Class. Book. COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT tr^-* No. 8. PAPERS PRACTICAL ENGINEERING, PUBLISHED BY THE ENGINEER DEPARTMENT. FOR THE USE OF THE OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES CORPS OF ENGINEERS. PAPERS ON PRACTICAL ENGINEERING. No. 8. OFFICIAL REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES ENGINEER DEPARTMENT, OP THE SIEGE AND REDUCTION OF FOET PULASKI, G-EOPIG-IA, FEBRUARY, MARCH, AND APRIL, 1862. By Brig.-Gek Q. A. GILLMOKE, U. S. Vols., Captain of Engineees U. S. A.. ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND ENGRAVED VIEWS. NEW YORK: D. VAN" NOSTKAKD, 192 BROADWAY. 1862. ■¥ ■tj Entered according to Act of Congress, in tlie year 1862, BY D. VAN NOSTRAKD, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. C. A. AI.VOBD, STKREOTYI'KP. AND I'KINTKK. CONTENTS. PAGE. General Gillmore's Report To General Totten T Appendix A 55 Letter from Captain Gillmore, Chief Engineer Expeditionary Corps, to eral T. W. Sherman commanding Expeditionary Corps. Appendix B 56 Letter from Captain Gillmore to General Sherman. Appendix C 57 Assignment of Officers to the different Batteries. Appendix D 59 Report of Lieut. Horace Torter, Ordnance Department, to General Gillmore. Tabular statement of the Firing of the several Batteries at the Siege of Fort Pulaski 70 Appendix E 81 Report of Lieut. T. B. Brooks, New York Volunteer Engineers, to General Gillmore. Appendix F 95 Rifle Projectiles. GENERAL GILLMORE'S REPORT TO GEK TOTTEI^, CHIEF El^^GII^EEE U. S. A. Head Qtjaetees U. S. Foeces, ^ Ttbee and Cockspur Islands, Ga., April SOth, 1862. ^ Sie: I HAVE the lionor to submit the following report of operations connected with the siege of Fort Pulaski, which resulted in its capitulation to the United States forces on the 11th inst. 1. This success so fully demonstrates the power and effectiveness of rilled cannon, for breaching at long dis- tances, — at distances indeed hitherto untried, and consid- ered altogether impracticable, thus opening a new era in the use of this most valuable, and comparatively un- knoAvn arm of service, — has been obtained with such sin- gularly strict adherence to the details of the project, as originally conceived in December last, and has withal, in the developed results, such an important bearing upon the character of our harbor and frontier defences, that I feel called upon to enter into some details. 2. The transfer to another field of labor of Brigadier- 8 GKN. GILLMORK's KEPOKT. General T. W. Sherman, lately in command of the forces on this coast, — under whose auspices the project for the reduction of Fort Pulaski was pushed forward to with- in a few days of its final accomplishment, — renders it proper that this report should refer to the preliminary operations directly connected with the siege. 3. In the capacity of Chief Engineer on General Sher- man's staff, I was present with the investing forces under General Viele, when the Savannah Iliver was closed above the fort, by the establishment of the bat- tery on Venus Point, Jones Island, on the night of the 11th February last. I took no part in the erection of the Bird Island battery, opposite Venus Point. These two batteries effectually closed the Savannah River. 4. In the double capacity of engineer and com- mander of the forces, I was charged with the off'ensive operations on Tybee Island, where the batteries for the reduction of the work were to be established ; and also with the completion of the investment, l;)y the block- ade of the Wilmino'ton Narrows and Lazaretto Creek passage. 5. The data for this report will therefore be taken, in a measure, fi'om my private journal, and from official correspondence and orders. FORT PULASKI. 6. Fort Pulaski is situated on Cockspur Island, Geor- gia, latitude thirty-two degrees two minutes north, and GEX. GILLMORe's REPORT. 9 longitude three degrees fifty-one minutes west from Washington, at the head of Tybee Roads, commanding l)oth channels of the Savannah River, The position is a very strong one. Cockspur Island is wholly marsh, and is about one mile long and half a mile wide. 7. It is a brick-work of five sides, or faces, including the gorge ; casemated on all sides ; walls seven and a half feet thick, and twenty-five feet high above high water ; mounting one tier of guns in embrasures, and one en har-heUe. The gorge is covered by an earthen outwork (demilune) of bold relief. 8. The main work and demilune are both surrounded and divided by a wet ditch. Around the main work, the ditch is forty-eight feet wide ; around the demilune, thirty-two feet. 9. The communication with the exterior is through the gorge into the demilune, over a drawbridge, and then through one face of the demilune, over the demi- lune ditch, by another drawbridge. The scarp of thc- demilune, and the entire counterscarp of main work and demilune, are revetted with good brick masonry. 10. At the time of the siege, it contained forty-eight guns, of which twenty bore upon the batteries on Tybee, viz. : five ten-inch columbiads, five eight-inch columbi- axls, four thirty-two pounders, one twenty-four pounder Blakely rifle, two twelve inch and three ten-inch sea- coast mortars. A full armament for the work would be 140 guns. 10 GEN. GILLMOKe's REPOKT. 11. On tlie 29tli of November, I was directed by General Sherman to make an examination of Tybee Island and Fort Pulaski, and to report u2)on the pro- priety of occupying and holding that island, and upon the practicability (and, if deemed praeticalde, the best method) of reducing Fort Pulaski. I reported, on De- cember 1st, that I deemed " the reduction of that work practicable, by batteries of mortars and rifled guns estab- lished on Tybee Island ;" and entered into some details as regards the position of the batteries, the precautions to be observed in their construction, and the intensity of the fire that should be maintained against the work. The immediate occupation of Big Tybee Island, by at least one regiment, was also recommended. (See Ap- pendix A.) 12. The armament proposed for the several batteries comprised ten ten-inch sea-coast mortars, ten thirteen- inch do., eight heavy rifled guns, eight Columbiads (see Appendix B.). 13. The project set forth in these two communica- tions (Appendices A. and B.) received General Sherman's sanction at once, with some slight modification as to the number and calibre of the mortars to be used, and was forwarded to Washington, and aj^proved there. 14. Information was in due time received, that orders to j)repare and forward the ordnance and ordnance stores had been issued. 1 5. For months therefore, preceding the fall of Pulaski, GEN. GILLMOEE's KEPOET. 11 its reduction from Big Tybee, favored by a thorough iuvestment, formed one of General Sherman's approved plans, awaiting only the action of others in sending the necessary supplies for its completion. 16. The 46th regiment New York Volunteers (Colo- nel R. Rosa) was sent to occupy Big Tybee Island, early in December. 17. Oj^erations for investing the place, by the erection of batteries on the Savannah River, above the work, were set on foot about the middle of January, 1862. 18. It was known to General Sherman before that time, that gunboats of medium draught could enter the river above Fort Pulaski, without encounterino; anv batteries ; on the south side through Wassaw Sound, Wilmington Narrows (or Freeborn's Cut), and St. Au- gustine Creek ; and on the north side, through New River, Wall's " Cut," and either Wright or Mud River. 19. Wall's " Cut" is an artificial channel, narrow but deep, connecting New and Wright Rivers, and has for years been used in making the inland water passage between Charleston and Savannah. 20. This "Cut" the enemy had obstructed by an old hulk, and numerous heavy piles, as ascertained about the 1st of January, by Lieutenant J. H. Wilson, Topo- graphical Engineers. These obstructions had all been removed by a detachment of our Engineer troops, under Major Beard, 48th regiment New York volunteers, 12 GEN. GILLMORE's REPOliT. secretly sent fioiu Hilton Head by General Sliemian for that purpose. The piles were sawed off on a level with the bottom of the stream, and the hulk was swung around against the side of the cut, leaving ample room for the passage of transports and gunboats. 21. The opening of Wall's " Cut," which required four days and four nights to effect, was reported to the Navy on the 14th January, in order that the gunboats might enter the Savannah River, and cover us in the erection of the investing batteries. At this time, the enemy's gunboats were daily j^assing up and down the river. 22. Mud River is navigable, at high spring tide, for vessels of eight and a half to nine feet draught. Wright River bar has about eleven and a half feet of water at ordinary high tide. The Wright River passage ren- dered it necessary to approach within about two miles of Foi-t Pulaski. 23. After the removal of the Wall's Cut obstructions, a joint expedition of land and naval forces, for the investment, was organized by General Sherman and Commodore Dupont. 24. It consisted of one regiment of infantry (the 48th New York volunteers), two companies of the New York volunteer engineers, and two companies of Rhode Island volunteer artillery, with twenty guns of all cali- bre, viz. : two eight-inch siege ho^^dtzers, four thirty- pounder Parrotts, three twenty-pounder Parrotts, three twelve-pounder James, and eight twenty-four-pounder 13 field howitzers, and was accompanied ])y three gun- boats. The troops were to rendezvous at Daufustie Ishind, where we already had three companies of 7th Connecticut volunteers, under Major Gardiner, guarding Wall's " Cut." They had been posted there on January 13th. 25. The land force was in readiness at Hilton Head, soon after the middle of January. Various causes de- layed the expected naval co-operation, so that no gun- boats passed Wall's " Cut," until the 28th of January. 26. The naval forces were commanded by Commander John Kogers, U. S. N., the land forces by Brigadier- General Viele. 27. Another mixed force, approaching by way of Wassaw Sound, presented itself on the south of the Savannah River, in Wilmington Narrows (or Free- born's Cut), at the same time, the laud force being com- manded by Brigadier-General H. G. Wright, and the gunboats by Fleet-Ca23tain Davis. 28. On the afternoon of January 28th, a reconnois- sance was made of Mud River, and the Savannah River shore of Jones Island. Venus Point, on the margin of the Savannah, was selected as the position for one of the investing batteries. The line for a road or " causeway," over the marsh between Venus Point and Mud River, was also located. Its length was nearly 1 300 yards. . 29. Jones Island is nothing but a mud marsh, cov- 14 GEN. OILL^IOUe's RKPOKT. ered witli reeds and tall grass. The general surface is abouL on the level of ordinary liigli tide. There are a few spots of limited area, Venus Point being one of them, that are submerged only l)y spring tides, or by ordinary tides favored by the wind ; but the character of the soil is the same over the whole island. It is a soft, unctuous mud, fi-ee of grit or sand, and incapable of supporting a heavy weight. Even in the most ele- vated places, the partially dry crust is but three or four inches in dej^th, the substratum being a semi-fluid mud, which is agitated like jelly by the falling of even small bodies upon it, like the jum2:)ing of men, or ramming of earth. A pole or an oar can be forced into it with ease, to the depth of twelve or fifteen feet. In most places the resistance diminishes with increase of penetration. Men walking over it are partially sustained by the roots of reeds and grass, and sink in only five or six inches. When this top support gives way, they go down from two to two and one-half feet, and in some places much further. 30. A road or " causeway " of some kind across Jones Island, from Mud River to Venus Point, was deemed ne- cessary, and determined upon at the outset (even if the guns should not have to be carried over it), as the means of getting speedy succor to the Venus Point battery, in case of attack ; Daufuskie Island, four miles distant, being the nearest point where troops could be kept for that purpose. 31. On the 29th of January, Lieutenant O'Korke, of the engineers, was dispatched in a small boat to exam- GEN. GILLMOKE's EEPOET. 15 me Long aud Ell)a Islands, on the Savannali River. Ma- jor Beard, 48tli New York volunteers, accompanied him. Tliey entered tlie Savannali river via Cunniug- liam Point, at tlie lower end of Jones Island ; pulled up the Savannah, stopj^ing several times on Long and En3a Islands ; and went around the west end of the latter, to within about two miles of Fort Jackson. 32. Lieutenant O'Rorke reported the uj^per end of Lono; Island favorable for batteries, the surface beins: fully as high as that at Venus Point. 33. The following extracts from my journal furnish a portion of the history of the operations on Jones Island and the Savannah River, for the investment of Fort Pu- laski, and may be properly introduced into this report : Extracts froBit Journal of ESrigaclier-Oeneral OilliuorCt Chief Engineer Expeditionary Corps. 34. ''^Fehruary 1st, ^d, Sd, and Uh. — The two engi- neer companies on Daufuskie Island, commanded by Captain Sears, were employed in cutting poles for a ' causeway' on Jones Island, from Mud River to Venus Point, and for the engineer wharf on Daufuskie Island, New River." 35. "On the 4th, the wharf, with eight feet of water at low tide, was completed. 10,000 poles, five to six inches in diameter, and nine feet long, had been cut on Daufuskie Island, and 1,900 of them deposited at the wharf. The men of the 48th New York and 7th Con- necticut volunteers transported the poles on theu' shoul- IG GEN. GILLMOKe's KEPORT. tiers, the average distance carried Ijeing one mile. At the suggestion of Ca})tain Sears, I liad a swath cut and cleared of reeds and grass across th(^ u|)[)er end of Jones Island, to ])reveiit tlie enemy burning the island over." 3(3. " Navy officers were engaged in S(junding Mud and Wright rivers. No certainty as yet that the gun- boats will enter the Savannah River. Mud Kiver Las about one and one-half feet of water in it at extreme low tide, Avith a very soft, almost semi-fluid bottom. Sound- ings in Wright Ili\er are not completed yet." 37. " February 5th arid 0th. — Nothing specially new. Engineer force engaged in cutting poles, filling sand-bags on Daufuskie Island, building a temporary wharf ot poles and sand-bags on Mud River, and constructing a wheelbarroAV track of planks laid end to end, from Ve- nus Point to Mud River wharf. The 48tli New York, 7th Connecticut volunteers, and a portion of the engi- neer forces, engaged in transporting poles and planks, and caiTying filled sandbags from Daufuskie Island to Jones Island (a distance of abont four miles) in row boats." 38. " Fehrimry VJi and %th. — Finished temporary wharf on Mud River; carried several hundred filled sand- bags across to Venus Point ; also, a quantity of planks and other battery materials. Had the balance of the engineer materials, required for the Venus Point bat- tery, put into lighters, so as to be ready whenever the gunboats should move. There appears to be no imme diate prospect o'"'th GEN. GILLMORe's REPORT. 17 39. " February Wi. — I visited Commander Rodgers, to consult in regard to liis movins; into the Savannah. He said he intended to attempt the Mud River passage that night, on the high tide. The signal of his starting would be one note from his steam-whistle. Returned to Daufuskie, and consulted with General Viele and Captain Hamilton, the Chief of Artillery. It was ar- ranged that the flats, with the guns and ammunition on them, should be towed by the steamer Mayflower, through Wall's Cut, and up Mud River into the Sa- vannah, just behind the guuljoats. They were accord- ingly taken in tow in the evening after dark, from the engineer wharf. The night was windy, rainy, and very dark. The Mayflower, after several attempts, failed to reach Wall's Cut, and cast anchor near the spot she started from. The gunboats did not move, on account of the weather." 40. '■''February 10th. — The gunboats Pembina and Unadilla are at anchor in Wright River, near Wall's Cut. The gunboat Hale has taken up a position in Mud River, about two hundred yards to the eastward of the temporary wharf, in order to ];)rotect the landing, and cover us, if driven back. Caj^tain Hamilton quite ill from last night's exposure in the Mayflower. I con- sulted with General Viele in the afternoon, and it was determined to establish the Venus Point battery at once, and wait no longer for the g'luiboats to go ahead of us;* also, to eftect this by landing the guns on Jones Island, from Mud River, and hauling them over the marsh, in- * Orders from General Sherman to that effect were subsequently received that same evening. 2 18 GEN. ftlLLMORES REPORT. stead of towincr them into the Savannah in flats, as first contemplated. Major Beard, 48th New York Volun- teers, and Lieutenant J. H. Wilson, Topographical En- gineers, volunteered to assist Lieutenant Horace Porter, the ordnance officer, in getting the flats into Mud Kiver, and the guns on shore and into position. Accordingly, the flats with the guns were towed by our row-boats up the river, against the tide, and landed without accident. Two of them were taken aT)out three hundred yards into the marsh, by Lieutenant Wilson. The 48th New York Volunteers furnished the fatigue parties, which had already been twenty-four hours at work on Jones Island, and were very much exhausted. Deeming it im- possible to get the guns over that night, I directed them to be covered with reeds and grass, to prevent their dis- covery by the enemy, and left there until the following night." 41. "During the night of the lOth, Lieutenant O'Rorke of the Engineers, with a party of volunteer engineers, commenced the magazine and gun platforms at Venus Point. The party concealed their work at daybreak (11th), and withdrew. The platforms were made by raising the surface five or six inches, mth sand carried over in T)ags. On this sand foundation, thick planks, peri)endicular to the line of the battery, were laid, nearly but not quite in contact with each other. At right angles to these, deck-planks were laid, giving a platform nine by seventeen feet. The floor of the magazine was twenty inches above the natural surface, an 1 rested on sand-bags." GEN. GILLMORe's REPOET. 19 42. '■'■February WtJi. — Continued getting battery and road materials to Jones Island during the day. Early in tlie evening I went to Jones Island, ivitli fresli men, to finish the labor of getting the guns over. Lieuten- ants Wilson and Porter and Major Beard took charge of the fatigue parties, as before. The work was done in the following manner: The pieces, mounted on their carriages and limbered up, were moved forward on shifting runways of planks (about fifteen feet long, one foot wide, and three inches thick), laid end to end. Lieutenant Wilson, with a party of thirty-five men, took charge of the two pieces in advance (an eight-inch siege howitzer and a thirty-pounder Parrott), and Major Beard and Lieutenant Porter, with a somewhat larger force, of the four pieces in the rear (two twenty and two thirty- pounder Parrotts). Each party had one pair of planks in excess of the numl)er required for the guns and limbers to rest upon, when closed together. This extra pair of planks being placed in front, in prolongation of those already under the carriages, the pieces were then drawn forward with drag-ropes, one after the other, the length of a plank, thus freeing the two planks in the rear, which, in their turn, were carried to the front. This labor is of the most fatiguing kind. In most places the men sank to their knees in the mud ; in some places, much deeper. This mud being of the most slip- })ery and slimy kind, and perfectly free from grit and sand, the planks soon became entirely smeared over with it. Many delays and much exhausting labor were occa- sioned by the gun-carriages slipping off the planks. When this occurred, the wheels would suddenly sink to the hubs, and powerful levers had to be devised to raise 20 GEN. them up again. I authorized the men to encase their feet in sand-bags, to keep the mud out of their shoes. Many did this, tying the strings just below the knees. The magazines and platforms were ready for service at daybreak. Lieutenant Wilson got his two pieces into position at half-past 2 a. m., and Major Beard and Lieu- tenant Porter, their four pieces at half past 8 a. m., on the 12th. At 3 A. M., Lieutenant Wilson started back to General Viele, on Daufuskie, to report the success." 43. " Fehruary Vltli. — After giving directions for the fresh relief to be put to work in throwing up a dike around the battery, to keep out the spring tides, which were beginning to flow, I returned to Daufuskie Island. " The high tide to-day came within eight inches of the surface at Venus Point." 44. '■'' Februarij 13^A, XUJi^ and 15th. — Various causes, particularly the weather, delayed the establishment of the battery on Long Island." 45. "On the morning of the 13th, the rebel steamer Ida passed down by Venus Point, under full steam. Nine shots were fired at her, striking astern, all but one. Elevation good, but not enough allowance made for speed of vessel. I was not in the battery at the time. All the pieces, except one thirty-pounder, recoiled off the platforms. These were at once enlarged to eighteen feet by seventeen and a half feet." 46. " On the afternoon of the 14th, three rebel gun- boats came down tiie river, and opened fire on the bat- 21 tery, taking a position about one mile distant. Battery- fired about thirty shots. One of tlie vessels was struck. The boats then withdrew." 47. ^''February 16th. — The steamer Ida, which, ran the battery on the 13th, left Fort Pulaski and returned to Savannah, via Lazaretto Creek, Wilmington Narrows, Tm-ner's Creek, and St. Augustine Creek." 48. " Fehruary 11th. — I returned to Hilton Head, by General Sherman's order, leaving Lieutenant O'Rorke with General Viele, with wi'itten instructions concern- ing the engineering operations to be carried on." 49. The foregoing extracts from my Journal, are all that bear directly upon the operations on the Savannah above Fort Pulaski. 50. I did not return there on duty. I soon received official information, however, that a second battery, con- sisting of one eight-inch siege howitzer, one thirty- pounder Parrott, one twenty-pounder Parrott, and three twelve-pounder James, w^as established on Bird Island, just above Long Island. This was done on the night of February 20th, the flats, with the guns, ammunition, &c., on them, being towed up Mud River, and across the Savannah, by row-boats. Lieutenant O'Rorke of the engineers was present as engineer officer, and Lieutenant Porter as ordnance officer; Captain John Hamilton, General Sherman's chief of artillery, was also present. 51. On the 19th of February, I was ordered to Big 22 GEN. gillmoee's report. Tybee Island, to place it " in a thorougli state of defence against approach from Wilmington Narrows and Laza- retto Creek, to prevent all approacli by water, and blockade the channel," thereby completing the invest- ments, and also to " commence operations for the bom- bardment of Fort Pulaski." 52. The absolute blockade of Pulaski dates from the 2 2d of February, at which time I stationed two compa- nies of the 46th N. Y. Volunteers, with a battery of two field-pieces, on Decent Island, Lazaretto Creek. This force was subsequently placed on Ijoard an old hulk, anchored in Lazaretto Creek, about two and a quarter miles ft'om Fort Pulaski. One thirty-pounder Parrott was then added to the battery. A small guard-boat, mounting a navy six-pounder, was posted considerably in advance of the hulk, to intercept messengers attempt- ing to reach Fort Pulaski by way of McQueen's Island marsh. On the 31st of March, the guard-boat and eighteen men were captured by a large scouting party of the enemy, who suddenly appeared on Wilmington Island. After this the services of the gunboat Norwich, Captain Duncan, were secured in Wilmington Narrows, to assist the blockade. 53. It was found impossible to perfectly isolate the work. In order to ap2:)reciate the difficulty, and even impracticability of securing, with ordinary means, the complete blockade of a place like Fort Pulaski, it is necessary to understand something of the topography of the position. GEN. GILLMORe's REPORT. 23 54. The Savanuah River, from its mouth on Tybee Roads, to its confluence with St. Augustine Creek, eight miles above, is skirted on both sides l)y low marsh islands, submerged by spring tides, covered with a thick growth of reeds and tall grass, and cut up by numerous small tortuous creeks and bayous. With light boats that can be hauled over the marsh by hand, from creek to creek, small parties, familiar with the locality, can, with comparative security, find their way over these marshes, in the night, and avoid guards and pickets. It was known that messengers passed to and from the fort, in this way, quite frequently. Several of these were caught. One of them started from the fort and made his escape to Savannah, just after the white flag was raised, on the day of the surrender. 55. On the 21st of February, the first vessel with ordnance and ordnance stores for the siege, arrived in Tybee Roads. From that time until the 9th of April, all the troops on Tybee Island, consisting of the seventh regiment Connecticut Volunteers, the forty-sixth regi- ment New York Volunteers, two companies of the Vol- unteer Engineers, and, for the most of the time, two com- panies third Rhode Island Volunteer Artillery, were constantly engaged in landing and transporting ordnance, ordnance stores, and battery materials, making fascines and roads, constructing gun and mortar batteries, ser- vice and depot magazines, splinter and bomb-proof shel- ters for the reliefs of cannoniers ofi^ duty, and drilling at the several pieces. 56. The armament comprised thirty-six pieces, dis- 24 GEis". gillmore's eeport. tributed in eleven batteries, at various distances fi'om the fort, as shown in the following table : 1. Battery, Stanton, 3 1 2. " Grant, 3 3. " Lyon, 3 4. " Lincoln, 3 5. " Burnside, 1 heavy 13 6. " Sherman, 3 7. " Halleck, 2 8. u Scott, 9. u Sigel, 10. u McCleUan, 11. 11 Totten ■ 13-inch Mortars, at 3,400 yds. 11 11 II " 3,200 " 10 " Columbiads, " 3,100 " 8 " " " 3,045 " 13 " Mortar, " 2,750 " II a 11 II 11 It " 2,650 " " 2,400 " ^?'i°- [ Columbiads, " " 1,740 " 30-p'dr. Parrott, 'dr.) } " 1,670 " 48 " James, (old 24 p 84 " " ( " 64 " " ( " 42 32 " H " 1,650 " 10-inch Siege Mortars, " 1,650 " 57. Each battery had a service magazine capable of containing a supply of powder for about two dayy' firing. A depot powder magazine, of 3,600 barrels ca- pacity, was constructed near the Martello Tower, which was the landing-place for all the supplies. 58. For a description of the manner of unloading the heavy ordnance upon an exposed beach, — remarkable for its heavy surf, — and of the means adopted for trans- porting it, by the labor of men exclusively, over a swampy and unsafe road, to the several batteries, lo- cated at points varying from one mile to two and a half miles from the landing-place, I refer you to the report of Lieutenant Horace Porter, chief of ordnance and ar- tilery, hereunto appended. 59. Serious difficulties were encountered in making a road sufficiently firm to serve for this heavy transpor- tation. GEN. gillmore's report. 25 60. Tybee Island is mostly a mud marsh, like other marsh islands on this coast. Sev^eral ridges and hum- mocks of firm ground, however, exist upon it, and the shore of Tybee Roads, where the batteries were located, is partially skirted by low sand-banks, formed by the gradual and protracted action of the wind and tides. The distance along this shore, from the landing-place to the advanced batteries, is about two and a half miles. The last mile of this route, on which the seven most advanced batteries were placed, is low and marshy, lies in full view of Fort Pulaski, and is within effective range of its guns. The construction of a causeway, rest- ing on fascines and brushwood, over this swampy por- tion of the line; the erection of the several batteries, with the magazines, gun platforms, and splinter-proof shelters ; the transportation of the heaviest ordnance in our service, by the labor of men alone ; the hauling of ordnance stores and engineer supplies, and the mounting of the guns and mortars on their carriages and beds, had to be done almost exclusively at night, alike regardless of the inclemency of the weather, and of the miasma from the swamps. 61. No one except an eye-witness, can form any but a faint conception of the Herculean labor l)y which mor- tars of eight and one half tons weight, and columbiads but a trifle li^-hter, were moved in the dead of nio-ht, over a narrow causeway, bordered by swamps on either side, and liable at any moment to be overturned, and buried in the mud beyond reach. The stratum of mud is about twelve feet deep ; and on several occasions the heaviest pieces, particularly the mortars, became de- 26 tached from the sling-carts, and were with, great diffi- culty, by the use of planks and skids, kept from sinking to the bottom. Tavo hundred and iSfty men were barely sufficient to move a single piece, on sling-carts. The men were not allowed to speak above a whisper, and were guided by the notes of a whistle. 62. The positions selected for the five most advanced batteries, were artificially screened from view from the fort, by a gradual and almost imperceptible change, made little by little every night, in the condition and appearance of the brushwood and bushes in front of them. No sudden alteration of the outline of the land- scape was permitted. After the concealment was once perfected to such a degree as to aftbrd a good and safe parapet behind it, less care was taken ; and some of the work in the batteries requiring mechanical skill, was done in the daytime, the fatigue parties going to their labor before break of day, and returning in the evening, after dark. 63. In all the batteries, traverses were placed between the pieces. 64. With two exceptions (batteries Lincoln and Totten), the magazines were placed in or near the cen- tre of the battery, against the epaulement, with the opening to the rear. An ante-room for filling cartridge- bags was attached to each. The magazines for the batteries Lincoln and Totten were located in the rear of the platforms. GEX. gillmore's report. 27 65. For revetting tlie sides of traverses and epaule- ments, fascines, hurdles, brusli, and marsh sods were used. Marsh sods form the best revetment for sandy soil. All the others allow the sand to sift through them to such an extent, as to become a serious annoyance to the men serving the pieces. 66. In order to diminish, as much as possible, the labor of forming the parapets in front of the pieces, the foundation timbers of all the gun and mortar platforms were sunk to hio-h- water mark. This brouo-ht them, in many cases, to within six or eight inches of the substra- tum of soft clay. To secure them against settlement, the lateral as well as vertical dimensions usually adopted for platforms, were considerably enlarged, i 67. Drawings of the mortar platforms, with bills of timber attached, are shown in Plate IV. 68. On the 31st day of March, Major-General Hunter assumed command of the Department of the South, and Brigadier-General Benham, of the northern district thereof, comprising the states of South Carolina, Geor- gia, and a part of Florida. During the week which followed, these generals visited Tybee Island at separate times, and inspected the siege works and batteries then established. No change or modification of any of the works was suggested by either. 69. On the afternoon of April 9th, every thing was in readiness to open fire. Generals Hunter and Benham had arrived the evening before, with their respective staffs. 28 GEN. GILLMORE's REPOPwT. 70. Tlie following general orders, regulating tlie rapidity and direction of the firing, and the charges and elevation of the pieces of each battery, were issued. As the instructions then given were, with one or two exceptions, adhered to with remarkable fidelity through- out the action, they are inserted here in full, to save the necessity of further reference to them. » !• Headquarteks IJ. S. Forces, ) Tybee Island, Ga., April Qth, 1862. J General Orders. )■ No. 17. j The batteries established against Fort Pulaski, will be manned and ready for service at break of day, to- moiTow^ The signal to begin the action, will be one gun from the right mortar of battery Halleck (2,400 yards from the work), fired under the direction of Lieutenant Hor- ace Porter, chief of ordnance. Chargeof mortar, eleven pounds ; charge of shell, eleven j^ounds ; elevation, fifty- five degrees ; length of fuze, twenty-four seconds. This battery (two thirteen-inch mortars) will con- tinue firing at the rate of fifteen minutes to each mortar, alternately, varying the charge of mortars and the length of fuze, so that the shells will drop over the arches of the north and noi*th-east faces of the work, and explode immediately after striking, and not before. The other batteries will open as follows, viz. : Battery Stanton (three thirteen-inch mortars, 3,400 yards distant), immediately after the signal, at the rate of fifteen minutes for each piece, alternating from the right. Charge of mortars, fourteen pounds ; charge of GEN. gillmore's report. 29 shell, seven pounds ; elevation, forty-five degrees ; and length of fuze, twenty- three seconds ; varying the charge of mortar and length of fuze as may be required. The shells should drop over the arches of the south face of the work, and explode immediately after striking, but not before. Battery Grant (three thirteen-inch mortars, 3,200 yards distant), immediately after the ranges of battery Stanton have been determined, at the rate of fifteen minutes for each piece, alternating from the right. Charge of shells, seven pounds ; elevation, forty-five de- grees; charges of mortars and length of fuze to be varied to suit the. range, as determined from battery Stanton. The shells should drop over the south face of the work, and explode immediately after striking, but not before. Battery Lyon (three ten-inch columbiads, 3,100 yards distant), with a curved fire, immediately after the sig- nal, allowing ten minutes between the discharges for each piece, alternating from the right. Charge of gun, seventeen pounds ; charge of shell, three pounds ; eleva- tion, twenty degrees ; and length of fuze, twenty sec- onds ; charge and length of fuze to vary as required. The shells should pass over the parapet into the work, taking the gorge and north face in reverse, and explod- ing at the moment of striking, or immediately after. ^ Battery Lincoln (three eight-inch columbiads, 3,045 yards distant), with a curved fii-e, immediately after the signal, allowing six minutes between discharges for each piece, alternating from the right. Charge of gun, ten pounds ; charge of shell, one and one-half pounds ; ele- vation, twenty degi-ees; and length of fuze, twenty 30 GEis". gillmore's eepoet. seconds; directed tlie same as battery Lyon, upon the gorge and north face in reverse, varying the charge and length of fuze accordingly. Battery Burnside (one thirteen-inch mortar, 2,750 yards distant) firing every ten minutes from the time the range is obtained for battery Sherman. Charge of shell, seven pounds ; elevation, forty -five degrees ; charge of mortar and length of fuze varying as required, from those obtained for battery Sherman. The shells should drop on the arches of the north and north-east faces, and explode immediately after striking, but not before. Battery Sherman (three thirteen-inch mortars, 2,650 yards distant), commencing immediately after the ranges for battery Grant have been determined, and firing at the rate of fifteen minutes for each piece, alternating fi'om the right. Charge of shell, seven pounds ; eleva- tion, forty-five degrees ; charge of mortar and length of fuze to he fixed to suit the range, as determined from battery Grant. The shells should drop over the arches of the north and north-east faces. Battery Scott (three ten-inch and one eight-inch co- lumbiad, 1,T40 yards distant), firing solid shot, and commencing immediately after the barbette fire of the work has ceased. Charge of ten-inch columbiads, twenty pounds ; elevation, four and one-half degrees. Charge ,of eight-inch columbiad, ten pounds; elevation, five degrees. This battery should breach the paneoupe betAveen the south and south-east faces, and the embrasure next to it, in the south-east face ; the elevation to be varied accordingly, — the charge to remain the same. Until the elevation is accurately detennined, each GEN. GILLMOEES REPOET. 31 gun should fire once in ten minutes ; after that, every six or eiglit minutes. Battery Sigel (five thirty-pounder Parotts, and one forty-eight-pounder James — old twenty-four pounder rifled — 1,670 yards distant) to open with four and three- quarter seconds fuzes, on the barbette guns of the fort, at the second discharge from battery Sherman. Charge for thirty -pounder, three and one-half pounds ; charge for forty-five-pounder, five pounds ; elevation, four de- grees for Ijotli calibres. As soon as the barbette fire of the work has been silenced, this battery will be directed with percussion shells upon the walls, to breach the pancoupe, l)etween the south and south-east faces, and the embrasure next to it, in the south-east face ; the elevation to be val'ied accordingly, — the charge to remain the same. Until the elevation is actually determined, each gun should fire once in six or eight minutes ; after that, every four or five minutes. Battery McClellan (two eighty-four and two sixty-four- pounders, James — old forty-two and thirty-two-pounders, rifled — 1,650 yards distant) opens fire immediately after battery Scott. Charge for eighty-four-pounder, eight pounds ; charge for sixty-four-pounder, six pounds ; ele- vation for eighty-four-pounder, four and one-quarter de- grees ; and sixty-four-pounder, four degrees. Each piece should fire once every five or six minutes, after the eleva- tion has been established ; charge to remain the same. This battery should lu'each the work in the pah coupe, between the south and south-east faces, and the embrasure next to it, in the south-east face. The steel scraj^er, for the grooves, should be used after every fifth or sixth discharge. 33 GEN. gillmoke's eepoet. Battery Totten (four ten-incli siege mortars, 1,650 yards distant) opens fire immediately after battery Sigel, firing each piece about once in five minutes. Charge of mortar, three and one-half pounds ; charge of shell, three pounds ; elevation, forty -five degrees ; and length of fuze, eighteen and one-half seconds. The charge of mortar and length of fuze to vary, so as to explode the shells over the north-east and south-east faces of the work. If any battery should be unmasked outside the work, battery Totten will direct its fire upon it, varying the charge and length of fuze accordingly. The fire from each battery will cease at dark, except especial directions be given to the contrary. A signal ofiicer at battery Scott, to observe the effects of the thirteen-inch shells, will be in communication with other signal ofiicers stationed near batteries Stan- ton, Grant, and Sherman, in order to determine the ranges for these batteries in succession. By order of Brig. Gen. Q. A. Gillmoee, W. L. M. BUEGER, Ist Lieut Vol. Eng. & Act\j. Asst. Adj. Gen. 72. Just after sunrise, on the morning of the 10th, Major-General David Hunter, commanding the depart- ment, dispatched Lieutenant J. H. Wilson, of the To- pographical Engineers, to Fort Pulaski, bearing a flag of truce, and a summons to surrender. To this demand a negative answer was returned. 73. The order was given to open fire, commencing GEN. GILLMORES REPORT. witli the mortar batteries, agreeably to the foregoing instructions. 74. The first shell was fired at a quarter past eight o'clock, A, M., from battery Halleck. The other mortar batteries opened one after the other, as rapidly in suc- cession as it was found practicable to determine the approximate ranges, by the use of signals. The guns and columbiads soon followed, so that before half-past nine, a. m., all the batteries were in operation ; it having been deemed expedient not to wait for the barbette fire of the work to be silenced, before opening with breach- ing-batteries Scott and McClellan. 75. The three ten-inch columbiads in battery Scott were dismounted by their own recoil, at the first dis- charge ; and one of those in battery Lyon, from the same cause, at the third discharge (see report of the ordnance ofiicer, paragraph twenty-nine). They were all, except one in battery Scott, subsequently remounted and served. 76. As the several batteries along our line, which was 2,550 yards in length, opened fire one after another, the enemy followed them up successively, with a vigor- ous, though not at first very accurate fire, from his barbette and casemate guns. Subsequent inquiry showed that he knew the exact position of only two of our batteries (Sherman and Burnside). These were established just above high-water mark, on low ground, void of bushes or undergrowth of any kind. During their construction, no special attempt at concealment 8 * 34 GEN. gillmore's eeport. bad been made, after once securing good parapet cover by niglit-work. 77- Great disappointment was expressed, by all expe- rienced officers present, at the unsatisfactory results obtained with the thirteen-inch mortars. Although the platforms were excellent, and remained, for all use- ful purposes, intact, — and although the pieces were served with a very fair degree of care and skill, not one- tenth of the shells thrown appeai'ed to fall within the work; an estimate that was afterwards found to be rather over than under the correct proportion. Whether this inaccuracy is due to the fact that no cartridge-bags were furnished for the mortars, to inequalities in the strength of the powder, to defects inherent in the piece itself, or to these several causes combined, remains yet to be ascertained. It is suggested that the earnest attention of the proper department be directed to this subject. 78. By one o'clock in the afternoon (April 10th), it became evident that the work would be breached, pro- vided our breaching batteries did not become seriously disabled by the enemy's fire. By the aid of a powerful telescope, it could be observed that the rifled projectiles were doing excellent service ; that their penetration was deep and effective ; and that the portion of the wall where the breach had been ordered, was becoming rap- idly " honey-combed." 79. It also became evident before night, on account of the inefficiency of the mortar firing, that upon breach- GEN. gillmore's report. 35 ing alone, — ending, perhaps, in an assault, — we must depend for the reduction of the work. 80. In order to increase the security of our advanced batteries, a tolerably brisk fire against the barbette guns of the fort, was kept up throughout the day. Probably from fifteen to twenty per cent, of the metal thrown from the breaching batteries, on the 10th, was expended in this way. 81. As evening closed in, rendering objects indistinct, all the pieces ceased firing, with the exception of two thirteen-inch mortars, one ten-inch mortar, and one thirty-pounder Parrott, which were served throughout the night, at intervals of fifteen or twenty minutes for each piece. 82. I extract as follows, from my preliminary re- port to Brigadier-General Benham, dated April 12th, 1862: 83. " The only plainly perceptible result of this can- nonade of ten and a half hours' duration (on the 10th), the breaching batteries having been served but nine and a half hours, was the commencement of a breach in the easterly half of the pancoupe, connecting the south and south-east faces, and in that portion of the south-east face spanned by the two casemates adjacent to the pan- coup6." 84. " The breach had been ordered in this portion of the scarp, so as to take in reverse, through the opening 36 GEN. formed, tlie powder magazine, located in the angle formed by tlie gorge and the north face." 85. "Two of the barbette guns of the fort had been disabled, and three casemate guns silenced." '' The enemy served both tiers of guns briskly through- out the day, but without injury to the materiel or per- sonnel of our batteries." ****** 86. "On the morning of the 11th, a little after sun- rise, our batteries again opened fire with decided effect, the fort returning a heavy and well-directed fire from its casemate and barbette guns. The breach was rap- idly enlarged. After the expiration of three hours, the entire casemate next the pancouj)e had been opened, and by twelve o'clock, the one adjacent to it was in a similar condition." 87. " Directions were then given to train the guns upon the third embrasure, upon which the breaching batteries were operating with effect*, when the foi-t hoisted the white flag. This occurred at two o'clock." 88. " The formalities of visiting the fort, receiving its surrender, and occupying it with our troops, consumed the balance of the afternoon and evenina-." '&• 89. During the 11th, about one tenth of the projec- tiles from the three breaching batteries, were directed against the barbette guns of the fort. Eleven of its guns were dismounted, or otherwise rendered tempora- rily unserviceable. GEN. GILLMORe's REPORT. 37 90. The garrison of tlie fort was found to consist of 385 men, including a full complement of officers. Sev- eral of them were severely, and one fatally wounded. 91. Our total loss was one man killed. None of our pieces were struck. 92. I take pleasure in recording my acknowledgment of the hearty, zealous and persevering co-operation afforded me by the officers and men under my com- mand, not only during the 10th and 11th, when, all more or less forgot their fatigue, in the excitement and danger of the engagement, but throughout the exhaust- ing and unwholesome labors of preparation, occupying day and night, a period of nearly eight weeks. 93. The entire available strength of the command was on guard or fatigue duty every tw^enty-four hours. 94. The details for night- work were always paraded immediately after sunset, and were usually dismissed from labor between one and two o'clock in the morn- ing, although circumstances frequently required parties to remain out all nio^ht. "&' 95, In unloading the ordnance and ordnance stores, advantage was always taken of favorable tide and weather, day and night. 96. There is one circumstance connected with this siege, which appears to deserve special mention, and that is, that with the exception of a detachment of 38 GEN. gillmore's report. sailors from the frigate Wabash, who served four of the light siege-pieces in battery Sigel, on the 11th, we had no artillerists of any experience whatever. Four of the batteries were manned by the Rhode Island volunteer artillery, who were conversant with the manual of the pieces, but had never been practised at firing. All the other pieces were served by infantry troops, who had been on constant fatigue duty, and who received all their instruction in gunnery at such odd times as they could be spared from other duties, during the week or ten days preceding the action.* 97. Throughout the siege. Colonel Alfred H. Terry, seventh regiment Connecticut volunteers, and Lieutenant Colonel James F. Hall, commanding battalion of New York volunteer engineers, were conspicuous for the zeal and perseverance with which they discharged the varied duties to which they were assigned. 98. Captain Hinkle, with one company of the forty- sixth regiment New York volunteers, and a small bat- tery, occupied for eight weeks, with credit to himself and command, an advanced and exposed position on a hulk in Lazaretto Creek, cutting oif boat communication in that direction, between Fort Pulaski and the interior. * Instructions had been given by General Benham to place a mortar battery on the lower end of Long Island, and two ten-inch columbiads on Turtle Island, in or- der to obtain a reverse fire on the work. These batteries were to have been erected and manned by detachments from General Viele's command. One ten-inch siege mortar was therefore placed on Long Island, and was served on the 11th April, by a detachment commanded by Major Beard, 48th New York volunteers. It was entirely ineffective on account of the distance, nearly 1,900 yards. The idea of the Turtle Island battery was not carried into effect, and no pieces were landed there. GEN. GILLMORe's REPORT. 39 99. Lieutenant Horace Porter, of the ordnance de- partment, rendered important and valuable service. Besides discharging, most efficiently, the special duties of chief of ordnance and artillery, he directed in person the transportation of nearly all the heavy ordnance, and instructed the men in its use. He was actively engaged among the batteries during the action. * 100. Captain Charles E. Fuller, assistant quarter- master, served with me four weeks, assuming during that time the entire charge of unloading the ordnance and ordnance stores from the vessels, a duty which he discharged with a success worthy of special notice. 101. Lieutenant James H. Wilson, topographical en- gineers, joined my command eleven days before the action, and was assigned to duty as instructor of artil- lery. He rendered valuable service in that capacity, and also at the breaching batteries, on the 10th and 11th. 102. Captain Louis H. Pelouze, fifteenth LTnited States infantry, and Captain J. W. Turner, commissary of subsistence. United States army, members of Major- General Hunter's staff, volunteered for the engagement, and were assigned to the command of batteries, where their knowledge and experience as artillerists proved of great value. 103. On the 11th, two pieces of batter}^ Sigel were served by a detachment from the eighth regiment Maine volunteers, under Captain McArther, of that regiment. 40 GEN. GILLMORE's REPORT. The men had all served exclusively as infantry, and received their first artillery drill from Captain Turner and Lieutenant Wilson, under a severe fire. They readily adapted themselves to their new duties, and served their guns creditably. 104. Captain F. E. Graef and Lieutenant T. B. Brooks, commanding respectively the t\to companies (D and A) of volunteer engineers, were indefatigable in the dis- charge of their duties as engineer officers, which re- quired them to be out with the working pai'ties every niofht. o 105. I am under obligations to Commander C. R. P. Rodgers and Lieutenant John L^win, United States navy, for skilfully serving, with a detachment of sailoi's, four siege-guns in battery Sigel, on the 11th. 106. Lieutenant W. L. M. Burger, of the regiment of New York volunteer engineers, served with zeal and efficiency as my adjutant-general, during the operations on Tybee Island. 107. Lieutenant P. H. O'Rorke, of the corps of engi neers, and Adam Badeau, Esq., volunteered to serve as my aids on the 10th and 11th, and rendered valuable assistance. 108. The services of Sergeant James E. Wilson, of Company A, corps of engineers, deserve special mention, and largely contributed toward getting the breaching batteries ready for service. GEN. GILLMOKe's KErOllT. 41 Sergeant Wilson commanded "battery Biiruside during tlie action. 109. To Major-General Hunter, and Brigadier-General Benham, commanding respectively this department and district, I am under obligations for the official courtesy with which they allowed the project for reducing the fort, which was planned and all but executed before they assumed their commands, to be carried out in all its details, without change or modification. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 110. The three breaching batteries, Sigel, Scott and McClellan (see Plates II. and HI.), were established at a mean distance of 1,700 yards from the scarp walls of Fort Pulaski. 111. The circumstance, altogether new in the annals of sieges, that a practicable breach was made at that distance, in a wall 7|- feet thick, standing obliquely to the line of fire, and backed by heavy casemate piers and arches, cannot be ignored by a simple reference to the time-honored military maxims that ^'■Forts cannot ■sustain a vigorous land attack^'' and that "a// masonry should he covered from land hatteriesP 112. A comparative glance at the status of military science, as regards breaching, prior to the invention of rifled cannon, will enable us to form a tolerably correct estimate of the importance to be attached to the results developed by this improved arm of the service 42 113. A standard military work farnislies the follow- ing extract: "An exposed wall may be breached with certainty at distances from 500 to 700 yards, even when ele- vated 100 feet above the breaching battery ; and it is believed that in case of extreme necessity, it would be justifiable to attempt to batter down an exposed wall from any distance not exceeding 1,000 yards, but then the cpiantity of artillery must be consider- able, and it will require from four to seven days' firing, according to the number of guns in battery and the period of daylight, to render a breach prac- ticable." 114. During the Peninsular War, breaching at 500 to 700 yards was of frequent occurrence, and at the second siege of Badajos, fourteen brass twenty-four- pounders breached an exposed castle wall l^acked by earth alone (and consequently much weaker than a scarp sustained in the rear by heavy piers and arches), in eight hours, at a distance of 800 yards. 115. Experiments at breaching with rifled guns have recently been made. I shall notice two cases : 116. In August, 1860, exj)eriments with Ai'mstrong's rifled guns were made against a condemned Martello Tower, at Eastbourne, on the coast of Sussex, England. The tower was of brick, fifty-six years old, and design- ed for one gun, the wall being seven and a half feet thick at the level of the ground, and five and three- fourths feet thick at the spring of the vault, which was GEisr. gillmore's report. 43 nineteen feet above the ground. It was thirty-one and a half feet high, forty-six feet exterior diameter at the bottom, and forty feet at the top. 117. The pieces used against it were, one forty-pounder of four and three-fourths inches calibre, one eighty- two-pounder of six inches calibre, and one seven-inch howitzer throwing 100 lb. shells. 118. A practicable breach twenty-four feet wide, in- cluding most of the arch, was made with an expendi- ture of 10,850 pounds of metal, at the distance of 1,032 yards. 119. The projectiles expended were : 40-pounder gun, 20 solid shot, 1 plugged shell, 43 live shells. 82 " " 19 " " 8 " " 36 " " 7-inch howitzer, 2 " " 29 " " Projectiles that failed to hit the wall are excluded from the above table. 120. General Sir John Burgoyne in his report upon these experiments, says : " Trials were subsequently made to breach a similar tower from smooth-bored six- ty-eight and thirty-two-pounders ^ at the same range of 1,032 yards, and the result may be deemed altogether a failure, both accuracy of fire and velocity of 7nissiles being quite deficient for such a range.^'' " At 500 or perhaps 600 yards, the superiority of the rified ordnance would probably have been very littJje,if anyT i 121. Experimental siege operations for the instruc- 44 tion of the Prussian army, comprising the demolition of the defective and obsolete fortifications at Juliers, were carried on in the month of September, 1860, es- pecially with reference to the effect of rifled breech- loading guns. 122. The following brief summary of the breaching experiments, is taken from the report of Lieut.-Col. A. Ross, Royal Engineers : 123. "Four twelve-pounder iron guns, and two twelve-joounder brass guns, weighing respectively 2,700 pounds and 1,300 pounds, throwing a conical ball weighing twenty-seven pounds, and fired with a charge of two and one-tenth pounds, at 800 Prussian paces (640 yards), made a practicable breach thirty -two feet wide in a brick wall three feet thick, with counterforts four feet thick, four feet wdde, and sixteen feet fi'om centre to centre, the wall beino; sixteen feet high and built en decharge^ after firing 126 rounds. The first six rounds are omitted from this calculation, as they did not strike the wall, the wall being entirely covered from the o;uns." " No difference was observed between the effects of the brass and the iron guns. The bursting-charge of the shells was fourteen-fifteenths of a pound. The penetration was fifteen inches." 124. " Six six-pounder guns, four of iron and two of cast steel, w^eighing respectively 1,300 and 800 pounds, throwing a conical shell weighing thirteen pounds, and firing with a charge of one and one-tenth pounds, at GEN. GILLMORE's REPORT. 45 fifty paces, made a practicable breacli seventy feet wide, in precisely the same description of wall as that above described, after firing 276 rounds, the battery being- situated on the counterscarp opposite tlie wall.'^ " No difference was observed between the effects of the cast-steel and iron guns." "The bursting-charge of a shell was half a pound. The j)enetration of the first single shots averaged eigh- teen inches." 125. "Four 24-pdr. iron guns, weighing between 53 and 54 cwt., throwing a shell weighing fifty-seven pounds, and fired with a charge of four pounds, at a distance of sixty yards, made a practicable breach sixty- two feet wide, in a loop-holed brick w^all twenty-four feet high and six and a half feet thick, after firing 11*7 rounds, the wall being seen from the battery. The bursting-charge of the shell was two pounds. The pen- etration of the two fu-st single shots was two and a half and three feet." 126. "The same guns, after firing 294 rounds with the same charges, and at a distance of ninety-six yards, made a breach forty-six feet wide in a brick wall forty feet high and twelve feet thick at the foot, with a batter of about four feet. The wall was twelve feet thick, and built en decharge, with counterfoi-ts six feet wide and sixteen feet from centre to centre, and connected by two rows of arches one above the other. The penetration of the first single shots was three feet and three and a half feet. All the above-mentioned guns were rifled breech-loaders." 46 GEN, GILLMOEE S EEPORT. 127. It is impossible to institute a very close compar- ison of the relative value of rifled and smooth-bored guns for breaching purposes, from any data which expe rience has thus far developed. 128. The experiments at Eastbourne, hereinbefore mentioned, are the only ones on record, where they have been tried side by side, to the extent of actual breaching, against the same kind of masonry, and at the same distance. We have seen lioiv on that occasion the rifles were a complete success^ while the smooth-hores were an utter failure. . 129. At Fort Pulaski an excellent opportunity was afforded on the scarp wall near the breach, for obtaining the actual penetration of the several kinds of projec- tiles. An average of three or more shots for each cali- bre was taken, giving the following results, which may be relied upon as correct : Table of penetrations in a hrick wall^ as determined at the siege of Fort Pulashi^ Georgia, April, 1862. Kind of Gun. Old 42-pdr. rifled, a 32 « u 24 " Parrott rifled guns. 10-in. Columbiad, \^ smooth bore, ) 8-in. Columbiad, \ smooth bore, ) Distance from Wall. 1650 yards, 1650 " 1670 " 1670 " 1740 " 1740 " Kind and weiRht of projectile. James' 84 lb. solid, " 64 " " " 48 " " Parrott 30 " " 128 lb. solid, round, 68 " " Elevation.! «Jharge. I Petietra- 1 "^ tion. 41 deg. 4 " 4i- " 4 " 4+ " 5 " 8 lbs. 6 " 5 " 3i " 20 " 10 " 130. The above table indicates very prominently, al- though it affords no exact means of measuring, the great GEN. GILLMORe's REPORT. 47 superiority of rifled over smooth-bored guns, for pur- poses requiring great penetrating power. 131. Against brick walls the breaching effect of per- cussion shells is certainly as great as that of solid shot of the same calibre. They do not penetrate as far by twenty to twent)''-five per cent., but by bursting they make a much broader crater. Such shells would doubt- less break against granite walls, without inflicting much injury. 132. Sir W. Dennison, from a comparison of the sev- eral sieges in Spain during the Peninsular War, estima- ted that a practicable breach at 500 yards could be made in a rubble wall, backed by earth, by an average expenditure of 254,400 lbs. of metal, fired from smooth- bore 24-pdrs. for every 100 feet in width of breach : equal to 2,544 lbs. of metal for every lineal foot in width of breach. 133. Before we can draw any comparison, however imperfect, between this estimate and the results obtained at Fort Pulaski, it is necessary to make certain deduc- tions from the amount of metal thrown from the breach- ino: batteries used as^ainst that work, as follows : First. For the shots expended upon the barbette guns of the fort in silencino^ their fire. Second. For ten per cent, of Parrott's projectiles which upset, from some defect which, I know from personal observation, has been entirely removed by the recent improvements of the manufacturer. Third. For nearly fifty per cent, of the 64-lb. James 48 GEN. gillmoee's report. shot, due to the fact that one of the two pieces from which they were thrown had, by some unaccomitable oversight, been bored nearly one-fourth of an inch too large in diameter, and gave no good firing whatever. Making these deductions, it results that 110,643 lbs. of metal were fired at the breach. The really practicable portion of the breach was of course only the two casemates that were fully opened, say thirty feet in aggregate width, but the scarp wall was battered down in front of three casemate piers be- sides; and had these piers not been there, or had the scarp been bached by earth alone, as was generally the case in Spain, the ^practicable j^ortion of the opening would have been from forty-five to fifty feet wide. Call- ing it forty-five feet, the weight of metal thrown per lineal foot of breach was 2,458 lbs., against 2,544 per lineal foot in the Peninsular sieges. Had the fort held out a few hours longer this difference would have been much greater, for the wall was so badly shattered to the distance of twenty-five or thirty feet each side of the breach, that the opening could have been extended either way with a comparatively trifling expenditure of metal. On repairing the work one hundred lineal feet of the scarp wall had to be rebuilt. 134. It must be borne in mind that at Fort Pulaski only fifty-eight per cent, of the breaching metal was fired from rifled guns, the balance being from the smooth-bored 8-inch and 10-inch columbiads (68 and 128-pdrs.) of battery Scott. 135. It may therefore be briefly and safely announced GEN^. GILLMORES REPORT. 49 that tlie hreaching of Fort Pidashi at 1,700 yanls^ did not require as great an exj^enditio-e of metal, although bat fifty-eight per cent, of it was thrown from rifled guns, as the breaches made in Spain with smooth-bores exclu- sively, at 500 yards. In the former ease the wall was good brick masonry, laid in lime mortar, and backed by he IV}' piers and arches ; in the latter, rubble masonry backed by earth, 136. A knowledge of the relative value of heavy round shot, ten-inch for example, and elongated per- cussion shells from lighter guns, say James' 64-2:)0und- ers (old thirty-two-pounders), in bringing down the masses of brick masonry cracked and loosened by the elongated solid shot, ig'a matter of some importance, considering the vast diiference in the amount of labor required to transport and handle the two kinds of ord- nance. The penetration of the percussion shell would exceed, and its local effect would at least equal, that of the solid round shot. The general effect of the latter, Avithin certain rano-es, is a matter for consideration. 137. My own opinion, based principally upon per- sonal ol)servation, corroborated by the reports of experi- ments made in Europe, may be stated in the following terms : 138. First. Within 700 yards, heavy smooth-bores may be advantageously used for breaching, either alone, or in combination with rifles. 139. Second. Within the same distance, light smooth- 4 50 GEN. GILLMORE'S EEPOKT. bores will breacli with certainty, but rifles of the same weight are much better. 140. Third. Beyond 700 yards, rifled guns exclu- sively are much superior for breaching purposes, to any combination of rifles and heayy or light smooth-bores. 141. Fourtli. Beyond 1,000 yards, a due regard to economy in the expenditure of manual labor and ammu- nition, requires that smooth-bores, no matter how heavy they may be, should be scrupulously excluded from breachino; batteries. 142. Fifth. In all cases when rifled guns are used exclusively against brick walls, at least one-half of them should fire percussion shells. Against stone walls, shell would be ineflfective. 143. For breaching at long distances, the James and Parrott projectiles seem to be all that can be de- sired. The grooves of the James gun must be kept clean at the seat of the shot. This is not only indis- pensably necessary, but of easy and ready attainment, by using the very simple and effective scraper, devised on the principle of the searcher, for the pieces we em- ployed against Pulaski. This scraper consists of a number of steel springs or j)rongs — one for each groove — firmly attached by screws to the cylindrical part of a rammer head, and flaring like a broom, so as to fit closely into the grooves. About half an inch of the lower end of each prong is bent out at right angles. The prongs, being compressed by a ring, to which a Ian- GEN. gillmore's eeport. 51 yard is attached wlien entering the bore, spring out firmly into the grooves, when the ring is removed, and cleans them thoroughly, as the scraper is drawn out. The failure of the James shot as -reported on two or three occasions, by apparently good authority, is prob- ably due to neglect in this particular. There were no failures in our firing, except as before mentioned, with the thirty-two-pounder (carrying a sixty-four pound shot) that had been bored too large. 144. Although the James projectiles are surrounded wdien first made, by greased canvas, there is believed to be an advantage in greasing them again at the mo- ment of loadino-. This was done in our batteries against Fort Pulaski. As the Parrott projectiles receive their rotary motion from a ring of wrought iron or brass which surrounds the lower portion of the cylin- der, and which does not foul the grooves while engag- ing them, no special precautions to prevent " fouling" need be taken with the Parrott guns. With heavy James or Parrott guns^ the practicability of breaching the best-constructed brick scarp ^ at 2,300 to 2,500 yards with satisfactory rapidity^ admits of very little doubt. Had we possessed oitr present hnoivledge of their power ^ 'previous to the bombardment of Fort Pidashi, the eight weeks of laborious preparation for its reduction^ could have been curtailed to one tveek, as heavy mortars and columbiads woidd have been omitted from the armament of the batteries^ as- unsuitable for breaching at long ranges.* * For a brief description of certain projectiles, see Appendix F. 52 GEK GILLMOEE S REPORT. 145. It is also true heyond question^ that the viini- mum distance, say from 900 to 1,000 yards, at which land batteries liave heretofore heen considered practically harmless against exposed masonry, must he at least treb- led, noiv that rifled guns have to be provided against. 146. Tlie inaccuracy of tlie fire of tlie thirteen-inch mortars has already been adverted to. Not one-tenth of the shells dropped inside of tlie fort. A few struck the terre-plein over the casemate arches, but so fiir as could be observed by subsequent inspection from be- low, without producing any effect upon the masonry. Whether they penetrated the earth-work to the roofing of the arches, was not ascertained. 147. Two or three, striking in rapid succession in the same spot, over an arch, might be expected to injure it seriously, if not fatally. Such an occurrence would, however, be rare indeed. Against all except very extraordinary casualties, it would be easy for a garrison to provide as they occurred, by repairing with sand- bags or loose earth, the holes formed in the terrephin by shells. 148. We may therefore assume, that mortars are un- reliable for the reduction of a good casemated worh of s^nall area, like most of our sea-coast fortifications. 149. As auxiliary in silencing a barbette fire, or in the reduction of a work containing wooden buihlings, and other exposed combustible material, mortars may undoubtedly be made to play an imj)ortant part. GEIST. GILLMORES REPORT. 53 150. For the reduction of fortified towns or cities, or extensive fortresses, containing large garrisons, there is perhaps no better arm than the mortar, unless it be the rifled gun firing at high elevations. 151. To the splinter-proof shelters, constructed for the seven advanced batteries, I attribute our almost entire exemption from loss of life. We had one man killed by a shell from one of the mortar batteries out- side the fort, which Avas the only casualty. 152. A cross section of the splinter-proof shelters is shown on Plate III. The same plate shows the posi- tion of these shelters for the breaching batteries and battery Totten, and of the surgery, which was -con- structed in most respects like the splinter-proofs, with the exception of its being six and a half feet in heiixht. » 153. The demoralizing effect of constant and labori- ous fatigue duty, upon the health and discipline of troops, particularly upon such as are unused to the privations of war, like our volunteers, who can but slowly adapt themselves to the 'stinted comforts of a campaign, is a subject which demands the earnest attention of commanding officers in the field. 154. Upon regular troops, to whom the drill in their special arm has, to a certain extent, become a second nature, who are accustomed to the vicissitudes of the field, and familiar with expedients and "make-shifts" to secure comfort, the bad effects of excessive labor' and 54 GEN. gillmore's keport. constant interruption of drill, are of course less appa rent. 155. Witli the average of our volunteer regiments, every alternate day should be devoted to drill, in order to keep tliem up to a fair standard of efficiency. Very resj)ectfully, your obedient servant, Q. A. GiLLMORE, Brig. -Gen. Vols, To Brig.-Gen. J. G. Totten, QJdefEng. U. S. A., Wask, D. C. APPENDIX A. LETTER FROM CAPTAIN GILLMORE, CHIEF ENGINEER EXPEDITION- ARY CORPS, TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL T. ^Y. SHERMAN, COMMAND- ING EXPEDITIONARY CORPS. E X T K A C T . Headquarters Chief Engineer's Office, ) Hilton Head, S. C, Dec 1st, 1861. ') Brigadier-General T. W. Sherman, CommandiQg E. C, HUton Head, S. C. Sir : — Agreeably to your orders, I proceeded in the steamer " Benj. Deford," on the afternoon of the 29th ult., to Tybee Island, to make a military reconnoissance of that locality. * * * ■3fr * * * The exact position of the battery controlling "Wassaw Inlet,* has no bearing on the prominent points to which my attention was directed, namely : the propriety of occupying and holding the first Tybee Island, and the practicability (and, if deeined practicable, the best method) of reducing Fort Pulaski. I deem the reduction of that work practicable by batteries of mortars and rifled guns, established on Tybee Island. I think it probable that a nearer position, on firm ground (al- though ver}^ shallow, and therefore ill adapted to mortars and sunken batteries), can be found on the island west of Tybee. I would establish these batteries from twenty to twenty-five yards apart, one gun or one mortar in each, behind the ridge of sand on the shore, westward from the lighthouse. I would sink the mortar batteries as low as the water would ])ermit, and the guns sufficiently low to leave a high parapet in front. On the sides and rear of each, I would have a high mound of earth, and I would cover each with a horizontal bomb-proof shelter, of logs covered with earth, and supported by logs planted vertically in the ground. The embrasures for the guns should be deep, narrow, and of very little splay. I estimate, that after once obtaining the range, five-eighths of the shells from the mortars can be lodged inside of the fort. * The enemy had a battery on Wassaw Sound. Its exact position was not known at that time. 56 APPENDIX. I would have enougli mortars to throw one shell a minute into tlie fort, and as many guns as mortars. For landing the ordnance required, I would have built two or three large flat-bottomed batteaus or scows, such as are commonly used on rope ferries. I think these could be built here. There are now, probably, at Fort Pulaski, TOO good troops ; about two hundred landed yesterday, and the navy officers in- formed me that at least five hundred have entered the fort within the last three days — while some (probably raw recruits, or portions of the home-guards) have gone away. It may be their design to land on Tybee, and hold the west end of it, to prevent the erection of batteries against the fort. I therefore recommend the immediate occupation of Tybee Island by one good regiment, until the question of attempting the reduction of Fort Pulaski be determined. I learned while at Tybee that olfers have been made by negroes to burn two of the principal bridges on the railroad between Charleston and Savannah, one of these bridges is said to be nearly two miles long. In a military point of view, its destruction would be of great value to 1.1s, and 1 recommend the subject to your attention. Very respectfully, Your obed't servant, [Signed.] Q. A. Gillmoke, Captain and Chief Engineer Ex. Corps. APPENDIX B. LETTER FROM CAPTAIN GILLMORE TO GENERAL SHERMAN. Office of Chief Engineer, E. C, ) Hilton Head, S. C, Dec. bth, 1862. J BRiaADIER-GENERAL T. W. ShERMAN, Commanding B. C, Hilton Head, S. C. Sir : — Should it be determined to attempt the reduction of Fort Pulaski, from Tybee Island, I recommend the following armament for the batteries, inclusive of pieces held in reserve, to replace those dismounted, or otherwise rendered unservice- able : — APPENDIX. 57 Ten 10-incli sea-coast mortars. . Ten 13 ^• Eight heavy rifled guns of the best kind, to be used, some against the barbette guns of the fort, and some against the ^valls. Eight coUnubiads for firing solid shot, principally ; some of them to fire shells, in case it be found practicable to drop them in, or explode them over the fort. The mortars should each have 900 rounds of shells ; the guns and columbiads the same number of rounds of solid shot, and the columbiads 300 rounds of shells beside. It would be well to have a 15-incli columbiad, if one can be obtained. Very respectfully. Your obed't servant, [Signed.] Q. A. Gillmore. Captain and Chief Engineer E. C. APPEISFDIX C April 8th, 1862 Headquarters, Ttbee Island, Ga., ) Fecial Orders. No. 32. The following assignments to batteries is hereby made, viz : 1. BATTERY TOTTEN. Capt. D. C. Rodman, Tth Conn. Yols. " S. H. Gray, ' " " 2d Lieut. S. J. Corey, " " " with a detachment of the 7th Conn. Yols., in three reliefs. 2. BATTERY McCLELLAN. Capt. H. Rogers, with Company " H," 3d R. I. Yols., Artillery, in three reliefs. 3. BATTERY SIGEL. Capt. S. Seldeneck, 46th N. Y. S. Yols. " T. Ilohle, with Go's " K and H," 46th K. Y. S. Yols., in three reliefs. 58 APPENDIX. 4. BATTERY SCOTT. Capt. Pardon Mason, with Company " F," 3d R. I. Vols., Artillery, in three reliefs. 5. BATTERY HALLECK. Capt. O. S. Sanford, 7th Conn. Vols. " E. S. Hitchcock, " " " 2d Lieut. S. S. Atwill, " " " with a detachment of Yth Conn. Yols., in three reliefs. 6. BATTERY SHERMAN". Capt. D. G. Francis, Tth Conn. Yols. " J. B. Dennis, " " " 2d Lieut. Y. B. Chamberlain, " " " with a detachment of the Ttli Conn. Yols., in three reliefs. 7. BATTERY BURXSIDE. Sergt. James E. Wilson, Co. A, U. S. Engineers. " P. Maguire, " " " " " " Wadlie, with a detachment of 8th Maine Yols., in three reliefs. 8 and 9. BATTERIES LINCOLN AND LYON. Capt. Louis H. Pelouzc, IStli U. S. Infantry, and Acting Inspector General, Department of the South ; with Capt. L. E. Tourtelotte's Co. (B), 3d R. I. Yols., xirtillery, in two reliefs. 10. BATTERY GRANT. Capt. Charles E. Palmer, 7th Conn. Yols. " Jerome Tourtelotte, " " " 1st Lieut. Wm. E. Phillip, " " " with a detacliment of 7th Conn. Yols., in tliree reliefs. 11. BATTERY STANTON. Captain B. F. Skinner, 7th Conn. Yols. " Theodore Beacon, " " " 1st Lt. Theodore Burdick, " " " with a detachment of 7th Conn. Yols., in three reliefs. By order of Beig.-Gen. Q. A. .Gillmore. W. L. M. Burger, 1st Lieut. Yol. Engineers, A. Ass't. Adj. -Gen. APPENDIX. 59 APPENDIX D. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT HORACE PORTER, ORDNANCE DEPART- MENT, TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL GILLMORE. Fort Pulaski, Ga., April 12th, 1862. Sir : — In compliance with directions from General Gillmore, I have the honor to submit the following report concerning the ordnance and ordnance stores nsed in the investment and bombardment of Fort Pulaski : 1. In obedience to an order from General T. W. Sherman, detailing me as ordnance officer to an expedition intended for the blockade of the Savannali River, and the interception of all communication in that direction with Fort Pulaski, I left Port Poyal, with the ordnance selected for that purpose, Jan- uary 26th, 1862. 2. The following pieces were carried in flat boats towed by a steamer : 4 30-pounder Parrott rifles. 3 20 " " " 2 8-inch siege howitzers. 1 24-pounder field howitzer. Each flat carried the implements, equipments and ten rounds of ammunition for each of its guns. A schooner followed containing : 5 24-pounder field howitzers. 3 24 " James rifles (old 12-pounders). 1 8-inch siege mortar, 1 10 " " " 200 rounds of ammunition per gun for all the pieces. 3. The boats lay at anchor in New River until Feb. 10th, guarded day and night by two companies of the 3d Rhode Island Vol. Artillery, Captains Gould and Bailey, whose skill and energy alone saved the flats during the long time they were exposed to rough waters, winds and tides. 4. An order was then received to place six of the pieces in position on Venus Point, Jones Island, about four miles from our anchorage. 5. Four flats, containing three 30-pounder Parrott rifles, two 20-pounder Parrott rifles, and one 8-inch siege howitzer, were taken in tow by row-boats, about five o'clock p. m., moved 60 - APPENDIX. through Walls Cut and Mud River, and landed at the tempora- ry wharf on Jones Island at eight o'clock p. m. One 30-pounder gun and one 8-inch howitzer \vere first landed, and moved forward upon the island by Lieut. J. H. Wilson, Topograph- ical Engineer, who volunteered his services for the occasion, and to whose energy the success of the undertaking is in a great measure due. After the remaining guns and ammuni- tion had been landed and the boats secured, I moved forward two 30-pounder guns and was followed by Major Beard of the 48tli N. Y. Yolunteers with two 20-pounder guns. This officer volunteered to assist in the transportation of the artillery, and rendered most valuable service. The last gun was landed at Um o'clock p. M. Each officer had a detail of thirty -five men of the 48th K. Y. Volunteei-s. 6. Owing to some mistake they had been on duty during the previous twenty -four hours, and ^vere totally unfit to un- dertake the task. 7. The actual difficulties of the undertaking commenced with the movement of the pieces across the island, nearly a mile in wddth. This island is a low marsh entirely under water during spring tides. Long planks were laid down form- ing a run-way for the wdieels. The pieces were moved over them by hand, the planks taken up in. rear and laid down in front, and so on. The men sunk to their knees at every step, the planks soon became covered with slimy mud, and the wheels frequently slipped off, sinking to the hubs and causing great delay and physical labor in prying them out. The men were soon unable to retain a hold upon the planks to carry them. Ropes were then attached, and they were dragged through the mud. The men were soon completely exhausted, many lay down in the mud and water unable to rise. About two o'clock, an order came from General Grillmore to suspend operations for the night. The first two pieces had advanced about four hundred yards. The guns were screened with reeds and grass, and left until the next night. With a fresh detail of men under the same officers the guns were then placed in position. 8. Lieutenant Wilson arrived at the battery about three o'clock. All the guns were in the battery ready to open fire by eight o'clock on the morning of the 11th. APPENDIX. 61 9. The worst portion of the island was crossed the second night. Several times the men sunk down from physical ex- haustion, and it required both encouragement and threats to keep enough by the guns to move them. 10. The river being now commanded, two 24-ponnder field howitzers and fifty ronnds of ammunition per gun for all the pieces were taken to the battery iu boats by way of Wright River and the Savannah. 11. The remaining ammnnition was left on board the schooner in charge of an ordnance sergeant, with directions to issue supplies upon requisitions from the ofiicer commanding the battery. 12. The other guns remained in flats in Il^ew River. One boat containing one 20-pounder gun was swamped in conse- qnence of a leak and the violence of the tides, and sunk in twelve feet water. The gun was soon after recovered nninjured. 13. An order was received February 20th to place six guns in battery on Bird's Island, opposite Jones' Island, in the Savan- nah. Boats had been collected and loaded during the two previous days, and select crews chosen for the row-boats. 14. About five o'clock p. m., on the above day, flats were towed through Walls Cut and Mud River, with one 8-inch siege howitzer, one 30-ponnder Parrott rifle, one 20-pounder Parrott rifle, and three 21:-pounder James rifles, each flat car- rying the implements, equipments, and thirty rounds of ammu- nition for each of its guns. The boats reached the mouth of Mud River about twelve o'clock, and after waiting an hour for a change of tide pulled out into the Savannah. Major Beard, who had again volunteered his services, acted with his accus- tomed energy. He and Captain John Hamilton, 3d U. S. Artillery, Chief of xVrtillery on General Sherman's stafl', kept in advance in a small boat, and, by signals given from time to time, indicated to the line of flats the proper direction, and enabled them to reach the island at the proper point, which was attended with some ditficulty during the night, and while exposed to a strong tide. Such perfect silence was preserved by the men that the enemy's gunboats in the river were not aware of the movement until daylight, when it was too late to attack us. 15. AYe arrived at the upper end of the island at about two 62 ' APPENDIX. o'clock. The platforms and magazines were constructed by the engineers during the remainder of the night, and at da}'-- light an 8 -inch howitzer was in position. The rest of the pieces were placed in the battery during the day, and by three o'clock could have opened fire. A hundred yards of marsh had to be crossed by the same method as that used upon Jones' Island. The guns w^ere placed in position by details of men from Cap- tain Bailey's Company of Third Rhode Island Artillery, and the Volunteer Engineers, Lieutenant Dairy mple of that regi- ment, and Major Beard labored most faithfully in the discharge of this duty. 16. Fifty rounds of ammunition per gun were placed in the magazine, and the remainder left in the schooner, from which it could be readily supplied. 17. In firing for ranges upon different points of the channel, I found that the Parrott guns fired with their usual accuracy with the exception of one 30-ponnder, from which half of the projectiles turned* end over end. The 8-inch siege howitzers gave very good results at 1,300 yards. The fuzes were exceed- ingly uniform. 18. Being ordered to Port Royal to collect ordnance for Ty- bee Island, I returned to that post February 22d, and started for Tybee Island February 24th. 19. The following ordnance and ordnance stores were land- ed at different times, and [daced in position in the batteries op- posite Fort Pulaski : 12 13-inch mortars and beds. 4 10-inch siege mortars and beds. 6 10-inch columbiads and carriages. 4 8-inch " " 2 84-pounder James rifles, " (old 42-pounders rifled.) 2 64 " " " " ( " 32 " " ) 1 48 " " " " ( " 24 " " ) 5 30 " Parrott " " Implements and equipments, and nearly 900 rounds of am- munition for each piece. 3,000 barrels of powder. 20. The heavy guns were landed by lowering them from the vessels into lio-hters, havino: a strons^ deckino; built across their gunwales. They were towed ashore by row-boats at high tide, APPENDIX. 63 often in a heavy surf, and careened by means of a rope from shore, manned by sokliers, until the piece rolled off. At low tide this was dragged above high-water mark. 21. For the purpose of transporting the 13-inch morfars, weighing 17,000 pounds, a pair of skids was constructed of timber, ten inches square, and twenty feet long, held together by three cross-pieces, notched on. One end of the skids was lashed close under the axle of a large sling-cart, with the other end resting on the ground. The mortar was rolled up by means of ropes until it reached the middle of the skids, and checked. Another large sling-cart was run over the other end of the skids, which was raised by the screw, forming a tempo- rary four-wheeled wagon. Two hundred and fifty men were required to move it over the difficult roads by which the bat- teries were reached. 22. I can pay no greater tribute to the patriotism of the Tth Connecticut Volunteers, the troops generally furnished me for this duty, than to say, that when the sling-carts frequently sank to their hubs in the marshes, and had to be extricated by un- loading the mortar, rolling it upon planks, until harder ground could be found, and then reloading it, they toiled night after night, often in a drenching rain, under the guns of the fort, speaking only in Avhispers, and directed entirely by the sound of a whistle, without uttering a murmur. When drilling the same men in the mortar batteries, they exhibited an intelli- gence equalled only by their former plu'sical endurance. 23. The 3d Eh'ode Island, 46th I^ew York, and 8th Maine Volunteers moved several of the guns under similar difficulties. 24. Sergeant Wilson, Company A, U. S. Engineers, render- ed important service in mounting the guns. 25. The 13-inch mortars were mounted by means of the ordi- nary garrison gin, by increasing the number of blocks, giving four sheaves above and three below. It was found that when the truck-wheels of the iron beds for the 13-inch niortars were thrown into gear they sank into the deck planks of the plat- forms, and did not relieve the cheeks of sufficient weight to enable the pieces to be moved to and from battery. Two pieces of flat iron, five feet long, four inches wide, and half an inch thick, were, at the suggestion of General Gillmore, let into the platforms under the wheels, projecting an eighth of an inch 64 APPENDIX. above the surface, the inner edges two inches outside of tlic rails. Tlie wlieels then worked to perfection. 26. Notwithstanding the precautions constantly given the cannoniers at drill, five eccentric axle-stops on the 13-inch mor- tar beds were broken, but replaced before the firing com- menced. One 10-inch columbiad eccentric axle-stop was broken during the firing, but did not interrupt the serving of the piece. 27. 1^0 difficultj was experienced in the ignition of the 13- incli mortar fuzes, nor in the use of friction tubes in those pieces. 28. The 13-inch mortar cartridge bags not having arrived, the powder was poured into the piece loose, and adjusted in the chamber by the gunner. This method was attended by very little more inconvenience than is experienced in smaller mortars. 29. The pintles and puitle crosses sent here were for the wooden barbette carriages, and caused the difficulty we expe- rienced with the 10-inch columbiad iron carriages, front pintle. [See accompanying report of firing.] A collar was made for the pintle in order to bring it to the size of the pintle-hole. The chassis was not afterward thrown oft' the pintle. 30. The bolts which gave way in the iron carriages were in- jured, and. several of them broken, by throwing the chassis from a boat upon the hard beach in landing. As these car- riages were the last portion of the armament that arrived, no time was afforded for replacing the bolts before the firing com- menced. When new bolts were put in during the first night of the bombardment, they remained uninjured by the next day's firing. 31. The two Slr-pounder and two Gl-pounder James rifle guns were used entirely in breaching, and gave the most sat- isfactory results, with the exception of one 64-pounder, many of the projectiles from which turned end over end. 32. The penetration of the 8-1-pounder shot into the brick masonry of the fort at 1,650 yards was twenty-five inches, of the 64-pounder twenty inches, and the shattering effect pro- duced laterally very destructive. An examination of the walls proved conclusively that the projectiles entered point foremost, and many solid shots were found buried in the masonry in this APPENDIX. 65 position. The shells exploded after penetrating about eighteen inches, and played an important part in reducing the work, 33. The penetration of an 84-pounder shot in an earthen traverse in the fort was twelve feet. 34. One great secret of the success of these guns, I think, was the constant use of a scraper for the grooves, proposed by General Gilhnore. It was made upon the principle of the " searcher," by taking a number of strips of steel equal to the number of grooves in the piece, and of the same width, half an inch of one end bent up at a right angle. These were nailed along the cylindrical portion of a rammer head, at equal distances apart, giving the bent ends a flare. An iron ring was slipped over this to compress it when entering the bore, and then removed to let the scraper press well into the grooves. The scraper was used generally after every five or six shots. When not used for a longer time the effect was perceptible in the firing, and its constant use was afterward insisted upon. 35. There was not time to finish a scraper for the 48-pound- er, and many of its shots were lost no doubt in consequence. 36. In regard to the James guns, the admirable manner in which the rifled motion is imparted to the projectile, the large mass of metal thrown, and the shape of the shot, seem to leave little to be desired in a breaching gun. 37. The Parrott guns being of smaller calibre (30-pounders) did not do the same execution ; many of the projectiles turned end over end, and some took a wdbhling motion in their flight, still many shots were found buried in the masonry point fore- most with a penetration of eighteen inches, but exhibiting very little shattering effect. I think with larger calibres and carefully prepared projectiles, giving that accuracy of fire which these guns have been known to give, they would be found excellent for breaching purposes. 38. Tlie drift of the rifled guns was about nine feet in a range of 1,670 yards. 39. The 2,293 shots fired from rifled guns during the two days of the bombardment give additional proof that the rifle projectile departs from a tangent to the trajectory and remains nearly parallel to its first position. The generally accepted theory accounting for drift has received another confirmation. 5 66 APPENDIX. 40. The 8 and 10-inch columbiads throwing solid shot at 1,740 yards performed their part admirably in the demolition of the masonry. The penetration of the 10-inch shot Avas thir- teen inches, that of the 8-inch eleven inches when striking upon the untouched surface of the wall, and the lateral effect a little greater than that of the 84-ponnder rifles ; but it was after the latter guns had perforated the wall that the columbiads performed their true office in crushing out the immense masses of masonry. 41. The penetration of the different projectiles was ascer- tained by accurate n'leasurement and a mean of several shots taken. 42. During both days of the bombardment the wind, which blew from right to left, was extremely unfavorable for mortar firing. Tliisin connection with the fact that the gunners had never before fired a piece, and had been drilled only ten days, accounts in some degree for the loss of so many shells from the mortars. 43. Tlie nearest 13-inch mortar, firing at an elevation of forty-five degrees, was 2,650 yards, and the farthest 3,400 yards ; too great a distance for a successful vertical fire against a small area like that of the fort. 44. The 10-inch siege mortars at 1,650 yards dropped more than half their shells outside of the fort. 45. Many of the paper fuzes we were obliged to use in the absence of others, had been captured from the Rebel forces at Hilton Head, and were very inferior. 46. We are deeply indebted to the officers of the navy for furnishing us with a quantity of paper fuses, and flannel for making cartridge bags. 47. So much were the preparations hurried for opening the bombardment, that we could not wait for many of the ord- nance stores that had been ordered from the north. Powder measures were made out of copper, from the metallic cases in which the desiccated vegetables are received. Columbiad shells were strapped with strips of old tents, rough blocks being used for sabots. A large party was kept working day and night, during the bombardment, making 10-inch Columbiad car- tridge bags, and wooden fuze plugs for 10-inch mortars, in which paper fuzes were used. APPENDIX. 67 48. For a detailed report of the jfiriiig, I refer you to the accompanjing record. 49. The faihu-e of many of the friction tubes, was owing to the fact that most of the caunoniers were unaccustomed to their use. 50. The recoil of the mortars increased slightly with the number of shots fired. The average recoil is given in the table. 51. Musket powder was used for filling the rifle shells. All the powder used in the pieces, was No. 5. Most of it Smith & Hand's, some Hazard's. I find the former gives a little greater range, not, I think, on account of the superior quality of the powder, but because there are more small grains in a given quantity, and the combustion is consequently more rapid. The 13-inch shells hold only about eight pounds of this size of powder, when loosely poured in. 52. None of the pieces became so hot during the bombard- ment, as to render it necessary to stop the firing. 53. The 13-inch mortars were fired once in ten or fifte-3n minutes. One was fired three times in fifteen minutes, without any extraordinary exertion on the part of the cannoniers. 54. Upon taking an inventory of the captured ordnance and ordnance stores in Fort Pulaski, the following were found, viz.* 5 10-inch columbiads, unchambered, tVom Tredegar Foundry. 9 8-inch " « 2 irreparabre. 3 42-pound er guns. 20 32 " ^ " 2 24 " rifled cannon, Blakely. English. 1 24 " howitzer, iron. Flank defence. 2 12 " " brass. 2 12-inch mortars, iron. 3 10-inch sea-coast mortars. 1 6-poundcr gun. 6 10-inch colutnbiad carriages and chassis, one irreparable, one unserviceable. 10 8-inch columbiad carriages (seven barbette, three case- mates) three irreparable, one unserviceable. 3 4ii-pomider carriages and chassis, casemate. * Many small articles are omitted from Lieutenant Porter's list. 68 APPENDIX. 20 32-pounder carriages and chassis, casemate, two irrepara- ble, one unserviceable. 2 24-pounder ship carriages, one irreparable. 1 24 " howitzer carriage and chassis. Flank defence. 2 24 " " " field. 2 12-inch mortar beds, 3 10-inch sea-coast mortar beds, one irreparable. PKOJECTILES UNPREPARED. 424 42-pounder shot. 2,600 32 " " 200 8-inch " 520 10 " columbiad shells. 1,000 8 " " " 45 12 " mortar " 150 10 " " " YOO 10 " sabots. 250 8 " " 88 6-pounder shot. 100 24 " howitzer canister. 70 24 " rifle shells. PROJECTILES PREPARED. 100 32-pounder spherical case. 36 12 " howitzer spherical case. 60 10-inch strapped shells. 80 8 " " " 400 32-pounder shells. 30 12 " howitzer canister. 61 12 " " shells. 87 6 " canister. POWDER, AMMUNITION, &c. 40,000 pounds cannon powder. 200 " rifle ." 500 " meal " * * * * The pieces bearing upon our batteries on Tybee Island are as follows : APPENDIX. 69 In Ba/i'hette. 5 8-incli Columbiads. 4:10 " " • 1 2-i-pouncler rifle, Blakely. 2 10-inch sea-coast mortars. In Casemate. 1 8-incli Coluinbiad. 4 32 "2)011 nder guns. In Batteries outside the Fort. 1 10-incli sea-coast mortar. 9 12 " " " Total, twenty pieces. Respectfully submitted, Horace Porter, 1st Lieut, of Ordnance^ U. S. A. To W. L. M. Burger, 1st Lieut. Vol. Eng. A. A. Adj. -Gen. 70 APPENDIX. 00 -« ^ K « ?5i ^b GO ^ =3 -« ^ I ^ paag sjoqs jo a.squin^ •2uuy pasua^-) ■Snug pDoiiaintuog sqnj noipi.ij jo jaquinjj •pasti jap.u.od jo puig •saStjtj -JBO JO iiooajj •saqoni •%9S^ O a Q a ■ya[ o:) iqSt,i tno.ij iVV9[q qoiq.tt 'puiAv jo o:tc:)g puB qiirag puG 's,pJBZBjj "g 'Ojsj •Sp.Il!.i ui iJOj inojj aoucjsiQ; ■spunoos ni aznj .jo q^J^uj-j •noi}ttA3ia •spunod u; i[3qs Joj a:§.u!qo •spunod nt aoajd joj aSjcqj •aijpafojd JO pajH ■ ri y -^ ^ v« ^ 3 ■p.iq uo.ii "reSI 'Ji!}-ioi\[ qoin-gi •paq uojj •I98I 'JUJJOH qoui-8i •p.iq ucir ■I98T 'JBiJDH qaui-gi; P^ t» ^ " ^5 £ >> 6C ^ IB P o ^ CO uoijoi-y jo joqiuu^i J( CO ir- m •pasa aapAiod jo puig; ■s.pnBa puTJ q^inig pnn 's^pjuzBU -g -ojvi; •soSuia -J.VD JO nobaj[ •saqoui CO ■^oej Ijai oj jqsu tno.ij Avaiq qoiq.vv 'puiAijo a^njjg slight strong •Sp.IBA ui ^joj niojj oaut^sid o o c■^ CO •spuooas UI aztij JO qj^ua-j •uont!Aa;3 lO 3 •spnuod ui ti'"is joj aS.iBqo *- S •spunod ni aoaid joj asauqo CO - r-( •oii^oafojd JO pu!3 00 CO Description of pieces and carriages in the battery. Number of sliots fired from erch piece cacli day, and during both days. « « ^ » •|)aq uojj 'T981 -";>oi\[ qoin-8X r-l tX CO CO « ** •paq uoji •WSl'-'BIJOK qont-81 O CO iO CO 03 •paq no.ii •I98T 'JB}J"K i(ont-8t CO CO 60 : a ■c li A a c ° o C3 First dav, Second day, Total, n APPENDIX. •F-l 09 o •jf.iaiJBq siqi ujojj pajij s}oqs JO jaqcun^ 00 J:- •3aijg pascao a - si 1— (M •Suug paonsmmoo 9.15 a.m. 6.25 " ssqii} uopDijjJo .lequin^ m r-* -^ •pasu aapAiod jo pnig •Sjpacy; pne q^icag pae 'SjpaBzt?jj -g -ojsj •saSuia -JBO JO [looaji ■saqoni CO naa^ •5J3[ o; iq3[.i nio.ij Avaiq qojqA 'puuv jo a^B^s slight strong ■gp.lt!/f ui J.IOJ racij aouBjsiQ r- •spnosas UI aznj JO qiSaai C-l •noj^BAaia •gpanod UI IP1S -loj aSicqg J^- - •spnnod uj aoaid joj oSaBqg - •aiipafojd JO pui3 09 Description of pieces and carriages in the battery. Number of shots fired from each piece each day, and during both days. » »« ^ M « ¥^ ■poq no.i[ •1981 'JUJ-iojv; qoni-si; 00 i- 10 1 60 i" First day and night. Second day, Total, APPENDIX. 73 u o OS •Xi95l«q siq? uiojj pajy sjoqs jo jaqmnii c<» o CO o CO •Suu^ possao a ^ •;Sauij pooaomcnoo 9,15 a.m. 6.20 " •paiuij 5Eqi soqnj noi^auj jo aaquiuii «o ta r-l p-l •pasn jopA^od jo ptirH •SiPUBa pne q^inig pnn 's.pj'BZBii 'S 'o^ ■saSBt.! -.iBO JO ifoaaa 'saqaai m •;>>05 ■jjai 01 jqSu oiOJj Avaiq qojqA 'pui.tt jo ajms slight, strong •sp.ii;.^ ni 5J0J TOCij aou^sia o lO CO ->sd •Jjai 0} iqSu uio.ij Avaiq qoiqA\ 'puLU jo a;f}S slight, strong •sp.ii;j( ni i.ioj uiojj aout^siQ o o spuooas ut aznj JO q^j^nai cs - •noi^BAajji o •spunod UI iiaqs joj aSjuqg 00 ^ •si)unod uj aoaid joj asjuqo r-( •aiijaafoad jo pui^ shells Description of pieces and carriages in the battery. Number of shots fired from each piece each day, and during both days. « W5 ^ M SH •paq nojj ■I98X '-iciioai qoni-8i o o o in o M ■paq uo.ii ■T98X '-iti^Joui qoui-gi o o O ITS o i-( a s •sg 11 o 1- First day and night. Second day. Total, APPENDIX. 75 S3 o •XiajlBq siq^t tnoj; o 30 CO poiij s^oqs ;o aaqinn^ CO c^ in 'Suug pascao s 3ait; qoui-oi •paq CO u-3 00 :2 c^ « JBjjoj^ sSaig •19SI CO O Tl< c i;ja '4BJJOJ5 'isaig q.iiu-oi s ss •paq CO lO 00 iM jtr}joi\[ aSaig "1981 00 CO rj( 'jBl.ioj^ aSaig qoui-oi til ^ •n ^ > .5 Pci 03 Q 76 APPENDIX. O Hi •jfjaiiuq siq? mojj pajg s}oqs JO jgqranj^ 1 C-5 •Snug pascao 7 p.ni 2 " •Suijg poouararaoo 8.20 a.m. 6.15 " •poTjiy ;Bqa saqn^ uopopj jo jaqtun^ O CO r-l 1—1 •pasn japAvod jo pni^ "SjPUBJI puB qiimg puB 'spjBZBjj -g -o^ •aSEiJ -.ina JO iiobojj •saqoni •;99j in •yai oj iqSu inoaj M.aiq qaiq.w 'pui.tt jo a^Bjg slight strong •spjB.t ui ;aoj luojj aonu^sid o o •spnooas UI aznj JO qjSuoi CO - •noi^'BAaia; r-H ■spnnod nt ipqs JOj aSauqo CO = ■spnnod ui aoaid joj aSaijqo ^ -■ •eipaafojd jo pui^ m CO Description of pieces and carriages in the battery. Numbp" of shots fired from each piece eaci day, and during both days. « «J ^ M •a^uid ;uo.ij 'aScu.iuD iio.ii '\^si 'pinqmniof) qoui ot •r+i CD « •aijuid ;no.iJ 'aScuJBO uojj 'iggx 'ptsiqran^oo qani-oi 02 O in M •at^uid iuo-ij 'aSui-MBo uojf 'xgei 'piuqninio.i qoui-OT o Days on which the firing occurred. First day. Second day. Total, ^ ±j a 2 oj (4-. o m ^. H O P< fl (1) t>^ ' -( rt <1) o ^ S C4 03 a s^ O 0) ^ •t; CS -73 ID en 0) ,2 fl a o CO fl fl 0) o ^ £ o ^ oT 8 5ti OJ TO .is: IS rt p. o o CO a CO C3 C8 fl CS O bo > O O "o fl •a o b o o Cl o o H .r; CS C.-I 03 f, H r5 fl ^ a C C3 O <-> a o bo O •^ ca b. .O T* c« r2 to CS o Cm ^ -« tJ ^ O C fl O (-. H ,. s CI -^^■!a-i ce fl4^ § ^° •S fl a -^ -2 > -^ 'S £ I -g - fl =:« s s bo icfl Ph ID ;§ .2 ^f^ bo g A2 CO ».ij • 2 m _, CO -^ O •£ ^ O O fl ^.-^ I. +^ CC •=! K o MO .''^'U ^ M S £ ^ -b o 2 g ^ bo S ^ § fe £ g fl APPENDIX. V7 o o X/1 u n •Xjsjjuq siq} ino.y po.15 sjoqs JO joquinjsl b*' to 1^ ca cnp3 fa ■" CI ^ CO N •aSBUJBD napooAi. •pa.iaqtiiBqo 'pBiqmnio^ qaui-8 C<1 r-c CO o CO c $■6 - o § t First day. Second day, Total, APPE1«"DIX. 79 d l-H o o •A'jO}}Bq siqj IUO.IJ pajy sioqs j'o aaquiufi CO o o a> -rf CO •Sai.ig pasuao •Suug poDuorauioj - a C5 •paipu icqi saqnj uoiiouj jo jaqmn^ o o 2 r-l •posn japAvod jo pai^ •si|9qs Ggu Sajijy joj jop.wod jaJisuH s.puca !y qiiuiS pa^ 's,pjBZBij -g -ox •soSbij -.IK) JO ijooaa •soqani ■%90S o •y»t 01 jqSiJ uio.y Avajq qoiq.w 'puiAvoqijoa^Ris slight strong •spjii^C ni ?Joj tnojj aauu}si(i o CD •spuo.i.is at aznj jo qj^iio^ •noni''A3i3 C •spuuod ui ip^is Joj a^Juqc) C^ •spunod ni aaaid aoj elfaiiqo 00 -^ ■aijpafojd JO pui}j shot shells sliot .-hells Description of pieces and carriages in the battery. Number of shots tired from each piece each day, and during both days. « i.-? ^ •poo.tt 'oSei-ubd ajiaq.uja ■S3uii:i' pagu japuuod-jg r-( CO 05 C 00 00 o M •poo.w 'aSBUJBO ajiaqjBa -sauiBf pagu .lapunod-gg — O r- O Ci 3> 91 'pOOAV 'aSBUJBO 84V''qj«g •sauiBf n^^u japunod-f.f 05 i-t wi ■poO.Vl 'aSBU.lBO 84J.iq.ICa -SOHIBp pauu .t.»punod-gt © O Tit ^ OC C^ Ci 00 c !•? •§1 II a o at 1 First day. Second day. Total, tea Pi »G to " s o n o H ? fl xi «; "•^ l§ * u a -M s a 80 APPEIS^DIX. 9 •i-i •Xj9;5i!q siqj caoaj poag sjoqs jo jaqoiii^ o o o o 00 t- •Snug pasTiao a - •Snijg psouamniOQ ' 9.15 a.m. G.15 " saqn; uopouj jo jaquiu^ O O 00 Tj( o T— 1 •pasn jepAiod jo pni3 'Sjpni;^ Gy qjiuig put; 's^pjBZBjj 'g 'o^ •saSuij -jtJD JO ijoaaji ~ •saqoni •:)33>i »n •yai oj ?qii!.i Tno.ij J4.3[q qoiqAi-puiAV oqi joa^t'jg •spjB.C ni ^.loj tao.i} aoui!}si(j o ■spuooas ui aznj JO qjSuai •UOpBAOig ■spunod ui uaqs joj aijjoqo 3 ^ •spunod ui aaaid .loj aS.iuqo (M T3 CO TJ ft ft •aiJloaCoad jo pntji shot shells shells Description of pieces and carriages in the battery. Number of shots fired from each piece each day, and during both days. ^ ■aSuu -aua aSaig '^lojaBj; pagi.i .lapunod-og O T to CO O r-H o M9 •a^Eu -jtiD aSaig •^^o.i.i'uj pagu japunod-08 O CO r- CO C r-l o ^ -ivo aSaig ijo-uBk pagj.i .iapunod-08 O ^ t- co o ^ in M •aSBU -Jt'D aSajs ^jo.uujj pagu .lapunod-os O CO I- fO O r-l 1-1 .-1 o « -JBO aSatg -nojji; j pagu .iapunod-08 o CO 1- CO O r-< o la IM N •aSuu -JBO oSaig -sauicf papu japunod-fg CO CO CO rH 03 CM Days on which the firing occurred. First day and night. Second day. "3 o H sba a. a ^ a <_l t-l Iz; &■ >. H <1 o 1-1 ^ H >, 1— 1 (^ > <1 ), cast into a rabate at the base of the body (see Fig. A). The gas insinuates itself under the ring, forc- ing it into the rifles of the bore. In the smaller projectiles it is necessary to open the ring slightly for the entrance of the gas. Some of the projec- tiles used in Parrott's guns have a wrought-iron expanding cup attached to the base, constituting a modification of the Reed projectile. °" * * From Benton's Ordnance and Gunnery. 96 APPENDIX. Schenkli e s. Fig. B. Fis?. C. The iron cups do not p')ssess any advantage over the brass rinff, — Schenkle's projectile is shown in Fig. B. It is composed of a cast-iron body (a), the posterior portion of vidiich terminates in a cone. The ex- panding portion is ^ ])apier-macheyi2i^ (h), which being foi-ced forward on to the cone, is expanded into the rifling of the bore. On issuing from tlie bore the wad is blown to pieces, leaving the projectile entirely unincumbered in its light through the air. HotchMss' . — Hotchkiss' projectile is composed of three parts, the body («), the expanding ring of soft metal (/>), and the cap (c), Fig. C; The ac- tion of the charge is to crowd the cap against the soft metal, thereby expanding it into the rifling of the bore. Sawyer's. — rSawyer's projectile has six rectangu- lar flanges corresponding to the grooves of the l)ore, and therefore belongs to tlic flanged class. To soften the contact of the projectile with the surface of the bore, the entire surface of the pro- jectile is covered with a soft metal coating cast on. The soft metal at the bottom is made thicker than at the sides, to admit of being expanded into the grooves, thereby closing the windage. James\ — The expanding part of James' pro- jectile consists of a hollow (c), Fig..E, formed in the base of the projectiles ; and eight openings (J), which extend from this hollow to the suiface, for the passage of the gas, which presses against and expands into the bore, an envelope or patch composed of paper, canvas, and lead, a repre- sents the body of the projectile, which, in this case, is a solid shot, and d is a partition be- tween two of the openings. Fig. D. IMaio L •S 9 Cy-? WI3amtrd irTT. _rJatc 11^ rirei 2SS 2 82 321 428 l}3 232 22 203 298 f"33 Im6 fi.lOI ll50 il90 (380 116 588 SHOTS SHCLlS SHOTS T\hefHffht So- MAP Ting thfPositiou of th.o B ATTER I E S. ) BY THE U.S. FORCES THE REDUCTION OF OBT PULASKL Ap^ilL08clL'^lS62. .ruu' II TlMjcJlU r.iittc jiL, :t . . i-Ck^^i-L Ju lE I V J t/ 1/ y Tlatn lY. 7iiiirs/{\- (/roiiinl II in . Sifi hv :-t'2 in- itir/"ii_.: -^ff r I ■L 1 31 EF""^ H ^ T F O R M S LAS Kl . 1 ! ' , 1 J . 1 -JSi i -i ■ /::|-':r Li L L^ I'^l^^".' ' 'J :) ; J J J J Bill ..f Tiinlifi-. fj fliiiiK -O/i-ri toiifi 12 ill f>y ■' '" i:s .. lo U /'i,;;:s l,iil/hrm .ifiiff^ til hr V- ill . for ,/,;■/; /i; Flrk^l" I /i-rl /i,iii/ 1 1 II At < III jSth ri /•?//*- /•>■'" M<>iiiir/,/iit/orni.r Ihi- niuiKih}- ,/roiii„t .< X' / /////., In, linn ,f,i,„ii,/ ■J ID nil /i Miiiliif f)-/iil/iillil "/ - f^ I I 4'y H — Kill <11 (.r limber. 13 TliiiiA- ID Iri't /mil/ IZ III I'S -i ill 2 Stririfffi-y II . .. /- . /' w '''■'% 7 J V H.il ..r ImlL.t Pilr/i /liiii- /il'iiil'- I" I'll-' /"ii.V I- ill- h ■'■ ""■'''«« Z Crois liiiil,ii-.i I" 'I '"iifi Klin I'.v I" m I ■'•liiiii/rr-y 11 III . . I" .(/ rnilhriii iliil; /ihiriA- -7 // fiikr,.-, Hli-il Idiii/ In- < / .loi-tl iiltoiil 1' I'rrI liiiit/ ■ ■?j . 1' -Siilr Mills- // 'I ■i .. ZH I'ii-Ai-fx -1 >. .. -i • i/ T'liilorm ,l,-,A-j■ uJ t— cc a cc 0- ,i4- o t 5 CD CD Q 3 < O — o u u I- N U as* ST tn CO :C u SIEGrE or FORT PULASKI, OA. GILLMORE. f / 31^7 9 60 .BJa'OG n\I