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range accurately and carefully secured. Seven shots were fired for this purpose from a 200-pounder Parrott, at a distance of two miles and a half. One of these went through the gorge wall, making a hole four or five feet in diameter, and demonstrating the power of these guns.

Beauregard due notice of my intention to do so."*

Fort Sumter having been thus rendered virtually useless to the rebels, Gillmore next proceeded to perfect his operations against Fort Wagner. The siege was pressed with vigor. On the 26th of August, a fourth parallel and sap having been completed, which extended very close to Wagner, it was determined to gain possession of a ridge of sand which interposed and was needful for our operations. It was bravely carried by the 24th Massachusetts, and a number of prisoners taken. In the first week of September, a vigorous bombardment was kept up from the Ironsides and other vessels of the fleet and the batteries on shore. At length Gillmore's efforts were crowned with success, and on the 7th of September, Morris Island was evacuated by the rebels. Under the same date, Gillmore reported the fact to the war department at Washington, stating, among other things, that "Fort Wagner is a work of the most formidable kind, its bomb-proof shelter, capable of holding

On the morning of August 17th, the bombardment of Fort Sumter was begun in earnest, and continued without cessation until it was, to all intents and purposes, in ruins. Admiral Dahlgren's force moved up at the same time, and attacked Forts Gregg and Wagner. The latter was entirely silenced, and the former nearly so, between nine and ten o'clock. Two of the monitors then moved to within a mile or so of the south-east front of Sumter, and opened fire upon it. In the course of the after noon the fleet retired, keeping up, how. ever, a fire upon Fort Wagner, to prevent the rebels remounting the guns. The result of this active and unceasing bombardment was briefly stated by Gillmore, in a dispatch, under date of August 24th: "I have the honor to report the practical demolition of Fort Sumter as the result of our seven days' bombardment of that work, including two days of which a powerful northeasterly storm most seriously diminish-upon the city of Charleston. The rebel commander ed the accuracy and effect of being absent from his headquarters at the time did not our fire. I deem it unnecessary at present to continue the fire upon the ruins of Sumter. I have also, at great labor, and under a heavy fire from James Island, established batteries on my left, with effective range of the heart of Charleston, and have opened with them, after giving Gen. | Annual Cyclopædia” for 1863, pp. 137–142.

1963.

* Allusion is here made to a correspondence between Gillmore and Beauregard. The former, on the 21st of August, sent a demand to Beauregard for the immethreatening, in case of non-compliance, to open fire

diate evacuation of Morris Island and Fort Sumter,

receive the communication till the next morning, when he replied, in his usual style, denouncing Gillmore's conduct as "atrocious, and unworthy any soldier;" threatening also some terrible retaliation, and dilating upon the wickedness of firing upon a city "filled with

old men, sleeping women and children." Gillmore's

He put aside most of Beauregard's remarks as requiring no notice at his hands, and deferred for two days the bombardment of the city. For this and a previous

answer was in good temper and quite to the point.

correspondence in July, see Appleton's "American

CH. IV.]

VIRTUAL REDUCTION OF CHARLESTON.

371

1,800 men, remaining intact after the enlarged and strengthened by Gillmost terrible bombardment to which any work was ever subjected. We have captured nineteen pieces of artillery and a large supply of excellent ammunition. The city and harbor of Charleston are now completely covered by my guns." Several additional pieces of artillery were subsequently found, making, with the eleven guns taken when the troops first landed, an aggregate of thirty-six pieces captured on the island.*

On the night of the 8th of September, an attempt was made to gain possession of Fort Sumter. About thirty boats were fitted out, manned by over 100 sailors, under Lieut. Williams, and about 100 marines, under Capt. Macawley. The boats were towed near the fort, and the assault made; but the rebels were prepared, and repulsed the attack. Three of the boats were smashed, and all who landed were either killed or captured. Our loss numbered in all about eighty.

Although Fort Sumter was not yet occupied by our troops, nor the other powerful forts in the harbor reduced, still the army and navy, having possession of Morris Island, held the key of the position. The firing was kept up at intervals upon Charleston and Fort Sumter, which latter still enjoyed the empty privilege of flaunting the rebel flag from its walls in the face of our men. The forts on Morris Island were

* Gillmore congratulated the army on their signal success, especially in regard to Fort Sumter: "It has yielded to your courage and patient labor. Its walls are now crumbled in ruins, its formidable batteries are

silenced, and, though a hostile flag still floats over it, the fort is a harmless and helpless wreck."

more, so as effectually to command Fort Sumter and guard perfectly the entrance to the harbor. That part of Charleston within the reach of the shells was greatly injured, and almost entirely abandoned by its inhabitants; there was, however, but little further progress made in the siege during the remainder of the year. An attempt was made by the rebels, by way of variety, on the night of the 6th of Oc tober, to blow up the steamer Ironsides. A sort of nondescript vessel, with a cigar-shaped hull, carrying a for midable torpedo suspended to her bows, bore down upon the Ironsides, and the torpedo exploding against the sides of the frigate, a great body of water was thrown up, jarring the Ironsides, but inflicting no serious damage.

At the close of the year, the secretary of the navy, in his annual report, briefly noted the result of the operations, above spoken of, in the southern department: "Since the fleet, under Admiral Dahlgren, has remained inside the bar, and we have had possession of Morris Island, the commerce of Charleston has ceased. Not a single blockade-runner has succeeded in reaching the city for months, and the traffic which had been to some extent, and with large profits, previously carried on, is extinguished. As a commercial mart, Charleston has no existence; her wealth, with her trade, has departed. In a military or strategic view the place is of little consequence; and whe ther the rebels are able by great sacri fice and exhaustion to hold out a few

weeks, more or less, is of no import attack was determined upon.

ance.'

Some further operations in the South and West, at this time, we may here, for convenience sake, put on record in closing the present chapter. Gen. Banks, as we have stated on a previous page (p. 318), was reinforced by Gen. Grant, after the capture of Vicksburg and the fall of Port Hudson, and an expedition was fitted out, early in September, under Gen. Franklin, to occupy Sabine City, at the mouth of the Sabine River, on the dividing line between Louisiana and Texas. The defences at Sabine Pass consisted, as nearly as could be ascertained, of two 32-pounders, placed en barbette, a battery of field pieces, and two boats used on the bay, converted into rams. Franklin's force, consisting of 4,000 men, left New Orleans in transports, September 4th, accompanied by a squadron of four gun boats, the Clifton, Sachem, Arizona and Granite City. The plan was for the attack to be made by the gun boats, each one having about forty-five sharpshooters on board; then, so soon as the rebels should be driven from their defences and the rams destroyed, the transports were to advance and land the troops. The expedition reached the entrance to the harbor, September 7th, and a reconnaissance having been made the next morning, an immediate

For the rebel view of the position of affairs in re

spect to Charleston, the reader can refer to Pollard. He ridicules the statements concerning Fort Sumter

and the progress of our naval force, and asserts that while "a large besieging force was in sight of the spires of Charleston, yet the city was safe, and proclaimed to the Confederacy new lessons of brilliant courage and hope."-" Third Year of the War," pp. 85-98.

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A.M.," writes one of the officers, "the Clifton stood in the bay, and opened fire on the fort, to which no reply was made. At nine, A.M., the Sachem, Arizona and Granite City, followed by the transports, stood over the bar, and with much difficulty, owing to the shallowness of the water, reached anchorage, two miles from the fort, at eleven, A.M., the gun boats covering the transports. At half-past three, P.M., the Sachem. followed by the Arizona, ad- 1863. vanced up the eastern channel to draw the fire of the forts, while the Clifton advanced up the western channel, followed by the Granite City, to cover the landing of a division of troops under Gen. Weitzel. No reply to the fire of the gun boats was made until we were abreast of the forts, when they opened with eight guns, three of which were rifled, almost at the same moment. The Clifton and Sachem were struck in their boilers, enveloping the vessels in steam. There not being room to pass the Sachem, the Arizona was backed down the channel, and a boat was sent to the Sachem." The officers and crews of the Clifton and Sachem, and about ninety sharpshooters, who were on board, were captured. The Union loss, in killed and wounded, was about thirty. The whole expedition now returned to Brashear City, whence, after considerable delay, the army moved forward by Franklin and Vermillionville and occupied Opelousas.*

*Pollard rather boasts of this "brilliant victory won by the little Confederate garrison of Sabine Pass against the fleet of the enemy;" and says, "the result of this gallant achievement was the capture of two fine gun boats, fifteen heavy guns, over 200 prisoners

CH. IV.]

QUANTRELL'S RAID INTO LAWRENCE.

373

On the 27th of October, an expedi- tempted, October 28th, to capture the tion under Gen. Banks sailed from New garrison at Pine Bluff, on the Arkansas; Orleans. It consisted of about twenty in this they failed entirely, being revessels, accompanied by three gun boats, and was destined to the mouth of the Rio Grande, which is the boundary line between Texas and Mexico. During usurpation, except that here and there

the first three days out the weather was fine, but the next day a storm arose, and one light draft steamer and two schooners were lost, but no lives. The expedition anchored off the mouth of the river, October 31st, and on the next day a force was landed on Brazos Island. By the 4th of November, the troops were all landed, and the day following Banks entered Brownsville, on the Rio Grande, which place had become an important depot of rebel trade in connection with Matamoras.

After the surrender of Vicksburg (p. 318), Gen. Steele was sent to Helena, Arkansas, and was ordered to form a junction with Gen. Davidson and drive the rebels south of the Arkansas River. On the 1st of August, Steele advanced against the rebel force, who fell back toward Little Rock. Having reached the Arkansas, he pressed actively forward, threw a part of his troops across the river, drove the rebels in disorder before him, and entered Little Rock on the 10th of September. His entire loss did not exceed 100; while he was successful in capturing 1,000 prisoners and much public property. Our cavalry continued to press the rebels in a southerly direction; a portion of these, however, deflecting to the eastward, at

and over fifty of the enemy killed and wounded, while not a man was lost on our side, or a gun injured." "Third Year of the War," p. 165.

pulsed with great loss, and glad to escape toward the Red River. Arkansas was thus virtually relieved of the rebel

the guerrillas pursued their infamous trade in plunder and bloodshed.*

In connection with these outgrowths of lawlessness and ruffianism, we may make mention of Quantrell and his doings on a certain occasion. Ascer taining that the city of Lawrence, Kan sas, was undefended, this noted ma rauder, with a force of about 800 men, crossed the Missouri below Leaven worth, and by a rapid march entered the city on the night of the 20th of August. The unarmed citizens were shot down in cold blood; the stores, dwellings, hotels, and churches were set on fire and nearly all burned to the ground; and the property stolen and destroyed was estimated at more than $2,000,000. Two hundred and five men were killed and a large number wounded in this infamous onslaught. Senator Lane (Gen. J. H. Lane) was in Lawrence at the time, and escaping the massacre, hastily gathered a small mounted force and started in pursuit of Quantrell and his men. Some forty

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or more of the guerrillas were caught pursued by the Missouri militia, they and killed; but the remainder got away were brought to a stand a few miles safely with their plunder. The com- from Arrow Rock, on the 12th of Oc mander of the department of Missouri, tober. Gen. E. B. Brown attacked Gen. Schofield, was freely denounced the rebels the same evening, and the by the people of Kansas, as wanting in next morning routed them completely. efficiency, zeal, etc., and an effort was About this same date, Quantrell and made to have him removed. Vengeance his men made an effort to capture and was denounced upon the whole border re- murder Gen. Blunt who, with his staff, gion occupied by the guerrillas. In a was at the time marching toward Fort speech at Leavenworth, on the 27th of Scott, Kansas. Blunt, on this occasion, August, Gen. Lane declared that the was in advance of his wagons, with his first tier of counties in Western Mis- escort of about 100 men, when the resouri ought to be exterminated, and if bels, in disguise of Union troops, 300 in that were not sufficient, the second and number, drew near, as if to give Blunt third must be served in like manner, so a reception. Directly after, throwing as to interpose an effectual barrier off all pretence, they dashed furiously against such murderous incursions in upon Blunt's escort, and speedily the future. An assembly of armed loyal men was proposed, with the evident intention of carrying the suggestion into effect.

In the latter part of September, the rebel Gen. Cabell, gathering together guerrillas, Indians, and some of 1863. the routed troops driven from Little Rock, started with a force of from 5,000 to 8,000 men from the Choctaw settlement of the Indian Territory, and crossed the Arkansas, east of Fort Smith, which had been occupied by Gen. Blunt, on 1st of September. A detachment of Cabell's troops, under Shelby, joined Coffey, on the 1st of October, at Crooked Prairie, Missouri, for the purpose of making a raid into the south-western portion of the state. This collection, numbering about 2,500 men, penetrated as far as the Missouri River at Booneville; but having been

slaughtered nearly the entire number. Quantrell and his band were quite ex ultant, supposing that Blunt was among the slain; but he was fortunate enough to escape and rejoin the rest of his com mand. On the 20th of October, Gen. McNeil was appointed Blunt's succes sor in command of the Army of the Frontier.

Further movements in the region west of the Mississippi were comparatively of little interest or importance. The final result of the war was in no wise dependent on what here took place. The ope rations in the department under Gen. Grant's control, as well as in that in which the Army of the Potomac was specially concerned, were, it began to be well understood, those which would be decisive of the contest, and by which the rebellion would be ultimately crushed out of existence.

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