University of South Carolina Libraries
THE NEW SOUTH. , Jos. EL Sears, Editor and Proprietor. PORT ROYAL, SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1S63. THE ADVANCE ON CHARLESTON. CAPTURE OF THE GREATER PART OF N MORRIS ISLAND. A Terrific Bombardment?Splendid Charge by Strong s Brigade?Capture of Eleven Batienes ?Only two fort Remaining?Disastrous Charge on Forts Wagner?Intrepidity of the Ith Conn. ?Our Losses Small?one Hundred Rebels Killed ?One Hundred Wounded, and One Hundred and Twenty Taken Prisoners?Full and Authentic Account. We have obtained from reliable sources, a full account of our victory at Morris Island. We are " obliged, for want of space, greatly to condense the details, but we give all the essential facts. Since Gen. Gillmore's arrival in the Department the greatest activity has prevailed, but all move' -? 5.1- L 5-j:~: ~~? menu were maue wnu sueu juuiuivua sttiwj auu caution, that no suspicion v&s excited among the rebels or at the North, that the Department of the South was to be distinguished by an active campaign. Brig.-Gcn. Yogdes was relieved as Post Commandant at Folly Island by Brig.-Gen. Seymour, Brig.-Gen. Strong was placed in command of a fine Brigade, guns and ammunition were transported to Folly Island by night, and the plan of building batteries on this end of Folly Island, where nothing but our own troops and vessels eontd ever come, was changed for one of baftei ies at the front, where we could defend against attack or assume the offensive. Large latigue parties, consisting sometimes of six regiments, were set at work each night, build\ ing batteries under the d.rection of Geu. Vogdes, i with Gen. Seymour, also supervising, and Lieuts. | Suter, Wilson and Maguire, of the Engineers, to attend to details, we had admirable topographicel advantages. The point was surrounded by a range tf sand bluffs, and covered by a dense growth of wood and chaparral. While our men worked, erecting impregnable defences, and mounting batteries which they could not wiihstaud, with all their preparation, the rebels supposed we had only a small picket force there, and amused themselves by wasting shell in the woods where they supposed our pickets to be located. The arrangements bad teen made for an attack on the morning of Thursday, July 10th, but Providence had oidcrcd it otherwise, aud decreed that Friday should be the rebels' unlucky day. It had been arranged that Gen. Stevenson's brigade, and Col. Montgomery's colored Brigade, should go up on transports, on Wednesday night, to join Terry's Division, which liorl on imioAftont nort tA T\avfni>m An Tomno fcl-inH Jltav* (III IUl|/V* l?*M? ? ?V I^AIVIIM Vi. VUIUVO AOiUIIVI. During the night a gale arose, there was a high wind and a heavy sea, and the transports were obliged to lay off the bar tiil morning. So the attack was postponed for a day, and the plan sufficiently changed to ensure success in case the original one had been discovered. v The principal features of the plan of attack were as follows: A general bombardment tf the rebel works from all the batteries at Camp Seymour, on the irout of Folly Island. Co-operating with the navy, in bombarding the forts at the other end of Morris Island. An attack with boat howitzers on the rebel rifle-pits, protecting the exposed flank of their works. Capture of the rifle-pits by a charge with four companies of the 7th Conn. Storming of all the works by the remainder of Strong's brigade, landing from Folly liiver. Occupation of a portion of James Island by a strong force under (ten. Terry, to operate farther at the proper time, under veibal instructions. All these features of the plan were most successfully executed, without a single failure in any particular. We have the orders containing these plans, but they are too lengthy for our columns. The brigades outside the bar came in on Thursday, and tin; movements accordingly all came off ibat night. The attack commenced at five o'clock on Friday morning from i'amp Seymour, w here we had forty-fonv guns, commanded aud manned as follows : On right of first line, Co. I, 3d R. I. Artillery, Capt. Brayton,' four three-inch Dyer gunR; on left of first line, Co. M, 3d K. 1., Capt. J. J. Comstock, jr., four ten-inch mortars ; in the centre of first line of works, Capt. Hamilton's Battery E, 3d U. S. Artillery, commanded by Lieut. uoiv ton.inpli Pnt>pofr <rnns Anri detachment JUJSIVA, oia ?vu-.uv.w..>v.. o- , 1st U. S. Artillery, under 1st Sergt. Lee, to. C, three thirty-pound Parrotts; and also in the first line, Co. 1, 3d K. I. Artillery, Capt. C. G. Strahan, tour twenty-pound Parrotts, Co. B, 3d K. I. Artillery, Capt. Albert Green, six ten-inch mortars, and Co. D, 3d P. I. Artillery, Capt. Kichard Shaw, eight 30 lb. Parrotts.. In the second line, commanded by Major Bailey, 3d R. 1., were five eight-inch mortars, worked by detachment of Co. M, 3d K. I., Lieut. Holbrook ; and four Weird guns, under command of Lieut. Burgemeyer, 3d N. Y. Artillery. 'lhe first shot disabled a prominent rebel gun, and as piece alter piece opened on them, the air about them was lull of deadly missiles, 'lhe Monitors, too, opened on them, sending fifteen-inch shells, with other shot and shells, among them. They were taken completely at surprise, and while at roll-call. They did not mistrust the existence of batteries, or the intention of attack, but were rather occupying themselves with plans for taking Folly Island. I1 iwnliod U'lth a fpw mints, hut it touk a i lie ? OVUU ff*?u M ?v?? ^ ? ? ? luDg time to get the range, or to find out where to takeus ; their shells at first went far over the camp, bursting in the marsh, and when they began to fall behind and on the works, hurt nobody. We bad only one man killed from their fire, and two Khode islanders badly wounded, (each losing both arms and receiving other bad wounds) by a premature discharge of one of our own guns. These were all the casualties. For nearly two hours this one-sided artillery duel went on. In the meantime Lieut. Bunce, hxecutive Officer of the Pawnee, came up towards Light House Inlet with tour boats mounting how. itzers, and peppered the rebel rifle-pits. The rifles and batteries responded, giving Lieut. Bunce's and Gen. Strong's forces, (who had come thereafter in boats) a hot fire. Only one casualty occurred before the landing. A shell struck a boat full of troops and took a 6th Connecticut man's leg off. With the other leg and his hands he succeeded in swimming to another boat, but bled to death in a few minutes. At half past six Lieut.-Col. Rodman, of the 7th Conn, (battalion consisting of Cos. I, A, B and K,) landed from a creek below with Capt. Cbau berlain and 20 men, and finding no batteries as had been anticipated, skirmished up and reconnoitered the rifle-pits. He then landed with his whole battalion, charged gallantly on the rifle-pits and took them, losing five or six men, and killingthc enemy ill uca^j. Gen. Strong then landed with the Gth Conn., at Light House Inlet, took them up the beach and went back for the rest of the brigade. The whole force then charged furiously up the blurts to the rebel works, Gen. Strong leading the main column in person. They made a splendid charge, sweepiug every-thing before them, and capturing fifty prisoners in one batch. As they trailed up at double-quick, they shouted, waved flags, and the men in camp Seymour responded. It was a splendid affair. Gen. btrong inspired his troops at the landing by rushing to the front, waving a flag, and crying, "come on my men?rn ieaa yon. The whole brigade charged down the bluffs to where they terminate, and are succeeded by a less rugged, but still very uneven surface. They captured m my prisoners, and at the termination of the bluffs got possession of the last of the rebel batteries except Toint cummins and Fort Wagner. They then skirmished down under heavy fire from the forts, to which the gunboats replied, to a marsh it was impracticable to occupy, Gen. Strong leading them all the way, and pleasing his men beyond measnre. They are as proud of their General as any Brigade in the army, and will follow him anywhere. Gen. Strong disposed his men with especial regard to their safety as well as efficiency, and all who could be spared were sent back to the rebel encampments to seek that rest they so much needed. The rebels continued shel.ing our works, and the Catskill (Com. Dahlgren's flag-ship,) Weehawken. Mcntauk, Nahant went up and gave it to them at short range, drawing the fire of Forts Sumter, Wagner, Point Cunimings (or battery Bee). The Catskill was struck over filty times, but net seriously injured. The top of her pilot house was smashed, and one of the flying bolts came very near the Admirals head. The only casualty was the injury of one man, who was leaning against a turret in one of the Monitors, when a shot struck the outside, and the concussion from a bolt paralized him. At five o'clock, without capturing Fort Wagner, the Monitors withdrew. A plan was then decided on to surprise and take the fort by storm. It was very important Jo take it, for that once in our hands, Curoming's Point battery must fall, and with possession of Cum ming's Point we are sure of Sumter. So desperate measures were justifiable. Gen. Strong was confident that his gallant troops, any of theui, would stand any ordinary fire with reasonable prospect ol achieving a success. Lieut.-Col. Kodman, of the intrepid 7th Conn, battalion, volunteered, with his four Companies, to act as the advance, promising that if properly supported he would take any fort in South Carolina. Gen. Strong selected as the support two line regiments, which had been very gallant in the morning, and in which he had great confidence, the 9th Maine, Col. Emery, and the 70th Eennn., tol. Straw bridge. The regiments appeared mucii pleased with the honor of being selected lor this duty, and the prospects were very favorable. i Soon alter midnight all the regiments in camp were silently aroused and formed in line ol battle. Ihe storming force advanced to within halt a mile of the fort, and waited the time for the assault. At the last moment it was learned that col. btraw. iridge, of the 76th, in whom the Kegimentha\e great confidence, and who was to take the right of the support, was severely ill and could not come out. This dispirited th; regiment somewhat, but Major liicks. a popular and braA c officer, took cummaud, and there w ere no signs ol failure, heury's Battery moved down to the front to co-operate, and in the dusk of the morning, just before three o'clock, tue battalion and two regiments moved on. Gen. tiillmore and several of his Staff were where they could seethe assault, audGen. btrong, with his Staff, and Col. 'turner, the efficient Chief of Gen. Gillfflore's Staff, all mounted, accompanied the troops toward the fort. At two hundred yards fr. m thi! fort the Dicket were encouutered and driven in. Gen. Strong rode up to the advance, and said in an impressive manner, "tire low, and put your trust in God! forward the Connecticut Seventh!" They gave a loud cheer, just as a round of canister and grape swept over their heads; they did not flinch, nor did the second round, which took ofl' some of tliei. brave men, cause them to stagger; a third round cuuie/ and many morb fell, but still the noble men kept on, regardless of danger, cheering, clambering over meat and ditch, heroes in courage an t devils in impetuosity. Hand grenades were showered among them but they heeded them not. Hp over the parapet they went, and replied to a volley of minnie balls by a shout of t iumph, for they si pposed the support was at hand and victory certaiu. Hut the support had wavered. When the fearful Are mowed down their ranks, the 76th halted, but advanced again like brave meu, trying to face ccr tain destruction, me nre was terriDie, ana wnen round after round played through them, those in the rear became demora'ized, the advance were left alone, the 9th Maine became infected, and when col. Hodman, wounded mortally, as he supposed, in the side, but still waving his sword on the parapet, as blood rushed from Itis mouth, turned to look lor his support, ne saw only a fleeing crowd of routed n?en, and exclaimed in very despair, "That's a d?d pretty support?see how the cowards run !" Major liicks and a few brave fellows pressed directly up to the front and mounted the bi eastworks, or were slaughtered in the ditch Ti e Seventh were almost alone, and there was nothing left but to retreat. Over two hundred muskets and rifles were thinning their ranks, and the surT vivors reluctantly left otf bjyoneting gunners, to turq their backs on the foe. llut now came the ? - ?? ^ ^ A O (Vt?k t WW ItiQ Wi.fltrtotarl worst ul i lie siauguici ao iuw uvw|m i?.iuiuvu they could be more distinctly seen, and the volleys came with fatal precision. Col. Kodman had his leg shattered, and was the only wounded man brought oft from the front. His men would not have deserted him, had they all perishel in trying to rescue him. Little mo. e was done during the day,- except that working parties were busy constructing batteries and entrenchments. Our losses on the first day were fourteen killed, one missing, and ninety odd wounded, some fatally. In the storming party of Saturday morning, the 7th Conn, had 103 killed, wounded and mis.-ijg. The missing are all prisoners or killed ; many are known to be killed or wounded, 'lbe total loss of the whole day, reported in Strong's brigade were 334, killed, wounded and missing, but of the miss, ing many are stragglers from the 76th Penna and yth Maine, who will yet turn up. On Sunday a rebel force of r egroes and others, was discovered building flanking works on Morris Island in the direction ot Fort Johnson. Hamilton's Battery went down to a convenient place and opened fire on them, they were speedily captured, and a steamer which was lying at the landing was disabled at the first shot, one man being killed Shortly after the steamer was blown up by a shot through her boilers. On Monday she was burned by our troops. During Monday the rebels shelled our pickets and advance, and wore in turned shelled by the gunboats. both the monitors and wooden ones, the principal tire being directed at Fort Wagner. During tne day one of the captured Keokuk's guns, which our navy should have looked alter, wa pointed from Fort Sumter towards the camp, three