The attack on Charleston.
The Charleston papers, of Monday, bring us a full account of the fighting on Morris Island Saturday, and the subsequent bombardment of Sunday. We make up the following account from them: ‘ The enemy evidently did not, at first, feel secure in his newly-gained position. During Thursday night, (according to the statements of prisoners,) the Yankee forces were drawn up in line of battle. At daybreak, finding that the expected night attack would not be made, it was determined amongst the Yankee leaders themselves to attempt an onset, upon battery Wagner. Gen. Strong, with a force of about 2,000 picked men, at once made preparations for the assault. His command consisted of four companies of the 7th Connecticut, Lieut Col. Rodman commanding, with the 76th Pennsylvania, Colonel Strawbridge; the 9th Maine, Col. Emery; the 48th and 100th New York, with the "Lost Children," an independent regiment. ’ Forming his men into two lines, soon after dawn on Saturday, he advanced at the double quick towards our work. Col. Graham, who was in command at battery Wagner, suffered the enemy to get within forty yards, when he gave the word to "fire," and down went the foremost rank of the assailants. Yet on they came with spirit and resolution, some of them even gaining the interior of the works. But they paid dearly for their temerity. Every where they were met with coolness and determination by our men, who maintained their fire steadily; and, after a sharp contest of fifteen minutes, the enemy's first line gave way and fled in confusion. The second line retired without any serious attempt to retrieve the fortunes of the first. The day was won. In the melee we had taken 130 prisoners, and 95 of the enemy's dead lay strewn immediately in front of our works. An officer who had ventured some distance beyond, states that the Yankee dead were quite as numerous further off from our works, so that it is within the bounds of moderation to estimate the enemy's loss, in killed, wounded and missing, at quite 670. Our own loss was comparatively slight. Capt. Werner, of Savannah, with privates James Bryan, E. Pestell. A. Mallory, and J. A. Santina, of the 18th Georgia. Battalion, with one or two others, whose names we have not learned, were killed, and a few others wounded. The prisoners were brought to the city and marched to jail. Their bearing was very impertinent. They admitted the severe character of their losses, and stated that General Strong had been badly wounded.--The last seen of him he had fallen from his horse, and was carried off the field by his men. Several other officers of the enemy are reported by the prisoners to be either killed or badly wounded — among them Lt. Col. Rodman Capt. Theodore Burdick, Lt. John Wilson, of the 7th Connecticut, and Maj John W. Hicks, of the 76th Pennsylvania. Among the officers, prisoners, unhurt, are Captain D. B. Hoogland, Capt. V. B. Chamberlain. Lt. W. E. Phillips, Lieut. E. C. Jordan, all of the 7th Connecticut, and Lieut, E. W. Ware, 9th Maine. Our loss was reported to be five killed and ten wounded. The prisoners report their loss of the previous day about 50 killed and wounded. They also state that Lt. Bee was still alive Saturday, but very severely wounded. Lt. Campbell, who was at Capt. Mitchell's battery at the time of the attack and took part in the action, gives the following particulars: Lieut. G. C. Heyward, who was fighting one of the guns in the Confederate works which were captured Friday, upon being ordered to retreat, declined, and said he would fight his gun to the last. The enemy mounted his works and carried the battery at the point of the bayonet. Lieut. Heyward was shot through both hips. A shell struck the gun worked by Lieut. Bee, and exploded, ten places striking his breast and four in the face. He was carried for a distance of about five hundred yards by his men, when being hard pressed by the enemy they were compelled to leave him, and laid him in front of Capt. Mitchell's tent. Capt Macbeth was stunned by a shell and taken prisoner. The prisoners report him doing well when last seen. Eight guns and three mortars fell into the hands of the enemy. These had been placed in position on the sand hills at the lower end of the island, and were designed to command the approaches from Little Folly Island. The Yankee prisoners, or many of them, were provided with flag of truce of handkerchief size, which they displayed as soon as they fell. In one case a Yankee who had taken position on the ground, and had exhibited his flag, was observed trying to sneak off. He was speedily put beyond breach of truce by a dozen balls.
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