CONTINUATION OF THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON IN 1864.
The siege of Charleston was prosecuted with intermittent activity, during many months of this year. On the third of January, the besiegers threw a large number of shells into the city, loaded with Greek fire. This is one of the most dangerous and deadly agencies of war, and its use, on this occasion, has been condemned, as barbarous. But, as said by General Sherman, “war is cruelty, and you cannot refine it.” A conflagration of considerable violence and extent, was the result of this bombardment. Its scene was the southern part of the city. The shelling was continued at intervals, for several weeks. On the sixteenth of January the Union headquarters were removed from Folly Island to Hilton Head, General A. H. Terry being left in command at the former place. Port Royal was all along held as the basis of military operations on the coast of the State. From this time forward no event of magnitude occurred in the vicinity of Charleston. The guns and mortars of the Union rained on it, now and then, from Morris Island, and from the blockading gunboats, and the rebels responded with occasional shells. The harbor had been filled with insurmountable obstacles, and the city was well fortified and bravely defended. Looked at in the light of succeeding events, it would almost seem as if the capture of Charleston, at this time, were not especially desired by the United States Government. But, however that might have been, the city held out against such assaults as were made, and was only abandoned at last, on the approach of General Sherman from Savannah, after his great march from Atlanta, which will be presently described. The Secession State Government of South Carolina held control of the greater part of the State throughout the year.