Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/160

 154 Southern Historical Society Papers.

sharp pikes. The distance from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the parapet was about thirty feet. A torpedo was imbedded in nearly every square foot of the glacis. It was impossible to enter the fort from the front without the use of scaling ladders. The heavy guns bearing on Sumter were frequently turned on Wagner, and there was an incessant fire from sharpshooters and bombardment from the enemy's mortars. By the 2ist, the walls of Fort Sumter were breached on two sides. The south side, towards Morris Island, was pounded to powder. It now presented the appearance of an immense pile of brick and sand. The northwest face was also breached. The shot passed entirely through. The whole fort pre- sented the appearance of a shapeless mass of ruins. A few of its guns, however, were still fit for service. General Gilmore thought its condition was such that General Beauregard would listen to terms of surrender, and on that day sent a demand for the evacuation of Morris Island and Fort Sumter, accompanied by a notification that in case of refusal Charleston would be shelled. Fire was opened on the city and a few shells thrown in before Beauregard' s refusal was re- ceived. A large number of non-combatants left the city. A great many, who had paid no attention to General Beauregard's repeated warnings, now became anxious to leave. For awhile, the railroads were not able to carry the people and their household goods fast enough. There were, however, many who still refused to leave.

The garrison of Fort Wagner was made up of two or three regi- ments of infantry and a sufficient number of artillerists to man the guns, and was changed every three or four days. Some of the troops in and around Charleston had had more than one tour of duty in that fort. The Twenty -fifth South Carolina volunteers were in daily expectation of an order detailing them lor the post of honor and danger, and were becoming impatient doing camp and picket duty, while the other troops were doing the heavy and dangerous work of the siege.

On the 26th of August the enemy on Morris Island attacked and carried the Confederate rifle-pits, constructed behind a sand ridge about two hundred yards in front of Fort Wagner. General Gilmore immediately commenced his fifth and last parallel, just two hundred yards from the walls of Wagner.

The long-expected orders for the Twenty-fifth to proceed to Wag- ner at lengtli came, and we were to go on the 3oth of August to form a part of the garrison. General Taliaferro, however, was of the opinion that we could not be spared from James Island, and had