This day in Charleston

September 3

2 entries · 1863–1864

1863Fort Sumter
The Parapet, Looking Toward Morris Island
The Parapet, Looking Toward Morris IslandLibrary of Congress

An inventory of a ruin

The daily journal set down what was left of Fort Sumter: the northeast and northwest terrepleins fallen in, the western wall cracked through from parapet to berm, the greater part of the southern wall down, the eastern wall nearly shot away, the ramparts gone and nearly every casemate breached. “There is not a single gun en barbette, and but a single smooth-bore 32-pounder on west face that can be fired.”

Journal of Operations in Charleston Harbor, OR I, 28, Pt. 1

1864Fort Sumter

One killed, and slow firing

“Thirty-one Parrott shells fired at fort last night, 10 missed. One negro killed. Firing slow this morning.”

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.