150 Years Ago: October 24th to 26th, 1863-- Fort Sumter Under Attack Again

OCTOBER 24TH

USS Hastings and Key West arrived in Eastport, Mississippi, to support Army operations along the Tennessee River. General Sherman was happy to have the help, despite problems with low water level. Operations continued until mid-December as efforts to solidify Union control along the river continued.

**  USS Calypso captured British schooner Herald off Frying Pan Shoals (NC) with a cargo of salt and soda (not soda pop).

OCTOBER 26TH

Union ironclads began an intensive two week bombardment of Fort Sumter. General Beauregard wrote of the "terrible bombardment" and said that the fort had been hammered by 1000 shot in just 12 hours.

A week later, Commander Stevens of the monitor USS Patapsco, said the bombardment was "hardly describable, throwing bricks and mortar, gun carriages and timber in every direction and high into the air." But, Rear Admiral Dahlgren noted: "There is an immense endurance in such a mass of masonry, and ruins may serve as shelter to many men."

In other words, you can destroy it only so much before it gets stronger. The embattled defenders held on, though.

--Old B-Runner