Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 2 (of 2) : $b A complete and reliable history of the war from its commencement to its close ... together with a complete chronological analysis of the warStephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)
History
Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 2 (of 2) : $b A complete and reliable history of the war from its commencement to its close ... together with a complete chronological analysis of the war
Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Gregg, and a mile south of this Fort Wagner, an extensive sand battery
of the most powerful construction. Finally, at Light-house Inlet, which
divides Morris Island from Folly Island, was another fortification
covering the landing at that place. Within a few days of the attack the
enemy also erected a new sand work between the two last mentioned. The
number of guns mounted on these works was estimated at several hundred,
comprising the heaviest smooth bore ordnance, and many rifled pieces of
English manufacture; and as an additional means of protection, the
channel between Fort Sumter and Sullivan’s Island was obstructed by rows
of floating casks supporting torpedoes and other submarine obstacles,
and in that between Sumter and Cummings’ Point were no less than four
rows of piles extending nearly up to Charleston.
Upon the 6th of April the whole National fleet crossed the Charleston
Harbor bar, intending to reduce Fort Sumter at once, and proceed thence
direct to the city; but the day turned out to be particularly foggy, and
the attack was necessarily deferred until the following day. About noon,
upon the 7th, the signal was given by Admiral Dupont from his flagship
for the vessels to weigh anchor. According to the plan of attack the
vessels were to form in the following order ahead, at intervals of one
cable’s length: 1. Weehawken, Captain John Rogers; 2. Passaic, Captain
Percival Drayton; 3. Montauk, Commander John L. Worden; 4. Patapsco,
Commander Daniel Ammen; 5. New Ironsides, Commodore Thomas Turner; 6.
Catskill, Commander George W. Rodgers; 7. Nantucket, Commander Donald
McN. Fairfax; 8. Nahant, Commander John Downes; 9. Keokuk,
Lieutenant-Commander Alexander C. Rhind. The squadron was then to pass
up the main ship channel without returning the fire of the batteries on
Morris Island, unless signalized to do so, and was to take up a position
to the northward and westward of Fort Sumter, and engage its northwest
face at a distance of from one thousand to eight hundred yards. A
squadron of reserve, consisting of the Canandaigua, Unadilla,
Housatonic, Wissahickon, and Huron, under the command of Captain Joseph
H. Green, of the Canandaigua, was ordered to remain outside the bar, and
be in readiness to support the iron-clads, when they should attack the
batteries on Morris Island, which would be subsequent to the reduction
of Fort Sumter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account