Siege artillery in the American Civil War were used by the Federal troops as their trenches approached Fort Wagner and field artillery was placed in the trenches to defend against possible Confederate sorties. While Fort Wagner was subject to near constant bombardment from the batteries listed in the table below, as approaches neared the fort's ditch the bombardment increased. Fire from U.S. Navy ships, particularly the USS "New Ironsides", proved very effective. The navy were able to skip the round shells from their XI-inch Dahlgren guns off the water, over the ramparts, and into the fort. Several heavy Parrott rifles that had been directed against Fort Sumter
Rhode Island in the American Civil War D.C. in time to help repel Jubal Early's raid on the capital in the summer of 1864. William Rogers Taylor was Fleet Captain of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1863. He participated in attacks on the Confederate fortifications protecting Charleston, South Carolina. He then commanded the steam sloop "Juniata" during 1864-65 and took part in the operations that led to the capture of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Notes Further reading Rhode Island in the American Civil War The state of Rhode Island during the American Civil War remained loyal to the Union, as did the other states of New