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Chapter 30:

  • General Beauregard orders the Cummings's Point Battery to be strengthened.
  • -- Citadel Cadets assigned to the New Bridge defences. -- the ironclads cross the bar on the 5th. -- Admiral Dupont makes his attack on the 7th. -- order in which the ships came up. -- their armament. -- Admiral Dupont's plan of battle. -- Fort Sumter the Chief object of attack. -- its reduction supposed to be inevitable. -- commanders of Forts Sumter and Moultrie, and the various batteries engaged. -- how they were armed. -- number of guns employed by the Confederates. -- cautious approach of the monitors. -- Fort Moultrie opens fire on them. -- Fort Sumter does likewise. -- description of the fight. -- Fort Sumter Cripples the New Ironsides. -- the Passaic Withdraws from the fight. -- two more ironclads forced to retire. -- the Keokuk engages Fort Sumter. -- she is badly damaged. -- importance of the defeat inflicted on the enemy. -- the Keokuk sinks near Morris Island on the 8th. -- on the 12th the monitors steam, and are towed southward. -- condition of Sumter after the attack. -- exhibit of shots fired on both sides. -- fleet keeps outside of line of torpedoes and rope obstructions. -- General Beauregard's efforts to organize an attack on the monitors with torpedo-boats. -- his letter to Lieutenant Webb, C. S. N. -- his plan foiled by the withdrawal of the fleet. -- letter to General Cooper. -- failure to complete torpedo-rams and gunboats.
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Being still apprehensive that the enemy's monitors might take a position in ‘main ship channel,’ as near the shore as prudence would admit, and attempt to batter down the southeast angle and gorge-wall of Fort Sumter—for that was its most vulnerable part —General Beauregard, on the 4th of April, ordered the Commander of the First Military District to add a 10-inch columbiad, or a 42-pounder rifled gun, to the Cummings's Point Battery, the object being to keep the Federal ironclads as far off as possible and, at the same time, increase the efficiency of that important work. The sequel proved the wisdom of this precaution.

The day following, the Commanders of the First District and of James Island were given specific instructions as to the reinforcements, and guns and mortars were called for and received from Georgia. The Citadel Cadets, of Charleston, were anxious to take part in their country's defence, and their services having been accepted, they were assigned to the works protecting the

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G. T. Beauregard (3)
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