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vigorous actions of a few determined officers who were prepared to enforce a free passage, made further opposition perilous.
Thus ended the great assault on Fort Wagner.
It was the second and last attempted.
The Confederate loss was 181 killed and wounded, including Lieut.-Col. J. C. Simkins, Captains W. H. Ryan, W. T. Tatom, and P. H. Waring, and Lieut. G. W. Thompson, killed.
Our loss was 1,515, including 111 officers, and embracing General Seymour wounded, General Strong mortally wounded, and Colonel Putnam (acting brigadier) killed.
Of the ten regimental commanders, Colonel Shaw was killed, Col. J. L. Chatfield, Sixth Connecticut, mortally wounded, and five others wounded.
Such severe casualties stamp the sanguinary character of the fighting, and mark the assault as one of the fiercest struggles of the war, considering the numbers engaged.
This is further evidenced by the fact that the losses exceeded those sustained by our forces in many much better-known actions during the Rebellion,—notably Wilson's Creek, Pea Ridge, Cedar Mountain, Chantilly, Prairie Grove, Pleasant Hills, Sailor's Creek, Jonesborough, Bentonville, and High Bridge, in most of which a much larger Federal force was engaged.
The following is the official report of the part borne by the Fifty-fourth in the assault:—
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1894. Boston Book Co. Boston,.
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