ENGINEERING OPERATIONS.

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of the fort. The former he accomplished as far as it was practicable, by stationing a battery on a hulk in a creek forming the inner boundary of Tybee island; though the facility of transporting boats across the watery marshes of the adjacent islands rendered it impossible altogether to cut off the rebel intercourse with the fort. On the 21st of February, the first vessel with ordnance and ordnance stores for the siege, arrived in Tybee roads, and, from that time until the 9th of April, "all the troops on Tybee island, consisting of the 7th Connecticut volunteers, Colonel Alfred H. Terry, the 46th New York volunteers, Colonel Rudolph Rosa, two companies of the New York volunteer engineers, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel James F. Hall, and, for the most of the time, two companies 3d Rhode Island volunteer artillery, were constantly engaged in landing and transporting ordnance, ordnance stores, and battery materials, making fascines and roads, constructing gun and mortar batteries, service and depot magazines, splinter and bomb-proof shelters, for the relief of cannoniers off duty and drilling at the several pieces.'

pleted, and the pieces were reported in position. The next day, the rebel steamer Ida descending the Savannah, an opportunity was afforded of trying the battery. Nine shots were fired, all of which, but one, struck astern of the vessel, which ran below to the fort. The afternoon of the 14th, three rebel gunboats, of Commodore Tatnall's fleet, came down the river and opened fire on the battery at the distance of about a mile. The fire was returned, and one of the vessels struck, when the boats withdrew. On the night of the 20th, a second powerful battery was towed through Mud river, and established on Bird island, in the Savannah river, opposite Venus point. These two batteries effectually cut off supplies for Fort Pulaski by the river from above. To the work on Jones' island the name Fort Vulcan was given; the other was called battery Hamilton. "Although," says General Viele in his report, "the material of which they are composed, mud, highly saturated with water,-is of the most unfavorable description, they are both creditable specimens of field works, and evidence the great labor and perseverance of the troops, under the The armament consisting of thirty-six most trying circumstances-the fatigue- pieces in all;-twelve heavy 13-inch parties always standing in water twenty-mortars: four 10-inch siege mortars; six four hours." The readiness and ability shown by the armies of the north and west in various emergencies of engineering operations, are among the most noticeable features of the numerous campaigns. The military duties of the service were largely borne by men frequently of mechanical pursuits, and by a larger class accustomed to subdue forests, build cities, and contend successfully with all the obstacles of nature.

General Gillmore, who had superintended in person the engineering operations already described, was now ordered to Big Tybee island, to complete the investment by stopping the water communication from the South, and to commence operations for the bombardment

10-inch, and four 8-inch columbiads; five 30-pounder Parrott rifled guns; one forty-eight, two sixty-four, and two eighty-four James' rifled guns;- was distributed in eleven batteries, named, respectively, after the secretary of war, and eminent military officers, Stanton, Grant, Lyon, Lincoln, Burnside, Sherman, Halleck, Scott, Sigel, McClellan, Totten. The batteries were placed on the northern side of the island, at points from a mile to two miles and a half from the landing place, at distances from the fort varying from thirty-four hundred yards to sixteen hundred and fifty, the Parrott and James' guns being at the shortest range.

The narrative of General Gillmore, and

the detailed report of Lieutenat Horace ing to the bottom. Two hundred and Porter, of the Ordnance Department, fifty men were barely sufficient to move exhibit the extraordinary toil of the a single piece, on sling carts. The men troops on the island employed in tran- were not allowed to speak above a whissporting and mounting the guns. "Ty-per, and were guided by the notes of a bee island," says General Gillmore, "is whistle. The positions selected for the mostly a mud marsh, like other marsh five most advanced batteries, were artiislands on this coast. Several ridges and ficially screened frnm view from the fort, hummocks of firm ground, however, ex- by a gradual and almost imperceptible ist upon it, and the shore of Tybee change, made little by little, every night, roads, where the batteries were located, in the condition and appearance of the is partially skirted by low sand banks, brushwood and bushes in front of them. formed by the gradual and protracted No sudden alteration of the outline of action of the wind and tides. The dis- the landscape was permitted. After the tance along this shore, from the landing concealment was once perfected to such place to the advanced batteries, is about a degree as to afford a good and safe two and a half miles. The last mile of parapet behind it, less care was taken; this route, on which the seven most ad- and some of the work in the batteries, vanced batteries were placed, is low and requiring mechanical skill, was done in marshy, lies in full view of Fort Pulaski, the daytime, the fatigue parties going to and is within effective range of its guns. their labor before break of day, and reThe construction of a causeway resting turning in the evening after dark." on fascines and brushwood, over this swampy portion of the line; the erec-island, it was the design of General Bention of the several batteries, with the magazines, gun-platforms, and splinterproof shelters; the transportation of the heaviest ordnance in our service, by the labor of men alone; the hauling of ordnance stores and engineer's supplies, and the mounting of the guns and mortars on their carriages and beds, had to be done almost exclusively at night, alike regardless of the inclemency of the weather, and of the miasma from the swamps.

"No one except an eye-witness, can form any but a faint conception of the Herculean labor by which mortars of eight and one half tons weight, and columbiads but a trifle lighter, were moved in the dead of night, over a narrow causeway, bordered by swamps on either side, and liable, at any moment, to be overturned and buried in the mud beyond reach. The stratum of mud is about twelve feet deep; and, on several occasions, the heaviest pieces, particularly the mortars, became detached from the sling-carts, and were, with great difficulty, by the use of planks and skids, kept from sink

In addition to the batteries on Tybee

ham, the commander of the district, to obtain, if possible, a concentric fire upon the fort, by erecting batteries to be manned by detachments from General Viele's command on Long and Turtle islands, on the west and north at the entrance to the Savannah river; but the heavy ordnancefor this purpose not arriving in time, the bombardment from this side was confined to one 10-inch siege mortar on Long island, served by a party of Major Beard's 48th New York volunteers, the fire from which was altogether ineffectual on account of the distance. The fire of the mortars was to be mainly aimed that the shells might explode over the south face of the work, or passing over the parapet, take the gorge and north face in reverse. The rifled guns were to silence the barbette guns, when a concentrated fire of solid shot was to be directed to effect a breach on the south-eastern face of the fort.

On the afternoon of the 9th of April, everything was reported ready for opening fire on the devoted Fort Pulaski.

THE BATTERIES OPEN FIRE.

Major-General Hunter, who had recently assumed command of the Department of the South, and Brigadier-General Benham, commanding the northern district of the department, were present superintending the operations. General Gillmore now issued his orders for the bombardment. Carefully estimating the strength of the several batteries, and parcelling out the work of destruction in the walls and area of the fort, minute directions were given, and with scientific accuracy, to adjust the time of firing, charge of powder, and length of fuse, to produce particular effects.

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quarters on Tybee Island, the order was given to open fire, commencing with the mortar batteries, according to the instructions of General Gillmore. The first shot was fired at a quarter past eight o'clock, from battery Halleck. The other mortar batteries opened in succession, followed by the guns and batteries along the whole line, 2,550 yards in length. Within an hour all the batteries were in operation. The range was soon obtained, and the firing was kept up vigorously during the day, over three thousand projectiles, varying in size from the thirteen-inch mortar shell to the thirty-pound Parrot shot, These last preparations having been being discharged at the fort. It was obmade, at sunrise on the morning of the served that the mortar firing was less 10th, General Hunter sent to the fort the successful than had been expected, "not following demand for its surrender: "To one-tenth of the shells thrown appearing the Commanding Officer, Fort Pulaski: to fall within the work;" but that the Sir: I hereby demand of you the imme- rifled projectiles had done excellent serdiate surrender and restoration of Fort vice, as had been designed, penetrated Pulaski to the authority and possession deeply, and honeycombed the fort on its of the United States. This demand is sonth-eastern face. The object of effectmade with a view to avoiding, if possi-ing a breach in this quarter was to take ble, the effusion of blood, which must re-in reverse the powder magazine located sult from the bombardment and attack within the opposite angle of the work. now in readiness to be opened. The num- An active fire directed against the barber, calibre, and completeness of the bat-bette guns of the fort, had disabled two teries surrounding you, leave no doubt as to what must result in case of refusal; and as the defence, however obstinate, must eventually succumb to the assailing force at my disposal, it is hoped you will see fit to avert the useless waste of life. This communication will be carried to you under flag of truce, by Lieutenant J. H. Wilson, United States army, who is authorized to wait any period not exceeding thirty minutes from delivery, for your answer. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, David Hunter, Major-General commanding." To this, Colonel Charles H. Olmstead, Colonel 1st volunteer regiment of Georgia, commanding the post, briefly answered "In reply, I can only say that I am here to defend the fort, not to surrender it." On the receipt of this answer at head

of them, and three of the casemate guns had been silenced. The fire of the enemy's guns is described by General Benham, as "efficient and accurate, directed with great precision not only at our batteries, but even at the individual persons passing between them, or otherwise exposed." Owing, however, to the excellent precautions in the construction of the works, and the solicitous superintendence of the commanding officers, no injury was inflicted, either on the men or the matériel. During the night a firing was kept up from three of the mortars and one of the Parrott guns, at intervals of fifteen or twenty minutes for each piece, for the purpose of fatiguing the garrison. During the first half of the night, to afford General Gillmore necessary rest, after his active exertions of the day, General Benham, having dis

to the rear of the magazine on the opposite angle of the fort."

"In this state of things," he adds, "I felt sure that we would soon be called to peel off the whole scarp-wall from the front of the casemates of the south-east

posed a portion of his forces to guard against any attack by the enemy from the marshes to the west, personally took charge of the batteries. "The shell practice," he says, "especially during the early part of the night, while the moon was up, was reported to be most success-front, making a breach greatly larger ful, or fully as accurate as by daylight." than the small garrison could defend, The regular fire from all the batteries with, probably, another smaller breach one of which, nearest the fort, had been upon the opposite side, and I at once dereinforced by a serviceable detachment termined that, if the resistance was conof a hundred sailors, sent by Flag Officer tinued, it would be best, and entirely Dupont, from the Wabash, in the harbor, practicable, to storm the fort successfully reopened briskly in the morning. The within thirty to forty hours. And I had certainty as to direction and distance, it given directions to General Gillmore to was observed, was "greatly beyond that have suitable scaling ladders prepared of the previous day, especially on the part for the purpose, and was arranging for of the enemy, there being scarcely any the proper forces, boats, etc., when, at exposure of our force that did not draw about two P. M., we discovered a white a close shot, while the embrasures and flag thrown up, and the rebel flag, after parapets of our batteries were most ac- telling out to the winds for a few minutes curately reached." The fire of the be- at half mast, came slowly to the ground." sieging batteries soon began to tell with General Benham then, as commandfearful effect upon the fort. Commander er of the district, made preparations C. R. P. Rogers, who, with Lieutenant to receive the surrender of the fort. John Irwin, had charge at battery In consideration of his eminent serSigel, of the detachment from the Wa- vices throughout the whole progress of bash, reports that, "In spite of a high wind the firing from the rifled guns and columbiads was excellent, the former boring into the brick face of the wall like augers, and the latter striking and breaking off great massess of masonry which had been cut loose by the rifles." On visiting the batteries at noon General Benham found that "an embrasure at the breached point, which was much enlarged on the previous day, was now opened to fully the size of the recessed arch, or some eight or ten feet square, and the adjacent embrasures were rapidly being brought to a similar condition. At about noon the whole mask and parapet wall of the casemate first injured fell into the ditch, raising a ramp quite visible to us, and soon after the corresponding parts of the adjacent casemates began to fall, the Parrott and James' shot passing quite through, as we could see the heavy timber blindage in rear of the casemates,

the siege and bombardment, General Gillmore was sent to arrange the terms of capitulation. By the articles, as adjusted and signed by him and Colonel Olmstead "the fort, armament, and garrison were surrendered to the forces of the United States; the officers and men of the garrison were allowed to take with them all their private effects, such as clothing, bedding, books, etc., this not including their private weapons; while the sick and wounded, under charge of the hospital steward of the garrison, were to be sent under a flag of truce, to the Confederate lines, and at the same time, the men to be allowed to send any letters they may desire, subject to the inspection of a Federal officer." In communicating the terms of surrender to General Hunter, General Benham reminded him that the day on which they were signed was "the anniversary of the opening of the fire upon Fort Sumter by

DUPONT'S FLORIDA EXPEDITION.