Gen. Quincy Gillmore launched an unsuccessful assault on the Confederate fortress of Fort Wagner, which protected Morris Island, south of Charleston Harbor.

This had long-term strategic benefits by encouraging more African-Americans to enlist, allowing the Union to utilize a manpower resource that the Confederacy could not match for the remainder of the war.

Brigadier General Quincy Gillmore intended to repeat his assault, but first executed feints to distract the Confederates' attention, the Battle of Grimball's Landing on July 16.

The approach to the fort was constricted to a strip of beach 60 yards (55 m) wide with the ocean to the east and the marsh from Vincent's (now Bass) Creek to the west.

Upon rounding this defile, the Union army was presented with the 250-yard south face of Fort Wagner, which stretched from Vincent's creek to the sea.

Company A of the 1st South Carolina Artillery also had two guns positioned outside of Wagner's southern face by Vincent's creek to provide enfilading fire.

The bombardment lasted eight hours, but caused little damage against the sandy walls of the fort, and in all, killed only about 8 men and wounded an additional 20, as the defenders had taken cover in the bombproof shelter.

The first brigade was commanded by General George Crockett Strong and was composed of the 54th Massachusetts, 6th Connecticut, 48th New York, 3rd New Hampshire, 76th Pennsylvania, and the 9th Maine regiments.

The 31st North Carolina, which had been completely captured during the battle of Roanoke Island and later exchanged, remained in the bombproof shelter and did not take its position in the southeast bastion.

William Carney, an African-American sergeant with the 54th, is considered the first black recipient of the Medal of Honor, for his actions that day in recovering and returning the unit's U.S. flag to Union lines.

[7] Their conduct improved the reputation of African Americans as soldiers, leading to greater Union recruitment of African-Americans, which strengthened the Northern states' numerical advantage.

The Confederate congress had passed a law in May 1863, supporting an earlier declaration by President Davis, that excluded black soldiers and their white officers from exchange.

The Confederates abandoned the fort on September 7, 1863, after resisting 60 days of shelling, it having been deemed untenable because of the damage from constant bombardment, lack of provisions, and the close proximity of the Union siege trenches to Wagner.

[10] Previously, in 2003, when a builder announced his plans to build houses on the tract, for which he had an option to buy, the Trust, local preservationist Blake Hallman and others formed the Morris Island Coalition, generated media attention and support for preservation and defeated the effort.

[11] According to TPL, the city and county are working "to complete a management plan to protect the island's nationally significant historical and natural resources".