The city of
Charleston was fortified up to its very doorsteps, as is evidenced by these three photographs of the wrecked carriage of the immense
Blakely gun on the
Battery.
The only battery in the path of the
Federal fire was that containing this monster piece.
Under date of January 6, 1864,
Major Henry Bryan,
Assistant Inspector-General at
Charleston, reported that from August 21, 1863, to January 5, 1864, the observer in the steeple of St. Michael's Church counted 472 shells thrown at the city.
Of a total of 225 investigated, 145 struck houses, nineteen struck in yards, and sixty-one struck in the streets and on the edge of the burnt district.
Only about one third of these burst.
The section of the city most frequently struck was bounded on the north by Market Street from
East Bay to Meeting, down Meeting to Horlbeck's Alley, and along Horlbeck's Alley to Tradd Street; on the south by Tradd Street from the corner of
King to Church Street, down Church Street to Longitude Lane, along that to
East Bay; and on the east by East Bay Street.
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Looking out to sea: the only gun in the line of fire |
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Looking northeast: this view shows the street running at right angles to the one in the adjoining photograph. |
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The heart of the city: this shows how close to the dwelling houses the Federal shells must have fallen during the bombardment. |
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