

AEMY OPERATIONS. 



137 



posing the South Atlantic blockading squadron, 

 consisted of sixty-one vessels of all classes, 

 mounting three hundred and ninety-six guns. 

 But iron clads, carrying in all about thirty- 

 four guns, were expected to take the active 

 part in the operations in the harbor. 



After the failure of the assault upon Fort 

 Wagner, Gen. Gillmore set to work to bring his 

 heavy guns into position, not only for an at- 

 tack upon "Wagner, but upon all the works of 

 the enemy, and also to throw shells into 

 Charleston. The form of the contest now con- 

 sisted in pushing forward the siege works and 

 annoying -the enemy as much as possible with 

 sharpshooters and shells. The enemy acted 

 in the same manner. Fort Johnson night and 

 day threw shells, which burst above the work- 

 men in the trenches. "Wagner was kept quiet 

 by the ship Ironsides and the monitors, while 

 these in turn were attacked by the guns of 

 Gregg and Sumter. 



On the 18th of July, about twelve heavy 

 guns were in position, besides eight or ten 

 mortars, within eight hundred yards of Fort 

 "Wagner, and Gen. Gillmore determined on 

 making another attack. It was commenced at 

 noon by Gen. Gillmore's batteries and the fri- 

 gate Ironsides; five monitors, two mortar 

 schooners, and three wooden gunboats soon 

 joined in. The enemy replied briskly from 

 Fort Wagner, Battery Bee, beyond Cummings's 

 Point, and the guns on the southwestern face 

 of Fort Sumter. Their fire was chiefly direct- 

 ed against the vessels, occasionally a shell was 

 thrown at the batteries. Soon after four o'clock 

 the fire of Fort Wagner ceased. It was known 

 that one gun had been dismounted and another 

 was supposed to have exploded. Under the 

 impression that the works were evacuated, an- 

 other attempt to occupy them was determined 

 upon. For this purpose two brigades consist- 

 ing of the 7th Connecticut regiment, the 3d 

 New Hampshire, the 9th Maine, the 76th Penn- 

 sylvania, and the 48th New York, under Brig.- 

 Gen. Strong, and the 7th New Hampshire, 6th 

 Connecticut, 62d Ohio, 100th New York, and 

 54th Massachusetts (colored), under Col. Put- 

 nam, were ordered forward from behind the 

 sand hills. The brigades were formed in line 

 on the beach, with the regiments disposed in 

 columns, the colored regiment being in advance. 

 This movement was observed at Fort Sumter, 

 and a fire was opened on the troops but with- 

 out effect. At dark the order was given for 

 both brigades to advance, Gen. Strong's lead- 

 ing and Col. Putnam's within supporting dis- 

 tance. The troops went forward at quick time 

 and in silence, until the 54th Massachusetts, 

 led by Col. Shaw, was within two hundred 

 yards of the work, when the men gave a fierce 

 yell and rushed up the glacis, closely followed 

 by the other regiments of the brigade. 



The enemy, hitherto silent, opened upon 

 them furiously with grape, canister, and a con- 

 tinuous fusilade of small arms. The negroes, 

 however, plunged on, and many of them cross- 



ed the ditch, although it contained four feet of 

 water, gaining the parapet. They were dis- 

 lodged, however, in a few minutes with hand 

 grenades, and retired, leaving more than one- 

 half of their number, including their colonel, 

 dead upon the field. The 6th Connecticut regi- 

 ment, under Lieut.-Com. Rodman, was next in 

 support of the 54th, and they also suffered ter- 

 ribly, being compelled to retire after a stub- 

 born contest. The 9th Maine, which was next 

 in line, was broken up by the passage of the rem- 

 nant of the repulsed colored regiment through 

 its lines, and retired in confusion, excepting 

 three companies which stood their ground. 



It now devolved upon the 3d New Hamp- 

 shire regiment to push forward, and, led by 

 Gen. Strong and Col. Jackson in person, they 

 dashed up. against the fort. Three companies 

 gained the ditch, and wading through the 

 water, found shelter against the embankment. 

 Here was the critical point of the assault, and 

 the second brigade, which should have been up 

 and ready to support their comrades of the first, 

 were unaccountably delayed. Gen. Strong then 

 gave the order to fall back and lie. down on the 

 glacis, which was obeyed, without confusion. 



While waiting here, exposed to the heavy 

 fire, Gen. Strong was wounded. Finding that 

 the supports did not come, Gen. Strong gave 

 the order for his brigade to retire, and the men 

 left the field in perfect order. . 



Soon afterward the other brigades came on, 

 and made up for their tardiness by their valor. 

 Rushing impetuously up the glacis, undeterred 

 by the fury of the enemy, whose fire was not 

 intermitted, several of the regiments succeeded 

 in crossing the ditch, scaling the parapet, and 

 descending into the fort. Here a hand-to-hand 

 conflict ensued. The troops fought with des- 

 peration, and were able to drive the enemy 

 from one side of the work to seek shelter be- 

 tween the traverses, while they held possession 

 for something more than an hour. This piece 

 of gallantry was unfortunately of no advantage. 

 The enemy rallied, and, having received ree'iv- 

 forceinents, made a charge upon them and ex- 

 pelled them from their position by the force of 

 numbers. One of the regiments engaged in 

 this brilliant dash was the 48th New York, 

 Col. Barton, and it came out almost decimated. 

 The 48th was among the first to enter the fort, 

 and was fired upon by a regiment that gained 

 the parapet some minutes later, under the sup- 

 position that it was the enemy. About mid- 

 night the order was given to retire, and the 

 troops fell back to the rifle pits outside of their 

 own works. The loss in killed, wounded, and 

 missing, was fifteen hundred and thirty. 



Gen. Gillmore now made his preparations to 

 bombard both Wagner and Sumter, and the 

 city of Charleston. 



Meantime a correspondence took place be- 

 tween the opposing commanding officers. 



Under date of Headquarters Department of South 

 Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, Charleston, S. C., July 

 4th, 1863, Gen. Beauregard says that it is bis duty, in 



