It was suggested to me that the brigade of General Strong would suffice, but it was finally understood that
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thrown on each of these days.
The casualties in the fort were not numerous, and the damage done in the day was repaired at night.
Meanwhile the enemy's land batteries were pressed forward, the nearest being within the fort's range.
On the morning of the 18th, the batteries in front and the fleet on the flank opened on Wagner a concentrated fire from guns of the heaviest caliber.
The Ironsides, five monitors and the gunboats Paul Jones, Ottawa, Seneca, Chippewa and Wissahickon, steamed within close range.
General Gillmore's 10-inch mortars, 10, 20 and 30 pounder Parrott rifles, thirty-six pieces of powerful artillery, all opened on the fort, and kept up the bombardment for the whole day and until 7:45 in the evening. Major Johnson's careful estimate is that the bombardment was from a total of sixty-four guns and mortars.
Wagner, Gregg, Sumter, Moultrie and batteries on James island replied, but the fire from the island and from Moultrie was at too great a range to be effective.
The bombardment became heaviest about midday, and for nearly eight hours one hundred guns, in attack and defense, were filling the air with clouds of smoke and peals of thunder.
Most of the men were kept in the bomb-proof.
The gun detachments filled the embrasures with sand-bags and covered the light pieces in the same way, keeping close under the merlons.
Gaillard and Ramsay stuck to the parapet on the right, and the gallant battalion stuck to them.
With only the protection of the parapet and the merlons, ‘with an heroic intrepidity never surpassed,’ says General Taliaferro, ‘the Charleston battalion maintained their position without flinching during the entire day.’
As night came on, General Seymour formed his column of three brigades for the assault.
We quote from his report:
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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