Today in History:

162 Series I Volume XXVIII-I Serial 46 - Ft. Sumter - Ft. Wagner Part I

Page 162 S. C. AND GA. COAST, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XI.

livan's Island. Measures are, however, being instituted for repairing the damage, and also to recover the cable between Forts Sumter and Johnson.

The Abolition fleet at Port Royal is reported as follows: Two steam frigates, two sloops of war, one steam cutter, two iron-clads, seven wooden gunboats, and seventy-three transports.

November 14, 1863.-At 3 a.m. the enemy extinguished his calcium light at Battery Gregg, which during the night has been reflected on Fort Sumter.

A bark heavily laden, probably with ordnance stores, is lying off Gregg's Hill, having arrived this morning from the northward.

[The Chestatee Artillery relieves the Orleans Guard Artillery at Battery Bee.]

It is observed from Sullivan's Island that the enemy on Morris Island are busily engaged repairing a traverse at Battery Gregg, which has been injured by our shells. Two embrasures on the east side of that battery have been recently opened, in which it is thought two 30-pounder Parrotts are mounted, making eight guns now in position at Battery Gregg, to wit; Four 300-pounder Parrotts, three 200-pounder Parrotts, and one 10-inch columbiad. Two mortars are also observed in the same battery.

There appears to be a 300-pounder Parrott at Battery Cumming, and two 200-pounder Parrotts and four mortars in a position south of this work.

Between Battery Cumming and the midway battery the enemy are at work in force upon a new battery, which opened to-day on Sumter with one mortar, and is evidently intended for a mortar exclusively.

At Battery Wagner no additional guns are observed, but traverses are being rapidly thrown p.

The enemy's fire to-day was directed against Forts Moultrie, and Sumter. The former work was not damaged to the slightest extent, and but 1 private* was killed, although 130 shots were fired at if during the day. Five shots only were fired from Moultrie in response to the enemy. As usual, Fort Sumter sustained the brunt of the bombardment. Of the 16 rifle shells, 6 missed, and 115 of the 320 mortar shells fell outside.

The only casualty in the fort to-day was Sergt. J. C. Grimball, Company D, First South Carolina Artillery, who was wounded severely in the head, abdomen, and knee by fragments of a mortar shell.

The following is a summary of the work done by the engineer department in the fort during the past two days: Repaired top of traverse over the three-gun battery; constructed infantry epaulement on west front near southwest pan coupe; built barricades with loop-holes at north end of three-gun battery; commenced remodeling east end of center bomb-proof for infantry defense.

About 10 a.m. a steamer and sloop passed from behind Long Island into Light-House Inlet by the route approaching Black Island. Five shots were fired at them from Battery Tatom with the two 4.62-inch rifles; distance, 1 3/4 to 2 miles 10 elevation, solid conical shots, 19 pounds; 2 shots fell very near, but none hit.

Private W. A. Mackay, of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, reports that in company with Private S. R. Stoney, of the same corps,

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*Company C. Third South Carolina Artillery.

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Page 162 S. C. AND GA. COAST, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XI.