APPEARANCE OF THE GORGE WALL OF FORT SUMTER, AUGUST 21st, 1863. SKETCHED FROM CRAIG'S HILL HEADORS. DEPT. OF THE SOUTH. Aug. 21st, 1863. I regard this sketch as remarkably correct and Q. A. GILLMORE, Brig.-Gen. Comdg. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Morris Island, S. C., August 19, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to report that a heavy northeaster, which commenced early yesterday afternoon, and is still raging, has very seriously interfered with the accuracy of our fire against Fort Sumter, and has temporarily suspended our approaches to Fort Wagner. The tides have been very high, entirely overflowing to the depth of 1 foot the narrow neck of low ground between our advanced batteries and Fort Wagner, and completely submerging our trenches. Two deserters from Cumming's Point reached our lines to-day, having been, according to their report, forty-eight hours in coming through the marsh. They represent themselves as part of boat's crew regularly plying between Cumming's Point and Fort Sumter, and say that all the casemates, including the officers' quarters, on the gorge of that work, have been filled with sand-bags and cotton bales (the former being next to the scarp wall) to the thickness of 18 or 20 feet. They also say that the guns mounted on the gorge of Sumter have all been removed to James Island, and their places supplied with "quaker guns." This last report is doubtless correct and the others probably so. They represent the enemy's force on this island as about 3,000, including three batteries of light artillery, and that the batteries occupy a position about 200 yards in rear of Fort Wagner through the night, and are kept in deep trenches near Cumming's Point during the day. The average number of casualties per day remains about the same. Some days I lose as many as 5 or 6 killed and wounded; on others none at all. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Q. A. GILLMORE, Brigadier-General, Commanding. General-in-Chief, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Morris Island, S. C., August 24, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to report the practical demolition of Fort Sumter as the result of our seven days' bombardment of that work, including two days of which a powerful northeasterly storm most seriously diminished the accuracy and effect of our fire. Fort Sumter is to-day a shapeless and harmless mass of ruins. My chief of artillery, Col. J. W. Turner, reports its destruction so far complete that it is no longer of "any avail in the defense of Charleston." He also says that— By a longer fire it could be made more completely a ruin and a mass of broken masonry, but could scarcely be more powerless for the defense of the harbor. My breaching batteries were located at distances varying between 3,330 and 4,240 yards from the work, and now remain as efficient as ever. I deem it unnecessary at present to continue their fire upon . the ruins of Fort Sumter. I have also, at great labor, and under a heavy fire from James Island, established batteries on my left, within effective range of the heart of Charleston City, and have opened with them, after giving General Beauregard due notice of my intention to do so. My notification to General Beauregard, his reply thereto, with the threat of retaliation, and my rejoinder, have been transmitted to army headquarters. The projectiles from my batteries entered the city, and General Beauregard himself designates them as "the most destructive missiles ever used in war.' The report of my chief of artillery* and an accurate sketch of the ruins of Fort Sumter,† taken at 12 m. yesterday, six hours before we ceased firing, are herewith transmitted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Q. A. GILLMORE, Brigadier-General, Commanding. General-in-Chief, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. [Inclosure.] OFFICE CHIEF OF ARTILLERY, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH, GENERAL: I have the honor to report the effect that our breaching batteries have had upon Fort Sumter, and the condition of that work to-night at the close of the seventh days' bombardment. The gorge wall of the fort is almost a complete mass of ruins. For the distance of several casemates, about midway on this face, the ramparts are removed nearly, and in places quite, to the arches, and but for the sand-bags with which the casemates were filled, and which have served to sustain the broken arches and masses of masonry, it would have long since been entirely cut away, and with it the arches, to the floor of the second tier of casemates. The débris on this front now forms a ramp, reaching as high as the floor of these casemates. The parapet wall of the two northeasterly faces is completely carried away, a small portion only being left in the angle made with the gorge wall, and the ramparts of these faces is also a total ruin. Quite one-half of our projectiles seem to have struck the parade and parapet of these two faces, and, judging from the effect they have had upon the gorge wall, within our observation, the destruction of masonry on these two sides must be very great, and I am of the opinion that nearly every arch in these fronts must be broken in. But one gun remains in position on these two fronts, and this in the angle of the gorge, and, I think, unserviceable. The ruin extends around, taking in the northeasterly face as far as can be seen. A portion of this face, adjoining the angle it makes with the southeasterly face, is concealed, but from the great number of missiles which have struck in this angle during the last two days, it cannot be otherwise than greatly damaged, and I do not think any guns can be left on this face in a serviceable condition. The ramparts in this angle, as well as in the southeasterly face, must be plowed up and greatly shattered, the parapet on this latter face being torn off in many places, as we can see, and I hardly think the platforms of the three remaining guns on this face could have escaped. With the assistance of a powerful glass, I cannot deter*See also Turner's report, p. 212. + Made by W. T. Crane. See p. 601. mine that more than one of these guns can be used, and it has been dismounted once. The carriages of the others are evidently more or less shattered, and such is the ruin of the parapet and parade in the immediate vicinity of this gun, that it probably could not be served for any length of time. In fine, the destruction of the fort is so far complete that it is today of no avail in the defense of the harbor of Charleston. By a longer fire, it can be made 'more completely a ruin and a mass of broken masonry, but could scarcely be more powerless for the defense of the harbor. I therefore respectfully submit my opinion, that a continuation of our fire is no longer necessary, as giving us no ends adequate for the consumption of our resources. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. Q. A. GILLMORE, JNO. W. TURNER, Colonel, and Chief of Artillery. Comdg. Dept. of the South, Morris Island, S. C. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Morris Island, S. C., August 26, 1863. SIR: I have to report no essential change in the condition of affairs here since my letter of the 24th instant. No guns have been mounted on Fort Sumter, as far as I can judge from appearances. Three contrabands came in from Fort Johnson yesterday. They were officers' servants, and report, from conversation of the officers there, that north and northwest faces of Fort Sumter are nearly as badly breached as the gorge wall, and that many of our projectiles passed through both walls, and that the fort contains no serviceable guns. The monitors are expected to go in again to-night, to operate on the obstructions. I have procured some calcium lights, and hope, with the assistance of the navy, to be able to interrupt the communications of the enemy with the island, and cut off their supplies. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Q. A. GILLMORE, Brigadier-General, Commanding. General-in-Chief, Washington, D. C. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Morris Island, S. C., August 30, 1863. SIR: I have nothing to report since mine of yesterday,* except that I reopened fire on Sumter this morning at the request of Admiral Dahlgren, whose chief pilot reported that he saw some guns in position there last evening, a report which, whether correct or otherwise, prevented the monitors from operating as they intended to do. It is not at all improbable that guns may have been remounted on Sumter during the night time within the past week. I admit *See Operations on Morris Island, p. 199. |