Seven Months in the Rebel States During the North American War, 1863

VII. Return Voyage

SIEGE OF CHARLESTON 139 did not go into action again in my time, that is, up to September 22. If we now consider more closely all of the results prior to this date, the Federals had only captured Morris Island, had constructed a small battery in the swamp, and had destroyed Fort Sumter's capacity for active resistance. In general, therefore, they were still three and a half to four and a half miles from the stronghold, and if they were to continue the attack that had been launched, they still had to work their way through the swamp to James Island in order to be nearer to the city. To be sure, the city had ceased to be a commercial town, since the running of the blockade was made much more difficult even by the seizing of Morris Island, and since all tradesmen had also left the city. This made it possible at the same time to withdraw a part of the blockading fleet. The use of torpedoes led to no results in Charleston, while an experiment succeeded in seriously damaging the frigate Ironsides with an exceedingly simply constructed submarine boat.4 I shall give a brief critique to explain again the nature of the siege and to clarify the general results. The general plan of attack was a bungled one, because it was based on hypotheses that could haunt the minds only of military amateurs. Too much confidence had been placed in the ironclads, and their nlain attack was to be supported only by a secondary attack on Fort Sumter. It soon developed, however, that the attack on Morris Island was becoming the cardinal point, while the armored fleet fell to secondary rank and assumed in the attack the role that our lighter, mobile batteries will play in future sieges. Therefore, Fort Wagner was not taken until the land attack reached the battery, and Fort Sumter had by no means fallen at that time. If the armored fleet were really to attain great results, it would have to act with absolute audacity, as we have 4 See Albert Kelln, "Confederate Submarines," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, LXI, 293-303 (July, 1953), and Wm. Stanley Hoole, "Alabama-Built Submarine Was First to Sink a Battleship," Birmingham News Monthly Mazagine, Dec. 13, 1953, pp. 12-13. 140 SEVEN MONTHS IN THE REBEL STATES remarked above, as Admiral Farragut acted when he went up the Mississippi between the forts and took New Orleans. If a land attack was really necessary, it would have been wiser if Charleston had been blockaded and besieged with somewhat more troops from the land side, whereby there would have been realized at the same time the great advantage of cutting it off from land sources of personnel and material aid, while, as things were, it was completely open to the rear and, like Titan, was able to draw new strength from its mother, the country. Therefore, the great expectations that had been called forth were illusory. Only the following things were noteworthy: 1. Masonry is a poor defensive material. 2. Earth is still the best material for breastworks. 3. Even ironclad vessels play only a secondary role against land fortifications. 4. Torpedoes are mainly a psychological weapon, since no enemy vessel dared enter the harbor, although the few torpedoes that were laid there had in many cases become useless and were declared by the defenders themselves to be "humbugs." They were important in rivers. Furthermore, the first use of large, rifled calibers at long ranges, the illumination of targets at night, and the practical construction of the Confederate earthworks were interesting . The greater part of Charleston was deserted during the siege. Only in the northern part, where many Germans and Irishmen also reside, were a few people still at home. Everything was frightfully expensive except board at the hotel. A bottle of wine cost up to 24 paper dollars (graybacks ), a pair of boots 60 dollars, a suit, coat, trousers, and vest, 220 dollars. A dinner for seven people, with red wine and a few courses, coffee, etc., cost 770 paper dollars. Fortunately, one gold dollar was worth two and a half paper dollars at first and ten paper dollars in the last part of the time. I lived in Mill's House with Captain Ross, whose calm judgment made him an estimable and amiable travel com- SIEGE OF CHARLESTON 141 panion. He...