Joseph T. Derry , A. M. , Author of School History of the United States; Story of the Confederate War, etc., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 6, Georgia
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

The condition of the Georgia coast defense is described in the report of Ordnance Officer W. G. Gill. On the south end of Jekyl island were one 42-pounder and four 32-pounders, with 60 pounds of shot and shell. The Saint Simon's island batteries mounted a 10-inch and an 8-inch columbiad, two 42-pounders and five 32-pounders, and 75 rounds of ammunition. Fort Pulaski had five 10-inch and nine 8-inch columbiads, two 10-inch mortars, two 42-pounders, twenty 32-pounders, one 24-pounder, and considerable ammunition. Fort Jackson had one 32-pounder rifle, five 32-pounders, three 18-pounders. The Green island battery had one 10-inch rifled gun, one 10-inch and two 8-inch columbiads, two 42-pounders and four 32-pounders. Thunderbolt battery had one 8-inch gun and three 18-pounders. Another interesting item of this report is that ‘some of the regiments on the coast are armed with shotguns and sporting rifles. They have little or no ammunition for them. I propose to put up for the shotguns a blank cartridge, to fire a small linen bag containing 12 buckshot.’

Commodore Tattnall, with his little flotilla of three vessels, boldly attacked the Federal fleet at the entrance of Port Royal sound, on November 4th and again on the 5th. On the afternoon of the 6th General Drayton's forces were reinforced by 450 Georgia infantry, under Captain Berry, and Captain Read's battery of two 12-pounder howitzers and 50 men. On the 7th, after the bombardment of Forts Walker and Beauregard had been in progress for about an hour, and the Confederate gunners were becoming exhausted, General Drayton brought up the greater part of Read's artillery company as a relief, and at the same time Col. W. H. Stiles arrived with the cheering intelligence that his regiment was approaching. About 2 o'clock p. m. Fort Walker