Assault on Fort Wagner
Assault on Fort Wagner
Colonel Haldimand S. Putnam
7th New Hampshire infantry
2nd Battle of Fort Wagner - Morris Island, South Carolina
July 18, 1863.
by Mark Maritato
This painting shows Colonel Haldimand S. Putnam of the 7th New Hampshire infantry, a graduate of West Point Military Academy, acting as brevet brigade commander, while leading the second brigade’s assault into Fort Wagner on Morris Island, South Carolina. Putnam’s command went forward in support of Colonel George C. Strong’s brigade who had spearheaded the attack, but began to suffer heavy casualties and had become bogged-down in the chaos of a night time assault. Putnam himself would reach the parapet of the fort, but would be killed by a musket ball to the head while conversing with Major Lewis Butler of the 67th Ohio as they attempted to rally their troops to keep the assault moving. Eventually, both Union brigades were beaten back with heavy losses of over 1,515 casualties and would result in a siege that would last until September 7th, 1863 when the Confederate forces abandoned the Fort. For this action, Colonel Putnam chose to wear a private’s sack coat with no rank designation which would later make his body impossible to identify as an officer and was never recovered. The sword and scabbard Putnam had with him was miraculously recovered by a Confederate officer who later returned the sword to Putnam’s family after the war. The sword resides today in a private collection. It was a true honor to be commissioned to paint this scene and to bring the story of a virtually unknown officer of the Civil War in his final act of valor in life.
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Image Size: 20.4in x 13.6in
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