The new South. (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, July 18, 1863, Image 3
miles distant where Gen. Gillmorc's headquarters
were, and immeuse elongated shells thrown into
it. Nearly every one burst in the immediate vicinity
of headquarters. One man was killed and
several severely wounded ; Ave hear of no other
casualties there; but at the front some were
wounded. Tuesday all Avas tolerably quiet, Avith
the exception of some shelling on both sides. We
are rapidly constructing batteries and defences,
principally by night, and are succeeding admirably.
Among the prisoners Ave captured, A\*as Lieut. Bee,
cousin of the rebjl General Bee; Capt. McCelter,
son of the Mayor of New Orleans, and nine other
j commissioned officers, with 113 privates. They
# all seemed rather pleased than sorry with their captivity,
for their circumstances are greatly improved.
Gen. Terry's Division is on James island, having
landed from Stono river. They have had no fight
as yet, but in a slight skirmish the pickets killed
two rebel cavalry. They will be heard from in
due time.
[Anoibor Account From One of Our Correspondents.] ,
THti CrlAl\LE5T0N EXPEDITION.
Our forces on Morris Island?James Island occupied.
in Force?Our Iron-Clad Fleet engaged. ,
Mobris Island, July 14m, 18C3. i
Mr. Editor:?As full details of our present '
* successes in this vicinity would fill a volume your
readers must be content with the following brief 1
J summary of events:
As soon as General Gillmore assumed command
in this department he immediately decided upon
and commenced his offensive operations against
Charleston and its defences, chosing as his point 1
of attack the southern extremity of Morris Island.
Siege batteries were erected with the utmost secrecy
on the northern end of Folly Islaud, for the
purpose of reducing the rebel batteries, and gaining
a foot-hold on Morris Island.
Our battelies were built under the immediate
supervision of Lieut's. Wilson aud Maguire, the
former of the 1st (J. S. Art., the latter of the N. 1
Y. Vol. Eng., and the work itself was done by the j
following regiments: N. Y. Vol. Engineers, 39th ,
Illinois, 62d Ohio, (57th Ohio, Both JPeon a., 4tn
N. H., and 6tli Conn. They were completed in ,
seventeen days, and on the 6th instant, we had j
erected two lines of siege batteries mounting forty- ,
seven guns and mortars, under tho very eyes of j
the rebels, and yet they were so unconscious of (
any such danger that General .Ripley, in command
of their forces on Alorris Island, made an exami- 1
nation of our position on Kolly Island with his
field-glass on the 8th inst., and said that we had ,
nothing there but a battery of two guns; and in i
addition, he ordered that one hundred and fifty i
men should come over on the following night and
drive our picket force away.
On Thursday evening, everything having been ]
comp.eted, General Terry's forces on transports. |
* rnnvaved bv the Pawnee and Com. McDonough ,
moved up Stono river, to eff.ct a landing on
.lames Island. The ironclad Nantucket also ac- (
companied them. Tlie Pawnee and McDonought
she led the shore in advance, and before dark the
expedition was well on its way to cooperate ia the
general plan. ,
That night also, General Strong's brigade moved
up Folly river in launches with muffled oars,
preceded by four boat-howitzer9. This brigade!
was to conceal themselves on the- left flank of
Morris Island, and at the proper time, storm the
rebel batteries.
At four o'clock Friday morning, General's Gillinore,
Seymour and staff's, proceeded trom the
White House to our look-out on Folly Jslaud,
which is one hundred and forty-five feet high, and
distant in the rear of our batteries about two
miles. These General s, accompanied by Co'oncl
Turner, Major Smith, Lieut's. Bragg and Webber,
ascended the look-out which commands a view of
tin country for miles around. At a quarter of five
. * -i- - ??avo.nwn rut awav the trees and
O'CIOCIS, ?pit) ui uav ...? _
brush which-had concealed our batteries from the
enemy, and laid bare to the astonished gaze of the
rebels, our embrasures and their glistening guns.
The rebel pickets, and those on the rebel batteries
parapets, stood aghast with astonishment, and
neither moved or fired upon the axrnen, as battery
after battery was exposed to view. The monitors
Cut skill, (tiag-ship) Mont auk, Nahant and Ureehaurkcn,
had now uiooved up the channel and were
waiting for the signal of attack when they were
to enfilade by thei/ fire the rebel batteries.
Our first, and signal gun at quarter past lit Cj II O-O j
a thirty pound Parrott on the right. Ibis shot
disabled one of the rebel guns. At this signal, our
batteries under the command of General Vogdes,
opened a simultaneous fire and the rebels replied.
Uheir first shot was from theii battery on the left,
and it fell a thousand yards beyond our line of;
batteries. '[ he monitors also opened at 6 o'clock,!
with their fifteen inch shell, and for two hours the
cannonade was fearful.
At about a quarter past eight, General Strong's
brigade effected a safe landing, the howitzers having
shelled the shore, and charged upon the rebel
batteries atter Having tianKea tne rine-pus ana
captured some rebel infantry. The rebels tried to
depress their guns which were all en barbette, in
order to prevent the landing, but were unable to
do so, aud soon General Strong leading the charge
the 6th and 7th Conn., 9th Maine, 76th l'enna.j
48th N. Y., and 3d N. H., were in possession of
the rebel batteries, and persuing the retreating
enemy up the beach. Immediately two batteries
of artillery were ordered across the inlet, aud
General Seymour superintended the sending over
of reinforc.ments, the regiments having been under
arms since four o'clock,' and ready for any
success or defeat which might attend us. General
Gill more and staff crossed the inlet and mounting
one of tne rebel batteries, directed operations
The monitors, also, moved up the channel and
shelled the island in advance of us. The rebel
batteries were all one gun batteries, with the exception
of one of the southernmost, which was
mounted with two ten-inch mortars. Tht. number
of:heir gun batteries was seven, and mounted respectively
two eight inch commom smooth-bore
guns, a eighteen-pound Tarrott, a twenty-four
pound rifled gun, and eight-inch smooth-bore, a
..?> ?a 11 anrl an oicrhLim'h Crnn_
BUjn.t liuunvuu 1.11 sv .uvu ~.e-. ... e
Two of these guns were center pintle, and fire on
siege carriages. The line of thrse batteries ran |
parallel with the Morris Island beach and their j
line of fire f rmed with ours an angle of thirty de- i
grees. Tnev had but two magazines, and no bomb
proofs or splinter proofs. We came very near
capturing an amunition train which was coming
down to their relief. The rebel officers report <
that their force was as follows ; four hundred and
fifty infantry, 300 of which belonged to Col. Graham
s 21st S. C. Vols., aud 150 to t'ol. Nelson's I
7th S. C. Bat. One hundred and ten men ma.med
the batteries. Tbey were companies I and ?, of 1
the 1st S 0. Art. C'apt. Mitchell son ot the bogus
Irish patriot, commanded the former and Captain
Macbeth of Charleston, commanded the latter.
The 0th Conn, captured two flags, one a storm
flag, the other a new confederate flag. The sailors
who rowed the launches, seized the state flag
of the 21st S.C. Vols., in a tent. The rebel camps,
of which there were two near the batteries, gave
many indications or their occupants naving Deen
completely surprised by the opening of our batteries,
and the storm of iron, which fell oh every
i.de of them.
Our troops in their victorious march up the
beach, did not omit to visit a large house within a
hundred yards of Fort Wagner, and appropriate
one hundred new Enfield rides, which they found
therein. Beyond this house was another, which
the rebels had used as a commissary storehouse. '
Upon this was raised the 6th Conn , State fla*,
which regiment lead the advance, and the U. S. 1
flag. These flags were both shot away afterwards
by the fire of bumter and Wagner, which forts
opened fire soon after we landed. Our force,
having reached near f ort Waguer, found the fire J
of the fort too hot, and fell back to a safe distance
while the monitors endeavored to silence the fort
The monitors were unable to do so, and retired at
four o'clock in the afternoon from the conflict
Our troops during the rest of the day were protected
from the rebel fire of Sumter and Wagner,
by the innumerable sand ridges, which traverse
tue island in every direction.
? % -a-. - ' ??* aaaanlf nrv/vn TTnrf
Wencrai uriiimorM uoc?ucu k>uj urva ? .
Wagoni r at daylight the next morning, and General strong's
brigade, was to be the stormi.g party. At daylight, accordingly
the assault was made, in the fallowing order:
The 7th Conn, led the assault supported by the 75th Pa.
3d N. H., Gth Conn., and 9th Maine. The reserve was the
4 tth and lODth New York regiments, formed obhque. Fort
Wagner is a bastion, closed gorge, casemated fort, with an
exterior slope of 25 feet and a ditch some twelve feet wide,
having in it at low tide one foot of water and at high tide,
Six. It mounts nine guns, four bearing seaward, the rest
i lland. As our men charged it, they were met by a raking
fire of musketry from the rebel sharpshooters linin^the
parapet and grape and cannister from the guns. The
charge was unsuccessful and after a short action our men
fell back to their protection, and the taking of Fort Wagner
by assault was abandoned. The A'ahant, kept up a shelling
ail day, in order to prevent the rebels from sending reinforcements
to Wagoner, and our forces occupied themselves
ou a new tact. In this charge, CoL I tod man and
Major Hicks were sens rely, though not mortally wounded,
in I the 7th Conn., entering it witlione hundred andeifhty,
returned with but eighty men. This regiment also d.d the
most execution, and deserve especial praise. Saturday
night, a rebol steamboat came down the harbor on a scoutin
? expedition and was immediately captured by one of
our naval vessels, and sent to Port Royal.
Sunday morning at nine o'clock, two monitors'and some
wooden gunboats shelled Wagoner, and again in the afternoon,
but without effect so far as silencing the fort was
concerned. The 1'aul Jinxes, threw one shot clear over
Cummings Point, and beyond Sumter. In the morning a
rebel force of some two hundred men were discovered .
throwing up a battery about half way between Wagner and.
Cummings Point A rebel steamboat had come down
Vincents creek with reinforcements for this party, and
had made fast to the shore, when one of our light batteries
Lieut, llenry, opened fire and not only dispersed the arriving
paaty, but the seventh shot entered the rebel boat, and
penetrated her boiler, enveloping her in steam. The erection
of that battery has been stopped and the rebel boat Is
useless. During the day, Wagoner and Cumming's Point
replied to our monitors and wooden gunboats, but without (
injury. About four o'cleck in the afternoon Sumter threw
two shells over our camps, which injured several men.
8umter has ten Brooks' guns mounted on her parapet, and
as prisoners say, she has closed her lower casemates with
sand bags in order to protect herself against the monitors
fire. Cummings Point mounts three guns and is called
b> the rebels, battery Bee, aner a General 01 inai same,
who was killed at the first battle of Bull Bun. Sumter
flies the new confederate flag, also the old one and a state
flag besides. On Sunday morning General Terry's forces
were within three miles of Secessionvilleand were preparing
to move on the enemy's works. Monday morning
Sumter opened fire at half-past seven, and threw shells and
solid shot at the rate of one in fifteen minutes over Morris
Island, but she cannot arrest our progress by any such
waste of ammunition.
The casualties up to last Monday on our side, had been
comparatively small, and on Friday only one man belonging
to Co. 0, N. Y. Engineers was killed. The rebel infantry
have thus far shot very low, wounding the majority of
our men below the hips. The prisoners captured by "us,
numbering over one hundred^ have mostly expressed a desire
to take the oath of allegiance, many of them being conscripts
and substitutes and having friends and relatives in
the .> orth. We also captured seven officers as follows :
Capt. Macbeth, 1st 8. C. Art, Lient, Bee, ditto (since dead
relative of Gen Bee,) 2d Lieut J. G. Haj wood, ditto, Capt.
William Clayburn, 7th 8. C. Bat, 1st Lieut. J. M. Woodward,
21st 8. 0. Vols., Capt B. G. Howard, ditto, Brev. 2d
Lieut A. 8. Craig, ditto.
In the rebel hospital about two miles up the beach, we
found the following surgeons, B. B. Hannahan, C. Hapwold,
and W. B. Col well. As our surgsons could easily
take care of both the rebel wounded and our own, it was
thought best for prudential reasons, that these surgeons
should be detained within our lines, until our operations
on Morris Island, shall have been completed. They have
therefore been sent to Port Royal to await their release,
which we hare no doubt will be speedy. All the?e officers
are confident in the midst of all their reverses that their
rebellion will yet be successful, but not so with the meu
and especially one Irishman who said to the Provost Marshal,
' I nather want parool or exchange but I want to go
to Bostin." The men are dressed very poorly and say that
their privations are without description, and that their lore
has been of the poorest and most meagre kind.
It would be impossible to narrate the individual instances
of daring and bravery exhibited not only by our troops
but by each and every General in the field during the action
of Friday. More character was developed and a determination
to take Sumter, Wagner and Char.eston than was
ever dreamed of in our unmilitary philosophy, and the
(alien brave have not died in vain for we have a General at
our head.
?Being unable this week to give a complete list
of killed, wounded and missing at the Morris Island
fights we have delayed it till our next issue.
We hope then to have the list perfect and reliable
in every particular.
Rebel Deserters.?On Wednesday two deserters
came into our lines at one of the outposts of
*v.:? Toiond from fn fx S. O.. Cavalrv. Thcv
tlllO iOIOUU uvu vv. VI, -V? -w- 7 w
were from a rebel picket station six miles this side
of Idutfton. They are both Germans and quite intelligent,
and left because they were heartily disgusted
with the rebel cause. They brought their
revolvers and belts but nothing else; they escaped
in a dug-out with a large hole in the bottom, and
one bailed water out, while the other rowed. Tbcv
say the 2d battalion of this cavalry regiment are
all the troops between Savannah and Charleston,
picketing the whole line. The troops from Savannah
have all been taken to Charleston, and
there is nothing there but a home guard. The deserters
were brought in by 1st sergeant K. S. Capen,
cf Co. 1,1st Mass. Cavalry.
?Want of room compels us to omit many items
of news this week, including Col. Iligginson's expedition
with the 1st S. C. Vols. Our next issue
will be very interesting. #
Capture of Prizes.?On the 16th of June the
U. S. Steamer Laikawana captured the rebel
steamer Neptune off Mobile. She had thrown all
her cargo overboard before the Lackatcana came
up with her. On the next day the same U. S.
vessel captured the rebel steamer Planter, from
Mobile for Havana, with675 bales of cotton and 125
barrels of turpentine on toard. Acting Master B.
Van Voories brought the Planter here for repairs,
and she will probably go north in the course of a
week. The Planter is a high pressure river boat
and resembles the rebel rams very much. She had
started tor the north, but was obliged to put back
here for repairs." She created quite a fluttering
among our fleet at Bull Bay and here who supposed
her a rebel marine monster come to fight them.
? Capt. Wm. M. McArtbur of the 8th Maine
Vols., has been appointed Provost Marshal of this
Post, relieving Lieut.-Col. Batcheller of the 115th
!-a . J *?
N. Y. Vols., who lias ueen appoiniuu
Provost Marshal General of the Department of the
South.
?Some negroes who camo across our lines a
day or two ago report that Charleston is in a fever
of excitement and every one who can get away is
leaving for a place of more security. The rebels
lost 150 killed in our late fights on Morris Island,
so these negroes say.