Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[357] of them on the morning of the 10th, he was quite determined thenceforth to leave his armored fleet in the passes that his predecessor had considered as too dangerous. It was the only way to employ it successfully against the place, and the event proved that he was right.

The position of Fort Wagner rendered regular approaches to it by land very difficult. The sandspit on which it was necessary to proceed, narrowed by the encroachments of the sea since the drawing of the hydrographic charts by the Coast Survey, measured at several points only fifty-four yards in width; near to the fort it was reduced to twenty-seven yards. The front attacked had thus an extension greater than that which could be given to the approaches; furthermore, by digging three feet into the sand, water was found, which prevented giving the intrenchment a sufficient depth. To spare his troops these long, painful, and dangerous labors, Gillmore resolved to attempt a fresh assault as soon as he could establish batteries capable of covering the fort with projectiles. He believed that his artillery, supported by that of the fleet, would dismantle the enemy's pieces, and, paralyzing the defence, would ensure the success of this coup-de-main. Notwithstanding the bad weather, which often interrupted the work, four batteries were completed on the 17th of July: situated at distances from the fort that varied from thirteen hundred to nineteen hundred yards, they mounted twenty mortars and twenty-seven rifled pieces of artillery, fifteen of which were in position and twelve movable.

However, Beauregard had well employed these few days of respite. The Government at Richmond, understanding at last the designs of the Federals, sent him important reinforcements. Colquitt's and Clingman's brigades arrived on the 11th and the 15th. The former had occupied James Island, where was already on the ground Hagood's brigade; the second supplied, in successive detachments, a part of the Morris Island garrison commanded by General Taliaferro. The armament of Fort Wagner, composed of twelve pieces of large calibre, was completed by the addition of six smooth-bore guns. This fort, that had the shape of an enclosed work, was protected on one side by the sea and on the other by the waters of Vincent's Creek,