You can read all about it at Civil War Daily Gazette and The Civil War 150th Blog. Here a man from Seneca Falls, New York, who volunteered for the 8th Michigan, describes the Battle of Secessionville in a letter home. From a Seneca Falls, New York newspaper:
From South Carolina.
JAMES ISLAND, S.C.,
June 19, 1862.
I have just passed through one of the most desperate battles on record, and came out unharmed. On the morning of the 16th, we were ordered to march to take a rebel battery about two miles from our camp. Our regiment was in advance, and we had to march in an open field for over a mile in front of the enemy’s works. The Fort was to be taken by a charge. The rebels reserved their fire until we got within about forty rods of the Fort, and then they opened on us with rifles; their fire came thick and fast, but not a man faltered. – Steadily we advanced at a charge without firing a gun, bound to take the Fort with the cold steel. When within about ten rods of the fort, they opened on us a deadly fire of grape and cannister. Scores fell around me and they mowed our men down like grass. Our Captain, the acting major, fell, and also our 1st Lieutenant, mortally wounded. Our men were already on the embankment, and our colors were there. – The 79th N.Y., flew to our assistance, while the 28th Massachusetts could not be drove up, their men acting badly indeed and through their conduct the day was lost. We suffered terribly, losing out of our regiment two hundred and eight killed, wounded and missing. Our Captain was left on the field, as they would not allow us to bring off our dead with a flag of truce. – We lost out of our regiment eleven commissioned Officers, killed wounded and missing. I am the highest officer left in our company now, except one lieutenant who is acting aid to the General. We lost out of our company seventeen killed, wounded and missing. I never saw such a slaughter of human beings before, and God spare me from witnessing such a sight again. The enemy is strongly fortified on this Island, but we must have more men, and why does the Government withhold them from us? I guess our regiment has fought its last battle, as we have only about 380 men left. Lieut. Col. GRAVES was in command of the regiment, and no braver or better man ever wielded a sword. He is a fine fellow; he rode backwards and forward, through the thickest of the fight, and had his horse shot from under him. I feel sorry to think that we lost the day, but we have this to console us, and that is that we have done our duty as true soldiers of the Union, and although we have been repulsed, we are determined yet to see our glorious old flag triumphantly waving over Charleston, Sumpter and Moultrie, and that too at no distant day. I have but one life, and if that is required I will cheerfully lay it down on the altar of my country. We hope to see this war end ere long, and our failure has only made us the more desperate. Tell mother I have done my whole duty thus far: I am bound to always try and do what is right, and all I can for my country. I hope you will write often, and I will try to do the same.
Ever your brother, S.S.
