Original Photographs Taken on the Battlefields during the Civil War of the United States — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Original Photographs Taken on the Battlefields during the Civil War of the United States
John Stuart Mill · en
ON the ninth of August the Federal cannon were within three hundred and
thirty yards of Fort Wagner and the guns were trained on Fort Sumter and
Battery Gregg. General Gillmore had a small battery placed in a marsh
west of Morris Island, on which was an eight-inch Parrott Gun nick-named
the "Swamp Angel." It had a range of five miles and threw its enormous
shells into the city of Charleston. The Confederate fortifications were
reinforced by General Beauregard and maintained a continuous fire from
over two hundred guns. On the seventeenth of August, Gillmore had twelve
heavy guns on Morris Island, and the simultaneous assault by batteries
and infantry was directed against Fort Sumter. For seven days this
terrible fusilade continued. Over one hundred thousand shells and shot
were thrown into the fort which was battered into ruins. The bombardment
of Fort Sumter was begun on the fifth of September and continued for
forty-two hours. An assault was planned for the ninth, but when daylight
came it was found that several forts were abandoned. It was supposed
that Fort Sumter was tenantless. A boat load of soldiers was sent to
take possession. As they landed, a terrific volley of musketry was
fired. The Confederates fought like tigers from covered positions in the
ruins of the fort. The Federals abandoned the attempt without further
molestation, satisfied with the destruction they had wrought and the
successful blockade of Charleston Harbor. The views engraved by the lens
on these pages lay the actual scenes of destruction before the eyes of
the world. The "Swamp Angel" was one of the demons of war. Piles were
driven, a platform was laid upon them, and a parapet was built with bags
of sand, fifteen thousand being required. All this had to be done after
dark, and occupied fourteen nights. Then, with great labor, the
eight-inch rifled gun was dragged across the swamp and mounted on this
platform. It was nearly five miles from Charleston, but by firing with a
high elevation was able to reach the lower part of the city. The
soldiers named this gun the "Swamp Angel." Late in August it was ready
for work, and, after giving notice for the removal of non-combatants,
General Gillmore opened fire, and produced great consternation, but at
the thirty-sixth discharge the "Swamp Angel" burst, and was never
replaced.
[Illustration: BATTERED EXTERIOR OF FORT SUMTER]
[Illustration: DESTRUCTION AFTER BOMBARDMENT OF SUMTER]
[Illustration: WRECKED INTERIOR OF FORT SUMTER]
[Illustration: DISMOUNTED CANNON AT FORT SUMTER]
[Illustration: DESTROYED RAILROAD BRIDGE, BRIDGEPORT, ALABAMA--PONTOON
IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION]
[Illustration: BLOCKHOUSES AND ARMY BRIDGE ACROSS TENNESSEE RIVER NEAR
CHATTANOOGA]
[Illustration: ON BATTLEFIELD OF CHICKAMAUGA CREEK--LEE AND GORDON'S
MILLS]