in front of Fort Sumter,
at distances varying from a third to half a mile. This placed them in
direct range of 300 heavy guns which concentrated their appalling fire
upon them, the shots following one another as rapidly as the ticking of
a watch. The _Keokuk_, which ran close to Fort Sumter, was struck ninety
times, in the course of half an hour, in the hull and turrets, and
nineteen shots pierced her sides close to and below the water-line. Her
commander with great difficulty extricated her from her perilous
position, and she sank the next day.

The fight was another proof of the fact that, in all such engagements,
the preponderating advantage is with the land batteries. The ships of
the squadron were severely injured, but they inflicted no perceptible
damage upon the forts. Admiral Dupont had gone into the battle against
his judgment, and he now signaled for the ships to withdraw. All with
the exception of the _New Ironsides_ returned to Port Royal on the 12th
of April.

This failure caused great disappointment in the North and to the
government. Admiral Dupont was ordered to hold his position inside of
Charleston bar, and to prevent the enemy from erecting any new defenses
on Morris Island. The admiral replied that he was ready to obey all
orders, but, in his judgment, he was directed to take an unwise and
dangerous step. Thereupon he was superseded by Rear-Admiral Dahlgren,
and preparations were begun for a combined land and naval attack upon
Charleston.

[Illustration: ATTACK ON CHARLESTON, AUGUST 23D TO SEPTEMBER 29, 1863

"After a time eight ironclads secured position in front of Fort Sumpter,
at a distance varying from a third to half a mile. This placed them in
direct range of 300 heavy guns, which concentrated their appalling fire
upon them, the shots following one another as rapidly as the ticking of
a watch."]

One of the best engineer officers in the service was General Quincy A.
Gillmore, who had captured Fort Pulaski at Savannah the previous year.
He was summoned to Washington, and helped the government to arrange the
plan of attack upon Charleston. The most feasible course seemed to be
for a military force to seize Morris Island and bombard Fort Sumter from
that point, the fleet under Dahlgren giving help. There was hope that
the monitors and ironclads would be able to force their way past the
batteries and approach nigh enough to strike Charleston.

Accordingly, a sufficient detachment was gather