Today, the Civil War Commemorative Half Dollar Coin remembers the bombardment of the Swamp Angel and the damage at Fort Sumter.
The Federal forces believed the fort destroyed, however the Confederate forces believed the fort would last longer – both viewpoints formed August 24, 1863.
From History for Ready Reference, Volume 5, compiled by J. N. Larned, published in 1895:
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After the unsuccessful assault and bloody repulse of July 18th General Gillmore began against Fort Wagner the operations of a regular siege.
Trenches were dug, and by the middle of August the batteries were within a quarter-mile of Wagner and within two and a half miles of Sumter.
The work on these batteries had to be done mostly by night, for the forts kept up a heavy fire.
Another battery was also begun in the marsh on the west side of Morris Island.
The black mud there was so soft that it would not bear the weight of a man, and was at least 16 feet deep.
After the site was chosen, a lieutenant was ordered to superintend the work, and told to call for whatever materials he wanted.
Being something of a wag, he sent to the quartermaster for 100 men 18 feet high, to work in mud 16 feet deep; but as men of that height could not be had, he had to be satisfied with workmen of common stature.
All the work had to be done in the dark, for it was within range of the guns of the forts.
During fourteen nights piles were driven through the mud into the solid ground beneath, and on them were piled 15,000 bags of sand to form a parapet.
After breaking down several trucks, a monster eight-inch Parrott gun, a 200-pounder, was dragged across the swamp and mounted, and about the middle of August the Swamp Angel, as the soldiers named it, was ready to throw shells into Charleston, nearly five miles away.
On the 17th of August twelve land-batteries and the monitors opened fire on Sumter, Wagner, and Gregg.
The heaviest of the fire was aimed at Sumter, as General Gillmore wished to silence it before he made another assault on Wagner.
The bombardment was kept up for seven days, when Gillmore sent a dispatch to General Halleck, saying: ‘Fort Sumter is to-day (Aug. 24) a shapeless and harmless mass of ruins.’
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The Defense of Charleston harbor, 1863-1865 by John Johnson, published in 1890, provided documents showing the Confederate viewpoint of Fort Sumter:
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A council of officers, consisting of Colonel Gilmer, C. S. Corps of Engineers; Colonel Rhett, First South Carolina Artillery; Colonel Harris, C. S. Corps of Engineers; Major Blanding, First South Carolina Artillery; Captain F. H. Harleston, First South Carolina Artillery; and Lieutenant Johnson, Corps of Engineers, met at Fort Sumter on the afternoon of August 24, 1863.
Captain Harleston acted as recorder. The first proposition proposed for consideration was, “The present offensive condition of the fort.”
Lieutenant Johnson, Engineer Corps: The present offensive condition of the fort is very limited; one very fine gun (11-inch) capable of being fired with advantage; two others (10-inch) at disadvantage, in consequence of shattered condition of parapet.
Captain Harleston of same opinion as Lieutenant Johnson.
Major Blanding: The offensive condition of the fort is very nearly destroyed; only one gun (11-inch) that can be used with any advantage.
Colonel Harris indorses Lieutenant Johnson’s opinion.
Colonel Rhett: In action it would be impracticable to use but one gun, the 11-inch, and that would soon be disabled.
Colonel Gilmer of the same opinion as Lieutenant Johnson.
Second proposition: Can offensive power still be given to these guns by additional cover and change of location?
Lieutenant Johnson: Yes; by sandbag épaulement and timber platforms in rear of and between present platforms.
Captain Harleston: Consider it impracticable on account of present shattered condition of the fort, and that sufficient time will not be allowed.
Major Blanding: Agree with Captain Harleston.
Colonel Harris: It can be done in present condition of fort, if time is allowed.
Colonel Rhett: Would like to see it carried out, but consider it impracticable.
Colonel Gilmer: It is entirely within the capacity of the engineer to accomplish the work in the manner suggested by Lieutenant Johnson, if not under fire, at night when the fire ceases.
Third proposition: Capacity of the fort as a defensive position, in its present condition, against a barge attack, and the number of men needed.
Lieutenant Johnson: I think the capacity of the fort sufficient, and that it needs 300 muskets.
Captain Harleston: I think the capacity of the fort sufficient, and that it needs from 250 to 300 muskets.
Major Blanding: Without outside assistance, in its present condition, 500 muskets will be needed.
Colonel Harris: Agree with Lieutenant Johnson.
Colonel Rhett: The navy will not be able to assist in an attack from barges; the fort can be held in its present condition with no less force than 400 effective men, and a large part of those should be kept under arms during the night, as barges can come within fifty yards without being seen.
Colonel Gilmer: The defensive capacity of the fort is sufficient if garrisoned with 300 effective men, giving them the assistance of splinter-proof cover and sandbag épaulements.
Fourth proposition: Power of the fort to preserve its present defensive condition against probable attack.
Lieutenant Johnson: Against the possible combined attacks of the fleet, Parrott guns, and mortars, thirty-six hours.
Captain Harleston: Agree with Lieutenant Johnson.
Major Blanding: Against a combined vigorous attack, twelve hours.
Colonel Harris: Cannot undertake to answer as regards time.
Colonel Rhett: The eastern wall is much shattered by the fire of the 7th of April, and has never been repaired, excepting two casemates, which have been rebuilt with new masonry; the wall has been reinforced in the casemates with sandbags; it has also been seriously damaged by fire from the land-batteries on Morris Island. My opinion is that a fire from the iron-clad fleet for from two to three hours would destroy the integrity of the wall, if it did not bring it down. A combined fire from land-batteries on Morris Island, with a monitor attack, would most probably bring down a large part of the wall. The inner corner wall of eastern magazine is now cracked. The fort wall adjoining the pier of the upper magazine has been completely shot away, and I think a concentrated fire of two hours on the junction of the upper and lower magazines would render the magazine unsafe. The north wall of the upper western magazine is unprotected, and is exposed to a reverse fire from the fleet firing one or two points north of perpendicular to east face of fort. A few shots upon this wall, striking about the junction of upper and lower magazine, would render the magazine unsafe. This place is now being reinforced with eight feet of sand. The roof of the hospital is now only protected by brick arches that would be crushed through by a few shells.
Colonel Gilmer: From the examination I have been able to make as to the effect of the bombardment up to this time, I think the fort will remain tenable against any probable attack for many days if the Engineer officers be supplied with the labor and material necessary to reinforce points comparatively weak.
Alfred Rhett, Colonel, commanding.
Ormsby Blanding, Major First South Carolina Artillery.
F. H. Harleston, Captain First South Carolina Artillery.
John Johnson, First Lieutenant Engineer Corps, Provisional Army C. S.
The foregoing is a correct report of what occurred at the consultation of the officers named, but we do not consider it as embodying our opinion in full as to “the advisability of abandoning the work,” as called for by the commanding general in a letter, a copy of which is embraced in the foregoing proceedings.
J. F. Gilmer, Colonel, and Chief of Engineer Bureau.
D. B. Harris, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Chief Engineer of Department.
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Head-quarters Depart. S. C., GA., and Florida,
Charleston, S. C, Aug. 26, 1863.
(Endorsement.)
The opinion of Colonel Gilmer and Lieutenant-Colonel Harris of the Engineers is approved.
Fort Sumter must be held to the last extremity — i. e. not surrendered until it becomes impossible to hold it longer without an unnecessary sacrifice of human life. Evacuation of the fort must not be contemplated an instant without positive orders from these head quarters.
G. T. Beauregard, General Comdg.
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The Civil War Commemorative Half Dollar Coin shows with an image of the Swamp Angel, circa 1863.
