This day in Charleston
2 entries · 1863–1864
On its thirty-sixth round the Swamp Angel blew out its breech and was finished. The same night the ironclads attacked Fort Sumter, and Gillmore reported the fort “a shapeless and harmless mass of ruins.” He was right about shapeless. Fort Sumter was held by Confederate infantry for another eighteen months.
Official Records, Series I, Vol. 28, Pt. 1
“The enemy fired 20 Parrott shells last night, 14 of which missed; also 23 columbiad shells, 11 missed. One negro wounded.” The Federals had begun mixing smoothbore columbiad fire with the rifled guns, throwing heavier, slower shells at shorter range.
Fort Sumter post returns, OR I, 35, Pt. 1
Entries are dated from the War of the Rebellion official records, the naval official records and contemporary Charleston sources. Browse the whole year.