Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 5.djvu/314

298 the regular bombardment may be said to have begun on November 17th, after which to January 5, 1864, 442 shells fell in the city. The shells first thrown were 200-pound Parrotts, but later 100-pound projectiles were mainly used. Only five deaths resulted, two ladies, two civilians, and one slave. A number of buildings were ruined, and thousands of persons compelled to leave their homes and seek refuge in the upper part of the city or in the interior of the State. The heaviest bombardment in 1863 was on Christmas day, when 150 shells were fired at the city, and a considerable fire caused in the vicinity of St. Michael’s church. Several citizens, soldiers and firemen were wounded.

In December, 1863, a complete system of interior defense was perfected at Fort Sumter, by the aid of which the garrison, in the event of being driven to take refuge in the casemates and bomb-proof, could protect itself, while signaling for assistance from the surrounding Confederate batteries. Through the heroic efforts of its garrison, under eighteen months of constant fire, the stronghold was maintained as an effective part of the city’s defenses. Says Major Johnson:

From having been a desolate ruin, a shapeless pile of shattered walls and casemates, showing here and there the guns disabled and half buried in splintered wrecks of carriages, its mounds of rubbish fairly reeking with the smoke and smell of powder, Fort Sumter under fire was transformed within a year into a powerful earthwork, impregnable to assault, and even supporting the other works at the entrance of Charleston harbor with six guns of the heaviest caliber.

The shelling of Charleston continued during January, 1864, on one day 273 shells being thrown, and in the latter part of the month the fire on Sumter was renewed. On the 30th the flagstaff was shot down, and replaced by Private F. Schafer, of Lucas battalion, who at the close of his work stood on the traverse amid a cloud of smoke and dust from bursting shell, waving his hat in triumph.