December 22, 1861 (Saturday): The "Other Sherman" Edges Toward Charleston

USS Pawnee-Gundeck (history.navy.mil)

HEADQUARTERS EXPEDITIONARY CORPS

Port Royal, S. C., December 22, 1861.

General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

   SIR:  I have just been informed by Commodore DuPont that a reconnaissance, under Commander Drayton, with the gunboats Pawnee and Seneca, has discovered that the rebel forts at both South and North Edisto are abandoned and guns withdrawn.  He also states that a camp of 500 men, in the vicinity of North Edisto, left with their arms on the approach of the gunboats, leaving tents, provision, and camp equipage in his possession.

   I think it would be well to occupy Edisto Island, and would do so with part of my own forces were it not necessary to remain here as much concentrated as possible, to be ready for movements already contemplated.  Troops pushed up towards Stono Inlet at this time would produce a good effect at Charleston.

   From all the information I can gather the South Carolinians are strongly fortifying Charleston Neck and James Island, on the Stono River, and are removing some of the guns from Sumter and the islands for that object, evidently supposing that Charleston is to be attacked by land.

   Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

  

   T. W. SHERMAN,

 

   Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Official Records, Series I. Vol. 6, Part 1, Page 210.

T. W. Sherman, not to be confused with William Tecumseh Sherman, had lead the successful Port Royal expedition and was engaged in combined operations with Commodore DuPont’s shallow draft steamers in the rivers between Port Royal and Charleston.  With little opposition they quickly drove Confederate forces off Edisto Island, south of Charleston.  Worked progressed rapidly on defenses closer to the city, which had been badly damaged in an accidental fire on December 11.  Sherman and DuPont’s expedition had been a great success, but the public and the newspapers gave little credit due because they had expedited an immediate rush on to Charleston, seen as the home of the rebellion.  Sherman would soon move on to service in the Western theatre and attention would shift away from the foothold which had been established in South Carolina.