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The Annals of the Civil War Written by Leading Participants North and South (ed. Alexander Kelly McClure), Torpedo service in Charleston harbor. (search)
o the strong current of the ebb and flood tide at full moon, especially after southeasterly gales, which backed up the waters in the bay, and in the Ashley and Cooper rivers. It was exposed, therefore, at such periods, to be broken, particularly as the channel bottom was hard and smooth, and the light anchors which held the boom iwas observed in calm weather. The anchoring of the large torpedoes in position was attended with considerable danger. While planting them at the mouth of the Cooper and Ashley rivers (which form the peninsula of the city of Charleston), the steamer engaged in that duty being swung around by the returning tide, struck and explr was sixty pounds of powder. The first of these guns received was mounted in a battery specially constructed for it at The Battery, at the immediate mouth of Cooper river, to command the inner harbor. As no instructions for their service accompanied the guns, and the metal between the exterior surface of the breech and the rear
John G. Nicolay, The Outbreak of Rebellion, Chapter 2: Charleston Harbor. (search)
to the world at large; with that they could offer the benefits of commerce, security from tempests, refuge from the perils of war, to ships of other nations; could negotiate advantageous treaties, and perhaps conclude powerful alliances. We must have the forts was therefore the watchword of the secret caucus; and before long, from every street-corner in Charleston, came the impatient echo, The forts must be ours. The city of Charleston lies on a tongue of land between the Ashley and Cooper rivers; from their confluence the bay extends eastward some four miles to the open sea. Three forts defend the harbor. The first and smallest is Castle Pinckney, an old-time structure of brick, and of insignificant strength in modern warfare. It lies one mile from the city; it was capable of holding a war garrison of 100 men; and its armament of twenty-two guns was at the time complete. Farther out is the second in size and importance Fort Moultrie, situated on Sullivan's Island, some four
Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 5. (ed. Reverend J. William Jones), Torpedo service in the Harbor and water defences of Charleston. (search)
to the strong current of the ebb and flood tide at full moon, especially after southeasterly gales, which backed up the waters in the bay and in the Ashley and Cooper rivers. It was exposed, therefore, at such periods, to be broken, particularly as the channel-bottom was hard and smooth, and the light anchors which held the boom i was observed in calm weather. The anchoring of the large torpedoes in position was attended with considerable danger. While planting them at the mouth of the Cooper and Ashley rivers (which form the peninsula of the city of Charleston), the steamer engaged in that duty being swung around by the returning tide, struck and expr was sixty pounds of powder. The first of these guns received was mounted in a battery specially constructed for it at The battery, at the immediate mouth of Cooper river, to command the inner harbor. As no instructions for their service accompanied the guns, and the metal between the exterior surface of the breech and the rear
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events, Diary from December 17, 1860 - April 30, 1864 (ed. Frank Moore), 1861, December (search)
nate shall issue his warrant for the election of another person in his place: therefore, &c. Quite an animated discussion ensued between several of the members on the preamble and resolutions, when the vote was taken and the resolution declaring the seat vacant was passed. Last night and this morning a terrible conflagration raged in the city of Charleston, S. C., consuming and totally destroying nearly all the business portion of the city east of King St., in the direction of the Cooper River.--Richmond (Va.) Enquirer, Dec. 15. The authorities having learned that a number of rebels in the vicinity of Bagdad, Shelby County, Kentucky, on the line of the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad, were becoming troublesome, and had even gone so far as to compel loyal citizens to take the oath of allegiance to the Southern Confederacy, a squad of men from Col. Whitaker's regiment, at Spring Garden, near Louisville, Ky., were despatched to the neighborhood to-night, with orders to arre
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., chapter 1.1 (search)
2, to 19,736 men. Before being relieved, General Pemberton, at my request, gave an estimate of the minimum force requisite, in his opinion, for the department, namely, 43,650 men of all arms, which I adopted as the basis of my future calculations. On the 30th of September, and again on the 2d of October, I urgently called on the War Department for an increase of heavy ordnance for the works intended to command the anchorage in the Charleston harbor and the entrance into the Ashley and Cooper rivers. I asked for twenty 10-inch Columbiads, five banded rifled 42-pounders, and five banded 32-pounders; or fifteen of the first quality, ten of the second, and five or more of the third. The Secretary of War, Mr. Randolph, had used every endeavor to assist me in my efforts to be ready for the impending attack of the enemy; but he had just at this time, unfortunately, tendered his resignation, and had been succeeded in office by Mr. Seddon. From that moment my demands on the War Departmen
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 3., Chapter 6: siege of Knoxville.--operations on the coasts of the Carolinas and Georgia. (search)
ommanding its channels, were five of them, the first being on the outward extremity of Sullivan's Island, guarding Maffit's Channel. The next, near the Moultrie House, on the same island, was a strong sand battery, called Fort Beauregard. Fort Moultrie,. a little farther westward, had been greatly strengthened since the beginning of the war; and near it, on the western end of Sullivan's Island, was a strong earth-work called Battery Bee. On the main, at Mount Pleasant, near the mouth of Cooper River, was a heavy battery; and in front of the city, about; a mile from it, was old Castle Pinckney, which had been strengthened by banking earth against its walls on the outside. In the channel, between Sullivan's and Morris Islands, stood Fort Sumter, See page 128, volume I. the most formidable of all the works to be assailed, grimly guarding the entrance to the inner harbor. On the southern side of the harbor, near the city, was the Wappoo Battery, on James's Island, which commanded th
Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War., Chapter 36: operations of the South Atlantic Squadron under Rear-Admiral Dahlgren, 1863.--operations in Charleston harbor, etc. (search)
nce. Thus, early in the operations, Dahlgren prepared the Navy Department not to expect as much from the Monitors as was required of DuPont; as, with others, he had made up his mind that operations against the whole circle of forts should not be undertaken with a force that had proved itself totally inadequate on a former occasion. Charleston harbor, in its general configuration, may be likened to that of New York, the city being on a neck of land somewhat resembling Manhattan Island; Cooper River, on the east, may be compared to the East River; while the Ashley River, on the west, resembles the Hudson. Morris and Sullivan Islands may pass for the defensive points at the Narrows, though the channel between them is much wider; and the interior fortifications — Sumter, Moultrie, Cumming's Point, Battery Gregg, Fort Johnson, etc.--were all within the lines of Morris and Sullivan Islands. An attack on Fort Wagner could be made by a naval force without bringing the ships composing it
Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War., Chapter 52: operations about Charleston, 1865.--fall of Charleston, Savannah, etc. (search)
d to be another set in the shoal connecting the middle and the north channel, not removed at this date. One of these frames was found lying in a dock of the Cooper River, with the torpedoes mounted ready for use. In many cases the frames had been much wormeaten, so that in attempting to remove them the timber broke and fell zes on the upper bilge and end. Its contents of powder was about one hundred and thirty-four pounds. The three torpedo-boats in service had been sunk in the Cooper River, off the city wharves. Two have been raised, and one put in good order so as to steam about the harbor; in length about sixty-four (64) feet, and five and oneas given the seamen from the Mingoe and Catalpa were landed and drove off the enemy. Gun-boats were sent as far as they could go — about forty miles--up the Cooper River, to co-operate with an army force under General Schimmelfennig, to break up any parties of Confederate troops that might still linger in the vicinity; but it w
Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume II., chapter 20 (search)
nd destroy the harbor. This accusation is absurd. What was intended was to render it more difficult for blockaderunners, navigated by Charleston pilots, to run out and in under the screen of fog or darkness; and this result was probably attained. No complaint has since been made of any actual injury thus inflicted on the peaceful commerce of Charleston: on the contrary, it has been plausibly asserted that the partial closing of one of the passes, through which the waters of Ashley and Cooper rivers find their way to the ocean, was calculated to deepen and improve those remaining. Com. Dupont, in his steam frigate Wabash, with twenty other armed vessels, and six unarmed transports, conveying a brigade of volunteers, Gen. Wright, and a battalion of marines, Maj. Reynolds, setting out from Port Royal Feb. 28. swept down the coast to St. Andrew's and Cumberland sounds; taking unresisted possession of Fort Clinch on Amelia island, Fernandina, St. Mary's, Brunswick, March 9. Dar
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 3. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 247 (search)
ence to a chart of the harbor, or by the following description: The entrance by the main ship channel runs from the bar to Fort Sumter, six miles, nearly south and north. The city is three miles beyond, bearing about N. W. The other channels are Sanford's, Swash, the North, and Maffit's, or Sullivan's Island, which need not to be particularly described. Only the latter is practicable for vessels of any draught, but all serve more or less to empty the waters discharged by the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Over the bar, at the entrance of the main ship channel, is a narrow passage, through which vessels may carry eleven feet at low water; about seventeen at high water. The plan of Capt. Davis for closing the harbor proceeded on the following principles: First.--The obstructions are to be placed on both sides of the crest of the bar, so that the same forces which have created the bar may be relied on to keep them in their places. Secondly.--The bar is not to be obstructed entirely;
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