Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 10.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[184] St. Helena. He procured two frail race-boats, and putting Lieutenant James A. Hamilton in charge of one he took the other. A dark night found the two fleet boats gliding abreast and about two hundred feet apart down towards the vessels that lay head to an ebb tide. A pair of torpedoes were sent on their mission; one of the vessels, the smaller, with a crew of about thirty, was blown to atoms. Excepting the actors in this affair no one knew of it; Captain Elliott kept his own counsel, and was the more successful for it. After the removal of Colonel Rhett to another field of service Colonel Stephen Elliott was placed in charge of Fort Sumter. How he floated masses of ranging timber down the harbor at night and dragged it through the rear ports; how he created a frame and filled it in with debris; how he unpaved the streets of Charleston, and set the cobble-stones outside of his unique parapet, and how he flung out a new and defiant flag over the “fort within a fort,” is for a gifted pen. Elliott, the genius of war, lifted the drooping crest of the old fortress, and like Druilius used the enemy's material to defeat him. Anticipating a night attack from the enemy (which afterwards was skilfully planned, and which met with a complete and disastrous overthrow to the Federals, nearly all of whom were captured or killed) he desired to avert or weaken such an assault by attacking the “Ironsides,” then the rallying centre of the fleet. Torpedoes at this time were used successfully on the western rivers, and were being discussed in Charleston. Colonel Elliott wrote to his friend and late brother officer. The original is in the possession of one of Lieutenant Hamilton's relatives:

August 29, 1863.

Dear Jim,--As you have already heard from----, General Beauregard desired me to suggest a commissioned officer who might take charge of the completion, and perhaps the application, of the four torpedoes now at McPhersonville. I could think of no one so fit as your-self, as you understand the machines and are perfectly capable of applying them. In the latter operation, however, I hope to have a share myself, if my duties do not interfere. * * * Call for what you want and you shall have it. * * * I consider the blowing up of the “Ironsides” of so much importance that it overcomes my scruples. * * * Hoping you will pitch in and be ready for the dark nights,

I am yours truly, &c.,

Stephen Elliott. To Lieutenant James A. Hamilton.

The next day saw the laconic Colonel and his trusted Lieutenant seated on the boulders counting the chances. “Which of the vessels ”