Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 2.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[230] pass over the parapet and reach the interior of the fort. The other pieces, placed in Batteries 8, 9 and 10, were to effect a breach and dismount the enemy's artillery. The ten-inch columbiads, enormous cast-iron guns, elsewhere described, were to throw solid shot with a charge of twenty pounds; the powerful effect of such a charge of powder applied to so heavy a projectile was to make its trajectory almost a right line, which enabled it to strike the walls with full force, the elevation of the gun being only five degrees. The James guns of the McClellan battery also fired solid shot at an angle of four degrees, but with charges of only eight and six pounds; the other rifled pieces, of a smaller calibre, were to throw shells into the barbette-battery of the fort at an angle of forty degrees. The point designated to be breached was that portion of the south-eastern face nearest to the south angle, for an opening effected at this point would have enabled the Federal projectiles to reach the powder magazine inside of the fort.

The bombardment lasted the whole of the 10th. The fire of the Federal guns, served with great zeal by the same troops that had placed them in battery, was well sustained, and was quite exact; when it ceased at night, after having continued for nine hours and a half, more than three thousand projectiles had fallen upon the fort. The mortars, brought up with so much trouble, did not produce very satisfactory results; their fire was uncertain, and the shells which struck the fort had but little effect. Four of the columbiads had their trunnions broken under the shock of the heavy charges of powder they had been compelled to bear. But the others, and the guns of the McClellan battery, had behaved extremely well; the beginning of a breach appeared at the angle which had been designated as their point of fire; two barbette guns and three in the casemates had been silenced.

The Confederates had responded with great vigor during the entire day; and if nobody had been hurt by their fire, they had not up to that time had a single man wounded on their side. They were therefore full of confidence, and employed the night in removing their artillery, to concentrate its fire on the Tybee batteries, which they hoped to demolish on the morrow. General Viele had indeed endeavored to divert their attention by causing the cannon at Venus Point to fire upon the fort; but the distance was