Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

The width of twenty feet of the gorge wall fell during the night, leaving the protection on that side through the upper arches only the sand and cotton with which the casemates were filled. The damage to other parts of the fort was in proportion. One man had been killed and four wounded at Fort Sumter. The fort received seven hundred and eighty shots, four hundred and eight outside, two hundred and forty-one inside, and one hundred and thirty-one over.

The enemy's fleet made a demonstration of attacking during the afternoon, but having received a few shots, retired.

At Battery Wagner, his approaches were kept up, but being checked by the riflemen and artillery, his progress was slow. During the night, the Charleston battalion relieved the First Georgia battalion, and a company of the Second South Carolina artillery relieved Captain Miles' company (acting artillery) at Battery Wagner. The garrison was otherwise supplied and provisioned. An additional supply of ammunition was transported from Sumter to Sullivan's Island.

Batteries Cheves and Simkins had kept up their fire during the day and night of the nineteenth, receiving an occasional shot from the enemy.

On the twentieth the enemy re-opened his fire heavily, principally against Fort Sumter, doing, as might be expected, more damage than before. It was steadily kept up throughout the day, and at night Colonel Rhett reported it as the heaviest which had taken place. Eight hundred and seventy-nine shots were fired, of which four hundred and eight struck outside, two hundred and ninety-six inside, one hundred and seventy-five passed over. The greater portion of the gorge wall had fallen in, but the sand and cotton in the rooms had been revetted by the debris, and protection to a certain extent was sill afforded. The north-west face was clearly breached by the severe fire, and a casemate knocked through. One rifled forty-two pounder on the east, and one on the north-east face, were disabled. Captains Gaillard and Fleming, and one private, were slightly wounded.

The enemy being observed advancing by sap on Battery Wagner, Colonel Keitt opened his batteries upon them, and with his sharpshooters succeeded in checking their progress. The Ironsides and monitors moved up to close proximity of the fort, and opened a heavy enfilading and direct fire, which caused him to close his embrasures. The damage to Battery Wagner was no greater than usual upon that battery.

Batteries Simkins, Cheves and Haskell, were in operation upon the enemy's flank during the twentieth. Lieutenant-Colonel Yates reports the practice as having been much improved, and that he had reason to believe that two ammunition chests had been blown up in the enemy's trenches, and one gun dismounted. Also, that in the afternoon the fire of the enemy had become somewhat wild from the effect of rapid firing on his pieces at long range.

The report given above contains the principal active operations of the defence and attack, up to the evening of the twentieth. During the time included in it, our works of preparation on the interior lines have steadily progressed. The batteries and shelters on Sullivan's Island have advanced to completion, and the heavy guns and mortars, which have been received and secured from Fort Sumter, have been placed in position, manned, and provided with ammunition as far as possible. A strong front has been made to command the channel, should the enemy succeed in overpowering the brave defenders of Batteries Wagner, Gregg and Fort Sumter. Preparations have been made for placing heavy batteries along the shores of Ashley River, from Fort Johnson, west, to command the inner harbor and channels. All batteries which would bear upon the enemy have been served with as much vigor as circumstances would permit, and his attack confined to as narrow limits as possible.

During this twenty days progress of the siege, the conduct of the troops and their commanders has been admirable.

Brigadier-General Hagood and Colonels Keitt and Harrison, who have commanded the advanced posts on Morris Island, during the period of this report, have shown the qualities of constancy, bravery, and skill, in the performance of their trying and arduous duties. The various officers attached to the staff of these commanders have performed their duties well, and I beg heartily to concur in the reports of their chiefs, heretofore transmitted to Department headquarters.

Amongst those who deserve especial mention for their conduct in the defence of the posts on Morris Island, are Lieutenant-Colonels Gaillard, Charleston battalion; Dantzler, Twentieth South Carolina volunteers; and Dargan, Twenty-first South Carolina volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel J. Welshman Brown and Major Warley, Second South Carolina volunteer artillery, and Captain Chichester, artillery. The latter has served several times with distinction.

Captain Hill, Ordnance Officer attached to these headquarters, having been sent to Battery Wagner, remained during a very prolonged tour of duty, which was performed in such manner as to elicit the warmest approval of the different commanders.

Major Henry Bryan and Captain Maloney, of the Adjutant-General's department, are deservedly commended by Colonel Keitt and Brigadier-General Hagood.

Majors Holcombe and Sage, Commissaries, and Captains Guerard and Woodward, Quarter-masters, have performed their duties with their inefficient means, in such manner as to insure the supply of the positions of which they had charge.