NC, Greene Co., Military, 61st NC Inf ================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by Sammy Anson Pierce, August 2000. ================================================================= Source: "The War of the Rebellion, A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies"; Prepared Under the Direction of the Secretary of War, by the late Lieutenant Colonel Robert N. Scott, Third U.S. Artillery, Pursuant to Acts of Congress; Series I--Volume XXVIII--In Two Parts; Part I--Reports; Washington, Government Printing Office; 1890. 61st NC Inf In early 1863, Union forces determined to take Fort Sumter and threaten Charleston, SC. Confederates maintained forts on several islands near Fort Sumter to protect its flanks; Morris Island where the 61st NC Inf and John Pierce were assigned, was south of Fort Sumter. This synopsis of actions involving Fort Sumter and Charleston in 1863 will focus on Morris Island and Fort Wagner {also called Battery Wagner}. Morris Island was 3 3/4 miles long, 25-1,000 yards wide and comprised approximately 400 acres. Confederates built Fort Wagner on the northern portion of Morris Island. It was 1,390 yards from Fort Sumter; 6,616 yards from the nearest point in Charleston. Whereas Fort Sumter was built of brick, Fort Wagner was built completely of sand. Just beyond Fort Wagner, Battery Gregg was located on the northern extremity of Morris Island known as Cumming's Point. The entrance to the inner Charleston harbor was flanked by Sullivan's Island on the north and Morris Island on the south. Morris Island was separated from the mainland by a salt marsh that flooded at high tide. (pp. 14-15) Union operations with attempts to capture Fort Wagner and destroy Fort Sumter began in earnest in April 1863. The objective of the Union was to destroy Fort Sumter and open the entrance to the Charleton inner harbor to their iron-clad fleet. Fort Wagner was initially not seen as important; it was regarded merely as an outpost of Fort Sumter. The first engagement was an iron-clad attack led by Admiral Dupont against Fort Sumter on 7 April. It was repulsed with the loss of an iron-clad that sank; Confederates were able to retrieve her armament. From this date, fighting took place almost daily, usually as artillery exchanges, until Fort Wagner was abandoned in September. (pp. 15-17) Union naval forces were under the command of Rear Admiral Dahlgren; Union Army forces were under the command of Brigadier General Q. A. Gillmore. The total number of Union army forces was approximately 11,000. (p. 8) Confederate Army forces defending Charleston were under the command of General Pierre G.T. Beauregard. Detachments from the following units defended Fort Wagner during April-September 1863: 23 GA Inf, 27th GA Inf, 28th GA Inf, 32nd GA Inf, 54th GA Inf, 8th NC Inf, 31st NC Inf, 51st NC Inf, 61st NC Inf, 2nd SC Artillery, 1st SC Inf, 20th SC Inf, 25th SC Inf, Charleston Battalion, Gist Guard Artillery, Lucas' Battalion, Palmetto Battalion and a Siege train. (pp. 15-17) According to Confederate records: "The forces holding these works and the north end of Morris Island during the fifty-eight days' siege varied from 1,000 to 1,200 men, seldom exceeding the latter number when it could be avoided." (p. 92) When the Union realized Fort Wagner was a major impediment to the destruction of Fort Sumter, they resolved to take it with combined army and navy attacks. The first major attack occurred 11 Jul. The previous day, the Union fleet demonstrated against James Island and the Stono to distract Confederate attention. The 11 Jul attack cost the Union 97 men killed before Fort Wagner and 119 men taken prisoner; Confederate losses were 6 killed and 6 wounded. Fort Wagner proved to be a very formidable fortress to attack across open ground. (pp. 73-74) Several subsequent attacks failed, including the attack led by the 54th Massachusetts black troops 18 Jul 1863 made famous in the movie "Glory". The Union forces were repulsed: "Our loss was very severe, especially in valuable officers of rank." Senior Union officers killed during the failed 18 Jul attacks included Brigadier General George C. Strong, Colonel R. G. Shaw (commander of the 54th Massachusetts), Colonel John R. Chatfield and Colonel Haldiment S. Putnam. (pp. 15-17) Confederate records for the 18 Jul attacks added more details. They reported Union troops landing continuously on the southern part of Morris Island from Folly Island. By 10:00 A.M. 4 Union vessels were in action against Fort Wagner. By early afternoon this number increased to include an Ironsides, 5 monitors, a large frigate and 6 mortar-boats. These ships, along with land batteries, concentrated their fire against Battery Wagner. The commander at Fort Wagner, Brigadier General Taliaferro, stated the Union averaged 14 shots per minute over a 11 1/2 hour bombardment. He estimated 9,000 shots were thrown against his stronghold. (p. 76) The Union attacked twice that day and suffered huge losses. "His loss in wounded and prisoners must have been 3,000 as 800 bodies were in front of Battery Wagner the following morning." (p. 77) Even though Union forces failed to carry Fort Wagner, they did gain and hold the southern portion of Morris Island. They converted this area into a defensive line (called a "parallel"--across the the width of the island) , named it Battery Reynolds and brought in 8 siege and field guns, 10 siege mortars and 3 Requia rifle batteries. The first parallel of Union defensive lines was completed by 23 Jul 1863. Fortifications included palisading across the island 200 yards in advance of the first parallel consisting of a row of of stakes or posts set firmly in the ground and sharpened on the top to defend against attacks. The palisading was flanked by artillery. (pp. 15-17) Union forces immediately established a second parallel 600 yards in front of the first which was completed on 26 Jul 1863. The parallel was built by "sapping" (digging fortifications), but transportation and labor to locate and mount gun carriages in the second parallel could only be accomplished at night due to sharpshooter fire from Fort Wagner. "Breaching batteries" consisting of three 30-pounder Parrott rifles and one Wiand field gun from the second parallel were directed against Fort Wagner and Battery Gregg; two 8-inch Parrott rifles and five 100-pounder Parrott rifles from the second parallel were directed against Fort Sumter. The first parallel was armed with two 200-pounder Parrott rifles and two 80-pounder Whitworth rifles. Firing against Fort Sumter and Battery Wagner from Morris Island began 26 Jul 1863 and continued daily until Fort Sumter was reduced and Fort Wagner was abandoned by Confederate forces in September. (p. 18) After completion of the second parallel, the Union set up a battery in the salt marsh between the island and the mainland. It was called Marsh Battery, but the soldiers referred to it as "Swamp Angel." The sole purpose of Marsh Battery was to shell Charleston. At the end of the campaign, the Union report conceded "No military results of great value were ever expected from the firing." (p. 30) A third parallel was begun 9 Aug 1863 to pressure Fort Wagner. According to Union reports: "From this period the fire from James Island, Fort Wagner, Battery Gregg and Fort Sumter and from the enemy's sharpshooters in Fort Wagner was severe and almost unceasing." "Indeed, on the 10th, our advance was stopped entirely...grave doubt we could push forward..." They wanted to push forward trenches to Fort Wagner, but the heavy resistance delayed their plans. They would have to create additional parallels before they could move on the fort. (p. 20) A heavy bombardment of Fort Sumter was planned 17-23 Aug 1863 that included Union navy forces under Rear Admiral Dahlgren. Brigadier General Q. A. Gillmore submitted a letter 16 Aug 1863 to Maj General Henry Halleck, General-In-Chief, USA: "...Two monitors with one rifled gun each are expected to co-operate with me against Sumter, at a distance of about 2,000 yards. The others [ships] will remain abreast of Fort Wagner, to keep down its fire." Also on 16 Aug 1863 Brigadier General Gillmore posted Special Orders #481, HQ Dept of the South, In the Field, Morris Island, S.C. directing fire for the planned bombardment [by this time, additional artillery had been moved into the three parallels on Morris Island]: First. Battery Brown...against Sumter... Second. Battery Rosecrans...against Sumter... Third. Battery Meade...against Sumter... "Fourth. Battery Kearny, First Lieutenant S. S. Atwell, Seventh Connecticut Volunteers Infantry, commanding, comprising three 30-pounder Parrott rifles and three Coehorn mortars. The guns will operate against Battery Gregg with shot and shell, unless otherwise directed, and the mortars against Fort Wagner, exploding the shell just over the fort". Fifth. Naval battery...against Sumter... (Admiral Dahlgren detached men with two 200-pounder Parrott rifles, two 80-pounder Whitworth rifles for use by the army) "Sixth. Battery Reynolds, Captain A. E. Greene, Third Rhode Island Volunteer Artillery, commanding, comprising five 10-inch siege mortars, against Fort Wagner, exploding the shells just before striking". "Seventh. Battery Ward, Captain B. F. Skinner, Seventh Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, commanding, comprising five 10-inch siege mortars to fire the same as Battery Reynolds". "Eighth. Battery Hays, Captain R. G. Shaw, Third Rhode Island Volunteer Artillery, commanding, comprising one 8-inch Parrott rifle, against the gorge wall of Fort Sumter, with shot exclusively; and seven 30-pounder Parrott rifles against Fort Wagner or Battery Gregg, as may from time to time be ordered". Ninth. Battery Reno...against Sumter... Tenth. Battery Stevens...against Sumter... Eleventh. Battery Strong...against Sumter... Twelfth. Battery Kirby...against Sumter... By order of Brig Gen Q. A. Gillmore Ed. W. Smith, Assistant Adjutant-General (p. 22) The bombardment took place as scheduled with 289,986 pounds of artillery shells fired against Fort Sumter. "The fort was reduced to the condition of of a mere infantry outpost, alike incapable of annoying our approaches to Fort Wagner or of inflicting injury upon the iron-clads." (p. 23) During this time Confederates moved 240 yards in front of Fort Wagner where a ridge afforded good cover. Union forces assaulted this forward position 21 Aug, but were repulsed. Following their repulse, Union forces began a fourth parallel that was located only 100 yards in front of the forward Confederate line. They brought in light mortars and navy howitzers that, along with other mortars from the rear parallels, they directed against the Confederate line of entrenchments. (p. 24) The 61st NC Inf was located in these forward Confederate entrenchments. Another assault by Union forces against the forward position on 25 Aug failed. General Beauregard's recount of the 25 Aug attack stated "...success crowned the efforts of the brave men of the Sixty-first North Carolina and Fifty-fourth Georgia Regiments who constituted the advanced pickets and reserve." (pp. 395-396) However, the 61st NC Inf, under the command Colonel W. S. Devane, was not to be so lucky the following day. They were supposed to be relieved from the forward duty by the 8th NC Inf that night, but the planned relief was too late. According to Beauregard: "At 5 o'clock in the evening, the enemy concentrated his fire on our rifle-pits in front of Battery Wagner. Between 7 and 8 p.m. the rifle-pits were carried by an overwhelming force, who also succeeded in capturing 76 out of 89 men of the Sixty-first North Carolina Volunteers, who formed the picket." (p. 85) The Union assault was led by Brigadier General Terry with a Division of approximately 4,000 men. (p. 24) {John Pierce was listed as missing in action against the enemy on 26 Aug, so he must have been one of the 76 captured.} With Fort Sumter rendered harmless, the Union now concentrated all their forces and firepower against Fort Wagner--Confederate forces there were now surrounded. The Union army converted the captured Confederate entrenchments to be the fifth parallel on Morris Island. This brought them within 240 yards of Fort Wagner. From here they were able to sap advanced trenches for sharpshooters that extended to 100 yards of the fort {very easy range for sharpshooters}. (pp. 26-28) The area between the fifth parallel and Fort Wagner was the narrowest and most shallow part of the island. "It was simply a flat ridge of sand, scarcely 25 yards in width, over which the sea, in rough weather, swept entirely across to the marsh..." Union forces encountered formidable defenses including "an elaborate and ingenious system of torpedoe mines, to be exploded by the tread of persons walking over them..." The entire area between the fifth parallel and Fort Wagner was "...thickly filled with these torpedoes..." Union reports stated "...the dark and gloomy days of a siege lay upon us..." (p. 24) "In this emergency it was determined to commence simultaneously and vigorously two distinct methods of attack, viz: First. To keep Wagner perfectly silent with an overpowering curved fire...(artillery) Second. To breach the bomb-proof with rifled guns, and thus deprive the enemy of their only shelter..." (p. 26) The men in Fort Wagner were about to receive a terrible pounding as all Union assets were going to be directed against them. All light mortars moved to the fifth parallel and final operations against Fort Wagner began the morning of 5 Sep. During 5-6 Sep, 17 siege and Coehorn mortars dropped their shells unceasingly into Fort Wagner during a 42 hour heavy bombardment. They were augmented by 9 rifled guns from the parallels. In addition, during the day the New Ironsides "... with astonishing regularity and precision, kept a constant stream of shells from her eight-gun broadside ricocheting over the water against the parapet of Wagner, whence, rebounding upward, they dropped nearly vertically, exploding in or over the work and searching every part of it." The Union army increased pressure on Fort Wagner by engaging in around-the-clock operation. This was made possible by using Calcium lights {flares} that "turned night into day, throwing our men into obscurity, while they brilliantly illuminated every object in front and brought the minutest detail of the fort in sharp relief." 122,230 pounds of artillery shells were expended against Fort Wagner during this bombardment. Under the heavy artillery fire, Union sappers were able to extend their trenches up to the walls of Fort Wagner. (pp. 26-28) The Union planned another assault on 7 Sep to be led by Brigadier General Terry. (p. 28) Beauregard ordered evacuation of Fort Wagner and Battery Gregg before it was overrun. Transport steamers were ordered to get as close as possible to Cummings Point and rowboats would move the men from the island to the steamers. The plan was for two companys to remain in Fort Wagner while the main body escaped. The men in Fort Gregg were to remain firing until Fort Wagner was evacuated. Before leaving, they prepared to destroy their ammunition magazine, spike their small artillery pieces and "burst, if possible" their 10-inch Columbiads. (pp. 104-107) Confederates began abandoning the fort about midnight of 6 Sep 1863. Their withdrawal went well, but approximately 70 men were intercepted and captured on the beach, thus ending Confederate defense of Fort Wagner. (pp. 26-28) The official records include a Union assessment of this campaign. Their opinion was that Fort Wagner was "a striking example of the injudicious location of an outwork." Once their forces occupied the southern part of Morris Island, their artillery could easily fire over Fort Wagner and reach their primary target, Fort Sumter. Fort Wagner was located to protect the flank of Fort Sumter and to catch any Union navy vessel attempting to enter Charleston harbor in a crossfire. This could have been accomplished by building Fort Wagner at the far, southern end of Morris Island. If they had done this, any army landing on the northern end of Morris Island would also have been caught in a crossfire. In addition, two conditions favored the Union: "Overpowering mortar fire opposed by weak fire from Confederates and flank fire from James Island and the fleet. The only defense against the Navy was torpedo mines." (p. 36) (According to General Beauregard's report, Battery Wagner had been located by General Pemberton and he, Beauregard, had personally located Battery Gregg.) (p. 58) The orders with congratulations to his troops: "General Orders Hdqtrs. Department of the South In the Field, Morris Island, S.C., September 15, 1863 It is with no ordinary feeling of gratification and pride that the brigadier-general commanding is enabled to congratulate this army upon the signal success which has crowned the enterprise in which it has been engaged. Fort Sumter is destroyed. The scene where our country's flag suffered its first dishonor you have made the theater of one of its proudest triumphs. The fort has been in the possession of the enemy for more than two years, has been his pride and boast, has been strengthened by every appliance known to military science, and has defied the assaults of the most powerful and gallant fleet the world ever saw. But it has yielded to your courage and patient labor. Its walls are now crumbled to ruins, its formidable batteries are silenced, and though a hostile flag still floats over it, the fort is a harmless and helpless wreck. Forts Wagner and Gregg--works rendered memorable by their protracted resistance, and the sacrifice of life they have cost--have also been wrested from the enemy by your persevering courage and skill, and the graves of your fallen comrades rescued from desecration and contumely. You now hold in undisputed possession the whole of Morris Island, and the city and harbor of Charleston lie at the mercy of your artillery from the very spot where the first shot was fired at your country's flag, and the rebellion itself was inaugurated. To you--the officers and soldiers of this command--and to the gallant navy which has co-operated with you, are due the thanks of your commander and your country. You were called upon to encounter untold privations and dangers; to undergo unremitting and exhausting labors; to sustain severe and disheartening reverses. How nobly your patriotism and zeal have responded to the call, the results of the campaign will show and your commanding general gratefully bears witness. Q. A. GILLMORE Brigadier-General, Commanding" (pp. 39-40) Extract from the annual report of Maj Gen Henry Halleck, General-in-Chief, U.S. Army, 15 Nov 1863: "The withdrawal last year of most of our troops in South Carolina to re-enforce General McClellan on the Peninsula, compelled the commanding general of that department to confine himself mainly to the defense of the points which he then occupied. An attack upon Fort Sumter and Charleston had long been in contemplation by the Navy Department, and in March last it was represented that the operations of the iron-clads and monitors would be greatly facilitated by a land force prepared to assist the attack and to occupy any work reduced by the navy. Accordingly, General Foster, with a considerable force and a large siege equipage, which had been prepared for another purpose, was sent to assist in this naval attack. It was thought that his talents and experience as an engineer officer, and his personal knowledge of the localities and defensive works of Charleston Harbor, rendered him peculiarly suited for this duty; but not proving acceptable to the commanding general of the department, he was permitted to return to his command in North Carolina, leaving his troops and siege preparations in the Department of the South. The naval attack on Fort Sumter took place on the 7th of April, but being unsuccessful, nothing apparently remained to be done by the land forces. A siege of Charleston and its defenses by land had never been contemplated, and therefore was no part of the plan. It was now represented by the Navy Department that a second attack upon Fort Sumter and Charleston was preparing, and that its success required the military occupation of Morris Island, and the establishment of of land batteries on that island to assist in the reduction of Fort Sumter. The establishment of of these batteries and the reduction of the enemy's works--Fort Wagner and Battery Gregg--being a matter of engineering skill, Brig, Gen. (now Maj. Gen.) Q. A. Gillmore was selected to command the land forces engaged in these operations. In addition to being an educated and skillful military engineer, he had had considerable experience in the special duties required in these operations. General Gillmore, despite the enemy's defensive works, landed his force on Morris Island on the 10th of July, and immediately commenced the slow and difficult operations of conducting the siege of Fort Wagner and establishing batteries against Fort Sumter. Without, however, waiting for the reduction of the former, he opened, on the 17th of August, his fire on the latter, and on the 23d, after seven days bombardment, Fort Sumter was reported 'a shapeless and harmless mass of ruins.' Being under fire of other forts of the enemy and inaccessible by land, our troops could not occupy it, and a few guns have since been temporarily remounted, but they have been as often silenced. General Gillmore now vigorously pushed forward his saps against Fort Wagner, and, on the morning of September 7, took possession of that place, and also Battery Gregg, most of the garrison having made their escape in boats during the night. He captured in all thirty-six pieces of artillery and a large amount of ammunition. General Gillmore's operations have been characterized by great professional skill and boldness. He has overcome difficulties almost unknown in modern sieges. Indeed, his operations on Morris Island constitute a new era in the science of engineering and gunnery. Since the capture of Forts Wagner and Gregg, he has enlarged these works, and established powerful batteries, which effectually command Fort Sumter, and can render efficient aid to any naval attack upon Charleston. They also control the entrance to the harbor." (pp. 2-3) The total number of captured soldiers suffered by the 61st NC Reg was the heaviest of any of the Confederate units because they were caught in the open. The "Returns of Casualties in the Confederate Forces..." for August 20-September 6: 61st NC Inf lost 4 enlisted killed; 3 officers and 29 enlisted, wounded; 2 officers and 69 enlisted, captured. Remarks: August 21-28." The next unit in number of captured was the 1st SC Inf with 18 enlisted captured--1/4 of the 61st NC Inf losses. The unit with the most killed and wounded was the 25th SC Inf. They lost 2 officers, 11 enlisted, killed; 9 officers, 110 enlisted wounded; 3 enlisted, captured. (Remarks: September 1-7) These losses occurred during the final bombardment of Fort Wagner and the Confederate withdrawal. Fort Sumter remained in Confederate hands. On 8 Sep Union army and naval forces attempted to carry Fort Sumter, but were repulsed with "...considerable loss..." Union forces now in Fort Wagner were supposed to support this assault, but low tide prevented their participation. A second huge bombardment of the fort commenced 26 October. After a few days, the Union gave up and all offensive operations against the defenses of Charleston were concluded "...for the season." However, Fort Wagner was lost for the duration of the Civil War.