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REPORT OF TflOMAS W. WAGNER OF THE SINK- 
 ING OF THE STONE FLEET AT THE ENTRANCE 
 OF CHARLESTON HARBOR. 
 
 Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, > 
 February 12th, 1862. \ 
 
 Capt. Leo. D. Walker, 
 
 A. A. General: 
 
 In obedience to instructions, I have the honor to submit 
 the following report of the sinking of the stone fleet at the 
 entrance of Charleston harbor : 
 
 On the afternoon of December 18th, a large increase to the 
 blockading squadron was observed. The majority of vessels 
 appeared to be old whaling and trading vessels. On the 
 1 9th, the weather being bad, not much progress was made 
 in their preparations for sinking. A few of the vessels 
 were stripped. By dawn on the morning of the twentieth, 
 great activity was observed, fifteen vessels were placed in 
 line more or less direct across the main ship channel, about 
 four miles south southeast of Fort Sumter and three miles 
 east southeast of the light on Morris Island. By evening 
 all had been stripped, dismasted and sunk. From the obser- 
 vations made, the vessels appeared to have been placed in a 
 single, irregular line, with intervals of one hundred feet, 
 making a distance of about (3500) thirty-five hundred feet 
 in extent from shoal to shoal, and completely occupying the 
 channel. The vessels commenced to settle immediately, and 
 at the end of a week but little was to be seen of any of their 
 hulls. They have now entirely disappeared. Large por- 
 tions of the wrecks have, from time to time, come ashore. 
 The position of the blockading squadron has, however, pre- 
 vented any accurate survey being made. 
 
On January 20th another fleet came to anchor off the 
 port. They took up their position in a line extending from 
 the entrance of the north channel southwardly to the main 
 ship channel. The vessels were mostly of a smaller class 
 than those of December. They were fourteen in number — 
 barques and brigs. They were stripped and towed north- 
 wardly to their positions, which was on the south edge of 
 the shoal known as the Rattle Snake, and opposite the en- 
 trance of the Maffit Channel, with the exception of one ves- 
 sel, which was placed on the eastern edge of the shoal about 
 two and a half miles east of the other vessels and between 
 the Shoal and the Long Island Beach. 
 
 The line extended from north to south, and, by measure- 
 ment, six miles and a half east northeast of Fort Sumter — 
 the place has been carefully noted on the chart of the har- 
 bor at Fort Sumter. The first four vessels to the north of 
 the line were sunk on the western end of the Rattle Snake 
 in shoal water, the balance in four or five fathoms water, and 
 in the track of vessels entering Charleston Harbor by Maf- 
 fit's Channel. 
 
 The operations on both occasions were superintended by 
 six armed steamers and a sailing frigate. 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 (Signed,) THOMAS W. WAGNER, 
 
 Major S. C. AcVg Corn'r Fort Sumter. 
 
 (Official,) R. S. Ripley, 
 
 Brig. Gen. Commanding. 
 
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