The following extracts from the reports are of interest:
The nearest the enemy ventured at any time to Fort Moultrie was estimated at 1,000 yards; to Battery Bee, 1,600 yards; to Battery Beauregard, 1,400 yards. (Gen. J. H. Trapier's report.)
The enemy's fire was mostly ricochet and not very accurate; most of their shots passed over the fort and several to the right and left. The greater portion of their shots were from 1,300 to 1,400 yards distant, which appeared to be the extent of their effective range. Some shots from a greater distance did not reach the fort at all. (Col. A. Rhett's report.)
The advance vessels took their positions alternately, ranging from 1,800 to 2,000 yards from this battery.... Two hundred and eighty-three solid shots were fired from this battery.... Of this number, many were distinctly seen to strike the vessels aimed at, and it is believed, doing serious damage in many instances. (Lieutenant-Colonel Simkins' report.)
I am satisfied that the Ironsides was struck several times by shot from this battery, and I think one or two others were also struck, with what effect it is impossible to say, except from reports since the engagement, which lead us to believe that the enemy were considerably damaged. (Captain Sitgreaves' report.)
The guns of this battery were of too light a caliber to be of much service, but those at Cummings point were much heavier, and the firing was particularly good. (Maj. C. K. Huger's report.)
Our batteries were admirably served by our skilled artillerists. Much of the rapidity and accuracy with which the heavy guns were fired was due to the use of Colonel Yates' traverser, with the merits of which the general commanding has been fully impressed. Our batteries discharged 2,200 shot of all sorts, the enemy's fleet about 110, chiefly 15-inch shell and 11-inch solid shot; not less than 80 of which were directed at Fort Sumter. The sinking of the Keokuk, and the discomfiture of the other ironclads have established their vulnerability to our heavy projectiles at a range, say, of from 900 to 1,200 yards. (Maj. D. B. Harris, chief engineer.)
The Weehawken, which led the attack, carried on her bow a huge raft for finding and exploding torpedoes, popularly called the "devil," which greatly retarded her advance, and was ultimately shot adrift by the batteries. Maj. W. H. Echols, of the engineers, in his report says of this raft:
The "devil" floated ashore on Morris island; the cables by which it was attached to the turrets' bow being cut away. It is probable that the "devil" becoming unmanageable, was the cause of the turret retiring early from the action, it being a massive structure, consisting of two layers of white pine timbers 18 inches square, strongly bolted together; a re-entering angle 20 feet deep to receive the bow of the vessel; 50 feet long, 27 feet side; a layer of beveled timbers on the front, forming a bow; seven heavy iron plates, through which passed chains directly down and over the sides through hawser plates; to these were attached grappling irons, with double prongs, suspended underneath at the sides and bow; in the countersinks were loose iron rollers, apparently to facilitate the drawing of the chains through the holes over them when the grapplings took hold, to drag up to the "devil" whatever he may catch with his hooks.
It was a miserable contrivance and proved of no use to the fleet and only an object of merriment and curiosity to the garrisons and their officers.
Says General Ripley in his report:
In this the first trial of the Abolition iron fleet against brick fortifications and their first attempt to enter the harbor of Charleston, in which they were beaten before their adversaries thought the action had well commenced, they were opposed by 76 pieces in all, including mortars.... While service in immediate action is that which is most conspicuous, after such a result as has been accomplished, the greatest credit is due to that long, patient and laborious preparation by which our works and material, never originally intended to withstand such an attack as has been encountered, have been so resecured as to enable our gallant and well-instructed officers and men to obtain their end with comparatively small loss. In that preparation the late Lieut.-Col. T. M. Wagner contributed much on both sides of the channel, and Colonel Rhett, Lieutenant-Colonel Yates, Major Blanding and other officers of Fort Sumter have been more or less engaged since the fort fell into our hands, two years ago.
On the morning of April 9th the United States steamer Washington was attacked in the Coosaw river by light batteries under Capt. Stephen Elliott, crippled and set on fire by shells, and totally destroyed. On the night of the 10th, Lieutenant-Colonel Dargan, of the Twenty-first, made a night attack upon the picket at the north end of Folly island, crossing from Morris island a small detachment in boats. The attack was a surprise, and completely stampeded the enemy's picket force, which fled to the south of the island. Colonel Dargan returned, after fully locating the enemy's camp, bringing off a single prisoner, and leaving one of the enemy's pickets severely wounded.
General Hunter addressed his energies to making raids up the river, destroying the property of the planters and carrying off their negroes, keeping his negro troops, employed in this business, always under the protection of the gunboats. One of these gunboat raiding parties steamed up the Combahee on the 2d of June, burned four fine residences, with all their valuable contents, and six mills, and carried off about 700 negroes. Later in the month a greater part of the town of Bluffton, on May river, was burned by a gunboat raid, and the utmost vigilance was required by troops stationed on the rivers to protect the property of citizens from wanton destruction. In reporting the raid up the Combahee to the secretary of war, General Hunter, after expressing pleasure at the success which Colonel Montgomery had achieved, continues:
This expedition is but the initial experiment of a system of incursions which will penetrate up all the inlets, creeks and rivers of this department, and to be used in which I am now having several of our light draught transport steamers supplied with bulwarks of boiler iron, etc.... Colonel Montgomery with his forces will repeat his incursions as rapidly as possible in different directions, injuring the enemy all he can and carrying away their slaves, thus rapidly filling up the South Carolina regiments in the departments, of which there are now four. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts regiment (colored), Colonel Shaw commanding, arrived to-day in good condition, and appears to be an excellent regiment, over 900 strong. They will soon have abundant and very important employment, as will all other regiments, white or colored, that may be sent to reinforce this department.