Description:

THE ASSAULT ON FORT WAGNER
(1830-1910) American military officer, commanded artillery at Fort Wagner, brevetted Lieutenant Colonel for gallant service in the attack on Fort Gilmer. Historic content draft A.L. (unsigned), 5pp. 4to., Beaufort, S.C., Oct. 27, 1863, Loomis pens a draft letter he intends to send as a replacement of his original report to Gen. John W. Turner on the disastrous assault by the 54th Massachusetts and other units on Fort Wagner. Loomis begins by apologizing for the loss of his official report: "With much mortification, I acknowledge the delay in answering your note of the 19th... Illness and want of information were the causes. I trust the letter now presented may not arrive too late to be of service..." He goes on to describe his efforts and those of his officers to place their guns in position in preparation for the assault on the fort: "Your orders of July 15th placed me in charge of 'all the artillery on the island and the placing of it in position.' The work had been commenced before this but the dangers and difficulties of the past three days were hourly and rapidly increasing... This work of transporting and putting in position the material required went on day and night in the hottest sun and the heaviest rains... the men's sufferings were borne cheerfully." He carefully lists the exact types, numbers, and positions of the guns under his command, and then describes the attack itself: "... After a remarkably heavy rain storm, the morning of the 18th dawned upon the works washed by rain, magazines saturated, and the men wet, cold and suffering with nights of toil exposure and watching. The weather did not permit of our firing until 9 A.M. when the firing commenced. The guns were worked steadily all day without any material accident except the blowing up of one of [Lt.] Myrick's limbers by a hostile shell. Our guns were directed against the embrasures of Wagner - about noon the firing was the heaviest, while Wagner was firing few guns... All of the officers and men appeared steady, active and courageous. Capt. Comstock 3rd R[hode] I[sland] V[olunteers] displayed much earnest zeal in his work and we owe much to the accuracy of his fire... Lt. Holbrook 3rd R.I.V - exhibited throughout this as on previous days - a zeal and courageous self denial which continued through the subsequent bombardments I regret to learn cost him his life..." He ends by describing his command's final duty of the day: "About nightfall the firing was regulated entirely by the movements of our columns then advancing on Wagner - and when the final assault was made we ceased entirely. I do not wish however to have it understood that our labors ended here. Before a shot was fired stragglers came pouring in and it became our endeavor to stop the flight of these men who were the forerunners of our unhappy repulse... Of all the duties performed that day I think this was the most disagreeable..." Throughout, Langdon praises the courageousness and industriousness of the officers and men under his command. Excellent first-person account of one of the best known engagements of the war. Moderately toned, with some minor foxing, else fine.

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December 9, 2015 10:30 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

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