Second Battle of Fort Wagner

Second Battle of Fort Wagner Second Assault, Morris Island Began: July 18, 1863 Ended: September 7, 1863 Location: City of Charleston, South Carolina Theater: Lower Seaboard Theater Campaign: Operations against Defenses of Charleston Outcome: Confederate victory Combatants Commanders Quincy Gillmore Major General, USA P.G.T. Beauregard General, CSA Strength 5,000 1,800 Casualties 1,515 174
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After the July 11 assault on Fort Wagner failed, Gillmore reinforced his beachhead on Morris Island. At dusk July 18, Gillmore launched an attack spearheaded by the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, a black regiment. The unit’s colonel, Robert Gould Shaw, was killed. Members of the brigade scaled the parapet but after brutal hand-to-hand combat were driven out with heavy casualties. The Federals resorted to siege operations to reduce the fort. This was the fourth time in the war that black troops played a crucial combat role, proving to skeptics that they would fight bravely if only given the chance. (NPS summary)