The free South. (Beaufort, S.C.) 1863-1864, August 29, 1863, Image 3
YOL. 1, '
LETTERS FROM MORRIS ISLAND.
Morris Island, Aug. 18, 1863. j
Sunday the 15th inst., it was currently rumor- ,
etl about camp that Gen. Gillmore was about !
ready and would feel the rebel works the next j
day. In the mean time a few shots were sent to i
Snmpter which raised considerable dust and. left !
tagged pits behind. Considerable activity was
also noticed among the shipping and iron clads,
little steam tags going from one to another in a ,
sort of earnest business-like manner, awnings
.taken down, dtcks cleaned, and all seemed confident
the drama was about to open.
About 2 o'clock Monday morning, I was !
awakened by the most terrible cannonnding I
<srer heard. Heavens artillery- was also at work, |
:and day was sainted by the flash of lightning, I
the |?cal of thunder, the booming of a hundred
cannon and the j?r}>etual screaming and bursting
of shells. What a morning! I thanked
God it was not the holy Sabbath. About sun- i
rise the Ironside* nnd six Monitors begnn to j
creep -along slowly to the front of Wagner and
the scene of action. They were aeconii>nnied
J?y a number of gunboats, which however, kept
ai a respectful distance from Wagner's Whitworth
guns. Bat they were near enough and
did good service. I repaired to near the front
and in the shade, on the >jgfth side of a sand
hill was able at glance to see the whole field of
operations. ^\n tue iore^on oumter was siuien
ami silent. On the soutn side had been piled up
n?i immense amount of sand bags. This u-all j
j. ??^ of sand could not have been less than ten or j
twelve feet thick, and was^early as high as the
fort itself. But the Monitors, the Ironsides and
die land batteries make it Hv in all direct1' >ns, j
and gradually the stone wall of Sumptcr ai t)cars
in nil its nakedness. Shells are expltplinj within
her walls even* few minutes and yet lie is
<alcnt as death. Now a solid shot st'ses her;
ramparts nnd a section disappears. -Yet she is
siieiiL Pit after pit is dug into the wall and
sometimes that huge pile of masonry* is enveloped
in a cloud of dust and smoke. FinaHy^ her j
f3ag comes down to half-mast and after a few
rainutes is lowered to the wall and then goes up
.Again to the top of the staff. One of the Monitors
mor es up and up most saucily and fires most
irnjHHlently. Gregg is wide awake, and though
w shot are ploughing through her every minute
vet she finds opportunity to make some good
. and manv wild shots at the iron clads. The
*
Ironsides is tossing* the sand walls of Wagner
About in the air as if it were a holiday job*?
The gunboats and some of the Monitors are
pUyiiig at the same game. Earlv in the morn
Tag she did some wild shooting, but the quietness
:?f death are in her batteries now, except as our
shells keep every thing in a sort of iron and sand
tempest. .Johnson and two newly formed earth
works on James Island are very active bursting
shell o\cr our batteries and fatigue parties. I
have not seen or heard of any damage done.?
But tjlie Monitors are too active and impatient,
rind Sumptcr rouses herself (10 o'clock) to resist
their insults. Her parapet and two barbette
gnuare worked with much vigor to drive off
the "devils" as they call them. In the space
(rfan hour they had to withdraw because of the
meeting tide.
With our most powerful glasses I have examined
Sumpter, and am happy to say that a
I good days work has been done. Her southwest
. turner is well rounded off, and the deep, ragged
pita arc thickly scattered over her entire southern
wall. Near her sally |>ort it is thought a
serious breach has been made. I caunot say
. certainMthat such is the case. They cannot
{madbly repair to-night the injuries done to-day.
A number of feet of earth has Ixxm removed from
"liregg but those sand batteries are more easily
repaired.
The rebel steamers?black, ungainly, sluggish
Cooking things? have l>eeu very active in the
luzijor. Nothing is more certain than that this
bag been n teirible day to the rebels of Charles-.tnn.
But it is only the beginning of sorrows.?
"To-morrow thev will have the same diet, with a
.number of important additions.
At 3 o'clock the fleet had retired from action
mad it wag noticed that all the war vessels had
.dteir flags at half mast. We soon learned that
the CaUlill had been hit, and a bolt driven
through, killing Capt. llodgers, (not the liodgof
the WteJficLen,) also Paymaster J. G.
Woodbury. These arc all the casualties I have
Heard of to-day. llodgers was an excellent
<rt5eer, and his loss is njuch lamented.
August 18th. We kept up occa:>ional firing
during the night, and I cannot sec that any repairing
has been done to Snmpter. Our heavy
31ws Jiave opened upon her again, and it is expected
that this day will add another sad chapter
THE FREE SOUTH, SATO".
to her remarkable his ton-. The rebel guns are
all silent this morning. The weather is cool,
the sky overcast with heavy clouds, and the
soldiers are in the finest spirits. We look for
the fiercest cannonading to-day that has characterized
the war.
Much of the fatigue duty is done hy the colored
regiments. From all conditions-of mcu, from
the private to the General?the testimony to
tiwn* efficiency is the same. A captain in tKe
Volunteer Engineer corj? said to me, that he
preferred thera on some accounts to the white
soldiers as details; they being more easily managed
and workin^with a desire to emulate, and if
possible*exccll their white brethren in awns. It
will be a useless task for the copperhead demagogues
to attempt to argue with those who have
served in this deportment against the employment ^
of negro soldiers. Men who lmv? been saved days ,
of toil in the henvv sand, under the burrilugheat |
of a South Carolina sun, will bcriow to perceive
the force of that logic which would compel them
to dispense with their assistance. Here and
there a man may be found, and, I am sj^rry to
say, more frequently among officers than privates,
who is willing to show his meanness by casting
a slur upon colored soldiers. In every instance
I have known such a man 1ms been a "scallawag"
himself. He is invnriably either * man
who is tired of fighting, a grumbling, discontented,
ignorant and worthless soldier, or a ^raitor at
heart. Yours, f
~ M.
Morris Island, S. C., Atig^2, I8G3.
jr
Editor of the Free South :?
Fort Sumter it is thought was evacuated on
Tuesday, the second day of the bombardment,
and as it has not replied to onr batteries since, it
is believed that the guns have been removed dur
ing the night, and planted in batteries on James
island in order to resist our occir ation ot that island,
and consequent advance upon the fated city.
On Wednesday a new battery was opened on
the rear of Sumter, and the terrible execution
of that battery was plainly to be seen, nearly
even- shot told, a dense volume of dust and
smoke arose high in the air from that side of the
fort, and the tumbling of the brick and masonry
work showed that this hitherto impregnable fortification
would soon share the fate of Pulaski.
Before night of that day two breaches were
discovered in the walls extending through the
second wall so that the casemates on the opposite
side were clearly discernible. The belief in
the evacuation of the fort is strengthened by the
fact that whenever the flag is shot away a boat
is seen moving from the side towards Moultrie
with a .ew men in it, one of whpm throws up a
roj>c from the water, enters the fort and sets up
the flag on the parapet. These men arc probably
paid a large sum to remain there and set up
the flag after it has been shot away by our batteries.
It was shot away three times in the
9pacc of an hour this morning and as often reset.
Seven deserters from the 8th North Car!
olina, stationed at Sullivan's island, came into
our lines yesterday morning, they report that
the fort is badly knocked to pieces nnd that the
guns liavc all have been removed on to James
island. Fort Johnson has been greatly strengthened
recently and many new batteries erected
on shore, in line with it, during the past two
; weeks. Tins js eviueni rrom tne met mat some
of them hare already been unmasked and are
delivering a regular fire daily.
The location of the troojH is much more
healthy than I exjjected to find it, tar more; so*
thau the Peninsula where we lost so many
by disease under McClellan. We have here the
cool breezes of the ocean, and from the-salt
marshes around us ho malarious^exhulations
arise as from the stagnant fresh water swamps
of Virginia. For my own pan I would as soon
think of taking disease on the sand beach of
Cape May or Xahant as on the islands in Cliarlcstou
harbor. The sickness we now have in camp
is the result of the severe fatjgue duty which the
army has had to do in the trenches, and in mounting
aud working the batteries. The amount of
labor accomplished for the number of men employed,
and the time in which they have done it
- I _L T
is almost incredible. Some regiments wnicn i
can mention have been on constant duty, night
aiul day, nine days out of eleven, and so cheerfully
have they i>erformed it that they "would do
it again, they say, and even for a longer period
should it be required. The country will uot be
slow in acknowledging the services of such men,
nor the ]>cople delinquent in tendering their
gratitude in such a way that the war-worn soldier
on his return home will feel proud of the
cause for which he has fought, and of the country
which he has perilled his life to save.
EtDAY, AUGUST 29, 1893,
Fort Sumpter is little else but a heap of ruins.
Our batteries have pretty nearly ceased firing
upon it, and now confine their attention to Wagner.
The reduction of this fort can now be accomplished
with far less trouble than when Sumter
could pour her shot and shell into anitdvancing
column. Several new batteries have been
opened: by the rebels, but very little trouble is occasioned
by them.
Deserters are frequent from the rebel Ones.?
They report the feeling to be very despondent.?
Little doubt exists of the ultimate fall of the city;
but a determination is expressed to dispute every
inch the gTound and finally to leave nothing
vui it wi iuius, as uic uuain jimvihw^u ?/i i*v
of months of labor and danger. SeveraLinfernal
machines have l>ecn sent down the rivers and
inlets where our fleets of transjorts are moored.
So far these have been captured before any dam-, j
age has been doue. An ingenious contrivance
has been invented which catches them liefore they ;
reach our fleet.
Our ^sharpshooters now approach to within j
one hundred yards of the parajwt of Wagner.? ;
Several conflicts have taken place cansod by attempts
of the enemy to dislodge them.. These
have hardly amounted to the dignity of sorties
ami have been easily repulsed without severe
loss.
A small party of four had a narrow escape on
Sunday night. They were in the signal station
at the front, when a shell pcnctrated the frail
roof and exploded within its narrow limits.
Sergeant Emerjon, and Col. Howell, 85th Pa.,
were seriously injured, while Lt. Cross and Col.
Bell, 4th X. H., were dug out of the sand unhurt.
Casualties during the week ending Saturday
August 22, 12 M.
Aug. 17, CoL Howell, SSth Pa., badly stunned; Sergt.
John 1). Emerson, (signal corps) concussion of brain ;
John Roach, C'0. C, 1st lT. 8. Art. wounded in head;
Corporal James Moren, Co. K, i'th Maine, arm amputated
; Private John lioover, Co. 1, 3i?th 111., wounded
in thigh.
Aug. 18, John Cianll, Co. I, 3d X. Y. Infy. wonnded
in thigh; Nelson .Miller, Co. K, l"Oth X. Y., wounded
in the back a nd died on the way to the hospital.
j Ang. 19, Louis Weise, Co. K, X. Y. Engineers, killed
; W. L. Cannon, Co. K, N. Y. Engineers, arm nmpntated;
Corporal Garret Leman, Co. E, 100th X. Y.
wounded In face and arm amputated; Heury T. Debrach.
let) X. Y. wounded in head; Iieury Zand, 100 X. Y.
wouuded In face; (ieorge P. Stevens, Co. B, 7th X. H.
arm shot off and amputated at shoulder; James Kaue,
! Co. E, 103 X. Y. wounded in the back; Sergt. Finn,
| Co. B, X. Y. Engineers, wounded in back; Robert
1 Land, Co. I, 7th X. 11., wounded in back.
Lieut Henry Holbrook, Co. M, 3d 11.1. Art., mor|
tally by shell. His arm was amputated and shoulderi
blade removed.
Aug. 20th, Charles M. Derby, Co. A. 3d X. H. wounI
ded in arm; Lewis D. Whitton, Co. B, 40th Mass., leg
| amputated; Wealey Brisel, Co. li. 40th Mass., wounj
ded in chin; Lieut. Augustine F. Webb, wounded in
head and died soon after; Thomas Cnsie, 157th X. Y.,
I wounded in hip and died soon after ; four marines beI
longing to the Naval battery were killed Friday afterI
noon by the accidental explosion of one of their own
i shells, and Saturday morning two men were brought
i in from the front on stretchers, one with both legs shot
1 away and the other the loss of an arm. I have not yet
been able to ascertain their names.
J. B. M.
A Question.
Cami- Sbymocr, Beaufort S. C.)
August 25,1SC3. J
To the Editor of the Free South :?
Sin With the most profound assurance that
nought bat a thirst after knowledge could impel
me to intrude on your time, I submit the following
(jnesrio* for your consideration, knowing that
l>' > * 1-.? 1
voqr MiriCU KI1UW HHgc UUU upjAiUUiiiiio ivi ?v"
quiring such enable you to treat the subject
with due ability. The Query is: to what species
of plants does the vegetable belong to which is
issued by the Commissary of Subsistence, under
the ttom-ik guerre of tea. It is certainly a botanical
phenomenon, being when expanded after
boiliug, about as wide as a mulberry leaf ^d
hcarly as long as a palametto; and capable of
' being compressed almost to a nonentity in a crude
state, as a teajwt can accommodate several of
them at a time. It makes a fascinating decoction,
strongly resembling the solutiou which
shoemakers make use of to impart a black color
new leather. If the seeds of it can be procured
in this country and information to that effect,
will be thankfully received by your patrons in
this camp, as we contemplate planting shade
trees over our newly invented sweatbox, to mitigate
the temperature, and thus dispense with the
necessity of perverting the bukeoveu to purjroses
of military castigation.
Most obsequiously yours,
A "Regular."
Respectfully referred to Lieut. E. H.
Brown, Post Commissary.?[Ed.
Capture of the Evirglade.?We do
not know the exact facts connected with
this capture but give them as we have
heard them.
The Everglade?a side-wheel steamer
formerly on the line between Savannah
and St. John's river, Florida, li;is been
lying up the Savannah river for several
??\'
S
NO. 34.
j weeks, ready to run the blockade. She
; was loaded with cotton, and had, as p*s~sengers,
about one hundred sailors and
naval officers,?a complete crew for one of ' \
the privateers now fitting out at Nassu*
or some other Anglo-rebel port. Last
Friday night she is said to have run past
Pulaski (?) but was overhauled by the
Madgie before she got clear of the coast, >
and was sunk near Tybee island. Only
twenty-two of her passengers and crow
were taken, the rest escaping to Tybee
and thence to the main, via Si. Andrew'*
island. Among those captured were some
of the officers and crew of the privateer
before referred to. The officere were well
covered with gold lace, stars, anchors,
Ac,,?the usual decorations of Naval of
ncers.?jxetc. oomrt, xza. /
A man who had been fined several weeks
in 8uccession.for getting drank, coolly proposed
to the judge that he should take
him by the year at a reduced sate.
Promotions.?The following, is a list of
promotions since July 10 :?
B. Frank Oaks, Sergt. 21th Mass. to b*
Captain, 2d N. C. Vols; Jesse S. Williams,
1st Sergt. 21th Mass., to be 2d
i Lieut, same Regt ; Frank H. Skepard,
i Sergt. 21th Mass., to be 2d Lieut, same
Regt.; George B. Dyer, 1st Sergt. 9th.
Maine to be 2d Lieut, same Regt. ; J.
Erving Skepard, Sergt.-Maj. 9th Maine,
to be 1st. Lieut, and Adjt same Regt;
Charles K Oaks, Sergt. 3<1 R. L Art., to
be 2d Lieut, same Regt. ; Richard W.
( Coe, Sergt. X. Y. Engineers, to be 1st
Lieut, same Regt. ; Charles P. Ross,
Com.-Sergt. 52d Pa., to be 1st Lieut, and
J R. Q. M. same Regt.
Resignations.?The following is a list
of resignations accepted since July 2d?
, D. J. Flanders, 1st Lieut. 3d N. EL
i Vols. ; A. S. Jackson, 2d Lieut. 3d R. I.
Art ; William F. Barret, 2d Lieut. 18th
N. Y. Vols. ; Jno. Remley, 1st Lient.
85th Pa. Vols. ; Horace Baker, 1st Lieut.
100th N. Y. Vols. ; Patrick Leary, 1st
Lieut. 39th HI. Vols.; L. H. Bredt, 1st
Lieut 67th Ohio Vols. ; D. A. Allen, Ma!
ior. 17th N. Y. Vols. : A. G. Brann. 2d
; Lieut lltli Maine; F. M. Johnson, 2d
I Lieut. 11th Maine ; L. F. Place, 1st Lieut
3d X. H. Vols. ; Otto Yernam, 1st Lieut
X. Y. Eng. ; A. H. Ferrill, 1st. Lieut 1st
; S. C. Vols. ; J. W. Ackerman, 2d Lieut
3d X. H. Vols. ; C. F. .Schaffer, 1st Lieut
100th X. Y. Vols. ; J. H. Touting, Capt
1st S. C. Vols,; E. G. Allen, Lieut. 10th
Conn; Jno. Speidel, Lieut.-Col. 6th
Conn. ; M. Bailey, Capt 100th X. Y.
: Vols. ; T. M. Jackson, Capt. 3d X. H.
i Vols. ; C. F. Brainerd, 1st Lieut 3d N.
H. Vols. ; J. M. Welch, 2d Lieut 85th
Pa. Vols.
Bntnm.?At St. Helena, on Monday, Aug. 24th, 1S63,
Mrs. Gkoi'oe M. WtLu, of a daughter.
We congratnlate the community upon the commencement
of a new era in the history of Sooth CaroBna.
The old slaveocrats who once occupied these islands
are to give place to a new loyal population. The auspicious
event announced at the head of this paragraph,
indicates the beginning of this Important movement.
Long life, health, and prosperity to the first Union babj
of St. Helena.
?catjjis.
August ?th Mansel Bigsby, Co. A, 7th New lLamp
Isoire i ui0.
August 2T>th, Private L. O. Crosby, Co. M, 1st IT. S?
August 26th, Private John Jloacb, Co. C, 1st U. 8. A.
August 21st, Private Aaron C. Varney, Co. C, 9th Me.
Vols.
August 22d, Private Samuel Bliss, Co. K, 7th Conn.
Vols.
| August 20th, Private William E. Moore 1st Com.,
i Buttery. ?
August 24th, Private Sandy Baker, Co. G, 1st 8. C.
Vols.
JprnttementiS.
Ice! Ice!! Ice!!!
Edwako L Llovis is now ready to tarnish veaniaw
steamers, hotels, and private persons with Ice in any
quantities. ?
Orders left at the Ice House, or through the Poet Office,
will receive prompt attention.
EDW ABD L. LLOTV.
MILITARY FURKISHIHG STORE.
DOUGLAS <fc CO., having removed to their NCTT
STORE, on Bay Street, one door east of the Poet Commissary
Building, Beaufort, would respectfully call the
attention of Army and Navy Officers to their large and
?cell selected anoortment of
Military and Naval Good*.
Consisting of SWORDS, 8ASHES, BELTS, PAS.
SANTS, Ac., Ac. Also a good stock of f?(t Ltrnaani
Undre** Military Clothing.
They have a fine stock of GOLD and SILVER
WATCHES, adapted especially to Army use; also
JEWELRY, WATCH-CHAINS, RINGS, PINS, Ac.?
GOLD PENS and PENCILS of the best quality.
F. DOUGLAS A CO.
formerly Douglas, Steele, A Co.
Aug. 27th 1SJ3? ttilwi