Admiral Dahlgren’s Attack in Darkness - August 23rd, 1863

Rear Admiral John Dahlgren aboard USS Pawnee at Charleston in 1865. He stands beside a rifle of his own design with the ruined Fort Sumter in the background. The not-so-subtle implication of the photo is that the cannons he designed and the ships that he commanded destroyed Fort Sumter and brought about Charleston’s capture. The irony of the photo is that it was largely the US Army’s batteries of (mostly) Parrott Rifles on Morris Island that reduced Sumter, and it was Sherman’s troops moving up from Savannah that prompted the Confederate evacuation of Charleston. The US Navy certainly played a role in the ultimate Union victory at Charleston, but this photo perhaps overstates that role! Library of Congress Photo: https://www.loc.gov/resource/cwpb.02988/

Admiral Dahlgren’s Early Morning Attack on Fort Sumter

Just after midnight, August 23rd, 1863, five US Navy monitors advanced through the darkness and mist toward Fort Sumter. Rear Admiral John Dahlgren had arrived aboard USS Weehawken a few hours before, and it was Weehawken that took up station around 3am closest to the fort - about 800 yards away. The gunners aboard the monitors were able to make out the looming bulk of the partially ruined fort and opened fire.

The US Army batteries of Parrott Rifles on Morris Island had largely succeeded in reducing the gorge wall of Fort Sumter facing them to ruin, and while the rest of the fort had taken heavy damage, the eastern faces were difficult for the land batteries to hit. If the monitors - each carrying a giant 15-Inch gun capable of firing an over 400-pound shot - could remain on station, they might be able to cause critical damage to those eastern faces, further reducing Fort Sumter and its power to hold out.

According to Dahlgren, Fort Sumter fired only about six times at the ships. The crews of the monitors maintained a slow and deliberate fire at the eastern faces of the fort which faced away from the US Army batteries on Morris Island. However, with the first light of morning, the monitors became visible to the gunners at Fort Moultrie and its surrounding batteries. Soon the ships were taking heavy and effective fire from Moultrie. Dahlgren wrote: “The Weehawken, in which was my flag, received two blows on the pilot house, which were more forcible than any I have seen, owing probably to the diminished distance.” The captains of the other monitors would later report hits which broke and dented armored plates and a small number of sailors wounded - most by bolt heads or other debris breaking off inside the armor.

By 6am, Dahlgren had enough and withdrew his ironclads. Intriguingly, in his initial report to Welles, he stated that he planned to push past Fort Sumter and into the harbor on the next attempt. This did not occur. His sailors were exhausted. As I covered in an earlier post, temperatures could be extreme in a monitor, and the ventilation systems were not very effective. Fort Moultrie and the other batteries on Sullivan’s Island also posed an every increasing challenge. As artillery had been removed from the ever diminishing Sumter, much had gone to Moultrie and its outlying batteries. (See Official Records - Navies: Ser. 1. Vol. 14. pp. 501-509).

General Gilmore’s batteries on Morris Island would continue to pummel Fort Sumter. Admiral Dahlgren’s fleet would attack Sumter again, but Sumter would hold - and with it Charleston - for another year and a half.

Photo: Fort Moultrie looking from the 20th Century communications tower towards Fort Sumter. The US Navy monitors would have been advancing towards Sumter from the left side of this photo.

Fort Sumter photographed from Union Lines on Morris Island. The Library of Congress dates this photo to August 23rd, 1863 - later in the day of the attack described in this post. Even if this is not the exact date of the photo, it appears to correspond to other illustrations and descriptions of the condition of Sumter at around the end of August. Note what appears to be a socket bayonet in the foreground and Sullivans Island background on the right side. Photo may be found at the Library of Congress here: https://www.loc.gov/item/2018667752/

Fort Moultrie on September 16th, 1863 as painted by Conrad Wise Chapman. Fort Sumter is across the channel at right. The blockading US Navy ships can be seen in the distance. Photo via Wikimedia.

Turret of USS Passaic in a stereographic image. The turret shows the impacts of many hits received in operations against the forts of Charleston. The muzzles of the 15-Inch Dahlgren and 8-Inch Parrott Rifle can clearly be seen in the photo. This photo may be found here: https://www.loc.gov/item/2015648198/

10-Inch Confederate Columbiad (Tredegar Number 1664) at Fort Moultrie. Cast in 1862 and likely at Fort Moultrie or one of the surrounding batteries during the war, it is quite plausible that this 10-Inch Columbiad was one of the several of the type which fired on the US Navy monitors in the early morning hours of August 23rd, 1863. It is displayed at Fort Moultrie bearing on the channel toward Fort Sumter. More about this cannon here: https://www.santee1821.net/preserved-artillery/10-inch-confederate-columbiads-at-fort-moultrie

Excerpt from Admiral Dahlgren’s diary:

About 11 p. m. I went to the Weehawken, and soon after all the turrets were moving up channel. It was a fine night and too smooth, as the least sound might be heard. The difficulty of managing a number of vessels like these was considerable in a strong tideway, under the fire of heavy forts and considerable intricacy of navigation, was nearly 3 o'clock [a. m., August 23] before we were all fairly in place and I fired the first shot at Sumter. We were about 800 yards from it, and its great walls could be seen looming up in the obscurity of the night.

The attack was a surprise, as several shots were fired before even a light was seen. Then came some half dozen shots very slowly. Meanwhile the monitors were firing rather slowly, except my own (the Weehawken), which fired 33 shots, Nahant 1, the Montauk 7 (one gun disabled), the Passaic [19], and Patapsco [11]. Total [71], which was less than should have been. It was an hour before Moultrie was fully aroused, and then opened a heavy fire. The blows were very severe, owing, no doubt, to decreased distance. For a while fog arose, and we fired by direction of stars. Our shells were seen to hit and explode on the wall. The monitors maneuvered rather much, and some did not seem to have a clear idea of the purpose.

Presently came day break, fog rather increased, and Moultrie firing fast. Finding Sumter pretty well used up, I concluded to haul off, for the men had been at work two days and two nights and were exhausted. So the monitors were drawn off for a while. I missed the Passaic in the fog and turned back. After a while saw her under high pressure. Learned that the Patapsco had got aground and then floated off. So we all got back excessively used up by two nights' vigil in this truly horrible climate. I met the Ironsides no great way from her berth, coming up as if she really meant to do something.

(Official Records - Navies. Ser. 1. Vol. 14. pg. 507).

Report of Lieutenant-Commander Badger, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. S. Montauk.

U. S. IRONCLAD MONTAUK,

Off Charleston, August 23, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report that in consequence of the illness and detachment of Commander Fairfax I took command by your order for last night's operation of this vessel. The position assigned the Montauk was the easternmost end of the line, about 900 yards from each of the forts, Sumter and Moultrie. We were struck seven times in different parts of the vessel; the hits were very severe, particularly one on the side armor, which broke two plates and made an indentation of about 4 inches.

We fired only seven XV-inch shells, on account of the fog, which obscured Sumter. The XI-inch gun, you are aware, was disabled before the vessel went into action.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. C. BADGER,

Lieutenant-Commander, U. S. Navy.

(Official Records - Navies. Ser. 1. Vol. 14. pg. 503)

Report of Col. William Butler, Third South Carolina Artillery, Commanding artillery on Sullivan’s Island

August 23, 1863.

Sir: Last night (about 3 a. m.) the batteries on this island were manned, in consequence of the firing at Fort Sumter from an apparently new direction. A few moments later I received a dispatch from the commanding officer of Fort Sumter, stating that the fleet of the enemy was coming in. Nothing, however, could be seen of it at that time, in consequence of the darkness of the night, and a dense fog which prevailed. Toward the dawn of day the fog cleared away for a short time, when three of the monitors were discovered opposite Fort Moultrie, the nearest one, I think, about 1,200 yards distant. It was thought this boat was for a short time aground.

A rapid fire was opened upon the nearest boat from Fort Moultrie and the batteries adjacent, manned by Companies K and D, First South Carolina [Regular] Infantry, to the right and left, and Battery Beauregard. I think in less than ten minutes the fog again obscured them from view, when the firing ceased, excepting an occasional shell from Fort Moultrie, which was thrown near the obstructions to annoy and drive away the enemy’s launches, if in the vicinity.

About 6.30 a. m. the fog again drifted away, and the fleet, including six monitors and the Ironsides, was seen drifting in the direction of their present position, about 2,000 yards distant from Fort Moultrie; the batteries mentioned before again opened fire upon it and continued until it was beyond effective range, when firing ceased, the fleet moving rapidly off.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. BUTLER, Colonel, Commanding.

(Official Records. Ser. 1. Vol. 28. Pt. 1. pp. 671-672).

Reports of John Johnson, First Lieutenant of Engineers at Fort Sumter. Johnson eventually would become and Major. Postwar he eventually became the Reverend Doctor John Johnson, Vicar of St. Phillips Church in Charleston, Author of The Defense of Charleston Harbor (1890), and one of the individuals who helped create the artillery display at White Point Garden in 1900 would report of the action and the state of Fort Sumter:

Sumter, August 23, 1863.

Major : The monitors engaged fort 3.15 to 5.30, firing on line pan coupe and magazine time fuse and rifled shell; 4 hit in vicinity of upper magazine, 1 sending particle of shell into ordnance store, second tier, and north of magazine; another bursting up in King’s mess-room, sending sand from bags below into magazine; third struck near and west of ventilator. No damage of consequence done by any of them. Fog stopped the firing half hour ago. Sullivan’s Island and Battery Simkins opened. Monitors fired thirty to forty times.

JOHN JOHNSON,

Lieutenant of Engineers.

Sumter, August 23, 1863.

Major : Northwest front has now five arches with ramparts fallen in. Northeast barbette battery unserviceable. East front scarp all much scaled by slant fire, with large craters under traverses; principal injury at level of arches and terre-plein.

Southern two-thirds of wall east magazine damaged; to main outer wall, trifling.

Stone revetment protected by rubbish and previously unhurt. Gorge not materially damaged since yesterday.

Another shot penetrated above sand filling of second-story rooms, making three since attack began. East barbette battery parapet much loosened and undermined, though not displaced; 11-inch gun and one 10-inch gun untouched.

Brooke gun carriage shattered, one 10-Inch trunnion gone, one 10-inch gun chassis rail shattered, another elevating screw broken; this last is to be repaired to-night.

The Brooke gun could be easily mounted on a 10-inch carriage, but it will not be done; excuse is, blocks have been sent away, and no blacksmith shop. I know it is practicable without these. If not mounted, there will be only three guns to fight in east battery and two in casemate second-tier salient. No fire to-night. No casualty to-day.

JOHN JOHNSON,

Lieutenant of Engineers.

(Official Records. Ser. 1. Vol. 28. Pt. 1. pg. 664.)

USS MONTAUK sinking C.S. Privateer RATTLESNAKE, February 28, 1863. Montauk was one of the monitors in Dahlgren’s attack on August 23rd. Painting by Alexander C. Stuart. Naval History and Heritage Command Image: https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-101000/NH-101697-KN.html