Today in History:

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

Page 742 S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XL.

Carolina [Regular] Infantry: Company C, Captain [B. J.] Witherspoon commanding, assisted by Lieutenant [Vincent F.] Martin; Company F, Lieutenant [E. M.] Whaley commanding and Company G, Lieutenant [J. C.] Minott commanding. The guns in the battery manned be Company F could not be brought to bear, and consequently were not engaged.

The conduct of both officers and men under the fire was highly creditable to themselves and satisfactory to me.

But for the dismounting of a 32-pounder rifled gun by the bursting of a 15-inch shell, and the wounding of 4 men by the explosion of another in the sally-port, this post would have escaped without casualty of any kind, although repeatedly struck.

I have the honor to add a list of wounded: Private Amos Helms, Company C, lacerated wound of thigh and face, since died; Sergeant [T.] Hamilton, Company G, contusion of face, slight; Private J. L. Dawson, Company G, lacerated wound of face and arm, severe; Private Thomas Scott, Company E, lacerated wound of face, severe.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. VALENTINE,

Captain, Commanding Post.

Lieutenant E. C. EDGERTON, A. A. A. G.

[Indorsement.]


HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY, West End Sullivan's Island, November 17, 1863.

Respectfully forwarded. The monitor aground was distant form the fort about 2,300 yards.

WILLIAM BUTLER,
Colonel, Commanding.

NOVEMBER 19-20, 1863.-Boat Demonstration upon Fort Sumter.

REPORTS.*


Numbers 1.-Major Stephen Elliott, jr., C. S. Artillery, commanding Fort Sumter.


Numbers 2.-Major William S. Basinger, Eighteenth Georgia Battalion, commanding Battery Marion.


Numbers 3.-Captain Jacob Valentine, Third South Carolina Artillery, commanding Fort Moultrie.


Numbers 4.-Captain Warren Adams, Third South Carolina Artillery, commanding Battery Bee.


Numbers 5.-Captain R. Press. Smith, jr., Third South Carolina Artillery, commanding Brooke Gun Battery.


Numbers 1. Report of Major Stephen Elliott, jr., C. S. Artillery, commanding fort Sumter.

FORT SUMTER, November 20, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following daily report:

Rifles fired last night, 97, of which 25 missed.

At 2.30 [a. m.], the moon being down and the weather very favor-

---------------

*See also Terry's dispatch of November 20, inclosed with Gillmore's report of that date, p. 606.

---------------


Page 742 S. C. AND GA. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. Chapter XL.