Siege of Charleston Harbor Union order of battle facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Union Army was the main army of the United States during the American Civil War. This article tells you about the different groups of soldiers and their leaders who fought in the battles around Charleston Harbor in 1863. This was a very important time during the war, especially for controlling the harbor.

The battles we'll talk about happened from July to September 1863. They included big fights like the First Battle of Fort Wagner, the Battle of Grimball's Landing, and the Second Battle of Fort Wagner. All these fights were part of a bigger plan to take control of Charleston Harbor.

Understanding Military Ranks
Early Battles for Charleston (July 6–18, 1863)
- The X Corps: Who Was in Charge?
The Attack on Fort Wagner (July 18, 1863)
- Union Commanders and Units at Fort Wagner
The Siege of Charleston Harbor (July 18-September 7, 1863)
- X Corps During the Siege (July–August)
- X Corps During the Siege (August–September)
The Naval Blockade
- South Atlantic Blockading Squadron: Ships and Commanders

Understanding Military Ranks

When you read about the commanders, you'll see some abbreviations for their ranks. Here's what they mean:

MG = Major General (a very high-ranking officer)
BG = Brigadier General (a high-ranking officer, usually in charge of a brigade)
Col = Colonel (in charge of a regiment)
Ltc = Lieutenant Colonel (second-in-command of a regiment)
Maj = Major (an officer rank above captain)
Cpt = Captain (in charge of a company)
Lt = First Lieutenant (an officer rank below captain)

You might also see notes like (w) for wounded, (mw) for mortally wounded (meaning they died from their wounds), or (k) for killed during the battle.

Early Battles for Charleston (July 6–18, 1863)

These first battles were important steps in trying to take Charleston Harbor. The Union Army's X Corps was the main group involved.

The X Corps: Who Was in Charge?

BG Quincy A. Gillmore was the overall commander of the X Corps, which was part of the Department of the South.

Division	Brigade	Regiments and Other Units
First Division BG Alfred H. Terry (Fought at James Island)	1st Brigade BG Thomas G. Stevenson	4th New Hampshire 10th Connecticut 24th Massachusetts 97th Pennsylvania
	2nd Brigade Col William Watts Hart Davis	52nd Pennsylvania 104th Pennsylvania 56th New York 100th New York
	3rd Brigade Col James Montgomery	2nd South Carolina (African American soldiers) 54th Massachusetts (African American soldiers)
Second Division BG Truman Seymour (Fought at First Fort Wagner)	1st Brigade BG Israel Vogdes	39th Illinois 62nd Ohio 67th Ohio 7th New Hampshire 85th Pennsylvania Independent New York Battalion
	2nd Brigade BG George C. Strong	3rd New Hampshire 7th Connecticut 9th Maine 76th Pennsylvania

The Attack on Fort Wagner (July 18, 1863)

The Second Battle of Fort Wagner was a very difficult and famous attack. Union soldiers tried to capture Fort Wagner, a strong Confederate fort.

Union Commanders and Units at Fort Wagner

BG Truman Seymour led the main attacking force, but he was wounded.

Division	Brigade	Regiments and Other Units
Attacking Column BG Truman Seymour (w)	Strong's Brigade BG George C. Strong (mw)	3rd New Hampshire 6th Connecticut: Col John Lyman Chatfield (mw) 9th Maine 48th New York: Col William B. Barton (w) 54th Massachusetts: Col Robert G. Shaw (k) 76th Pennsylvania
	Putnam's Brigade Col Haldimand S. Putnam (k)	7th New Hampshire 62nd Ohio 67 Ohio 100th New York
	Stevenson's Brigade BG Thomas G. Stevenson	2nd South Carolina 10th Connecticut 24th Massachusetts 97th Pennsylvania

The Siege of Charleston Harbor (July 18-September 7, 1863)

After the direct attacks, the Union Army began a "siege" of Charleston Harbor. This meant they surrounded the Confederate forces and tried to cut off their supplies and bombard them until they surrendered.

X Corps During the Siege (July–August)

BG Quincy A. Gillmore was still in charge of the X Corps. He had a team of experts helping him, including:

Chief of Staff and Artillery: Col John Wesley Turner
Engineers: Col Edward W. Serrell
Medical Director: Ltc Augustus C. Hamlin

Division	Brigade	Regiments and Other Units
Morris Island Forces BG Alfred H. Terry	1st Brigade BG Israel Vogdes until August 1 Col Henry R. Guss	3rd New Hampshire 4th New Hampshire 7th Connecticut (part of the unit) 9th Maine 76th Pennsylvania
	2nd Brigade Col Joshua B. Howell	2nd South Carolina 39th Illinois 62nd Ohio 67th Ohio 85th Pennsylvania
	3rd Brigade BG Thomas G. Stevenson	7th New Hampshire 10th Connecticut 24th Massachusetts 54th Massachusetts 97th Pennsylvania 100th New York
	Artillery (Cannons) Maj James E. Bailey	3rd Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, Batteries A, B, C, D, H, I, M 3rd New York Artillery, Batteries B, F 1st U.S. Artillery, Batteries B, C 3rd U.S. Artillery, Battery E 48th New York Infantry (some soldiers helped with artillery) 11th Maine Infantry (some soldiers helped with artillery)
	Cavalry (Horse Soldiers)	1st Massachusetts Cavalry, Company I
	Engineers (Builders)	1st New York Engineers
	Marines	Marine Battalion
Folly Island Forces Col William W.H. Davis	Davis' Brigade Col William W.H. Davis	52nd Pennsylvania 56th New York 104th Pennsylvania
	Other Units	47th New York Independent New York Battalion
	Artillery (Cannons)	1st Connecticut Battery 3rd New York Artillery, Battery B

X Corps During the Siege (August–September)

The siege continued, and the Union forces on Morris Island and Folly Island were organized like this:

MG Quincy A. Gillmore remained the overall commander.

Division	Brigade	Regiments and Other Units
Morris Island Forces BG Alfred H. Terry	1st Brigade Col Henry R. Guss	3rd New Hampshire 4th New Hampshire 9th Maine 97th Pennsylvania
	2nd Brigade Col Joshua B. Howell	39th Illinois 62nd Ohio 67th Ohio 85th Pennsylvania
	3rd Brigade BG Thomas G. Stevenson	7th New Hampshire 7th Connecticut 10th Connecticut 24th Massachusetts 100th New York
	4th Brigade Col James Montgomery	2nd South Carolina 3rd U.S.C.T. (United States Colored Troops) 54th Massachusetts
	5th Brigade Col William W.H. Davis	47th New York 52nd Pennsylvania 104th Pennsylvania Independent New York Battalion
	Artillery (Cannons)	3rd New York Artillery, Batteries B, F 3rd Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, Batteries B, C, D, H, I, M 1st U.S. Artillery, Batteries B, C (part of the unit) 3rd U.S. Artillery, Battery E 11th Maine Infantry (some soldiers helped with artillery)
	Other Units	Marine Battalion 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, Company I
	Engineers (Builders)	1st New York Engineers
North End of Folly Island Forces BG Israel Vogdes	1st Brigade BG Robert S. Foster	13th Indiana 112th New York 169th New York
	2nd Brigade Col Samuel M. Alford	3rd New York 89th New York 103rd New York 117th New York
	3rd "African" Brigade BG Edward A. Wild	1st North Carolina (African American soldiers) 2nd North Carolina (part of the unit, African American soldiers) 3rd North Carolina (one company, African American soldiers) 55th Massachusetts (African American soldiers)
	Artillery (Cannons)	1st Connecticut Battery
South End of Folly Island Forces BG George H. Gordon	1st Brigade BG Alexander Schimmelfennig	41st New York 54th New York 127th New York 142nd New York 74th Pennsylvania 107th Ohio
South End of Folly Island Forces BG George H. Gordon	2nd Brigade BG Adelbert Ames	17th Connecticut 25th Ohio 75th Ohio 40th Massachusetts 144th New York 157th New York

The Naval Blockade

The Union Navy also played a huge role in the siege by setting up a blockade around Charleston Harbor. This meant they tried to stop any ships from getting in or out, cutting off supplies to the Confederates.

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron: Ships and Commanders

Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren was in charge of the Union Navy's South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

Type of Ship	Ship Name and Commanders
Ironclads (Strong, armored ships)	U.S.S. Montauk
	U.S.S. Nahant
	U.S.S. Catskill
	U.S.S. Passaic
	U.S.S. Patapsco
	U.S.S. New Ironsides: Cdre Thomas Turner, Capt Stephen C. Rowan
Gunboats (Smaller ships with cannons)	U.S.S. Canandaigua
	U.S.S. Mahaska
	U.S.S. Ottawa
	U.S.S. Wissahickon
	U.S.S. Dai Ching
	U.S.S. Lodona
	U.S.S. Seneca
U.S. Marines (Soldiers who fight from ships)	Marine Battalion: Maj Jacob Zeilen

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