(From the Savannah Republican, April 28.)
Corporal Law arrived in the Fort, in company with the signal man, whom he went to pilot, at five o’clock Friday morning – the day of the surrender. He remained inside the works during the whole time of the bombardment on that day, and left as the flag was lowered, making his way to the South wharf as the enemy’s steamer was approaching the North landing. When the bombardment commenced on Thursday none of the enemy’s batteries on Tybee were visible, except from the smoke, which pointed out the different localities to our garrison. The shot and shell from the fort soon removed all obstacles of trees and sand, when all were discernible. There were four in number – two mortar, one rifle, and one parrot gun, the last mentioned being a short distance above the chimneys, opposite to King’s Landing. They all bore chiefly on the Southeast angel of the fort.
The firing of the enemy on Thursday was not so effective as to create any apprehension that the work would fall. The enemy were obtaining the range of their guns for the operations of the night and the day following. Most of their shells fell outside the fort, tearing up the earth in every direction. The yard of the V, or demiloon, on the west side, was plowed up as if dug into pits, by the shell which went over the fort. Still a large breach was made in the wall and the rifled guns poured shot and shell thro’ it, utterly demolishing the bomb-proof timbers and damaging the officers’ quarters. The north east casements were all in which the garrison could bunk with any security whatever, through Thursday night, though but little sleep was enjoyed, as the enemy threw twelve shells every hour into the fort until daylight. These facts were obtained from the officers of the garrison.
Corporal Law witnessed the whole of Friday’s fight for himself, mingling freely with the garrison throughout the terrible scene. It is impossible to give his account on paper. The firing on both sides was equally rapid and destructive as far as could be ascertained. On the part of the enemy, one mortar battery was completely silenced a portion of the rifle battery, and seven out of the ten guns of the Parrott battery dismounted. One mortar had been planted on the northwest corner of the Cockspur on the night of Wednesday, but this was silenced early in the fight and seven kegs of powder captured.
At the close of the fight all the parapet guns were dismounted except three – two 10 inch columbiads known as “Beauregard” and “Jeff. Davis,” but one of which bore on the island, and a rifle cannon. Every casemate gun in the southeast section of the fort, from No. 7 to 13, including all that could be brought to bear on the enemy’s batteries except one, were dismounted, and the casemate walls breached in almost every instance to the top of the arch, say between five and six feet in width. The moat outside was so filled with brick and mortar that one could have passed over dry shod. The officers’ quarters were torn to pieces, the bombproof timbers scattered in every direction over the yard, and the gates to the entrance knocked off. The parapet walls on the Tybee side were all gone, in many paces down to the level of the earth on the casemates. The protection to the magazine in the northwest angle of the fort had all been shot away, the entire corner of the magazine next the passage way was shot off, and the powder exposed, while three shots had actually penetrated the chamber; of this Corporal Law is positive, for he examined it for himself before leaving.
Such was the condition of affairs when Col. Olmstead called a council of officers in a casemate, and without a dissenting voice, they all acquiesced in the necessity of a capitulation, in order to save the garrison from utter destruction by an explosion, which was momentarily threatened. Accordingly, at 2 o’clock P. M. the men were called from the guns and the flag lowered.
Early in the day Col. Olmstead had no doubt of his ability to silence every battery on the Island, and to this end he determined, when night came, and the enemy’s fire was slackened, to change the position of all his heavy guns, so as bring them to bear on the enemy. As the day progressed, however, his situation became desperate, and he was forced to yield under the circumstances stated.
Corporal Law witnessed the whole fight of Friday, and says a braver and more determined garrison are not to be found in the annals of history. Every man did his duty with alacrity, and there being few guns that bore on the enemy, there was a continued contest as to who should man them. When volunteers were called for to perform any laborious duty there was a rush of men from every company in the fort. All did their duty and did it fearlessly, throughout the engagement, and to the very moment of the capitulation. Among the last guns fired were those of the parapet, and the men stood there exposed to a storm of iron hail to the last. All this,, our informant says, Col. Olmstead and his officers will verify when they have an opportunity of being heard.
Corporal Law saw the wounded. A member of the Wise Guards had one leg shot off, and the other badly crushed. One Oglethorpe lost an arm, and had the other badly shattered, and shoulder badly damaged – thinks he could not have survived. Another Oglethorpe lost a hand. A member of another company not recollected, lost a foot. He intended getting a list of names and particulars to bring up at night, not anticipating so early a surrender. – Sergeant-Major Lewis told him none of the Savannah boys were seriously hurt. Col. Olmstead also told him he would send up a report of the day’s operations, but the enemy’s movements toward the fort were so rapid, after the flag was lowered, he being under no obligation to remain, not being a member of the garrison, he had no time to wait for it, and then made his escape.
It may be considered strange that, under the circumstances, no more damage was sustained by the garrison. It is a mystery, but not incredible, after the experience of Moultrie and Sumter.
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 2
Corporal Law arrived in the Fort, in company with the signal man, whom he went to pilot, at five o’clock Friday morning – the day of the surrender. He remained inside the works during the whole time of the bombardment on that day, and left as the flag was lowered, making his way to the South wharf as the enemy’s steamer was approaching the North landing. When the bombardment commenced on Thursday none of the enemy’s batteries on Tybee were visible, except from the smoke, which pointed out the different localities to our garrison. The shot and shell from the fort soon removed all obstacles of trees and sand, when all were discernible. There were four in number – two mortar, one rifle, and one parrot gun, the last mentioned being a short distance above the chimneys, opposite to King’s Landing. They all bore chiefly on the Southeast angel of the fort.
The firing of the enemy on Thursday was not so effective as to create any apprehension that the work would fall. The enemy were obtaining the range of their guns for the operations of the night and the day following. Most of their shells fell outside the fort, tearing up the earth in every direction. The yard of the V, or demiloon, on the west side, was plowed up as if dug into pits, by the shell which went over the fort. Still a large breach was made in the wall and the rifled guns poured shot and shell thro’ it, utterly demolishing the bomb-proof timbers and damaging the officers’ quarters. The north east casements were all in which the garrison could bunk with any security whatever, through Thursday night, though but little sleep was enjoyed, as the enemy threw twelve shells every hour into the fort until daylight. These facts were obtained from the officers of the garrison.
Corporal Law witnessed the whole of Friday’s fight for himself, mingling freely with the garrison throughout the terrible scene. It is impossible to give his account on paper. The firing on both sides was equally rapid and destructive as far as could be ascertained. On the part of the enemy, one mortar battery was completely silenced a portion of the rifle battery, and seven out of the ten guns of the Parrott battery dismounted. One mortar had been planted on the northwest corner of the Cockspur on the night of Wednesday, but this was silenced early in the fight and seven kegs of powder captured.
At the close of the fight all the parapet guns were dismounted except three – two 10 inch columbiads known as “Beauregard” and “Jeff. Davis,” but one of which bore on the island, and a rifle cannon. Every casemate gun in the southeast section of the fort, from No. 7 to 13, including all that could be brought to bear on the enemy’s batteries except one, were dismounted, and the casemate walls breached in almost every instance to the top of the arch, say between five and six feet in width. The moat outside was so filled with brick and mortar that one could have passed over dry shod. The officers’ quarters were torn to pieces, the bombproof timbers scattered in every direction over the yard, and the gates to the entrance knocked off. The parapet walls on the Tybee side were all gone, in many paces down to the level of the earth on the casemates. The protection to the magazine in the northwest angle of the fort had all been shot away, the entire corner of the magazine next the passage way was shot off, and the powder exposed, while three shots had actually penetrated the chamber; of this Corporal Law is positive, for he examined it for himself before leaving.
Such was the condition of affairs when Col. Olmstead called a council of officers in a casemate, and without a dissenting voice, they all acquiesced in the necessity of a capitulation, in order to save the garrison from utter destruction by an explosion, which was momentarily threatened. Accordingly, at 2 o’clock P. M. the men were called from the guns and the flag lowered.
Early in the day Col. Olmstead had no doubt of his ability to silence every battery on the Island, and to this end he determined, when night came, and the enemy’s fire was slackened, to change the position of all his heavy guns, so as bring them to bear on the enemy. As the day progressed, however, his situation became desperate, and he was forced to yield under the circumstances stated.
Corporal Law witnessed the whole fight of Friday, and says a braver and more determined garrison are not to be found in the annals of history. Every man did his duty with alacrity, and there being few guns that bore on the enemy, there was a continued contest as to who should man them. When volunteers were called for to perform any laborious duty there was a rush of men from every company in the fort. All did their duty and did it fearlessly, throughout the engagement, and to the very moment of the capitulation. Among the last guns fired were those of the parapet, and the men stood there exposed to a storm of iron hail to the last. All this,, our informant says, Col. Olmstead and his officers will verify when they have an opportunity of being heard.
Corporal Law saw the wounded. A member of the Wise Guards had one leg shot off, and the other badly crushed. One Oglethorpe lost an arm, and had the other badly shattered, and shoulder badly damaged – thinks he could not have survived. Another Oglethorpe lost a hand. A member of another company not recollected, lost a foot. He intended getting a list of names and particulars to bring up at night, not anticipating so early a surrender. – Sergeant-Major Lewis told him none of the Savannah boys were seriously hurt. Col. Olmstead also told him he would send up a report of the day’s operations, but the enemy’s movements toward the fort were so rapid, after the flag was lowered, he being under no obligation to remain, not being a member of the garrison, he had no time to wait for it, and then made his escape.
It may be considered strange that, under the circumstances, no more damage was sustained by the garrison. It is a mystery, but not incredible, after the experience of Moultrie and Sumter.
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 2
No comments:
Post a Comment