This day in Charleston

July 31

2 entries · 1863–1864

1863Battery Wagner

“Only 9 casualties”

Beauregard telegraphed Richmond at seven in the morning: the New Ironsides, two monitors and the land batteries had again fired furiously on Batteries Wagner and Gregg the day before, “but with little effect, only 9 casualties occurring. Our works are progressing steadily.” Overnight, as on most nights, the Morris Island garrison had been rotated by steamer to Cumming’s Point in the dark.

Official Records, Series I, Vol. 28, Pt. 2

1864Fort Sumter

Eighty mortar shells, twenty-three misses

Captain Huguenin’s report from Fort Sumter: eighty mortar shells fired at the fort during the night, twenty-three of them missing, no casualties, and an engineer officer reported for duty. The fort absorbed this, night after night, for another six months.

Official Records, Series I, Vol. 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.