April 5, 1863 (Sunday): Charleston Imperiled

Gustavus V. Fox

CHARLESTON, S. C., April 5, 1863.
JAMES A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:
Eight monitors and all large steamships left Edisto this morning. Four of the monitors just appeared off the bar. Must refer Department to my estimates of the force necessary in event of attack.


G. T. BEAUREGARD.
WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, April 5, 1863.
General G. T. BEAUREGARD, Charleston, S. C.:
The enemy do not seem concentrating for attack by land. Attack might yet be diverted to Wilmington. Prudence requires that the force there, the only troops possible to be spared, should still be retained. I will telegraph General Whiting to hold Ransom's brigade in readiness.


J. A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War.

CHARLESTON, S. C., April 5, 1863.
Brigadier General W. H. C. WHITING, Wilmington, N. C.:
    Eight monitors and three ironsides off the bar; have made landing of four regiments on Cole's Island. Please have the telegraph line opened to Richmond at once, if possible, for my dispatches.


G. T. BEAUREGARD.

HDQRS. SECOND MILITARY DIST. SOUTH CAROLINA,
April 5, 1863.
Brigadier-General JORDAN, Chief of Staff:
    GENERAL: I inclose description of four additional iron-clads, which came into North Edisto yesterday. There are in that river, reported last night, forty-four vessels of all kinds, including eight monitors and
three additional transports which have not debarked any troops. From the most accurate observations that can be made I am induced to think there are landed on Seabrook Island about 3,300 troops. At 1 o'clock yesterday three transports were debarking troops on the southwestern part of Cole's Island (something called Goat's Island), and one transport was lying off the beach empty. Three gunboats, one schooner, and one small steamer in the river off Cole's Island. The scout also saw what he thought was a flat filled with men; it may be the raft referred to in yesterday's report. A large number of men are also reported on Cole's Island; I am inclined to think about as many as on Seabrook Island.     I am, general, very respectfully,


    JOHNSON HAGOOD,
    Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 14, Part 1, Pages 878-879. 

NAVY DEPARTMENT,
Washington, D. C., April 6, 1863-8 p. m.
Major-General HOOKER,
Headquarters:
    There is reasonable ground to expect important news hourly from Charleston via Richmond. Will you be on the qui vive for anything from the enemy opposite.


     G. V. FOX,
    Assistant Secretary.


Official Records, Series I., Vol. 51, Part 1, Page 1001.

Taking Charleston was both a strategic and psychological goal for the Union.  It was the seat of the rebellion and the continued presence of the Confederate flag at Fort Sumter was an affront.  Beauregard has correctly intuited there would be no land attack.  The Union Navy was preparing for an all out assault on Fort Sumter.  Fox, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the last dispatch alerts Hooker to the events in Charleston and the possibility they might precipitate activity by Lee.