On the 30th the flagstaff was shot down, and
replaced by Private F. Schafer, of Lucas' battalion, who at the close
of his work stood on the traverse amid a cloud of smoke and dust from
bursting shell, waving his hat in triumph.
Early in February, General Beauregard was advised of Gillmore's
expedition in Florida, threatening the capital of that State, and he
immediately began forwarding troops to that almost defenseless region.
Colquitt's Georgia brigade was under orders to move, when news was
received of a Federal advance on John's island, doubtless undertaken
to detain troops at Charleston, or to take advantage of their absence.
Gen. Henry A. Wise, in command of the Sixth district, reported that
the enemy landed in force on Kiowah island, the night of the 8th,
crossed Seabrook island, at the Haulover to John's island, driving
in the pickets of the advanced post held by Maj. John Jenkins, with
part of the Sixth South Carolina cavalry. Jenkins, though outnumbered,
made a gallant resistance when attacked on the morning of the 9th, and
suffered considerable loss, Capt. M. B. Humphreys, commanding the cadet
cavalry company, being severely wounded. Said General Wise:
With about 150 men composed of the Stono scouts, the Rebel troop,
the Cadets and Sullivan's cavalry company, one section of the Marion
artillery, and Captain Jennett's company of the Fifty-ninth Virginia
infantry, he held the whole force of the enemy in check; fought and
fell back some two or three miles only, and in turn drove them back
nearly the whole distance by such repeated charges all day that he
made them fear he was supported, and he held his ground manfully until
night, when he was reinforced by Colonel Tabb with a battalion of the
Fifty-ninth Virginia and the Marion artillery.
On the morning of the 10th, Jenkins was reinforced by Charles' South
Carolina battery and a battalion of the Twenty-sixth Virginia, under
Col. P. R. Page, who took command until General Wise came up and
retired the forces to a more advantageous position, across the Bohicket
road. Part of Colquitt's Georgia brigade soon arrived, and a strong
line was formed. The enemy's advance was met by the artillery, before
whose effective fire the Federals retreated from the field. General
Wise did not order an advance till next morning, when it was found
that General Schimmelfennig, the Federal commander, had abandoned his
enterprise and left the island under cover of the gunboats. In these
operations about 15 men were killed or wounded in Jenkins' command. The
Federal loss was about the same. Colquitt's brigade was immediately
forwarded to Florida. On the morning of the 11th, all the harbor
batteries bearing on Morris island opened a vigorous bombardment, as
though preceding an attack by infantry, to make a diversion in favor of
General Wise.
The night of February 17th was made memorable by the destruction of the
United States sloop-of-war Housatonic. This was done by the submarine
torpedo boat H. L. Hunley, under command of Lieut. George E. Dixon, of
Alabama. This brave officer and his associates left Battery Marshall,
on Sullivan's island, that night, for their daring deed, and were never
again heard from. They shared the fate of the vessel they destroyed.
The usual daily round of artillery firing continued in the harbor
defenses, with little activity on the part of the enemy, during the
following months, when both North and South were preparing for the
great struggle between the armies in Virginia and Georgia. The guns of
Fort Sumter, at noon of April 13th, fired a defiant salute in honor
of the surrender by Major Anderson, and provoked a fire in which J.
P. Huger, of the signal corps, was killed. A day or two later Colonel
Elliott was relieved in command by Capt. John C. Mitchel, of the First
artillery. On May 16th, two monitors moved up and opened fire on
Sumter, but were driven off, seriously injured by the Sullivan's island
batteries.
Sumter's flagstaff was again shot away on June 20th, the Federal
gunners at Cummings point hitting the staff at the second shot and
cutting it in two. Lieut. C. H. Claibourne, First regulars, assisted
by Sergt. N. F. Devereux and Corp. B. Brannon, mounted the gorge wall
and lashed the two pieces of staff together, under a rapid fire. The
flagstaff was again struck on the 25th, and twice shot away on the
26th, the last time being replaced by Privates Walter Steele and D. E.
Badger. In return, a skillful gunner at Fort Johnson brought down the
Federal flag at Battery Gregg.
With the approach of the May campaigns in Virginia and Georgia, heavy
drafts were made upon General Beauregard's forces. On March 17th,
the First and Second cavalry were ordered to South Carolina, and the
Fourth, Colonel Rutledge; Fifth, Colonel Dunovant; Sixth, Colonel
Aiken; Seventh Georgia, and Millen's battalion, and the cavalry
companies of Captains Tucker, Wallace, Boykin, Trenholm and Magee were
ordered from General Beauregard's department to Virginia. On April
14th, General Evans' brigade, under Gen. W. S. Walker, was ordered
to Wilmington, N. C. The Eleventh and Eighteenth South Carolina,
Colquitt's brigade, and Company A, siege train, were ordered back from
Florida. General Beauregard, on the 20th, was assigned to command of
the department of Southern Virginia and North Carolina, and Maj.-Gen.
Sam Jones succeeded him at Charleston. A week later Hagood's brigade
was ordered to Virginia. Several Georgia regiments were sent to General
Johnston at Dalton. On May 3d, both Wise's and Colquitt's brigades were
ordered to Richmond. On the 4th General Jones telegraphed to Johnston,
"I am sending off my last infantry brigade to Virginia." Under this
pressure for troops, General Jones requested the mayor to organize
the fire brigade into companies, ordered all the detailed men in his
staff departments to be organized, and called on the president of the
South Carolina railroad to muster in his employes for defense of the
city. Commander Tucker co-operated in this effort by organizing a
naval battalion. On the 24th Colonel Keitt's regiment was started for
Richmond. Federal troops, also, had been sent to Virginia and General
Gillmore had been called to that field and replaced by General Foster.
While these troops were being ordered from the State, the "reserves"
were called out by the government at Richmond. In a communication to
the secretary of war on this subject, Governor Bonham pointed out
that in South Carolina, unlike other States, militia officers and
magistrates were not exempt and were already in the field, and that the
taking away of the remaining population at home, under eighteen years
of age and over forty-five, would cause great suffering next year, and
in view of the loss of upper Georgia, possible starvation.
At the same time there was much change in district commanders, one of
the most important being the assignment of General McLaws to the Third
district and Georgia.
On July 31st, the aggregate present in various commands under General
Jones was as follows: First and Fourth districts, Gen. R. S. Ripley,
3,177; Seventh district, General Taliaferro, 3,742; Second and Sixth
districts, Gen. B. H. Robertson, 1,280; Third district and district of
Georgia, General McLaws, 3,600.
The bombardment of Charleston having continued for ten months, on
June 13th General Jones addressed the following letter to the Federal
commander:
Maj.-Gen. J. G. Foster, Commanding United States Forces on Coast of
South Carolina, C. S.
General: Five generals and 45 field officers of the United States
army, all of them prisoners of war, have been sent to this city for
safekeeping. They have been turned over to Brigadier-General Ripley,
commanding the First military district of this department, who will
see that they are provided with commodious quarters in a part of the
city occupied by non-combatants, the majority of whom are women and
children. It is proper, however, that I should inform you that it is a
part of the city which has been for many months exposed day and night
to the fire of your guns.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
SAM JONES, Major-General Commanding.
General Foster, replying, said in part:
Many months since Major-General Gillmore, United States army, notified
General Beauregard, then commanding at Charleston, that the city
would be bombarded. This notice was given, that non-combatants might
be removed and thus women and children be spared from harm. General
Beauregard, in a communication to General Gillmore, dated August 22,
1863, informed him that the non-combatant population of Charleston
would be removed with all possible celerity.... That city is a depot
for military supplies. It contains not merely arsenals, but also
foundries and factories for the manufacture of munitions of war. In
its shipyards several armed ironclads have already been completed,
while others are still upon the stocks in course of construction.
Its wharves and the banks of the rivers on both sides are lined with
batteries. To destroy these means of continuing the war is therefore
our object and duty.... I have forwarded your communication to the
President, with the request that he will place in my custody an equal
number of prisoners of the like grades, to be kept by me in positions
exposed to the fire of your guns as long as you continue the course
stated in your communication.
General Halleck, Federal chief of staff, in a letter to Foster, June
21st, stated that the secretary of war approved his suggestion, and had
ordered an equal number of Confederate generals and field officers to
be forwarded to be treated precisely as the Federal prisoners were, and
with proper precautions to prevent escape, "putting them in irons, if
necessary, for that purpose." The first roll of Confederate prisoners
of war made out for this purpose was from those confined at Fort
Delaware, and included Maj.-Gens. Edward Johnson and Franklin Gardner,
Brig.-Gens. J. J. Archer, G. H. Steuart and M. Jeff Thompson, and 46
colonels, lieutenant-colonels and majors.
General Jones, on July 1st, proposed to General Foster that they
should exchange prisoners, if the respective governments approved, and
enclosed communications from Brigadier-Generals Wessells, Seymour,
Scammon, Heckman and Shaler, the Federal general officers in his
hands, in which they declared that a prompt exchange of prisoners, if
an exchange were to be made, was called for by every consideration
of humanity. They also asked for the Confederate officers who had
arrived at Hilton Head, "every kindness and courtesy that could be
extended them, in acknowledgment of the fact that we at this time are
as pleasantly and comfortably situated as is possible for prisoners of
war, receiving from the Confederate authorities every privilege that we
could desire or expect, nor are we unnecessarily exposed to fire."
General Foster replied to General Jones that he fully reciprocated the
desire for an exchange, but added: "Before any steps can be taken to
effect it, it will be necessary to withdraw from exposure to our fire
those officers now confined in Charleston. I have not yet placed your
prisoners in a similar position of exposure." To this General Jones
rejoined that a removal of the prisoners would be an implied admission
that they were unduly exposed, which they had themselves denied.
The Confederate prisoners were placed on Morris island, under the fire
of the Confederate batteries, the number being increased to about 600
officers of all grades, and were there held, until in October they and
the prisoners at Charleston were removed.
General Foster, on June 23d, notified the Federal chief of staff that
he would begin important operations soon, saying: "I propose, first, to
destroy the Charleston & Savannah railroad, and then to make a sudden
attack upon some of the defenses of Charleston or of Savannah. If I
fail in one, I will try the other." On July 1st, he sailed from Hilton
Head with a force of 5,000 infantry, 100 cavalry and two sections of
artillery. Two brigades, under General Hatch, were landed on Seabrook
island with orders to push to the north end, seize the ferry, cross
over and destroy the railroad. Another brigade was landed at White
Point under General Birney, with orders to torpedo the railroad track
and destroy the South Edisto and Ashepoo bridges and the trestle. At
the same time General Schimmelfennig was to attack on James island, a
boat expedition of 1,000 men was to assault Forts Johnson and Simkins,
and the bombardment of Fort Sumter was to be renewed with the intention
of leveling its walls preparatory to storming.
This combined attack was a serious one and taxed the heroism of the
brave defenders of Charleston, but, as in previous emergencies, they
were successful in meeting the enemy at every point. Birney, Foster
said, encountered a small force of the enemy with a battery, and though
Foster helped him with gunboats on Dawho creek, he retreated and fell
in behind Schimmelfennig on the Stono. The latter carried a battery
on James island, but was shelled out of it by the batteries from
Secessionville to Fort Pringle. Hatch marched across John's island but
found it too hot to fight the Confederates concentrated at the ferry.
Colonel Hoyt, of the boat expedition, was compelled to surrender with
5 officers and 132 men. Such, in effect, was Foster's summing up of
results on July 7th. On the 12th, he added, that having been successful
in one respect, forcing the Confederates to accumulate a large force to
meet him, he had re-embarked to give his men a few days' rest, after a
loss of 54 killed and drowned, 133 wounded and 143 missing. His rest
continued until November.
Gen. W. B. Taliaferro was in command on the Secessionville line, which
included Forts Johnson, Haskell and Pringle, and Batteries Simkins,
Wampler, Cheves, etc., whence an active fire had been maintained at the
enemy, varied at times with skirmishing against Federal demonstrations.
On July 2d he observed the advance of the enemy in force, driving
in the cavalry vedettes upon the infantry pickets stretching from
Rivers' causeway to the Stono. There a stubborn resistance was made
by Maj. Edward Manigault, supported by Lieutenant De Lorme's light
artillery and a detachment of the siege train serving as infantry under
Lieutenant Spivey. The gallant De Lorme, fighting too long against
a line of battle, at the fourth charge of the enemy lost his guns
after they had occasioned great loss in the Federal ranks. The picket
line was withdrawn in range of the batteries, and the enemy advanced
and intrenched, Taliaferro not having force enough to attack, being
compelled to weaken Fort Johnson to hold his main line. A gunboat came
up the Stono to cover the Federal flank, but was driven back by Battery
Pringle. The enemy made one advance in force, but met such a warm
reception from the artillery that no further effort was made that day.
Next morning at daylight the enemy landed from barges at Shell point
and made the attack on Battery Simkins and Fort Johnson. Both were
fiercely assaulted by the Federals, but, said General Taliaferro, "the
gallant garrison, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Joseph A. Yates,
received them with heroic determination, and soon staggered and drove
them back, when, with a rapid charge headed by Lieutenants Waties
and Reynolds, 140 prisoners, including 5 commissioned officers, were
taken." The participants in this brilliant affair were the companies of
Lieutenant Waties, Captain Gaillard and Lieutenant Cooper, of the First
artillery, and of Lieutenants Halsey and Raworth, Second artillery.
These officers and Corporal Crawford were distinguished for gallantry.
Five barges were captured.
The 3d was opened with an artillery battle along the line, and
the enemy's monitors and gunboats were seen ascending the Stono.
Legaréville and other points on John's island were occupied, and
Taliaferro was led to believe that the enemy was engaged in a serious
movement, on the same line as that adopted by Sir Henry Clinton in
March, 1780, who occupied John's island, crossed the Stono at the site
of Fort Pemberton, and after gaining possession of the Stono, moved
from James' island to the mainland. Nevertheless the Confederate line
put on a bold front and Colonel Harrison, with his Georgians, advanced
and drove back the Federal pickets to their original line. For several
days afterward artillery firing continued along the lines, and attacks
upon Manigault's picket line. The Federal fleet opened a terrific fire
on Battery Pringle, disabling several of the guns. To relieve the
exhausted garrison at the latter point, Colonel Rhett was assigned and
Major Blanding with two companies of the First artillery. Battery Tynes
was also under fire, but ably defended by Captain Richardson, of Lucas'
battalion.[G]
[Footnote G: General Taliaferro gave his loss in the campaign at 10
killed and 25 wounded. He particularly commended the gallantry of the
men on his advanced line under unremitting fire for eight days and
nights from the enemy's monitors, gunboats, mortar boats and land
batteries. These troops were detachments from the First and Second
artillery, Company B, siege train; First cavalry, First infantry
(regulars), Kirk's and Peeples' squadrons of cavalry and Harrison's and
Bonaud's Georgians, the South Carolina officers commanding being Major
Manigault, Major Blanding, Capts. R. P. Smith, Dickson, Warley, Rivers,
Witherspoon, Burnet, Humbert, Stallings, Kennedy, Porcher Smith and
Trezevant. The Stono batteries, under Majors Lucas and Blanding, were
commanded by Captains Hayne, Richardson, Rhett, King, Lieutenants Ogier
(specially distinguished), Martin, Reveley, Lucas, Ford and Stuart.
Lieutenant-Colonel Brown at Fort Lamar, and the light batteries under
Captain Wheaton, did good service, and Colonels Black, Frederick and
Rhett were faithful and efficient in their duties commanding on the
east and west and in reserve.]
On the 8th Colonel Harrison, with his brigade, was sent to the
assistance of Gen. B. H. Robertson, commanding on John's island. The
latter had repulsed several assaults, Major Jenkins commanding at
the front, and after the arrival of the Georgians, made an attack in
turn, on the morning of the 9th, driving the enemy from his first
intrenched line to the second, beyond Burden's causeway, and occupying
the elevated ground necessary to the Federals to enfilade Taliaferro's
line on James island. The entire Confederate loss was 37 killed and 91
wounded.[H]
[Footnote H: General Robertson specially commended, aside from the
gallant Georgians who led in the charge on the 9th, the Washington,
Marion, and Inglis batteries, under Colonel Kemper, Major Jenkins,
Sergeant Jervais and Privates Miller and Bryan of the Stono scouts;
Private A. J. White, of the Second cavalry, and a portion of the Second
cavalry under Captain Clark, who defended the right of the line on the
first day and lost 13 out of 21 engaged. Captain Dean, of the same
regiment, with 13 men, also participated in this heroic fight.]
While the battle was in progress on John's island, a Brooke gun,
brought to Battery Pringle, drove the enemy's wooden boats down stream.
An attempt of the enemy to float fire rafts with the tide against the
Stono bridge was defeated by Lieutenant Smith, with a detachment of the
naval battalion, who brought them to shore, and a second barge attack
on Fort Johnson was repulsed, the garrison being aided by Le Gardeur's
battery and a company of marines. On the 11th the enemy disappeared.
In his detailed report, Gen. Sam Jones said: "Officers captured concur
in representing that the expedition was well and carefully considered
and planned, and was confidently expected to result in the capture of
Charleston. That it failed is due, under Providence, to the gallantry
and good conduct of our officers and men." His aggregate of losses was
33 killed and 96 wounded.
The part of this campaign which fell upon Fort Sumter was a fierce
bombardment by day and night, in which from July 7th to July 31st
inclusive, 7,000 shot and shell took effect. On the 7th the flag was
cut down three times. On the 20th Commandant Mitchel, one of the most
gallant officers of the artillery service, was mortally wounded while
making an observation from the highest point of the fort. Capt. John
Johnson, the faithful engineer-in-chief, was severely wounded on
the 28th. But in spite of this terrific bombardment, and a new sort
of attack--floating powder boats to explode in its vicinity--Sumter
remained invulnerable. Capt. Thomas A. Huguenin succeeded Mitchel in
command, and remained in charge until on the night of February 17,
1865, he went the rounds of the indomitable fortress for the last time,
and abandoned it to the enemy who had never been able to enter its
walls while a Confederate soldier remained on guard.
Major Jenkins, on August 20th, found it necessary to burn the village
of Legaréville. The Stono scouts, owners of property in the place,
volunteered to aid in the work, sixteen of the members applying the
torches to their own dwellings.
On October 5th, Maj.-Gen. W. J. Hardee took command of the department,
relieving General Jones, whom he assigned to command of the State,
exclusive of General McLaws' district in the southeast.