American Historical Ephemera & Photography Online

FULTON, C. C., editor/publisher of the Baltimore American, from Fortress Monroe, begun September 3, n.y. [1863]. Detailed undated report headed “Hon. G. V. Fox, Asst Sec. Navy.”  Fulton’s instructions at the end make it clear that this is intended for the newspaper: “Mr. Fose will please telegraph the foregoing to American.  Remainder is contraband.” The “foregoing” is a detailed description of Naval maneuvers and battles around Fort Sumter/Charleston Harbor. Fulton reports Union victory at Fort Wagner on September 9: “Operations Gen Gillmore progressing great vigor.  His approach so close Wagner that combatants throwing stones and hand grenades.  On Wednesday [the 9th] drove enemy from rifle pits on left, advanced lines hundred yards and captured seventy-eight prisoners, including two officers.  Mounting new guns all round island many of them to shell city.”  He notes: “Rebels raised another gun ruins Sumter Saturday [the 5th]. Sunday Island batteries renewed bombardment Sumter dismantling gun and damaging front parapet—now a useless ruin.” On the eve of the disastrous assault on Fort Sumter, Fulton echoes Rear Admiral Dahlgren’s boundless optimism: “Monitors weathering storm well inside Bar, anchors holding. Admiral in good spirits and confident of success.” In fact, the assault on the Fort was a disaster and fiasco for the Union, due to bad and sloppy intelligence gathering, poor planning, and Dahlgren’s unwillingness to integrate forces with Gillmore.  The “contraband” at the end: “It is intention Admiral to endeavor force whole fleet Monitors through obstructions and such in Rebellion Roads. Party volunteers organized to open way through obstructions. Schr. Shark dismantled and loaded with powder to float against obstructions and explode. ¶ Aries sailed Saturday night towed into Beaufort [NC] Tuesday both pumps destroyed [by fierce weather].” The Shark was not, in fact, used for this purpose; it lived to fight another day.

[With:] Letter written by Frank A. Dale, a sailor on board the Maple Leaf, a civilian merchant steamship chartered as a transport by the Union Army during the Civil War. Fort Monroe, 17 June 1863. Dale writes that the Maple Leaf is at Norfolk taking in coal, and "I suppose you have read of her capture by Rebs...." Dale goes on to describe an incident in which about 90 Confederate prisoners overpowered 10 armed guards, forcing the captain to sail as near to the shore as possible then lowering small boats which allowed about 70 prisoners shore. "Their only objective was to get to shore."