e displayed by the gallant Phalanx at the assault upon
Fort Wagner was not surpassed by the Old Guard at Moscow. Major-General
Taliaferro gives this confederate account of the fight, which is
especially interesting as it shows the condition of affairs inside the
fort:

"On the night of the 14th the monster iron-plated frigate
New Ironsides, crossed the bar and added her formidable and
ponderous battery to those destined for the great effort of
reducing the sullen earthwork which barred the Federal
advance. There were now five monitors, the Ironsides and a
fleet of gunboats and monster hulks grouped together and
only waiting the signal to unite with the land batteries
when the engineers should pronounce them ready to form a
cordon of flame around the devoted work. The Confederates
were prepared for the ordeal. For fear that communications
with the city and the mainland, which was had by steamboat
at night to Cummings' Point should be interrupted, rations
and ordnance stores had been accumulated, but there was
trouble about water. Some was sent from Charleston and wells
had been dug in the sand inside and outside the fort, but it
was not good. Sand bags had been provided and trenching
tools supplied sufficient for any supposed requirement.

"The excitement of the enemy in front after the 10th was
manifest to the Confederates and announced an 'impending
crisis.' It became evident that some extraordinary movement
was at hand. The Federal forces on James Island had been
attacked on the morning of the 16th by General Hagood and
caused to retire, Hagood occupying the abandoned positions,
and on the 17th the enemy's troops were transferred to
Little Folly and Morris Islands. It has been stated that the
key to the signals employed by the Federals was in
possession of General Taliaferro at this time, and he was
thus made acquainted with the intended movement and put upon
his guard. That is a mistake. He had no such direct
information, although it is true that afterwards the key was
discovered and the signals interpreted with as much ease as
by the Federals themselves. The 18th of July was the day
determined upon by the Federal commanders for the grand
attempt which, if successful, would level the arrogant
fortress and confuse it by the mighty power of th