Today in History - Aug. 17 [Fort Sumter]

AP ^

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--Snip--

On this date:

In 1863, Federal batteries and ships began bombarding South Carolina's Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor during the Civil War, but the Confederates managed to hold on despite several days of pounding.

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--NOT from AP--

"The First Great Bombardment of Fort Sumter After some experimental firing starting August 12, the bombardment of Fort Sumter began in earnest on August 17. Nearly 1,000 shells were hurled at the fort that first day; nearly 5,000 more during the week following. Even at the end of the first day it was obvious that Fort Sumter was never intended to withstand "200 pound Yankee Parrotts." Then, 3 days later, a 13-ton monster throwing 250-pound shells was added, making 18 rifled cannon in action. Because of the range involved, the fort could not reply to the land batteries, and the monitors presented themselves only fleetingly.

On the 21st, with the "Swamp Angel" in position, Gillmore demanded the evacuation of Fort Sumter and Morris Island, threatening direct fire on the city of Charleston. Gillmore's ultimatum was unsigned, and General Beauregard was absent from his headquarters; but before confirmation could be secured, Gillmore had opened fire on the city. But little damage had been done when, on the 36th round, the "Swamp Angel" burst. Meanwhile, Beauregard had delivered an indignant reply. The bombardment of Fort Sumter continued.

By the 24th, General Gillmore was able to report the "practical demolition" of the fort. On that date, only one gun remained "serviceable in action." On the morning of the 23d, against Dahlgren's ironclads, Fort Sumter had fired what were to be its last shots in action. Its brick masonry walls were shattered and undermined; a breach 8 by 10 feet yawned in the upper casemates of the left face; at points, the sloped debris of the walls already provided a practicable route for assault.

Still, the Confederate garrison, supplemented by a force of 200 to 400 Negroes, labored night and day, strengthening and repairing. The debris, accumulating above the sand-and cotton-filled rooms, itself bolstered the crumbling walls. On August 26, General Beauregard ordered Fort Sumter held "to the last extremity."

The bombardment continued sporadically during the week following. On the night of September 1-2, the ironclads moved against the fort--the first major naval operation against Fort Sumter since the preceding April. Attempts earlier in the week had been thwarted by circumstance; now, conditions were right. For 5 hours, the frigate New Ironsides and five monitors bombarded the fort, now without a gun with which to reply to the "sneaking sea-devils." Two hundred and forty-five shot and shell were hurled against the ruin--twice as many as were thrown in the April attack. Then, tidal conditions, as much as a "rapid and sustained" fire from Fort Moultrie, forced the monitors' withdrawal.

Some desultory firing on the 2d brought to a close the first sustained bombardment of Fort Sumter. Over 7,300 rounds had been hurled against the fort since the opening of fire on August 17. With the fort, to all intents, reduced to a "shapeless and harmless mass of ruins," the Federal commanders now concentrated on Battery Wagner, to which General Gillmore's sappers had come within 100 yards.

On the morning of September 5, Federal cannoneers commenced a devastating barrage against that work. For 42 hours, night and day, in a spectacle "of surpassing sublimity and grandeur," 17 mortars and 9 rifled cannon, as well a:s the powerful guns of the ironclads, pounded the earthwork. Calcium lights "turned night into day." On the night of September 6-7, the Confederate garrisons at Wagner and Gregg evacuated; Morris Island, after 58 days, was at last in the hands of Union troops. Just three-quarters of a mile away stood Fort Sumter.

Sumter remained defiant. When Admiral Dahlgren demanded the fort's surrender, on the morning of the 7th, General Beauregard sent word that the admiral could have it when he could "take it and hold it." On September 4 the garrison had been relieved with fresh troops--320 strong. Maj. Stephen Elliott succeeded to the command.

Admiral Dahlgren "immediately designed to put into operation a plan to capture Fort Sumter." As a preliminary, the monitor Weehawken was ordered to pass in around Cummings Point "to cut off all communication by that direction." Later in the day, the New Ironsides and the remaining ironclads were to move up "to feel, and if possible, pass" the obstructions believed to be in the channel north of Sumter. But the Weehawken grounded, and the monitors caught such a severe fire from Fort Moultrie and the other Confederate batteries on Sullivan's Island, that Admiral Dahlgren "deemed it best to give [his] entire attention to the Weehawken" and withdraw. Whatever his original plan, Admiral Dahlgren now determined upon a small-boat assault. The task seemed simple; there was "nothing but a corporal's guard in the fort . . . all we have to do is go and take possession."

[http://civilwarlandscapes.org/cwla/states/sc/fs/intro/siege63.htm]

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“Besides the 50-star United States flag, five replicas of historic flags regularly fly over Fort Sumter. These represent a timeline of Civil War flags at the fort from 1861-1865.”

[http://www.nps.gov/fosu/photosmultimedia/index.htm]

[groanup]

Fort Sumter ping

[trumandogz]

Does the Stars & Bars fly over Ft. Sumter?

[freeplancer]

I always thought the firing upon Ft. Sumpter was what began teh Civil War, not that they fired upon it “during” the Civil War.

[infowarrior]

I always thought the firing upon Ft. Sumpter was what began teh Civil War, not that they fired upon it “during” the Civil War.

Confederate batteries in Charleston *did* fire on Fort Sumter in 1861, eventually getting the Federal garrison there to surrender. The Confederacy then occupied the fort, which was shelled by Union forces later in the war (1863)...

the infowarrior

[freeplancer]

Cool, thanks for the info.

[RushLake]

Thanks as always for your MilHist posts. They are a bright spot in a bright spot (FR). We had the opportunity to visit Fort Sumpter twice. We visited in 1980 while on our honeymoon in the Charleston area, and in 2005 when we were in the area to attend son’s graduation from USMC boot camp at Parris Island. I enjoyed both visits, but the 1980 visit more because in those days you could spend all day there once you got off the boat. By ‘05, they rush you thru the place, little time to ponder and explore on your own, then back on the boat and away we go.

As an aside, I love the movie “Glory”. I believe it has a flaw and that is that the 54th attacks with the ocean on its left. My understanding is that Union forces assaulted Ft. Wagner from a southerly direction thus placing the ocean on their right. I’m not sure if I “get it” correctly.

[Shooter 2.5]

It’s my understanding Fort Sumpter looks like an aircraft carrier now since it was so destroyed during the Civil War. The sister fort is directly underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and called Fort Point.

“Glory” had two other minor mistakes in the movie. One was the Enfields didn’t have serial numbers so they couldn’t have recorded numbers when they were handed out. The second is the flag had painted stars instead of embroided ones.

[bcsco]

I believe it has a flaw and that is that the 54th attacks with the ocean on its left. My understanding is that Union forces assaulted Ft. Wagner from a southerly direction thus placing the ocean on their right.

I believe you're right. Here's a link to a contemporary Harper's Weekly article about the battle. The link to page #509 takes you to a woodcut picture of the battle that shows the attack coming from the South. Battle of Fort Wagner. There's also a map.

[RushLake]

It really is more of a pile of brick rubble although several casemates still exist relatively intact. There are several walls still standing as well although the bombardment throughout the war substantially reduced the original size.

Thank you for the information on the Enfields and the flag. I had not known those things previously. Still one of the best Civil War movies IMO. The black warriors were not portrayed as a bunch of sniveling victims and the Confederates were not portrayed as a bunch of fire breathing racists. I loved the Morgan Freeman speech about "....ante up and kick in like men. Like Men!" My son the USMC Corporal and I have had similar discussions prior to his service.

Take care.

[RushLake]

Thank you very much for the information. Neat website too which is now bookmarked.

Take care!

[bcsco]

Yeah, I also added it to my bookmarks. Someday soon, when I have a little extra time, I’m going to spend a couple hours there.

[Moose4]

Sumter looks very little like it did in 1861-63. The military constructed a more modern coastal defense battery on the site for WW I and WW II; the huge black metal casemates for those guns are also still there, so you have an odd mixture of the ruins of the WBTS fort interspersed with hardware eighty years more modern.

]:-)4

[SC Swamp Fox]

South Carolina Ping

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[smug]

I believe it has a flaw and that is that the 54th attacks with the ocean on its left.

Hollywood!

[thulldud]

The military constructed a more modern coastal defense battery on the site for WW I and WW II;

Battery Huger was built for the Spanish-American War.

[cowboyway]

I always thought the firing upon Ft. Sumpter was what began teh Civil War

That war could have been completely avoided with any other president at the helm except for disHonest Abe. Lincoln's actions ensured a war that ended up costing the lives of more than six hundred thousand.

Lincoln later took the position that he had maneuvered the Confederates into attacking Sumter, which allowed him to label them as traitors and aggressors.