Battle of Fort Wagner, Morris Island

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Lower Seaboard Theater

Fort Sumter - Santa Rosa Island - Fort Pulaski - Forts Jackson and St. Philip – New Orleans – Secessionville – Simmon's Bluff – Tampa – Baton Rouge – 1st Donaldsonville - St. John's Bluff - Georgia Landing - 1st Fort McAllister - Fort Bisland – Irish Bend – Vermillion Bayou - 1st Charleston Harbor – 1st Fort Wagner – Grimball's Landing – 2nd Fort Wagner – 2nd Fort Sumter – 2nd Charleston Harbor - Plains Store – Port Hudson - LaFourche Crossing – 2nd Donaldsonville – Kock's Plantation – Stirling's Plantation - Fort Brooke - Gainesville - Olustee - Natural Bridge

The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, more commonly known as the Battle of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, was fought on July 18, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces of the American Civil War. The Union forces, commanded by Brig. General Quincy Gilmore, launched an assault on the Confederate held fortress of Fort Wagner which protected Morris Island, south of Charleston Harbor. The battle followed a previous one a week earlier, the First Battle of Fort Wagner.

The 54th Massachusetts black regiment volunteered to lead the Union attack. They were backed up by several other brigades, consisting of white troops from Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio and New York. The attack failed, but the 54th was hailed for its valor. Their conduct proved the worth of African American as soldiers, leading to greater Union recruitment which strengthened the northern states' numerical advantage.

In all, 1,515 Union soldiers were killed, captured or wounded. Only 315 men were left from the 54th after the battle. 100 members of the 54th were reported missing after the battle and were never seen again.Confederate casualties numbered 174.

Following the Union repulse, engineers besieged the fort. Confederates abandoned the fort on September 7, 1863, after 60 days of shelling.

A depiction of the battle takes place in the movie Glory.