The South Carolina in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Return to Ft. Sumter
In Response To: Re: Return to Ft. Sumter ()

Not sure what you're asking but:
Try the commanders:
1. Lt. Col. R.S. Ripley
2. Colonel Alfred Rhett
3. Captain Thomas M. Wagner
4. Lt. Col. Joseph A. Yates
5. Major Stephen Elliott: What a man! As commanding officer of the Beaufort Artillery at the Battle of Pocotaligo, he pulled a trick that would have made the Swamp Fox (F. Marion) proud. He advanced with his battery to meet the yankees coming up Mackey Point road. When his battery opened fire the yankees thought that they had stumbled upon the Rebel line (no one uses cannons as skirmishers, do they?). When they realized that Elliott was alone on the front, they regrouped and gave chase but Elliott had limbered his pieces and was gone. The yankees, in hot pursuit, rounded a curve only to find Elliot in position, loaded, and firing. The advance shattered once more, Elliott limbered and led his pursuers on a merry chase only to lead them once more into an ambush. By the time the blue coats made it to the main line, the wind was out of their sails. Pocotaligo should have been an easy victory for the Union attackers who went into the fight at roughly 4-1 odds. As it was they got out with the clothes on their backs. The Mackey Point road was and probably still is littered with bayonets, haversacks, canteens, and other items of little use to the retreating blue coats, victims of a classic trick played by an audacious group of cannoneers led by a Captain who didn't know that cannons should not be used as skirmishers.
Later as Brig. Gen. Elliott, he led a brigade of South Carolinians in the defense of Richmond. A wound received there caused his post-was death.
6. Captain John C. Mitchel: Killed in action during one of Sumter's many bombardments.
7. Major Thomas A. Huguenin: The last commander. He took the flag with him. It is now in the care of the Washington Light Infantry in Charleston.

And don't forget John Johnson, chief engineer, who during the Bombardments of Sumter worked by night taking sandbags (up to 1,000 per night) to Sumter in shoring up the damage done during the day by yankee cannons. Due in a large part to his logistical support, Fort Sumter was NEVER out of action.

If you're talking about the bombardment of April 12-14, 1861, then that's another story.

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Return to Ft. Sumter
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