Firing on Fort Sumter

Letter to Alexander Boteler, June 19, 1863

[To A.R. Boteler]
"Here am I my friend en route for the old world spell bound by fearful interest here - Perhaps at no time could I have visited this city under circumstances of deeper interest. The enemy have put forth every effort to capture it - and the skill and daring of our people will be taxed to the utmost to repell the brutal hoards who are now hovering around. For the last week the enemy has been attacking our batteries - having made a lodgemont on Morris island - one end of which we hold, and upon which is planted Battery Wagner. This point commands the City, and it [is] here that all their energies have been put forth to get possession of the Battery. On Saturday they commenced a combined naval and land attack, and continued until dawn to shell this Battery. I witnessed this whole from St. Michael's tower and
it was fearfully grand - at 6 oclock they attempted to storm the Battery the attack coming from the point we hold. - Fort Sumpter then opened upon them, in anticipation of which her guns had been ranged in the morning with fearful precision The attacking party were riven off with heavy loss - but after dark it was renewed four times, and each time with fresh troops - at one time they succeeded in making a lodgemont in the works and planted their banner upon one end also holding a gun for some little time. Talliaferro here ordered the Charleston Battalion to bring down the flag and dislodge them he leading - not a man of the enemy got out alive - so they payed dearly for a momentary triumph - they were finally repulsed with great slaughter - their killed and wounded number 1500, eight hundred have already been buried our own one hundred in killed and wounded."

My Dear Friend,
I have been given a permit form General Beauregard to visit Ft. Sumter. I am unhappy upon this invitation, but I must go. Upon my arrival, "my heart [was] oppressed by the atmosphere of this place[...]." If Beaurgard had the heavy guns at his aid this city would not have fallen, but the guns were unable to be made therefore the city had to fall.
R O N Greenhow

<http://www.footnote.com/page/1523_rose_oneal_greenhow/>