208 Norra CaRoLina TRoopPS, 1861-’65. works, guarding the left gorge and sallyport. Two of Cap- in I i tside. tain DePass’ field pieces were also ou During the bombardment we had concentrated upon our little band forty-four guns and mortars from the ane se teries of the enemy, distant from 1,200 to 2,000 yar “ the heavy guns from the iron-sides, five monitors . ; be gunboats, say about fifty guns, making a total of nine “i 0 ns, The sand being our only protection, fortunate —_ shell would fill up the hole made by the last, or we would have been annihilated. Our only guns that could reach the en- emy had been dismounted by their fire, and our smaller ones we had been compelled to dismount in order to protect, so that we might use when the assault should be made. — the day the garrison was protected as much as th sie the bomb-proofs, only those-necessary to guard an aa pe guns being required to remain exposed. This accounts the small loss sustained during the day, but at a given sie each man was expected to report at his station in the gee 8, the fire being so rapid and deadly that it would have : . impossible to attempt anything like military forma ion. About dusk 18 July, 1863, the long expected signal was given and the Fifty-first North Carolina as one man, sprang to its post, encouraged and led by the officers. ee The advancing column of the enemy consisted of the Fi Brigade, made up of six regiments and one mene - ported by Putnam’s Brigade of five regiments, with Steve son’s Brigade, of four regiments, held as a anrtidiee se The enemy advanced in column of regiments, led by ap Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, a picked negro regiment, tween sunset and dusk with empty guns and orders to use their bayonets. Time had not been given us to mount i guns, which as before stated, we had dismounted for ~~ : tion, so that the assault was met solely by our infantry, 0 ee cannon being fired; but so murderous was our fire me a advancing columns broke and rushed to the rear throug He ranks of their own support, causing confusion and de ee Colonel Shaw, who was hardly more than a boy, fell — on the top of our breastworks, in advance of his men, struc with three mortal wounds. His followers broke and fled in Firry-First RreGimMenrt,. 209 wild terror. A most handsome monument has been erected in Boston to perpetuate his memory. About an hour later a second assault was made. 3y this time we had mounted our guns which we opened on them at short range, and our infantry again poured their deadly fire into their ranks, causing a second break with even greater loss than the first. A third and final assault was made about 10 o’clock, and notwithstanding a cross-fire was concentrated upon them, a lodgment was made behind the bomb-proof and magazine manned by the four companies of the Thirty-first North Carolina, but to hold only for a short time. Their commander was killed, and the Thirty-second Georgia Regi- ment arriving at this time was sent along the parapet, and to the top of the magazine. In this way their rear was reached, and the assailants of a few minutes before found themselves assailed and thtowing down their arms, surren- dered and put an end to the day’s fighting. Brigadier-General Taliaferro was in immediate command of Morris’ Island during the day. The position of the Fifty- first was such that it bore the brunt of the assault, and its members were therefore the most active participants. The Confederate loss during the day was 175, of which the Fifty- first suffered 34 killed and 40 wounded, the following officers being among the number: Lieutenant Giles W. Thompson, of Company E, killed; Lieutenants Edward Southerland, W. H. Littlejohn, of Company A, and Lieutenant J. D. Malloy, of Company D, wounded. The enemy is said to have lost 2,000, 800 of whom were buried in front of the fort next morning. This great slaughter shows how desperately our men, maddened and infuriated at the sight of negro troops, fought. The next morning we were relieved and sent to Sul- livan’s Island, the officers and men being complimented by General Beauregard for the manner in which they had be- haved. A writer from another State referring to this en- gagement, used the following language: “The Fifty-first North Carolina brilliantly sustained the honor of their State and were highly commended, especially the field officers, Col- 14 en EY TTL TED OEE Tc TY OIE RS TT eS ESS RNY RENE AET A reo OM LIU NG RRO OI .