BOMBARDMENTS OF EARTHWORKS.
Earthworks at Hatteras Inlet,
August 28 and 29, 1861.
FEDERAL.
WOODEN SQUADRON.
| Guns. | |
| Minnesota | 46 |
| Wabash | 45 |
| Susquehanna | 17 |
| Sailing Corvette Cumberland | 24 |
| Pawnee | 15 |
| Monticello | 6 |
| Harriet Lane | 5 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Clark.—Water-battery mounting 5 guns.
Fort Hatteras.—Earthwork mounting 20 guns.
Early on the morning of the 28th, the Wabash, with the Cumberland in tow, led in to attack Fort Clark, followed by the Minnesota and later by the Susquehanna. This battery was bombarded for three hours, the ships passing and repassing, when it was deserted and not reoccupied. The remainder of the squadron were employed during the forenoon landing troops, but owing to the rough surf only landed 300 men, who occupied and raised a flag on Fort Clark, but took no part in the action at any time. Late in the afternoon fire from the whole fleet was opened on Fort Hatteras and continued for two hours, when the ships drew out of action for the night. At 8 a.m. next day, the frigates led in and opened the engagement, continuing it for three hours, when Fort Hatteras surrendered. Six hundred and seventy prisoners were taken in addition to the forts with their armaments. The gun-boats were slightly injured, and four or five men wounded. Loss of the Confederates unknown beyond 18 wounded prisoners.
Earthworks at Hilton Head,
November 7, 1861.
FEDERAL.
MAIN SQUADRON.
| Guns. | |
| Wabash | 45 |
| Susquehanna | 17 |
| Mohican | 7 |
| Seminole | 6 |
| Pawnee | 15 |
| Unadilla | 6 |
| Ottawa | 5 |
| Pembina | 4 |
| Vandalia | 22 |
| (In tow of a light gun-boat.) | |
FLANKING SQUADRON.
| Bienville | 11 |
| Seneca | 4 |
| Curlew | 6 |
| Penguin | 9 |
| Augusta | 10 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Walker.—II 6-inch rifles, XII 32-pdrs., I 10-inch, II 8-inch, III 7-inch, I 42-pdr., II 12-pdrs., smooth-bores = 23 guns.
Fort Beauregard.—VIII 32-pdrs., I 6-inch rifle, V 42-pdrs., I 10-inch, I 8-inch, II 24-pdrs., II 6-pdrs. = 20 guns.
At 8.30 a.m. the main squadron formed in line ahead, and passing in between the forts turned towards Fort Walker, delivering their broadsides as they passed within 600 yards. Turning, they passed Fort Beauregard (across the channel and two miles from Fort Walker), delivering broadsides. On the third time passing Fort Walker, it was deserted and taken possession of. Fort Beauregard had been silenced sooner and was taken possession of in the afternoon. The flanking squadron had been sent to attack a flotilla of Confederate gun-boats, which retreated up the river; they then took part in the general engagement. Federal loss, 8 killed, 23 wounded. Duration of action, five hours.
Earthworks on the Mississippi,
February 6, 1862.
FEDERAL.
VAN DIVISION—IRON-CLAD GUN-BOATS.
| Guns. | |
| Cincinnati | 13 |
| Essex | 7 |
| Carondelet | 13 |
| St. Louis | 13 |
REAR DIVISION—WOODEN GUN-BOATS.
| Guns. | |
| Conestoga | 7 |
| Taylor | 7 |
| Lexington | 7 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Henry.—Twenty guns, mostly of heavy calibre.
The squadron advanced in two divisions, line abreast, the iron-clads leading, and opened fire at 1700 yards, slowing down and approaching to 600 yards. Stopping at this position, the action continued for an hour and a quarter, when the fort surrendered. During this engagement the Cincinnati was struck 31 times, Essex 15 times, St. Louis 7 times, Carondelet once. Casualties, 2 killed, 37 wounded, of whom 28 were scalded by the steam from the boiler of the Essex, which was pierced.
Earthworks at Roanoke Island,
February 7, 1862.
FEDERAL.
GUN-BOAT FLEET.
| Guns. | |
| Stars and Stripes | 5 |
| Louisiana | 5 |
| Hetzel | 2 |
| Underwriter | 4 |
| Delaware | 3 |
| Valley City | 5 |
| Southfield | 4 |
| Hunchback | 4 |
| Morse | 2 |
| Whitehead | 1 |
| Seymour | 2 |
| Shawsheen | 2 |
| Lockwood | 3 |
| Ceres | 2 |
| Putnam | 1 |
| Brincker | 1 |
| Granite | 1 |
CONFEDERATE.
| Fort | Bartow | 8 |
| ” | Blanchard | 4 |
| ” | Huger | 12 |
| ” | Ellis | 4 |
| ” | Forrest | 9 |
| Park | Point water-battery | 3 |
Eight light gun-boats mounting 17 guns.
The Federal fleet had convoyed a squadron of army transports carrying 17,000 men, for the purpose of landing them and then silencing the batteries so that they could be captured by the troops. The fleet, having taken up an irregular position owing to the shallow water, opened fire at 11 a.m. At 3 p.m. the landing of troops was commenced and was completed before dark, when the fleet ceased firing. At daylight on the 8th firing was recommenced. At 1 p.m. a row of obstructions across the channel was broken through and the Confederate gun-boats were driven up the river. By 3 p.m. the works were all silenced and in the hands of the troops.
Loss, 6 killed, 17 wounded, eight of the latter by the explosion of a rifled 80-pdr.
Earthworks on the Mississippi,
February 14, 1862.
FEDERAL.
IRON-CLAD GUN BOATS.
| Guns. | |
| St. Louis | 13 |
| Carondelet | 13 |
| Louisville | 13 |
| Pittsburg | 13 |
WOODEN.
| Taylor | 7 |
| Conestoga | 7 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Donelson.—A triple row of earthworks, one behind and above the other, mounting in all 20 guns.
The gun-boats advanced in two divisions, line abreast, at 3 p.m., and opened fire at 600 yards, holding their position for an hour and a half, when they drifted out of action disabled, having only silenced the water-battery: 10 killed, 44 wounded. The steering-gear of the St. Louis and the Louisville was shot away, and the other vessels were forced out of action on account of shots between wind and water.
Earthworks on the James River,
May 15, 1862.
FEDERAL.
IRON-CLADS.
| Guns. | |
| Galena | 6 |
| Monitor | 2 |
WOODEN.
| Aroostook | 6 |
| Port Royal | 6 |
| Naugatuck | 6 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Darling.—A strong earthwork, built on a perpendicular bluff about 200 feet above the river, mounting 14 heavy guns.
CARONDELET.
United States Iron-clad River Gun-boat,
used with great success during the Civil War.
The iron-clads moved up to within 600 yards, which was as close as they could come and reach the fort with their guns. The wooden vessels came to within about 1400 yards and the squadron anchored, and, springing their broadsides on the fort, opened fire. The action continued four hours, when the ammunition of the Galena giving out and no impression having been made on the fort, the squadron drew out of action: 13 killed, 14 wounded. All the casualties except two wounded happened on board the Galena, an experimental iron-clad. She was so much cut up that her armor was removed and she was made a wooden gun-boat. The Monitor was uninjured.
Earthworks at Fort Hindman,
January 10 and 11, 1863.
FEDERAL.
IRON-CLAD GUN BOATS.
| Guns. | |
| Louisville | 13 |
| Baron de Kalb | 13 |
| Cincinnati | 13 |
| Lexington | 7 |
| Black Hawk | 6 |
| Rattler | 6 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Hindman, Arkansas River.—A quadrangular earthwork, mounting 10 guns, two of the heaviest being in armored casemates.
At 5 p.m. of the 10th, the Louisville, De Kalb, and Cincinnati moved up in line abreast to within 400 yards and opened fire. As soon as the fire of the forts slackened the Lexington and Black Hawk moved up and opened with shrapnel, while the Rattler passed up the river and took the fort in enfilade. Ceased firing and drew out of action at dark. In the morning the attack was renewed in the same manner, and the fort surrendered in four hours. Casualties, 5 killed, 23 wounded. The two casemates were completely shattered and every gun dismounted.
Earthworks at Grand Gulf,
April 29, 1863.
FEDERAL.
IRON-CLAD GUN-BOATS.
| Guns. | |
| Louisville | 13 |
| Carondelet | 13 |
| Mound City | 13 |
| Pittsburg | 13 |
| Tuscumbia | 5 |
| Benton | 16 |
| Lafayette | 6 |
CONFEDERATE.
Grand Gulf Batteries, Mississippi.—Consisting of one fort 75 feet high, mounting four heavy rifles, and one fort farther down the river mounting four heavy rifles.
The Louisville, Carondelet, Mound City, and Pittsburg moved down in line ahead and attacked the lower battery, silencing it an hour, and then moved up to the support of other vessels against the upper one. The action continued five hours and a half, and the batteries being silenced the flotilla drew out of action, expecting the army to assault and take possession. This was not done, and the next day the flotilla was ordered to attack again. The batteries were both found deserted and the guns spiked, except three which had been dismounted by the firing. Casualties: Lafayette, 1 wounded; Benton, 7 killed, 12 wounded; Louisville, none; Tuscumbia, 5 killed, 24 wounded; Mound City, none; Carondelet, none; Pittsburg, 6 killed, 12 wounded. The Benton was hit 47 times; 12 shots pierced the ⅝-inch armor, 4 shots pierced the 2½-inch casemate armor, and 1 shot pierced the 1½-inch armor of the pilot-house. Louisville hit 7 times, Tuscumbia 81 times, Pittsburg 35 times.
Earthworks at Simonoseki,
July 11, 16, and 20, 1863,
and September 5, 1864.
These attacks were made by vessels of different nationalities on a series of earthworks lining the narrow straits of Simonoseki, Japan. July 11, the Dutch corvette Medusa entered the straits, and being fired at opened fire on the batteries at a distance of 1200 yards. The action continued one hour, when the Medusa drew out without having silenced the batteries. Casualties, 4 killed, 5 wounded.
On the 10th, the United States corvette Wyoming entered the straits, and on being fired at opened a return fire. Passing between two sailing gun-boats on one side and a steam gun-boat on the other at pistol-shot distance, she gave them both broadsides, sinking the sailing vessels and blowing up the boiler of the steamer. Action continued an hour and a half, when the Wyoming drew out without silencing the batteries. Casualties, 4 killed, 7 wounded.
On the 20th, the French frigate Semiramis and corvette Tancrède entered the strait, and on being fired at returned the fire. The first broadside blew one of the earthworks to pieces. In two hours the forts were silenced, and a landing party spiked the guns and blew up the magazine.
On the 5th of September, 1864, an allied squadron of English, French, Dutch, and American vessels, 16 in number, mounting 200 guns, and carrying 3500 men, anchored in the straits and opened fire on the batteries. The batteries were silenced and deserted in about two hours. The next day a force of 2600 men was landed, the guns were spiked and the fortifications were dismantled. Casualties, 12 killed, 60 wounded.
Earthworks at Kagosima,
August 15, 1863.
ENGLISH.
| Guns. | |
| Euryalus | 35 |
| Pearl | 24 |
| Perseus | 17 |
| Argus | 6 |
| Race-horse | 4 |
| Havoc | 2 |
| Coquette | 2 |
JAPANESE.
KAGOSIMA DEFENCE.
One fort containing four guns.
One fort containing twenty guns.
The corvettes advanced in line ahead on the four-gun battery, delivering their broadsides as they passed, silencing the fort and leaving it to the care of the gun-boats. Passing on to within 1200 yards of the twenty-gun battery they bombarded it for six hours, having to contend with a typhoon at the same time. During the action the city of Kagosima was accidentally set on fire and nearly half of it was burned. The fort was not silenced at dusk, when the squadron hauled out of action, but the next morning the Japanese came to terms before the attack was renewed.
Earthworks off Charleston Harbor,
July 18 and August 17, 1863.
FEDERAL.
INNER LINE—IRON-CLADS.
| Guns. | |
| Montauk | 2 |
| New Ironsides | 20 |
| Catskill | 2 |
| Nantucket | 2 |
| Weehawken | 2 |
| Patapsco | 2 |
OUTER LINE—WOODEN GUN-BOATS.
| Paul Jones | 9 |
| Ottawa | 5 |
| Seneca | 4 |
| Chippewa | 6 |
| Wissahicken | 4 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Wagner.—A strong earthwork, containing 10 heavy guns, and supported by three 4-gun water-batteries.
On the 18th of July the iron-clads moved in line, taking up a position abreast the fort and within 1200 yards, the gun-boats firing at long range. At 4 p.m., the tide serving, the iron-clads moved in to 400 yards and completely silenced the fort. Drew out of action at dark, the object of silencing the battery being accomplished. On August 17th the iron-clads moved in abreast the fort to within 450 yards, and silenced the fort in two hours. Drew out of action at noon, the object having been accomplished.
Earthworks at Fort McAllister,
March 3, 1863.
FEDERAL.
MONITORS.
| Guns. | |
| Passaic | 2 |
| Patapsco | 2 |
| Nahant | 2 |
CONFEDERATE.
Fort McAllister.—A strong earthwork containing seven heavy guns and one 11-inch mortar.
This attack was intended as a test of the strength of monitors to resist a heavy fire. The monitors moved up in line ahead and opened fire, continuing the action for eight hours at a distance of 1200 yards. The forts were not silenced. The Passaic was hit 9 times on the side-armor, no damage; 13 hits on the deck-plating, the deck being crushed through in three places; 5 hits on the turret, no damage; 2 on the pilot-house, no damage; 1 on the roof of the turret, breaking a beam; 4 through smoke-stack—34 hits in all; none killed or wounded.
Patapsco one hit on deck; no injury. Nahant no hits.
Earthworks at Fort Fisher,
December 24 and 25, 1864,
and January 13 and 14, 1865.
FEDERAL.
CONFEDERATE.
Fort Fisher and a range of isolated batteries containing 36 guns, about one half being rifles.
At daylight the fleet steamed in in lines ahead, the first line anchoring abreast the sea-face of the fort within 1300 yards, the second line abreast the salient of the works at 1700 yards, the advanced second line abreast the land-face attacking the outworks; the reserve, out of fire, outside of the second line. The fort was completely silenced in an hour and a quarter. Fire was kept up all day, and 3000 troops were disembarked, but returned without attempting an assault. The enemy’s fire was silenced so quickly that not a person was injured in the fleet. Six 100-pdr. rifles exploded in the fleet, killing 16 and wounding 23. Three gun-boats were partially disabled by the fire from the fort, but went into action next day. On the 25th the same positions were taken by the lines and the fort was silenced in one hour. On January 13th the same positions were taken and the fort was silenced in three hours. Fire was kept up all day, and 8000 troops were landed in three hours. January 15th the same positions were taken, and the fort was silenced in one hour. (For remainder of action of 15th, [see Assaults].) During these bombardments, every gun on the sea-face (19) was dismounted or disabled.
Earthworks on the Danube,
May 6, 1877.
The Turkish double-turreted monitor Luft-i-Dyelil attacked a water-battery on the Danube at a distance of 1800 yards. The Russians replied with rifled field artillery. After an action of one hour the monitor received a shot through her boiler, which blew up and sank the ship. All but one man lost.
Earthworks at Callao,
May 2, 1866.
SPANISH.
ONE IRON-CLAD FRIGATE,
FIVE WOODEN FRIGATES,
ONE WOODEN GUN-BOAT.
| Guns. | |
| Numancia | 33 |
| Blanca | 25 |
| Resolucion | 25 |
| Berenguela | 16 |
| Villa de Madrid | 52 |
| Almansa | 38 |
| Vencedora | 3 |
PERUVIAN.
Defences of Callao.—Range of earthworks containing XV 32-pdrs., VI 60-pdrs., IV 9-inch rifles, II iron revolving turrets, IV 9-inch, II light-draft monitors, II 6-inch rifles.
The fleet divided into three divisions for the attack of different parts of the line of fortifications, and went into action in line ahead at noon, taking positions at about 1600 yards’ distance and maintaining an action of four hours, when the squadron drew out of action, not having silenced the forts. One battery only silenced through the bursting of a gun. Casualties in the fleet, 38 killed, 150 wounded. The. Villa de Madrid was disabled early in the action by a shot through her boiler. The Resolucion was disabled by a shot through the water-line. Admiral Nuñez wounded.
RÉSUMÉ.
Total number of earthwork attacks noted, 21.
Complete Success—8. Hatteras Inlet, Hilton Head, Fort Henry, Roanoke Island, Fort Hindman, Grand Gulf, French at Simonoseki, Allies at Simonoseki.
Partial Success—6. Kagosima, Fort Wagner, three attacks on Fort Fisher, second attack on Fort Wagner.
Failures—7. Fort Donelson, Fort Darling, Dutch at Simonoseki, Americans at Simonoseki, Fort McAllister, Danube forts, Callao.
Of the partial successes, all six accomplished the objects of the bombardment. In that of Kagosima the Japanese were brought to terms, and the other five had for their object to silence the forts, which they accomplished.
Of the failures, the two attacks on Simonoseki were retaliatory measures, and would probably have succeeded had they been kept up longer. Fort Darling and Fort McAllister were experimental tests, although there are no grounds to believe that the forts would have been silenced had the action been kept up longer. At Fort Donelson, the Danube forts, and Callao the ships were beaten.