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"General: Upon the first inst., the increase of the enemy's force in the
Stono, and information from North Edisto, gave warning that the long-threatened
combined movement upon Charleston was about to take place.
Brigadier-General S. R. Gist, commanding 1st subdivision of this District

(James Island and St. Andrew's Parish), took prompt measures for the
observation and repulse of any attack in that direction. Colonel R. F.
Graham, commanding 3rd subdivision, occupied the shore of Morris Island
on Light House Inlet to control the passage from Folley Island, and a strict
watch has been kept up to the present time on the land movements of the
enemy.

"On the 5th, the ironclad fleet of the enemy, consisting of seven (7)
monitors and one (1) double turreted vessel, hove in sight from Fort Sumter,
and came to anchor outside in the vicinity of the Ironsides frigate, then a
part of the blockading squadron. The 6th was apparently spent by the
enemy in preparation, and by our artillerists in verifying the condition of
their material. On the morning of the 7th, the enemy was inside the bar
with all his ironclads, including the frigate, but from his proximity to the
shoals and the haziness of the atmosphere his position could not be determined.

"The various works of preparation were progressed with, both upon the
exterior and interior lines of defense, until about 2 p. m., when the enemy
steamed directly up the channel, the Weehawken (supposed) with a false
prow for removing torpedoes attached, leading, followed by three monitors;
the Keokuk, double turreted, bringing up the rear.

"At each fort and battery, officers and men made preparations for immediate
action, while the enemy came slowly and steadily on. At 3 o'clock
Fort Moultrie opened fire. At 5 minutes past 3, the leading vessel having
arrived at fourteen hundred yards, Fort Sumter opened upon it with two
guns. Batteries Bee, Beauregard, Wagner and Gregg opened about this
time; and the action became general, the four leading monitors closing upon
the Weehawken, and taking position from the forts and batteries at an average
distance of about fifteen hundred yards. In accordance with instructions
the fire from the different points was concentrated upon the leading vessel;
and the effort was soon apparent in the withdrawal of the leading monitor
from action, her false prow having been detached and otherwise apparently
injured. The remaining monitors in advance of the flag ship held their
position, directing their fire principally at Fort Sumter, but giving occasional
shots at Fort Moultrie, of which the flagstaff was shot away, Batteries
Beauregard and Bee.

"The Ironsides meantime opened fire and drew the attention of Forts
Moultrie and Sumter and Battery Gregg. A few heavy and concentrated
discharges caused her to withdraw out of range, where she was followed by
two other monitors.

"At 5 minutes past 4 the Keokuk left her consorts, and came to the front,
approaching to within nine hundred yards of Fort Sumter, twelve hundred
from Battery Bee, and one thousand from Fort Moultrie. Her advance was
characterized by more boldness than had yet been exhibited by any of the
enemy's fleet, but receiving full attention from the powerful batteries opposed
to her, the effect was soon apparent. The ten-inch shell and seven-inch rifled
bolts crashed through her armor, her hull and turrets were riddled and
stove in, her boats were shot away, and in less than forty minutes she

retired with such speed as her disabled condition would permit.

"The remaining monitors kept their position for a short time, but soon
one by one dropped down the channel, and came to anchor out of range,
after an action of two hours and twenty-five minutes at ranges varying
from nine hundred to nineteen hundred yards.

"The full effect of our batteries upon the enemy could not be precisely
ascertained, and, as our strength had not been fully put forth, it was
believed the action would soon be renewed. The monitor which had led in
the action proceeded south outside of the bar the same evening.

"Before the commencement of the affair, I was proceeding in a boat to
Battery Bee, and watched the progress of the cannonade from that point.
The guns were worked with as much precision as the range would admit.
There were no damages or casualties. Visiting Fort Moultrie, the damaged
flagstaff was being replaced and everything prepared for a renewal of fire
should the enemy again approach. One man had been mortally wounded
by the falling of the staff. Crossing the channel to Fort Sumter, the effect
of the impact of the heavy shot sent by the enemy against the fort they
are so anxious to repossess, greater in caliber and supposed destructive
force than any hitherto used in war, was found to have been much less
than had been anticipated. Five men had been injured by splinters from
the traverses, one 8-inch columbiad had exploded, one 10-inch carriage had
its transom shot away and two rifled 42 drs. had been temporarily
disabled from the effect of recoil on defective carriages.

"The garrison was immediately set to work to repair damages, and, the
strength of the enemy's projectiles having been ascertained, to guard such
points as might be exposed to their effect should the attack be renewed.
Battery Gregg and Battery Wagner were uninjured except from the accidental
explosion of an ammunition chest in Battery Wagner.

"During the night of the 7th, stores were replenished; threatened points
upon land re-enforced; working parties from the Forty-sixth Georgia Regiment
brought to Fort Sumter, and the renewal of the struggle in the morning
awaited with confidence.

"When day dawned on the morning of the 8th, the enemy's fleet was discovered
in the same position as noticed on the previous evening. About 9
o'clock the Keokuk, which had been evidently the most damaged in the
action, went down about three and a half miles from Fort Sumter and
three-quarters of a mile from Morris Island. The remainder of the fleet
were repairing damages. Preparations for repulsing a renewed attack
were progressed with in accordance with the instructions of the commanding
general, who visited Fort Sumter on that day. A detachment of seamen,
under Flag Officer W. F. Lynch, arrived from Wilmington, and on
the 9th temporarily relieved the artillerists in charge of Battery Gregg.
The operations of the enemy's fleet consisted only of supply and repair.
Towards evening of the 9th, a raft, apparently for removing torpedoes or
obstructions, was towed inside the bar. Nothing of importance occurred
during the 10th. During the night of the 10th, Lieutenant-Colonel Dargan,

of the Twenty-first South Carolina Regiment, crossed Light House Inlet,
drove back the enemy's picket with loss, and returned with one prisoner.

On the 11th, there were indications that the attacking fleet were about to
withdraw; and on the 12th, at highwater, the Ironsides crossed the bar and
took up her position with the blockading fleet; and the monitors steamed
and went toward the southward—leaving only the sunken Keokuk as a
monument of their attack and discomfiture.

"In this, the first trial of the enemy's iron fleet against brick fortifications
and their first attempt to enter the harbor of Charleston, in which
they were beaten before their adversaries thought action had well commenced,
they were opposed by seventy-six pieces in all, including mortars.
Thirty-seven of these, exclusive of mortars, were above the caliber of
thirty-two pounders. The guns which the enemy brought to bear were,
if their own account is to be believed, thirty-six in number, including
eight-inch rifled, eleven, thirteen and fifteen-inch guns, which would make
their weight of metal at one discharge nearly, if not quite, equal to that
thrown by the batteries.

"During the action Brigadier-General Trapier, commanding 2nd subdivision
of this District, was present at Fort Moultrie. Brigadier-General
Gist, commanding 1st subdivision, at Fort Johnson. Colonel R. F. Graham,
commanding 3rd subdivision, at Morris Island, and Colonel L. M. Keitt,
commanding Sullivan's Island, at Battery Bee, attending to their duties,
and awaiting the developments of the attack.

"The action, however, was purely of artillery; forts and batteries against
ironclad vessels—other means of defense, obstructions and torpedoes not
having come into play. Fort Sumter was the principal object of the enemy's
attack and to that garrison, under its gallant commander, Colonel Alfred
Rhett, ably seconded by Lieutenant-Colonel Yates, and Major Blanding,
and all the officers and men, special credit is due for sustaining the shock
and with their powerful armament contributing principally to the repulse.
The garrison of Fort Moultrie, under Colonel William Butler, seconded by
Major Baker and the other officers and soldiers, upheld the historic reputation
of that fort and contributed their full share to the result. The
powerful batteries of Battery Bee was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
John C. Simkins[28] and were served with great effect. Battery Wagner,
under Major Cleland F. Huger; Battery Gregg, Lieutenant Lesene, and
Battery Beauregard, under Captain Sitgreaves, all did their part according
to their armament.

"Indeed, from the reports of commanders, it is hard to make any distinction
where all did their duty with zeal and devotion. Those cases which
have been ascertained will be found in the reports of the subordinate commanders.
The steady preparation for receiving a renewed attack, and the
discipline of the troops, especially in the garrison of Fort Sumter, the labor
being necessarily great, have been quite as creditable as their conduct
under fire.

"While service in immediate action is that which is most conspicuous
after such a result has been accomplished, the greater credit is due to that
long, patient and laborious preparation by which our works and material,
never originally intended to withstand such an attack as this, have been
so prepared as to enable our gallant and well-instructed officers and men
to obtain their end with comparatively small loss. In that preparation the
late Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas M. Wagner contributed much on both sides
of the channel, and Colonel Rhett and Lieutenant-Colonel Yates, Major
Blanding and other officers of Fort Sumter have been more or less engaged
since the fort fell into our hands two years since. Colonel Butler, Lieutenant-Colonel
Simkins, and other officers of the First South Carolina
Infantry, have been for more than a year engaged in the work on Sullivan's
Island. Besides various officers of engineers and other branches
of the department staff known to the commanding general have been at
different times principal contributors in the work, and although in the
limits of this report it is impossible to mention all to whom credit is due,
it is well that works like these, without which in such emergencies as the
present personal gallantry avails nought, should be appreciated.

"During the seven days while the presence of the enemy's fleet threatened
action, Captain William F. Nance, principal Assistant Adjutant General on
the District staff, performed his difficult duties in the administration of a
command of twenty thousand men in a prompt, judicious and efficient manner.
He was assisted by Lieutenants H. H. Rogers and W. H. Wagner,
aid-de-camps. Captain F. B. DuBarry, District Ordnance Officer, was
especially active and energetic in the supply of ammunition and material
for the batteries. He was assisted by Lieutenant C. C. Pinckney.

"Captain B. H. Read, Assistant Adjutant-General, Colonel Edward Manigault,
and Lieutenant-Colonel St. Clair Dearing, volunteers upon the staff,
were present during the action at Fort Sumter. Captain Seabrook, volunteer
aid-de-camp, and Lieutenant Schirmlee, enrolling officer and acting
aid-de-camp, were generally with me during the active period and all were
energetic and prompt in the duties required of them. To Majors Motte A.
Pringle and Norman W. Smith, post and district quartermasters, and
Captain McCleneghan, assistant commissary sergeant, many thanks should
be rendered. The duties of the quartermaster's department were excessively
laborious on account of the limited means of transportation, and it
is a matter of congratulation that with such means they were so well performed,
Captain John S. Ryan, A. C. S., acted on my immediate staff.

"The reports of the engineer officers will inform the commanding general
of the condition of the various works as well as of the action of the
officers in that branch of the service.

"I have the honor to transmit herewith a return of the guns engaged, a
return of the ammunition expended, and a numerical return of casualties,
together with the reports of the different commanders.

"I have also to transmit herewith two Federal ensigns obtained from the
Keokuk as she lies off Morris Island beach, by Lieutenant Glassell, C. S.
Navy, one of which is evidently the ensign under which she fought and was

worsted. None of the ironclad fleets flew large flags, the object having
doubtless been to avoid presenting a mark to our artillerists.