ence, had been erected around the flag-staff in the centre of the parade. A stirring and patriotic address was read by the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, which it is needless to say aroused the sympathetic hearers to a high pitch of loyal emotion. Many who remembered the arrogant confidence of the inaugurators of the secession movement, which found expression in the alleged boastful assertion of Robert Toombs that he would call the roll of his slaves from Bunker Hill, now rejoiced with heartfelt thankfulness at this peculiarly fitting restoration of the old flag. General Anderson then hoisted the flag with his own hands. An enthusiastic throng of old officers and gray-headed merchants from New York stood around and sang the "Star-spangled Banner," with uncovered heads and tears trickling down their cheeks. The scene was such an impressive one that even the most stolid natures seemed affected by it; men who had been enduring protracted hardships and facing death daily, with a feeling. that the impelling principle was of a remote and abstract character, now seemed to catch a glimpse of the real glory of their cause, and to stand almost in the very presence of the spirit of purest patriotism. Every one of the batteries that had so lately been flying the Confederate ensign, and every vessel in the Federal fleet, promptly saluted the flag, each firing the national salute; and there was once again such a roar of heavy artillery as had not been heard since the great bombardment. IN THE SIEGE OF FORT WAGNER. BY WILLIAM ELIOT FURNESS. [Read January 5, 1881.] N attempting to write an account of the siege of Fort Wagner, I have been compelled to depend largely on the official report of the general commanding the Union forces engaged in the work, a volume of several hundred pages, full in details of every kind. Hence this paper ought in no respect-except here and there, where I have written from memory of incidents and experiences touching my own army life on Morris Island -to be considered as more than a review of General Gillmore's report of the operations of the great siege of the Rebellion. I use this term, I think, with justice; for while the results of the siege and capture of Fort Wagner were small and insignificant compared with those which accrued to the national cause by the siege and capture of such strongholds as Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Fort Fisher, I do not understand that there was, in any of the operations carried on under the engineering skill of the United States Army, any work which especially added to the general science of military engineering to such an extent as was the case in the siege of Wagner and the bombardment of Fort Sumter from Morris Island. Major-General Halleck, General-in-chief, in his report for the year 1863, asserts that difficulties almost unknown in modern sieges were overcome in the operations on Morris Island, and that these constitute a new era in the science of engineering and gunnery. Previous to the summer of 1863, there had been but two demonstrations against Charleston, one by the army under General Benham, in June, 1862, operating - especially against the works erected by the Rebels on James Island, which was simply a sort of reconnoissance in force, and demonstrated the strength of the Confederate positions; and one by the navy under Admiral Dupont, on April 7, 1863, which, however bold and brilliant an effort, was a failure in results. The United States force operating near Charleston was small, and was fully occupied with holding the positions already gained on the Sea Islands south of Charleston Harbor, for a distance of two hundred and fifty miles, to St. Augustine, Florida. The Confederate forces in and around Charleston, which alone was threatened by our little army, were numerous and very strongly fortified so far as our generals had been able to ascertain from reconnoissances, deserters, contrabands, and refugees; and these defences presumably extended on all sides, - for the blockade-running at Charleston was of great advantage to the Rebels, and made the defence of the city. and of its sea approaches and interior communications of the utmost importance to the Confederate cause and government. The city of Charleston lies at the confluence and mouths of the Cooper and Ashley rivers; the peninsula thus formed, on which the city is built, fronting toward the south, and having before it a harbor some seven miles long by two miles wide. At the lower end of the harbor and forming its southern boundary, lies James Island, which is of considerable extent, and is bounded on the north by Charleston Harbor; on the south and west by Stono River, which is connected in that direction with Ashley River by Wappoo Creek; and on the east and southeast by various lagoons and salt-water creeks, separating it from Morris and Folly islands, the former of which completes the southerly shores of the harbor. The northern shore is formed by Sullivan's Island, which fronts the open Atlantic, and by Hog Island, which forms the northerly bank of Cooper River at its mouth. The entrance to Charleston Harbor is not over one and a half miles wide from shore to shore; but the main ship channel runs from the open sea northerly along and near the eastern front of Morris Island, and almost across this distance, before turning in toward the city, and the one or two subsidiary channels are all near and along the front of Sullivan's Island, so that the practical entrance for vessels of any size is under a mile in width. Previous to the year 1861, all these channels were controlled by Forts Sumter and Moultrie, where they turn to the west, and by Fort Ripley and Castle Pinckney nearer the city; and after these forts had been captured by the Rebels, other batteries were erected on Sullivan's Island, and Fort Wagner was thrown up on Morris Island, as an outer defence to Fort Sumter, and with batteries south. of it able to command the main ship channel. Fort Wagner was about one mile south of Cummings's Point, the northerly extremity of Morris Island, on which was placed a supporting battery, called by the Rebels Battery Gregg. James Island was thoroughly and strongly fortified from the point where Wappoo Creek joins Stono River east, and then north to a point east of old Fort Johnson, which was repaired and armed to aid in protecting the harbor and to command the approaches to Fort Wagner. For the purpose of defending and controlling the sea approaches to the city, the three forts - Moultrie on the north, Wagner on the south with the batteries south of it, Gregg on the north, and Sumter midway between might well have been deemed by General Beauregard, the Rebel commandant of Charleston, as all-sufficient; although the experience of the capture of Port Royal might have taught him, as the result here also proved, that the Rebel ordnance had been massed too much for effective resistance against combined bombardment by a naval force. But the Confederate authorities committed a great |