Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Monitors Against Charleston Again

July 10, 1863

Near commander of the South Atlantoc Blockading Squadron, Rear Admiral Dahlgren sends four monitors to bombard Confederate defenses on Morris Island by Charleston, SC.  This was to cover the landing of Army troops under Brigadier General Quincy A. Gilmore.  Small Navy boats armed with howitzers worked in close to shore.

However, the monitors could not dislodge the Confederates from Fort Wagner.  The monitor USS Catskill was hit 60 times, many of them very severe, but repairs were made and joined in the attack the next day.

Of course, all of this was leading up to the 54th Massachusetts' famous attack on Fort Wagner.  --Old B-R'er

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