Alfred Roman, The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the states, 1861 to 1865

[526] weak garrisons were called on to supply certain deficiencies. My observations on this point can best be learned by a reference to my correspondence concerning the preparation of Morris Island for defence, alluded to heretofore, commencing May 24th, and continued. This is already at Department Headquarters.

To the 31st Question.—I believe, had the works for the defence of Morris Island been completed and armed, that with the troops of my command, with small reinforcements, we could have held the southern extremity of Morris Island until larger had arrived from other points; and if no other method of attack had been attempted, the chances in my mind were that his whole attempt would have been repulsed. As for the prolonged defence, I think it may be considered that the defence of our advanced works, Batteries Wagner and Gregg, and Fort Sumter, against two powerful assaults and open trenches of attack, armed with the most powerful modern artillery, for nearly fifty days, has been tolerably good already. I hope it will be prolonged still further, and successfully. Should Charleston fall, it certainly will be due to want of labor and troops; but the ultimate cause of an abridgment to the defence of Charleston is, in my mind, clearly attributable to the abandonment of Cole's Island. This situation, far stronger by nature than Battery Wagner, and well fortified by art, with a far heavier armament, approachable only by water by the enemy, and then by his light-draught vessels, with two approaches by water and two by land in our hands, which could be garrisoned by two thousand men, nearly all of whom were provided with bomb-proof shelters, without an attack, or the slightest demonstration of one, was abandoned. By this abandonment, against which I urged and advised in vain, the enemy obtained his point d'appui, and a convenient post, with the choice of two routes of attack—one by James and the other by Morris Island. The first led directly to the city, the other to its outer defences. The first was attempted, and was defeated by the gallantry of our troops at Secessionville, and the circumstance, somewhat fortuitous, and in nowise attributable to the commander who ordered the evacuation of Cole's Island, that the place was fortified, although some miles front that position. The second attack has been attempted, and has progressed thus far with a fearful loss of life to the enemy, and a considerable loss of material and fortifications to us. The loss of the whole garrison at Cole's Island, and the position, would have advanced the enemy no further than he was at any time during the last fifteen months; and, as I have said, the chances of its defence were good. Indeed, I believe it was stronger by itself than all the lines and works which have ever been projected for the defence of Charleston, and, if held, would have forced the enemy to make either a purely land or a purely naval attack, and these separated from each other by considerable distances. We were tolerably well prepared for either. Few men answered to repel the naval attack. Our advanced positions and the nature of the country would have compelled the enemy to give us time for the concentration of troops to repel the other.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. S. Ripley, Brig.-Genl. Comdg.