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

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)