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joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
 | | Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/5/2010 7:20:38 AM | Fort Wagner (also called Battery Wagner) was a fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston harbor. It was the site of two American Civil War battles in the campaign known as Operations Against the Defenses of Charleston in 1863.
Named for deceased Lt. Col. Thomas M. Wagner, Fort Wagner measured 250 by 100 yards, and spanned an area between the Atlantic on the east and an impassable swamp on the west. Its walls, composed of sand and earth, rose 30 feet above the level beach and were supported by palmetto logs and sandbags. The fort's arsenal included fourteen cannons, the largest a 10-inch Columbiad that fired a 128-pound shell. A large structure capable of sheltering nearly 1,000 of the fort's 1700-man garrison provided substantial protection against naval shelling. The fort's land face was protected by a water-filled ditch, 10 feet wide and 5 feet deep, surrounded by buried land mines and sharpened palmetto stakes
Joe
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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| Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/7/2010 9:07:15 PM | Joe,
It was Fort Wagner that was attacked by the 54th Massachusetts in the movie Glory. I would like to visit it next time I'm in the Charleston Area, how much of it is still preserved ?
regards,
Dave
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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| Gregory C. White
Canton, GA, USA
Posts: 137
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/7/2010 9:09:46 PM | M.D.,
I believe its underwater.
Greg
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"I have resolved to fight as long as Marse Robert has a corporals guard, or until he says give up. He is the man that I shall follow or die in the attempt."
February 27, 1865 letter by Sergeant Henry P. Fortson, Company B, 31st Georgia Vol. Infantry
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| littlepowell
Greenville , SC, USA
Posts: 293
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/7/2010 11:18:55 PM | Yes, unfortunately it's all under water now (except for just a tiny portion I believe). But even that portion isn't easily accessible (might even need a boat). However, the site of a larger battle is preserved quite well. Ft. Lamar, the site of the Battle of Secessionville (a.k.a. battle of James Island) has a nice little self guided walking tour. It's pretty neat to see if you are ever in the area.
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http://www.scourgeofwar.com/ - New Gettysburg PC game from Norb Software Development.
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| joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/9/2010 6:56:58 PM | July 1863
A letter from Robert Gould Shaw to his wife Annie
Stono River, S.C.
My Darling Annie,
Just after closing my last, on the envelope of which I said we were ordered away from St. Helena’s Island, we embarked on board the “Chasseur.” We sailed at about 3 P.M., without anything but India-rubber blankets and a little hardbread, and arrived off Stono Inlet, near Charleston Harbour, at about one o’clock this morning. We lay off the bar until i P.M. waiting for the flood-tide. The sea was running very high all the time, so that the men were very sea-sick, and we had a decidedly uncomfortable day. In the night it rained hard, and we all got a good soaking, as it was too hot to stay below. At about 2 P.M. we came to an anchor at the southern point of Folly Island, and Colonel Montgomery reported to General Terry. We then steamed up the Stono River, in company with the Monitor “Nantucket,” the gunboat “Pawnee,” two other little gunboats, and seven transports containing General Terry’s Division.
We now lie off the place where General Hunter’s troops landed last year in the attack on Charleston. The sail up the river was beautiful, the sun just sinking as we reached our anchorage.
July 10th—Still on board our transport. Last night, two regiments landed, but encountered nothing but a few outposts. General Terry’s part is only to make a feint, the real attack being on Morris Island from Folly. That began this morning, and the news from there is, that General Gillmore has got all his troops on Morris Island, and has possession of nearly half of it.
This afternoon I went inland about two miles, and from a housetop saw Fort Sumter, our Monitors, and the spires of Charleston. Just now the news of the fall of Vicksburg, and of Lee’s defeat has reached us. What an excitement there must be through the North! For my part, though, I do not believe the end is coming yet, and the next mail will probably tell us that Lee has got away with a good part of his army; there is too much danger of our government making a compromise, for peace to be entirely welcome now. I am very glad that McClellan was not restored to command, for such vacillation in the government would have been too contemptible. Every one can rejoice at Meade’s success, as he is as yet identified with no party. I hope the prisoners will not be paroled, for they will be in the army again in a month, if they are.
I found a classmate, to-day, on board the “Nantucket,” surgeon there, and George Lawrence, of the class above me, paymaster on board the “Pawnee.”They are both very nice fellows; particularly so, because they have invited me to dinner; having had hardly anything but hard-bread and salt-junk since we left camp, a good dinner is to be desired.
July 11th—This morning I got a paper from General Terry of July 7th, giving an incomplete list of the killed and wounded in the Second and Twentieth Massachusetts Regiments at Gettysburg. Poor Mudge is dead, I see. It will be a terrible blow to his family. You know he was my captain when we first went out. But every one must expect to lose their friends and relatives, and consider themselves as particularly favoured by Providence if they do not. General Gillmore made an attack on Ft. Wagner this morning, and was repulsed. He will probably begin a regular siege now. Fort Wagner is half-way down Morris Island.
Saturday evening — We landed at noon to-day, and are now about two miles inland. There are two Brigades in line in advance of us. I don’t think anything will be done on this side.
13th — Yesterday I dined with Lawrence on board the “Pawnee,” and met some very pleasant men among the officers. It has been very fortunate for me to have found so many old acquaintances here, as it has been the means of my meeting a great many people who would have otherwise been disinclined to make the acquaintance of an officer commanding a black regiment.
Our men are out on picket with the white regiments, and have no trouble with them. One of my companies was driven in by a small force of Rebels last night, and behaved very well indeed. The Rebel pickets call to us, that they will give us three days to clear out.
… There is a letter from Father a month old at Beaufort, and perhaps your missing ones are there. I shall send this to Father, as our conveniences for writing are very few, and I cannot write another letter in time for this mail.
We have not had out clothes off since we left St. Helena, and have absolutely nothing but an India-rubber blanket apiece. Officers and men are in the same boat. I sent down to-day to get a clean shirt and a horse. They will not allow any accumulation of luggage here.
The general feeling is that Gillmore will get Charleston at last. . . .
Governor Andrew writes that he has urged the Secretary of War to send General Barlow here to take command of the black troops. This is what I have been asking him to do for some time.
We got some ham for dinner to-day, which is an improvement on salt-junk. I hope the mail will be allowed to go this time.
Good bye, dearest Annie.
Your loving Rob
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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| joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/9/2010 6:59:55 PM | The First Battle of Fort Wagner, occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to the Union's 330 losses.
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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| joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/11/2010 7:25:47 AM |
Jacob Warner 76 PA Regiment Private Captured at Fort Wagner, S C. on July 11, 1863 - died at Andersonville, Ga. on April 12, 1864 - grave, 516.
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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| Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/11/2010 7:42:50 AM | Joe,
Great letter from Union Officer Robt. Shaw, he was a good leader and person in leading the 54th Massachuessetts, It's sad what happened to him and his regement? He was right in thinking a seige should have been in the works, instead of a headlong attack, which was suicide? After his regement was decimated the Rebs surrendered Fort Wagner within months! The Confederates buried him with his colored soldiers as an insult, but he would have considered it an honor! Fort Wagner's water supply was contaminated by the graves so close to their water?
Dave
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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| joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/12/2010 10:36:17 AM | The 54th Regiment was sent to Charleston, South Carolina, to take part in the operations against the Confederates stationed there. On July 18, 1863, along with two brigades of white troops, the 54th assaulted Confederate Battery Wagner. As the unit hesitated in the face of fierce Confederate fire, Robert Gould Shaw led his men into battle by shouting, "Forward, Fifty-Fourth Forward!" He mounted a parapet and urged his men forward, but was shot through the heart and he died almost instantly. According to the color Sgt of the 54th Mass, he was shot and killed trying to lead the unit forward and fell on the outside of the fort.
The victorious Confederates buried him in a mass grave with many of his men, an act they intended as an insult. Following the battle, commanding Confederate General Johnson Hagood returned the bodies of the other Union officers who had died, but left Shaw's where it was. Hagood informed a captured Union surgeon that "had he been in command of white troops, I should have given him an honorable burial; as it is, I shall bury him in the common trench with the negroes that fell with him"
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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| joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/18/2010 9:35:52 PM | The Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led the 54th Regiment on foot while they charged; he was killed in the assault.
Although a tactical defeat, the battle of Fort Wagner saw action for black troops in the Civil War, and it spurred additional recruitment that gave the Union Army a further numerical advantage in troops over the South.
The Union besieged the fort after the unsuccessful assault. After enduring almost 60 days of heavy shelling, the Confederates abandoned it on September 7, 1863.
The main reason the fort was abandoned was fresh water. The bodies of the Union troops (54th Massachusetts and many white troops) were buried close to the fort and the decomposition of the bodies poisoned the fresh water well within the fort. Continuing bombardment and interception of food/water supplies by boat from Charleston made holding the fort difficult.
When the fort was abandoned in September 1863, the CSA forces left behind a large amount of gunpowder in the bomb proof. Two drunk Union soldiers were exploring the bomb proofs and set off the gunpowder, killing and injuring another 300 Union Soldiers stationed within the fort.
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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| tom ryan
Bethany Beach, DE, USA
Posts: 254
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/19/2010 12:48:39 PM | "Yes, unfortunately it's all under water now (except for just a tiny portion I believe)."
Just like Point Lookout, the Confederate prison in Maryland, and Fort Fisher in NC, both of which are now (glub, glub) mostly under water.
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| Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/19/2010 9:06:27 PM |
Quote:
Jacob Warner 76 PA Regiment Private Captured at Fort Wagner, S C. on July 11, 1863 - died at Andersonville, Ga. on April 12, 1864 - grave, 516.
--joe mieczkowski
Hi Joe,
Poor Jacob, being sent to Andersonville was akin to a death sentence!
Dave
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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| joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
| | Re: Elsewhere in South Carolina | | Posted on: 7/20/2010 4:48:37 PM | As soon as African Americans appeared in uniform, the Confederate government declared that captured black soldiers would not be considered prisoners of war but would be treated as fugitive slaves, even if the men had been free upon entering the Army. Many Northerners feared this would mean torture or even murder. Indeed, some Southern officers immediately executed captured black soldiers.
A July 1863 letter from Hannah Johnson, mother of an African-American soldier who fought with the 54th Massachusetts Infantry at Fort Wagner, urged the President to act fairly and protect men like her son:
Excellent Sir
. . . I know that a colored man ought to run no greater risques than a white . . . So why should not our enemies be compelled to treat him the same. . . . they said Mr. Lincoln will never let them sell our colored soldiers for slaves, if they do he will get them back quck he will rettallyate and stop it. Now Mr. Lincoln don't you think you oght to stop this thing and make them do the same by the colored men.
Shortly before he received the letter, Lincoln pledged that the Union Army would indeed retaliate against Confederates if the South did not accord black prisoners the same treatment as whites.
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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