July 28, 1863-Dated Civil War Important 4-page Autographed Letter Signed by Sgt. Sumner B. Cole, Company F, 10th Connecticut Infantry, dated from Morris Island, SC., Speaking to the military action to capture Fort Wagner, Sumter and other military installations, Very Fine.
The Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863, was an unsuccessful assault led by the 54th Massachusetts, a Back African American infantry, famously depicted in the movie “Glory”. Fort Wagner is located on Morris Island in the Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The battle was a Confederate Victory. Here, Sergeant Cole pens a letter just ten days after the unsuccessful Union army attempt to capture Fort Wagner. He goes into great detail on the Union's preparations, artillery emplacements, maneuvers, and the experience of taking part in the battle itself. Despite the rigors of siege combat and the constant threat of death, he writes:

"I may lose my life here, but if I live through this, I shall be proud that I was near here where the war commenced and I hope here is where it will end."

The letter displays some wear along the fold lines but Cole's written script remains very legible throughout. This 4-page letter (two sheets written on both sides) measures about 8.25" x 9.75". The first page with a minor small chip out of the outer top edge only affecting one word on the second page. Overall nicely written and readable in brown ink on light blue lined period wove paper. There is an embossed small “U.S. Capitol” patriotic image within an oval at top left of the first page. Sergeant Sumner Cole's letter reads, in full (spelling mostly corrected):

"Morris Island, S.C. -- July the 28th 1863 -- S. A. Cole --

Sir, - Thinking you would like to know what is going on here, I thought I would write and let you know what I know about it. I can say this much, Fort Sumter is ours and you need not be afraid to bet a Thousand Dollars with any man that Fort Sumter will fall in less than 10 Days. We have got 4 - 200 Pound Parrott guns planted less than 2 miles in the rear of Sumter. We also have 6 - 100 Pound Parrott guns Planted about 4 miles and a 1/2 in the rear. We have a number of 32 Pound Parrott guns Planted here and there. We have up to this time got 40 guns and Mortars. Some of the Mortars are 13-inch and some are 10-inch. One of the 200 Pound guns commands the gate & to Sumter. These 200 and 100 Pounders the rebels know nothing about for they have not been unmasked yet. I hear that the Siege is going to open July the 29th, but I don't think they will be ready before the first of Aug., then they will open on Sumter and Fort Wagner and Cummings Point all at one time and they will fall Sure. ...

I can see Sumter and the City of Charleston from our Camp and Fort Moultrie and Fort Johnson has been firing night and day for the last 3 days at our men that are to work mounting guns or where they know we have got them mounted. Last Friday the 10th went to the front to guard the siege train. We was under a heavy fire of shot and shell for 24 hours. Our Lieut. Col. lost his left leg and 2 men was wounded by a shell from Johnson. Five men in Co. F was buried in the dirt by the bursting of a shell from Fort Johnson. George Cole was one of them. None of them was hurt. We had to dig one man out with a shovel. The only way we saved ourselves was to dig holes and get into them and keep our eyes skinned. We were there in case the rebels undertook to charge on our works. We all stuck to our post till 9 o'clock that night, then we was relieved by a Ohio regiment. Our Lieut. Col. is the best man we have got... Some of the men have been to see him. He told them to not to be discouraged, that he should be with the Regt. soon, with a cork leg.

The most of the work is done in the night, such as mounting guns. We have to haul them along by hand. It takes about 400 men to snake one along. The gun is slung on wheels that are 10 feet high. Our Batteries are built of sandbags. There is sometimes 3 or 4 regiments packing them alone. They get their whiskey 2 or 3 times during the night. There will be music here in a few days, and mark what I say about the 7th of August. You will see in the paper big black letters saying that Fort Sumter is all caved in and that it is ours. I may lose my life here, but if I live through this I shall be proud that I was here. Here is where the war commenced and I hope here is where it will end...

July the 18th our troops charged on Fort Wagner but they failed. Our Brigade supported them, but no man can live to get into Wagner till after our siege train works on them and roasts them out. We was left to the front that time 24 hours, 12 of which we was under a heavy fire, but as it was in the night, we could see the bombs coming and get out of the way. No one in the 10th was hurt. The 7th Conn. and 6th Conn. are here... There is 7 Monitors here and the Ironsides and about 20 wooden gun boats. The old Wabash lays off at the Bar. She sent 150 Marines ashore today to man the 200 and 100 Pounders. The first U.S. Artillery and the 3rd R.I. Artillery man the rest of the siege guns and mortars. Fort Sumter has got 2 guns and one mortar that she can use on us only. Cummings Battery has got 2 I believe and one mortar. Fort Wagner has got 2 guns, but they can't use them, for our sharpshooters are so near that they pick the gunners off as fast as they can get round their guns. Our Marines are to work nights with diving bells picking up torpedoes. They have took out one chain that was stretched across the channel. The chain is made of large saw mill logs, All of this is unknown to the rebels. As soon as Sumter is caved in, the Monitors will go right in and let themselves perfectly loose and the next thing you hear we shall be in Charleston...

S. B. Cole/ Direct Co. F, 10th Ct., Morris Island, S.C. Stephenson's Brigade"

Although not specifically mentioned in this letter, the Battle of Fort Wagner and the heroism of the Massachusetts African American 54th regiment was famously depicted in the popular 1989 movie “Glory”. Sumner Cole was later severely wounded at New Market Road, Virginia, October 7, 1864. Lot accompanied with a complete typed transcription and a printed Soldier History of Sumner B. Cole.
The Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863, was an unsuccessful assault led by the 54th Massachusetts, an African American infantry, famously depicted in the movie Glory. Fort Wagner is located on Morris Island in the Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

The battle was a Confederate Victory. While the 54th Massachusetts Infantry and nine other regiments in two brigades successfully scaled the parapet and entered Fort Wagner, they were driven out with heavy casualties and forced to retreat.

Unconvinced of the success of frontal assaults, the Federals resorted to land and sea siege operations to reduce the fort over the next two months. After 60 days of shelling and siege, the Confederates abandoned Fort Wagner on September 7, 1863.

Charleston, South Carolina, was the site of the opening engagements of the Civil War when newly created Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor and forced Federal soldiers to abandon the fort. Since then, the city has stood as a symbol of secession for Northerners and the birthplace of independence for Southerners.

While not necessarily a strategically important city, Northern forces hoped that taking the city could boost Northern morale while demoralizing the South.

After the successful amphibious operation against Port Royal, South Carolina, and the stunning, long-range artillery bombardment that led to the swift capture of Fort Pulaski, Brig. General Quincy Gillmore was assigned to lead the 1863 Campaign against the City of Charleston.

Supported by a heavy naval presence in Charleston Harbor, Gillmore's planned to seize Morris Island, which held Fort Wagner and Fort Gregg, and place heavy rifled guns on Cummings Point to neutralize Fort Sumter. Once the Federals overtook Fort Sumter, then the Union army and the navy could move undisturbed into the city.