138 



AKMY OPEKATIONS. 



the interests of humanity, to address Gen. Gillmore, 

 with a view of effecting some understanding as to the 

 future conduct of the war in this quarter. And then, 

 after alluding to the expedition set on foot by his pre- 

 decessor, Maj.-Gen. Hunter, to the Combahee river, 

 which seized and carried away negro slaves off planta- 

 tions on its banks, ravaged the plantations, &c., he 

 says he does not propose to enter upon a discussion 

 touching that species of pillaging, but desires to ac- 

 quaint Gen. Gillmore formally that more than one plan- 

 tation was pillaged, buildings burned, and crops de- 

 stroyedacts which were not rendered necessary by 

 any military exigency. 



Then he takes up the question of the employment of 

 negroes, and quotes Napoleon, to show the " atrocious 

 consequences which ever resulted in the employment 

 of a merciless, servile race as soldiers ; " that Napoleon 

 refused to employ the serfs in his campaign against 

 Russia, because he dreaded the results of a civil or in- 

 testine war. He characterizes all who call to their aid 

 such material, in the language of the publicists, as 

 barbarians, &c. In conclusion, he asks whether the 

 acts which resulted in the burning of the villages of 

 Darien, Ga., and Bluffton, and the ravages on the 

 Combahee, are regarded by Gen. Gillmore as legitimate 

 measures of war, which he will feel authorized to resort 

 to hereafter. 



Gen. Gillmore addresses Gen. Beauregard from Mor- 

 ris Island, under date of July 18th. He states that, while 

 he and his Government will scrupulously endeavor to 

 conduct the war upon principles established by usage 

 among civilized nations, he shall expect from the com- 

 manding general opposed to him full compliance with 

 the same rules, in their unrestricted application to all 

 the forces under his command. 



Gen. Beauregard, under the date of July 22d, 1863, 

 says he is at a Toss to perceive the necessity for the re- 

 mark that Gen. Gillmore will expect from him " full 

 compliance with the same rules established by usages 

 of civilized nations, Ac., in their unrestricted applica- 

 tion to all his forces," inasmuch as he is wholly una- 

 ware that any departure from the same has ever been 

 alleged on his part, or by any of his troops, from the 

 established laws and usages between civilized peoples ; 

 and then he calls for more specific charges. 



In reply to Gen. Beauregard's despatch of the 22d 

 ultimo, Gen. Gillmore, on the 5th of August, after noti- 

 cing the remark of Gen. Beauregard that he was at a 

 loss to perceive the necessity for his statement that he 

 (Gen. G.) should expect a fall compliance on his (Gen. 

 B.'s) part with the same rules, Ac., in their unrestrict- 

 ed application to all the forces under his command, 

 states that he considered his remarks as pertinent and 

 proper at the time. Events, lie adds, since transpired, 

 show them to have been eminently so. In proof he 

 quotes the circumstances of agreement for mutual pa- 

 roling and returning to their respective commands 

 the wounded prisoners in our hands. " You declined," 

 Gen. Gillmore goes on to say, " to return the wounded 

 officers and men belonging to my colored regiments, 

 and your subordinate in charge of thfc exchange as- 

 serted that the question had been left for after consider- 

 ation." Ue could but regard this transaction as a pal- 

 pable breach of faith on Gen. Beauregard's part, and 

 a flagrant violation of Gen. B.'s pledges as an officer. 



The first works erected by Gen. Gillmoro af- 

 ter taking possession of Morris Island, were the 

 construction of parallels. These extended from 

 the beach on the right to the marsh on the left. 

 The first was distant from Fort, Wagner one 

 thousand two hundred yards. The second, and 

 principal one, was so constructed that its left 

 was six hundred and seven yards from Wag- 

 ner, and its right seven hundred and fifty 

 yards. The third was four hundred and twenty- 

 five yards from Wagner. The parallels were 

 built in an oblong direction with the length of 



the island, having the highest points resting on 

 the marsh. The rifle pits forming the founda- 

 tion of the first parallel were thrown up shortly 

 after the troops gained possession of the lower 

 part of the island. These pits were thrown up 

 in a single night, and used first in the attack 

 on Fort Wagner, on July 18th. The interstices 

 were subsequently filled, and the first parallel 

 constructed. It was two hundred and twenty- 

 five yards. The length of the second parallel 

 was three hundred and twenty-five yards. 

 The siege guns used for the offensive were 

 mounted in the rear of this parallel. Its dis- 

 tance from Fort Sumter was three thousand 

 three hundred and fifty yards. The third 

 parallel was one hundred yards in length. 

 On the left of the parallels earthworks were 

 constructed, containing guns of heavy caliber. 

 Their mean distance from Fort Sumter was 

 four thousand one hundred yards. Still farther 

 to the left, on the marsh, another earthwork 

 was constructed facing Fort Sumter. On this 

 was mounted a gun called "Swamp Angel." 

 The " Marsh " is a vast growth of cane, border- 

 ing on Light House Inlet and Morris Island, 

 directly facing James Island, which runs par- 

 allel with Morris Island. It is about a mile wide, 

 and borders the island nearly its whole length. 

 At low tide it is dry, but at high water there is 

 about four feet of water over its whole extent. 

 Scows were procured and loaded with bags of 

 sand, and at every tide floated into the marsh, 

 and piled on the selected spot. They sank 

 down in their watery bed and rapidly disap- 

 peared, but the process was still continued with 

 each renewing tide, until an immense bank, 

 towering six feet above the tops of the canes, 

 was visible. Strong traverses were erected, 

 and after due time given for it to settle, the 

 gun was placed on one of the scows, and floated 

 through the canes at high tide to the site of the 

 battery, where it was moored and soon mount- 

 ed, the work having all been done at night, it 

 being in full view of Fort Johnson and James 

 Island batteries. 



On the night of August 13th, the Federal 

 works were advanced within four hundred and 

 twenty yards of Wagner, without any suspi- 

 cion of the enemy. Soon after daylight, a tire 

 was opened from Wagner, Gregg, find Sumter, 

 which continued for two hours, and answered 

 with great vigor from the Federal batteries. 

 On the 15th all the forts of the enemy from 

 Johnson Island, on the left, to Fort Wagner, on 

 the right, opened fire, and continued it at in- 

 tervals of fifteen minutes. For the first time 

 fire was opened upon Fort Sumter by the Fed- 

 eral batteries. A 200-pounder Parrott was 

 brought to bear on the fort, for the purpose of 

 testing the powder to be used in these guns. 

 Seven shots were fired, a distance of two and 

 five-eighth miles , the first three fell short, but 

 of the remaining four, two went directly 

 through the gorge wall, a short distance above 

 the sally port, and two struck the parapet, and 

 sent an immense amount of brick and mortar 



