April 14, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
(CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MERCURY.)
BATTERY WAGNER, Morris Island, April 13.
There was, perhaps, no better position for witnessing the recent battle in the outer harbor of Charleston than Morris Island; and having fortunately arrived upon the island just as the iron monsters were moving, I had an opportunity of seeing the entire action, from its commencement to its final close. Their appearance was most unusual and peculiar to one who had never seen them. Notwithstanding the frequent descriptions which have from time to time appeared, we all looked with wondering eyes at the strange looking objects, which, from their grim, solemn appearance, showing no sign of life, but floating slowly towards us, were calculated to cause a thrill of terror for a moment in the breast of every person who stood watching for their first discharge.
The day was still, with but a slight breeze stirring, not sufficiently strong to cause even a ripple upon the quiet, glass-like surface of the water, yet enough to carry off, in graceful curves, the smoke of the artillery. Placing myself in a position upon Battery Wagner, commanding an unobstructed view of the entire harbor, I awaited, with almost breathless attention, the coming contest.
Slowly the monsters approached, their hulls so low down in the water as to be almost imperceptible to an observer from the shore, and presenting more the appearance of a floating plank, which is as often under the surface of the water as on top. Amidships stands the mysterious turret, looking like a medium-sized gasometer, surmounted by a smaller circular turret, which is the pilot house. Aft of the turret is the smoke stack, and upon these the marks are put, designating them. For instance, the first one which advanced, supposed to be the Passaic, Captain Drayton, had her chimney painted black, with a red and black band around the top. Another chimney was painted lead color, with a green band at top, while two were entirely black, and their distinguishing mark could not be seen by us. Upon the bow and stern short flagstaffs were erected, from the forward one of which floated the boat’s pennant, and the Federal flag aft. Immediately in front of the first Monitor was attached their much vaunted ‘Obstruction Destroyer,’ or ‘Devil.’ Upon this was also a short flagstaff, floating a signal flag. This ‘Devil’ was lost or cut away from the Monitor, and having floated ashore upon this beach, I have had an opportunity to examine it. It consists of two tiers of heavy hewn timbers, about eighteen inches square, securely bolted together by numerous bolts. The bow is square, or scow-shaped, while the stern may be called swallow-tailed, made thus to receive the bow of the vessel propelling her. Iron drags, having protruding hooks on alternate sides, were hung beneath her, over her bows in front, immediately under her, and on each side. These were hung by chains, and were doubtless intended to catch and break or draw to the surface any wires, chains, &c., which might be connected with or show the locality of torpedoes or other hidden obstructions. I was fortunate enough to secure one of these drags, which the curious may examine at headquarters, and have also cut off her flagstaff, to be used as a memorial of the fight. But to return to the attack.
The order in which they entered was, in military parlance, in […..] file,’ with a short interval between each. Four Monitors came first, than the Ironsides, followed by four more Monitors, the last being the Keokuk, which was differently constructed from the others, she having two stationary turrets, one forward and one aft, built upon a sloping deck, which extended about five feet above the water. In accordance with orders previously received, Battery Wagner did not open fire upon them as they passed, but reserved her fire until the Keokuk approached within range. The first shot, therefore, was fired from Fort Moultrie, immediately after Fort Sumter had finished firing the national salute of thirteen guns. As the smoke was slowly wafted from above Fort Moultrie, a beautiful circle, a phenomenon occasionally witnessed in artillery practice, was seen gradually ascending and enlarging, handing like a halo above the sacred walls of old Moultrie, and finally disappearing in mid air. It was an omen of success. The second shot was fired, with great precision, from the Battery at Cumming’s Point, commanded by Lieut. Lesesne, with a detachment from Fort Sumter. And here I might mention that throughout the entire action the firing from this battery was remarkably accurate.
Scarcely had the report of this second gun ceased before puffs of white smoke, issuing from the parapet of sturdy Sumter, warned us that her mighty dogs of war were let loose, and when a moment after her entire barbette battery upon the sea face was discharged together, it seemed as though the very fort itself must recoil from the shock. These discharges by battery were terrific, and their terrible effect upon the attacking vessels shows that General Ripley understands finely how to meet any emergency which may be presented, in the line of artillery. At each successive discharge the waters around the Monitors were fairly lashed into foam. Battery Bee next opened her heavy batteries, firing with wonderful rapidity, and though somewhat wild at first, from the great distance, they procured the proper range and poured their missiles with skill upon the enemy’s vessels.
About the time the forts and batteries became fully engaged, quite a little excitement occurred in Battery Wagner. The echo of each discharge returning from the high sand hills upon the extreme southern end of the island, bore a most striking resemblance to discharges of musketry, apparently popping off for a time as though skirmishers were becoming engaged, and then, as the reports of Fort Sumter’s broadsides were borne back to our ears, sounding like the roll of platoon firing. In a minute every gun on the land face was manned, their detachments having been quietly watching the progress of events in the harbor. Lieut. Col. Dargan, 21st Regiment S. C. V., as brave and discreet an officer as is to be found in the service, who had stationed himself in Battery Wagner, as a central point from which to use his regiment, sprang to the saddle, and rushing across the parade of the fort, was speedily flying to the apparent scene of conflict. He soon discovered the cause of the sound, and returned to his position. So perfect was this deception, that it was only by counting the reports and then listening to the echo in answer thereto, that I could convince myself that is was not musketry.
The effects of the terrible ordeal to which the first Monitor was now exposed, soon became apparent; for, after firing a few shot at Fort Sumter, she turned around and steamed out to the Ironsides, which had taken position out of range of the heaviest batteries. This Monitor did not […..] in enter the fight. Upon her retirement, the second one advanced to the attack, but soon met with the same fate as her predecessor. About this time the Keokuk came within range of Battery Wagner, which opened slowly upon her. The men both companies composing the garrison of this battery, the Gist Guard, Capt. Chichester, and the Mathewes’ Artillery, Capt. Mathewes, having been under fire a number of times last year at Battery Island and Secessionville, went into action as though they knew what they were going to do and just how to do it. There was a degree of coolness and cheerfulness about the men, which reflected credit upon their discipline and courage. The commandant of all the artillery upon the Island, Major Cleland K. Huger, having selected this battery as his headquarters, commanded in person, and no doubt much of the sang fro’ shown by the officers and men was imparted to them by the Major, who is the very personification of coolness and caution in action.
And now it is with feelings of sadness that I record a most distressing casualty which occurred at one of the guns. After firing about a half dozen rounds, mostly directed at the Ironsides, which was lying within range, the Keokuk having passed towards the forts, an ammunition chest standing by one of the guns, accidentally exploded. The concussion was very heavy, and standing as I did within a few feet, but fortunately supported by a traverse, I felt stunned and bewildered for a few seconds. Collecting my thoughts, I at once ran to the gun, thinking it had burst, and the first sight which presented itself was sickening. One commissioned officer and seven men, all of the Matthewes’ Artillery, were lying around or crawling upon the platform and down behind the gun – some terribly torn and mangled, others injured but slightly. Hastily summoning aid, the wounded men were carried into the bomb proof and their wounds carefully dressed by Assistant Surgeon Dr. Thomas Grimke, afterwards assisted by Dr. Happoldt, Surgeon 21st Regiment. The result of this sad accident is as follows:
Mortally Wounded (since dead) – 3, viz: Sergeant George Langley, Privates Amos Fitzgerald and Jerry Dyer.
Seriously Wounded – 1, Samuel Red.
Slightly Wounded – 4, Lieut. G. E. Steadman, Corporal Matthew Martin, Privates Quillan, and Thos. Prince.
It is sad for brave men to lose their lives at the hands of the enemy, though such a death is expected by a soldier, but when it is caused by our own guns or ammunition it is rendered particularly mournful. Sergeant Langley was an excellent soldier, and it had just been remarked by an officer standing near with what coolness he sighted his gun and commanded his detachment. The wounded men having been carried off, another detachment was immediately called to the gun, and the effects of the explosion having been speedily removed, the gun was again ready for action, before the battle had ceased.
All this time the fight was raging fiercely in front of Fort Sumter. Finally, the Keokuk, on which the enemy have ever relied with such strong faith, entered the arena, and it must be said, to her credit, that she remained under the severe fire to which she was exposed longer than any of the revolving turretted vessels had done. Several of these later had drawn of from the fight, evidently crippled, and lay alongside of the Ironsides, which appeared to be the flagship of the iron fleet. The Ironsides herself did not enter very deeply into the fight, fearing doubtless that her high sides would present too large a surface for our batteries, especially had she come within short range of Sumter’s broadsides, which must have riddled her. She, however, received several shots as she lay within range of Battery Wagner. The fight, having commenced about 2 1/2 o’clock, had now lasted about two hours, when the firing of the forts and batteries beginning to slacken, we saw the Keokuk coming out of the fight very much injured, and barely able to make headway through the water. As she came in front of Battery Wagner, we counted distinctly ten holes in her starboard side, while her upper works, turret and smoke stack, were in a complete state of dilapidation. In fact, she looked like a perfect wreck. As the others steamed slowly by, we noticed the smoke stacks completely riddled; but were unable to discover any great damage to their turrets or hull, though there was doubtless much, could they have been seen closely. As they steamed out they honored us with a number of eleven inch shell and rifled shot, but none were effective upon the battery. As the Ironsides rounded to, to follow the Monitors out, we gave her a parting shot, sending a rifled shot into her stern, thus firing the last shot at the heretofore most dreaded, but now whipped, iron fleet.
From the manner in which they entered the harbor and commenced their operations, I am firm in the conviction that their intention was to run by our forts into the inner harbor, and not for the purpose of trying our batteries, or making a reconnoisance, as they will probably term it in their report; and they were most completely whipped, defeated and driven off. It is only to be regretted that our forts did not allow several to enter the harbor, as they might today be an addition to our navy.
The next morning after the fight two steam tugs were seen towing the Keokuk from a position where she seemed to have been run aground during the night to prevent her from sinking. They succeeded in towing her a short distance, when a number of small boats went to her from neighboring vessels to carry her crew off, and in a few minutes after she went down. She now lies about a thousand yards from the beach, […..] submarine battery.’ Her smoke-stack is visible at high water, and the top of her turrets at low water. The man that raises her and carries her into Charleston harbor will immortalize himself forever. Is there no one in the Palmetto State to undertake the job?
On the same morning another Monitor was towed off southward by a steamer, and during the day a steam derrick made its appearance, since which time, up to Saturday evening, constant repairs have been going on upon most of the vessels, though partially screened from our gaze by canvas stretched around them. Most of the work seemed to be done upon the Ironsides, from which we may infer that she was more seriously damaged than was at first supposed. On Saturday afternoon one of the Monitors steamed up to the wreck of the Keokuk and commenced firing upon it, with the apparent intention of knocking her to pieces. Their firing was very poor if aimed at the Keokuk, but uncommonly good if aimed at your correspondent, who happened to be going quietly along the beach, and was exactly in the line of fire when she fired her first shot. It struck between the Monitor and the wreck, ricocheted over the latter and made straight for your humble servant, but fell a little short. One of the wooden gunboats also moved up and fired at the Keokuk, but succeeded in missing her too, when both moved off and left her to us, if we only to go work vigorously at extricating her. Seeing them trying to destroy her in that way, suggested the idea that they might be about leaving Charleston harbor, but wanted to prevent us from raising the captured vessel. True enough, for on Sunday afternoon, at high water, they all steamed suddenly out of our waters, and have gone, as we confidently hope and believe, never to appear again.
VIDI.