Pulaski, Fort, capture of
At the close of 1861 the
National authority was supreme along the
Atlantic coast from
Wassaw Sound, below the
Savannah River, to the
North Edisto, well up towards
Charleston.
Gen. T. W. Sherman directed his chief engineer,
Gen. Q. A. Gillmore, to reconnoitre
Fort Pulaski and report upon the feasibility of a bombardment of it. It had been seized by the
Confederates early in the year.
Gillmore reported that it might be done by planting batteries of rifled guns and mortars on Big Tybee Island.
A New York regiment was sent to occupy that island, and explorations were made to find a channel by which gunboats might get in the rear of the fort.
It was found, and land troops under
General Viele went through it to reconnoitre.
Another expedition went up to the
Savannah River by way of
Wassaw Sound, and the gunboats had a skirmish with
Tatnall's Mosquito fleet (see
Port Royal). Soon afterwards the Nationals erected batteries that effectually closed the
Savannah River in the rear of
Pulaski, and at the close of February, 1862, it was absolutely blockaded.
General Gillmore planted siege guns on Big Tybee that commanded the fort; and on April 10, 1862, after
General Hunter (who had succeeded
General Sherman) had demanded its surrender, and it had been refused, thirty-six heavy rifled cannon and mortars were opened upon it, under the direction of
Generals Gillmore and
Viele.
It was gallantly defended until the 12th, when, so battered as to be untenable, it was surrendered.
This victory enabled the Nationals
[
330]
to close the port of
Savannah against blockade-runners.
