Wilmot G. Dr Saussure to James Smmons, April 22, 1861

_ Sm: I have the honor to transmit herewith the reports of Maj. P. F. vens, of the Citadel Academy, assigned under Special Orders No. 8, n Headquarters Provisional Forces, to the Iron and Point batteri ies his post, of Capt. George B. Cuthbert, commanding Palmetto Guard, which corps the above batteries were manned, and of Capt. J. G.

grerneding Marion Artillery, by which corps the Trapier battery These several reports contain the events connected with ment and fall of Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, on Friday,

OPERATIONS IN CHARLESTON HARBOR, S. C. (Cuar.T.

12th, and Saturday, 13th instants, so far as the above-named batteries and corps were engaged.

An unavoidable delay in obtaining these reports has prevented me from earlier reporting to you. From the day on which supplies were cut off from Fort Sumter, on Sunday, 7th April, instant, the vigilance which had watched over the channel unceasingly was, if possible, increased, in order to prevent re-enforcement of men or supplies to the beleaguered fortress. On the afternoon of Thursday, 11th April, instant, I was notified that at a given signal the bombardment would commence, and that the signal might be looked for about 8 p.m. Shortly before — that time the Trapier, Iron, and Point batteries were manned, the maga- __ zines opened, and the signal awaited.

After keeping the men at the batteries until nearly 10 p.m. they were — dismissed to their respective quarters, but warned to turn out imme- : diately upon the signal being given. At4.30a.m. of Friday, 12th April, instant, the signal being given, the batteries were promptly manned, ae po

and agreeably to the instructions furnished me for the firing of the mortars, the fire was opened on Fort Sumter from the Trapier battery and succeeded by the Point battery. The fire from this post was commenced

at 4.48 a. m. and continued from the mortar batteries at the prescribed + — intervals until past 2 p. m., when, under orders from Headquarters Provisional Forces, the intervals were doubled. Shortly after 5a.m.,and — when the early dawn enabled the guns to be properly worked, the fire was commenced from the three 8-inch columbiads in the Iron battery~ and the two 42-pounders in the Point battery. From the embrasures of the latter the masks had been removed during the night of Thursday, and also from the rifled cannon in position in the Point battery.

Under my instructions the fire from the columbiads and 42-pounders was at the rate of four shot from each gun per hour. This interval was taken with the purpose of not overheating the guns, of not overfatiguing the men, and that the firing, being conducted with great deliberation, should be accurate. The desired purpose was, I believe, attained. The guns were chiefly directed to driving the men from the barbette guns of Fort Sumter and to dismount as many guns as possible, and also todrive the men from the casemate guns bearing upon this post. Shortly after 7 a. m. of Friday, the 12th instant, the fire from Fort Sumter was opened on this post, and for a considerable time was more directed here — than to any other point around the harbor. One hundred and twentyfour shot were fired at the Iron battery, thirteen of which struck it. I am unable to report the number fired at the Pointand Trapier batteries, or at the island and cantonments generally, but for a space of over two hours on Friday a duel was kept up between the Point battery and Fort Sumter, gun answering gun during that time. The fire from the guns was continued until dark. The mortar fire was continued both day and night.

On Saturday morning, 13th April instant, a little before 7 a. m., the tour of the mortars at this post having come round, the mortars were — discharged at the appointed intervals, and shortly afterwards smoke was — seen issuing from the officers’ quarters at Fort Sumter. The smoke in- — creased until about 8 a. m., when the flames burst forth. I believe the — fire was communicated from a shell thrown either by the right mortar — in the Trapier battery, or the left mortar in the Point battery ; the shells — from these two mortars fell at or about the same place on the roof of the — officers’ quarters, and at that time the smoke was first observed from — this post. Upon the flames bursting out the rapidity of the fire was in-— creased, in order to spread the flames. Shortly before 10 a. m. Captain — Cnar. 1] OPERATIONS IN CHARLESTON HARBOR, S. C.

King was instructed to drop a shell on the southern end of the eastern barracks, in order to communicate the fire also to it, and his fifth shell passing through the roof at the designated point the fire was spread.

_ ‘The fire from this post was then reduced to the regular intervals, and

_ so continued until 1.50 p. m., at which time, the flagstaff at Fort Sumter being shot away, the fire “from this point was ordered to cease until

opportunity was given to Major Anderson either to replace his flag, or by not replacing it signify a readiness to treat. The replacement of his

_ flag was not seen from this post, and the fire consequently not resumed.

_ The subsequent events are matters falling under your own orders.

The several reports herewith transmitted speak more fully of individual acts of gallantry than my own position would enable me to do. Of the gallantry of the troops engaged in the action, and of their per_ fect subordination, I cannot speak in terms too high. Few, if any, had __ ever before been under fire, and yet the entire coolness with which the guns were worked, and the accuracy of fire, would have reflected credit upon veterans. The Trapier battery of three mortars was manned by a portion of the Marion Artillery, under the command of Capt. J.

~ Gadsden King, and the immediate direction of the battery assigned by him to Lieuts. W. D. H. Kirkwood and Edward L. Parker. ‘The fire from these mortars appeared to me to be particularly good, a large proportion of the shells bursting over Fort Sumter or within the parade. The pointing of the mortars from this battery was chiefly done by Corporal MeMillan King, jr., Privates J. S. Murdock and Robert Murdock, and reflects upon them very great credit. The Sumter Guard, Capt. John Russell, acted as a reserve to the Marion Artillery, and were engaged during a part of the. bombardment at the battery and also during the night in working in the embrasures at the Point battery and in coyering the iron battery in part with sand bags. While thus engaged during the night this company was under fire from Fort Sumter. The _ remaining portion of the Marion Artillery were on duty at Battery G, a – Channel battery, to which were assigned Lieuts. J. P. Strohecker and A. M. Huger. The presence of a fleet of war vessels outside the bar required that this, in common with all the channel batteries, should be kept con_ stantly manned, and upon an alarm excited during the night of Friday by a small boat being seen rowing near the shore, the preparation of this detachment was shown by a fire being immediately opened on the boat. _ The Iron battery, of three 8-inch columbiads, and the Point battery, of _ three mortars, two 42-pounders, and one 12-pounder rifled cannon, were “manned by the Palmetto Guard, Capt. George B. Cuthbert. These two _ batteries were assigned to the supervision of Maj. P. F. Stevens. The _ fire from the Iron battery was under the immediate direction of Capt. George B. Cuthbert and Lieutenants Lamb and Buist, and does great credit to their skillful management. The battering from this battery is very marked upon the exterior wall of Fort Sumter, while the accurate practice dismounted, as I believe, two of the barbette guns on the eastern face, and to a considerable degree crippled one gun on the northern and one on the southwestern face.

At about 11 a. m. of Friday the mantlet to the embrasure of gun No. 2 was crippled by the lever-arm used in working it breaking from a flaw the iron, and for some time this gun was ‘unable to be used. The

tlet was subsequently pried open and the gun renewed its fire. fire from the mortar at the Point battery was conducted under the

vision of Lieut. N. Armstrong, of the Citadel Academy, assisted . C. R. Holmes, of the Palmetto Guard; and much praise is due Life, Se, Aqouracy of their fire. As well as I can judge, this

battery competes with the Trapier battery for the honor of throwing

e into Fort Sumter the largest number of shells thrown from any post in

the harbor. The rifled cannon in this battery was under the supervision of Capt. J. P. Thomas, of the Citadel Academy, and its accuracy of aim reflected well upon the skill of Captain Thomas, and was a valuable auxiliary in driving the men from their guns. The two 42-pounders were managed by Lieut. T. Sumter Brownfield, and I cannot speak too highly of their services. Twice on Saturday, 13th instant, I saw the casemate bearing on this post manned, and instructed Lieutenant Brownfield to drive the men away, and in each case the shot striking on the cheeks of the embrasures drove the men away. The venerable Edmund Ruffin, of Virginia, was at this battery during the greater part of the bombardment, and by his enthusiasm and example greatly ineited the men.

To Maj. P. F. Stevens, of the Citadel Academy, I but do justice in saying that by example, by forethought, by energy, by his skill much of the suecess from this post was achieved. He is entitled to most honorable mention and to the highest praise.

To the companies manning the channel batteries much praise is due for a vigilance which never slept, and through which everything looking towards a re-enforcement was guarded against. It was confidently believed by me that the channel batteries were far more likely to be engaged than the batteries bearing on Fort Sumter, and until the bombardment commenced I rested upon the troops at these batteries with the firm assurance that they would permit no entrance whatever to the beleaguered fortress, and the patient vigilance and endurance, the more commendable because not being by the fortune of war at the posts of combat on the 12th and 13th instants, when a hostile fleet lay off the

harbor and an hourly conflict was expected, cannot be too highly com- – mended. To the Wee Nee Riflemen, Capt. J. G. Pressley, Lieut. A. F. Warley, and the detachment of the Wee Nee Riflemen, Lieutenant Keils under him; the Columbia Artillery, Capt. A. J. Green; the German Artillery, Capt. C. Nohrden, and Lieut. Col. Thomas G. Lamar, with the volunteer detachment under him, I desire to pay the highest commendation for a vigilance unsleeping and untiring. The gallant bearing of these troops while standing as silent spectators of the bombardment evinces that if it had been their good fortune to have been actively engaged they would have rendered for themselves a faithful account. ‘Without invidious distinetion I desire particularly to call to your at+ tention the services of the Columbia Artillery, Capt. A. J. Green, which has been on duty unrelieved since Ist January last, and of the German Artillery, Capt. C. Nohrden, which, with but short relief, has been on duty since 27th December last. To Captain Green, as the company longest in service, was given the choice of the batteries, and with characteristic gallantry he chose the post which he believed certain of action. The course of circumstances deprived himself and his brother eommanders of the channel batteries from joining in the engagement, while it afforded to their equally gallant but more fortunate brother commanders of the Point batteries the opportunity of being engaged. All

were ready and all were gallant, and I desire to speak thus in justice to all. To the valuable services of Sergeant Hamilton and Privates Bugard, McCaa, Brooks, and Riley, of the Columbia Artillery, rendered at the Iron battery in endeavoring to repair the injured mantelet and lever-arm, I ask leave to call attention. I also desire to mention With great commendation the valuable services rendered me by Capt. F, D, Lee, Corps of Engineers, assigned by you as a part of my staff, Se ea —— and to whose admirable field works too much praise cannot be awarded ; – also to Lieut. J. Ravenel Macbeth, my adjutant, and to Capts. J. Jones and F, L. Childs, assistant commandants of batteries, I desire to call

attention for gallantry and cool determination in the extension of orders

and for valuable suggestions during the engagement. ‘To Capt. P. Gervais Robinson, M. D., Lieut. R. F. Michel, M. D., my medical staff, and to Drs. F. T. Miles and F. L. Parker, who kindly volunteered their services as surgeons, lam greatly indebted for the thought and. care ‘ with which they had prepared for the casualties of battle. They – were respectively assigned to the several batteries, and during the entire engagement remained at the posts to which so assigned. No casualties, 1 am glad to say, required their presence; but I am not the less indebted to them, and ask that they may be mentioned with the honor to which they are so justly entitled. To Lieut. John Rutledge, inspector of ordnance, and to Lieut. L. C. Williams, of the Ordnance Department, with his valuable sergeants, M. E. Rooney and E. W. Fuller (the latter of whom was specially detached from the Columbia Artillery), I ask to call your particular attention. Tothe batteries under my command their services were invaluable, and to them 1 owe, in a very high degree, the efficiency of their fire.

Desiring through you, sir, to express to the commanding general of the Provisional Forces my entire satisfaction with the soldierly deportment and bearing and with the efficient services rendered, as I believe, by the troops under my command,

I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,