BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER.
August 17–23, 1863.
At early morning on the 17th August, General Gillmore opened all his batteries on Fort Sumter, firing directly over Fort Wagner. Admiral Dahlgren, during the same time, was making good use of the five iron-clads, Ironsides, Weehawken, Nahant, Montauk and Catskill; he brought these vessels abreast of Fort Wagner, and effectually silenced that troublesome work for the remainder of the day. About two thousand yards from Fort Sumter, the Passaic and Patapsco had taken up position, and cooperated with the batteries on shore in the attack upon it. No material injury was done to any of the vessels, but the service lost a valuable officer in the person of General Dahlgren’s chief-of-staff, Captain George W. Rodgers. Captain Rodgers was in the pilot house when he met his death by a flying piece of fractured plating, which killed him instantly. Paymaster Woodbury was also killed at the same time.
Within the city of Charleston, during this long siege, much fear and dread troubled the hearts of the inhabitants. The future loomed up dark and terrible before their affrighted minds, although the chroniclers of the time declared that there was no panic, nor any prospect of one. Business of all kinds was, however, almost entirely suspended; and the cannonading without Fort Sumter, the storm of shot and shell continually hurled against its walls, brought anxiety to every mind, and a deathlike pallor to very many cheeks.
At about 2 o’clock in the afternoon all the fleet had retired, with the exception of the Weehawken and the Nahant, which remained to keep Fort Wagner silent, and to prevent the remounting of her guns. During the whole afternoon and night the shore batteries continued firing upon Fort Sumter with such effect that the shore damage done to it was visible to the Union men without the aid of a glass. The enemy had erected a false wall outside of Sumter, which was completely battered and crushed to pieces; the inner wall was perforated in many places; and the northwest corner hacked and cracked down almost to the edge of the water. Upon the next morning the batteries were all briskly at work at an early hour, the siege guns hurling shell at Sumter at the rate of five shells to the minute. The masonry of the fort was gradually but surely crumbling to pieces; but still the rebel flag floated above it, although it had been twice shot away. Often as it was riddled and torn, a fresh one was run up, while the determined band within seemed little inclined to surrender. Since the previous day a severe storm was raging with a high wind, which prevented the monitors from being of any marked assistance; but during its utmost violence the land batteries continued to pour in a deliberate and destructive fire, doing great damage to the gorge wall, which had been strengthened in every possible way. Before the close of the day the parapet was utterly demolished, and great breaches were to be seen in the main wall, through which the projectiles hurled against it entered, and struck the wall upon the other side, killing any that came within their deadly path.
During the day a new flagship, the Philadelphia, arrived from Hampton Roads, having been refitted for the use of Admiral Dahlgren, who transferred his flag to her, as she was a much more roomy vessel than the one he had been occupying.
During the long day’s engagement, the cannonading from the National guns was terrific; and the shriek and scream of shells made the very air alive with turmoil, while the enemy’s fire was very feeble; Wagner, owing to the close watch kept upon her, being unable to get even an occasional shot at the Unionists, and Sumter being too thoroughly disarmed to attempt a full-voiced return to the countless thundering defiances sent to her. By way of proving that life was not entirely extinct within her, she did, however, at long intervals, hurl forth an occasional shell.
The “Swamp Angel.”—On the evening of the 18th, the enemy discovered that a battery was being constructed on the Union left, in a marsh which lay in that direction, and they immediately, from their guns on James Island, began firing upon the men who were at work there. The erection of that battery was of considerable importance, for it was nearer to Charleston than any of the others. The men stood boldly against the enemy’s fire, and bravely continued their work. One man was killed, and two wounded. From the time that the enemy first discovered this battery until the evening of the 20th, they devoted most particular attention to the work, and within that time one hundred and sixteen shells were hurled at it from the James Island batteries. Only one struck it, and there were no farther casualties than those named above. The men christened the battery in the marsh “The Swamp Angel,” from the great service it did in concentrating the enemy’s attention upon itself.
Continuation of the Bombardment.—Upon the morning of the 20th, Fort Sumter still stood, notwithstanding its fall had been confidently and speedily anticipated on the night of the 18th; but it was an obstinate and very strong work, and from every flagstaff visible upon it, the blood-red battle-flag of the “Confederate States Army” still floated proudly and defiantly on the breeze. The gorge wall still stood obstinately upright, notwithstanding the fearful fire directed against it from end to end of the Union lines; although the effect of the projectiles was plainly visible. Fort Wagner, too, in defiance of the severe treatment it had received, remained as strong as ever, although its walls showed the bruises of the many and formidable blows which had been levelled against it; and it had now the farther advantage of having been strongly reinforced. Before Sumter could be occupied by the Union troops, it was absolutely necessary to reduce Forts Gregg and Wagner; and active operations to this end were constantly going forward.