July, 1863. |
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| A Parrott gun. |
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and Beauregard, as usual, issued bombastic orders, and fulminated harmless thunder of words against the “Yankee abolitionists.”
1
It was now evident to General Gillmore that Fort Wagner was stronger than he supposed it to be, and that it could only be taken by regular approaches.
He carefully calculated the chances of success, and concluded that while the Confederates might concentrate a greatly superior force on his front, the island was so narrow, with the sea on one side and a deep creek and marshes on the other, that he need not fear danger from flank movements.
Besides, should the Confederates attempt an advance from Fort Wagner, Dahlgren's guns would fatally sweep them with an enfilading fire.
Satisfied that he might proceed with safety, he did so, and at once cast up sheltering works in the vicinity of the Beacon House, preparatory to a, bombardment and another assault on Fort Wagner.
In the mean time General Terry, who had made a lodgment on James's. Island, had found lively work to do. Beauregard had received re-enforcements of Georgia troops from Virginia, and these he sent to co-operate with troops on James's Island in an attempt to surprise and capture Terry and his command.
At the dawn of the 16th,
these advanced rapidly upon Terry, from near Secessionville, under General Hagood, driving in the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, on picket duty.
But Terry was never asleep in the presence of danger.
His troops, with the gun-boats Pawnee, John Adams, Huron, Mayflower, and Marblehead, in Stono and Folly rivers, were ready to receive the assailants, who were very easily repulsed.
This accomplished, Terry, whose whole movement had been a feint, withdrew from James's Island, according to arrangement, to join in the meditated attack on Fort Wagner.
In this engagement Terry lost about one hundred men, and Hagood about two hundred.2
In his order congratulating his troops for their success on the 10th, Gillmore, after saying they had moved three miles nearer Sumter, frankly declared that their labors were but just begun.
“While the spires of the rebel city still loom up in the distance,” he said, “the hardships and privations must be endured before our hopes and expectations can find full fruition in victory.”
To this the troops.
gave full assent; and with a corresponding spirit he made preparations for another assault on Fort Wagner. Five batteries were erected across the island, from the sea to the marshes, by the New York Volunteer Engineers, in
1 After the Emancipation Proclamation went forth, the epithet of “Abolitionist” was applied to the National troops, on the recommendation of Beauregard, hoping thereby to keep alive the fire of hatred in the bosoms of the people of the Slave-labor States. We find the Confederate commanders, in their reports, taking special pains to make the idea very prominent that the war was only for the abolition of slavery.
2 In his report to General Jordan, Beauregard's chief of staff, General Ripley, in command of the defenses. of Charleston harbor, says: “Brigadier-General Hagood succeeded in driving the enemy, about two thousand in number, from James's Island.” He suppressed the fact that Hagood was repulsed, and that Terry left the island at his leisure for a more important field of action.
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