oner by the enemy, was found riddled with balls
in the side. His wrists were pricked raw, and
the report was current that he was tied to a tree
and dispatched, but this is doubted. Corporal
Medley, of company F, Eleventh Wisconsin, was
wounded in the arm, and brought away a wound
ed comrade, and then went back into the fight.
Our wounded were taken to the house, and every
care was taken of the sufferers which the circum
stances of the case demanded, by Doctor F. K
Burke, Brigade-Surgeon of the First division, as
sisted by Dr. Isaac Casselbury, First Indiana
cavalry, Dr. Strong, Eleventh Wisconsin, and Dr.
N. T. Abbott, of the Thirty-third Illinois regi
ment.
July 8. The army marched to Bayou Du
View. Reconnoitring parties were thrown out on
all the different roads. Halting about four miles
out, with General Curtis to see everything on the
march in good order, we heard what we supposed
was the distant report of howitzers. The decep
tion arose from the dropping of a bucket into a
well on a neighboring plantation.
We encamped for the night on the side toward
Clarendon. Major Bowen dashed down eight
miles before dark and reported the road clear.
DQC. 83.
SKIRMISH AT BATON ROUGE, LA.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL KEITH S OFFICIAL REPORT.
CAMP TWENTY-FIRST ISDIANA VOLUNTEERS, )
BATON ROUGE, July , 1862. )
James W. McMillin., Colonel Twenty-first Indi
ana Volunteers, Commanding Post :
SIR : In obedience to order of Lieut. -Col. Clark,
Sixth Michigan volunteers, then commanding
post, I, with forty of McGee s cavalry, under
Capt. McGee, started from the camp of the
Twenty-first Indiana volunteers, at seven o clock
P.M., of the twenty-seventh of June, to make
such reconnoissance as in my opinion seemed
best. Following the Grecnsburgh road nineteen
miles, we crossed to the Camp Moore road by an
unfrequented path, distance six miles. Nine
miles from where this path intersected the last-
named road we breakfasted and fed our horses.
At eight o clock A.M. we resumed our march
twelve miles further, in the direction of Camp
Moore ; then we crossed to the Greenburgh road,
capturing on the way a guerrilla.
On arriving at the road we captured three pri
soners and the horse of a fourth, who escaped,
under fire, by taking to the woods. Two of the
prisoners were members of Capt. Terrill s Missis
sippi cavalry, and well armed. I learned that he,
with his company of one hundred and ten men,
was encamped at Williams s Bridge, across the
Amite River, on the Greensburgh road, eighf
miles distant. I determined to surprise him and
destroy his camp. The camp is only a mile from
the Clinton road. There are three bridges to
cross on the Port Hudson road, before reaching
the ca-mp, the furthest not more than half a milo
removed. On reaching the first bridge I left
Capt. McGee in the rear with instructions, and
with twenty men pushed rapidly forward. We
saw no pickets until we reached the Amite bridjix?,
(the last one.) These we hailed by my advance
They fled without giving any alarm. One shot
was fired after them, when one of them was seen
to fall.
Seventy rods from the bridge we were, brought
278
REBELLION RECORD, 1862.
in front of the encampment. Here \ve delivered
a volley and charged in upon them. The volley
seemed to be the first notice to the inmates of
our approach. The effect may well be imagined.
A general stampede ensued, in which every thing
not in actual possession at the time was aban
doned. Accompanied by five of the men, I
crossed a small trench in the direction taken by
the enemy in their flight, when, on ascending the
bank, a volley of twenty rounds was poured into
us from a thicket immediately in front, and at a
distance of not more than thirty paces. We re
turned the fire with our revolvers. I then or
dered the rear, who were across the trench, to
move forward to our support. This they refused
to do, but remained in the hollow, seemingly
paralyzed at this sudden show of resistance. We
continued firing with our revolvers, and received
a second volley, at which time Capt. McGee was
heard dashing across the bridge with the reserve.
Seeing this, the enemy fled precipitately under
our fire.
The Captain s arrival was well timed, for every
man with me had discharged his shots. Six of
us fired over thirty shots. Our loss was Sergeant
Marshall, wounded in the thigh, badly, and one
horse killed. The enemy s loss is not certain!}
known, but was at least four killed, seven prison
ers, twenty horses, three mules, and a wagon
laden with provisions and forage, besides a quan
tity of arms, accoutrements, saddles, horse-equip
age, and ammunition which were captured. The
most valuable of the articles, or so much as we
could transport, were brought away ; the residue,
with all the commissary and quartermaster s
stores, forage, blankets, and camp equipage was
burned or otherwise destroyed. I brought with
me all the company books and papers. It was
between twelve and one o clock when AVC charged
Upon the camp. Dinner was just prepared.
Not having a force that would justify me in
pursuing the enemy in his flight, we immediately
took up our march homeward. We had arrived
within eighteen miles of this place, when, about
nine o clock P.M., two enfilading volleys were
fired into our rear from a point of woods at the
turn of the road. At the point whence the firing
proceeded the road turns to the right, and the
left-hand side is skirted by woods with a thick
undergrowth. When the firing opened the rear
guard had passed. The fire was returned by
them. We had fourteen prisoners, seventy
horses, and a mule-team, laden with the fruits
of our capture, to encumber us for a short time.
The greatest confusion prevailed. The horses
that had been ridden by the prisoners, with those
being led and others that had lost their riders,
came dashing down the road furiously.
For a while the men seemed panic-stricken,
but in five minutes time \ve were in a condition
to receive an attack, if any was contemplated,
which we fully expected. In the mean time we
ascertained that the enemy fled upon delivering
the second volle} r , which was done within fifteen
seconds after the first volley. We gathered up
our killed and wounded and encamped in the
field opposite the woods. Our loss was twc
killed Hammon 1). Wagner and Joseph Shoe-
ner. The wounded were Oliver S. Locke, George
Haynes, John Buckner, and Daniel Borne, to
gether with a negro whom we captured in camp,
and who has since died from the effect of his
wounds. Seven of the prisoners escaped. Two
of the guard over them were killed, and two had
their horses shot under them, and two others
were wounded. Four of our horses were killed,
among them my own.
We were not further molested, and at sunrise
resumed our march, reaching camp at half-past
eleven o clock on the morning of the twenty -ninth
inst, with eight prisoners and all the horses and
other property, together with our dead and
wounded. The property has been disposed of
by Capt. McGee. We had, on reaching camp,
marched ninety-six miles, neither man nor horse
having had a morsel of food for thirty-two hours
of the time, and the men, with the exception of
three hours of that time, were constantly in the
saddle.
Capt. McGee deserves the greatest praise for
the timely aid rendered when we were attacked
first by the enemy, and also for his coolness dur
ing the time we were under fire at night, and for
his efforts in allaying the panic which for a mo
ment prevailed among some of his men at that
time. Too much credit cannot be given Ser
geants Marshall and Parsons, private Miller, and
Sergeant Brown for their courage and brave con
duct in receiving the two volleys in the camp of
the enem} r , and their subsequent conduct that
night. Trusting that my action in the premises
may meet your approbation, I am, with respect,
your obedient servant, JOHN A. KEITH,
Lieutenant-Colonel Twenty-first Indiana Volautc<TS.
Doc. 84.
A REBEL SOLDIER S DIARY
OF TITE "ENEMY S APPROACH TO AND WITHDRAWAL
FROM BEFORE CHARLESTON, S. C., MAY, JUNE AND
JULY, 1802."
May 17. Enemy sounding Stono Channel in
barges. One fired on from Goat Island by rifle
men, and driven off.
May 19. Several of the enemy s gunboats at
tempted to enter Stono Inlet ; one ran aground
and all put back.
May 20. Three gunboats crossed the Bar and
entered the Stono River about three o clock A.V.
One ran up and anchored a little below Battery
Island, commanding the old (river) route from
Coles s Island the enemy thinking, probably, to
cut off our troops on Coles s Island. Lieut. -Col.
Ellison Capers, Twenty -fourth regiment South-
Carolina volunteers, commanding on Coles s Is
land, withdrew his force, (two companies,) under
standing orders, to James Island, by the nevr
(back) and scarcely completed route over Dixon S
Island. Capt. L. Buist, Palmetto Guard, com
manding on Battery Island, withdrew his force,
DOCUMENTS.
279
(two companies,) under similar orders, also to
James Island. By like orders, the buildings on
Coles s and on Battery Islands were fired by our
men before retiring. Volumes of smoke from
the burning buildings. Our men on the qui vive.
On appearance of a gunboat off mouth of Folly
River, carronade on marsh battery, near Folly
River, thrown overboard by those in charge.
Coles s and Battery Islands shelled by the en
emy.
May 21. Six of our pickets, of Capt. Jones s
company, Twenty-fourth regiment South Caroli
na volunteers, made prisoners on Battery Island.
Expecting, apparently, the enemy to pass by,
without discovering them, they, instead of with
drawing, hid themselves in the magazine on the
approach of a gunboat up the Stono. Enemy saw
them and landed. Legare s, on James Island,
shelled this day by a gunboat slowly going up
the Stono.
May 25. Gunboats to this time had been run
ning up the Stono for several miles ever} day,
shelling both sides of the river, and returning in
the evening to Battery Island. Effort to-day of
Brig. -Gen. Ripley to draw them within effective
reach of guns of Fort Pemberton, failed. Gal
lantry of Capt. Frank Bonneau, and the men of
our little floating battery, stationed for the day
in the creek near Dixon s Island, remarked. A
gunboat which engaged the battery, was driven
off in a few minutes. The battery was moored
to the land. Three gunboats had been drawn up
the river a short distance, by Gen. Ripley s move-
merits. On their return, they had passed by all
together, when one came back, apparently to
learn what was the little dark object across the
marshes and the small islands. Capt. B., who
was aboard, had just received orders not to fire
unless attacked. He had his men ashore, under
cover. The gunboat opened on him. Capt. B.
promptly fired his battery (two or three guns)
himself. His men, at the first sound of the en
emy s gun, came bounding to their little float,
and soon manning their guns, drove the gunboat
away.
May 31. Gunboats, to this time, running up
the Stono every morning, as before, shelling every
one who came in sight, whether on foot, on horse,
or in a vehicle. Some peaceful citizens crossing
Newtown Cut Bridge in a buggy, during this pe
riod, were very much startled by a shell, and
took to flight on foot across the fields. To-day a
few shell thrown from the Stono, toward Seces-
sionville, fell near the camp of Twenty-fourth
regiment South-Carolina volunteers, and toward
Brig. -General Gist, Capt. James Gist and Capt.
Joseph Glover, of his staff, who were riding out.
^June 1 (Sunday.) A gunboat came some
distance up Folly River, but soon retired. Recon
noitring apparently.
June 2. A gunboat came up Folly River
this morning, on the flood, about nine A.M.,
shelled the battery of Capt. Chichester at Le
gare s Point, that of Capt. AVarley, close to Se-
cessionville, and Secessionville itself. This place
being then occupied by the Eutaw battalion,
Lieut. -Col. Charles II. Simonton commanding;
the Charleston battalion, Lieut-Col. P. C. Gail-
lard commanding; the cavalry companies of Capt.
W. L. Disher and of Capt/ McKewn, and
being the headquarters of Brig. -Gen. S. II. Gist,
commanding on the island. Our batteries re
sponded rigorously. No damage done by the
enemy, except to a horse, which had his leg bro
ken by a shell that passed through an out-house
just behind the General s headquarters, and ex
ploded. After firing for about an hour, the en
emy withdrew. No damage, up to this time,
done by the enemy s firing, except to horses.
Evening. More than twenty vessels in sight
off Charleston Bar and Stono Inlet, and in Stone
River. Enemy reported as ~being on James Island,
at the point nearest Battery Island, and as hav
ing driven in our pickets. Capt. Carlos Tracy,
volunteer aid to Gen. Gist, and Lieut. Winter,
Wassamassaw cavalry, fired on while reconnoi
tring their position. Gen. Gist and Capt. Tracy
repeatedly fired on, same evening, by enemy s
advance-guard. This firing, the flrst news in
camp of enemy s landing.
June 3. Last night the enemy and a small
party of our men lay near each other all night,
at Legare s. Capt. Chichester s guns, in being
withdrawn from Legare s Point during the night,
stuck in the mud. Men engaged in endeavoring
to extricate them, driven off by the enemy near
morning. Lieut. - Col. Ellison Capers, Twenty-
fourth regiment South-Carolina volunteers, with
several companies, sent just after daylight to
bring off the guns, and to ascertain enemy s po
sition. Sharp skirmish with the enemy at Le
gare s, in which Lieut. -Col. Capers drove back,
for a half-mile and more, the enemy s troops in
his front, though very much outnumbering him.
Took twenty-three prisoners, and retired only on
the appearance of the enemy in heavy force on
the field, supported by a cross-fire from gunboats
in the Stono and in Folly River. Enemy en
gaged said to have been Twenty-eighth Massa
chusetts and One Hundredth Pennsylvania volun
teers. Our loss, several wounded and one taken
prisoner. Lieut. Walker, Adjutant Charleston
battalion, wounded in the leg, in an endeavor to
bring off whom, it was said, Private Bresnan,
Irish volunteers, was mortally wounded. Gallant
ry and discretion of Lieut. -Col. Capers marked.
Capt. Ryan, Irish volunteers, Charleston battal
ion, distinguished himself by his gallant courage.
Lieut. J. Ward Hopkins, Suinter Guard, Charles
ton battalion, wounded in shoulder. Our com
panies first engaged, were reenforced during the
action by several others. All fell back across
the causeway to River s merely, and joined the
main body of our troops. Enemy ascertained
from prisoners to be in strong force at Legare s,
under command of Brig. -Gen. Stevens. Heavy
bombardment all day by gunboats, of our troops
in line of battle, to resist enemy s advance from
Legare s ; our troops necessarily mucli exposed.
A section of Capt. William C. Preston s battery
light artillery, under Capt. Preston and Lieut.
Julius Rhett, was carried with great promptness
280
REBELLION RECORD. 1SG2.
and dash into position, and worked with fierce
energy under a heavy cross-fire from the gun
boats in the two rivers, and under a direct fire
from a piece of the enemy s, at the woods on Lc-
gare s, in front. The fire from these guns, and
from the stationary and more distant batteries of
Col. T. G. Lamar and of Capt. AYarley, in
the direction of Secessionville, rendered the en
emy s advance across the causeway, though re
peatedly threatened, too perilous for him to at
tempt. Brig. -Gen. II. W. Mercer arrived from
Charleston in the afternoon. Col. Johnson Ha-
good. First regiment South-Carolina volunteers,
previously detained in the city by his duties as
Provost-Marshal, joined his regiment during the
day. Casualties light. Brig. -Gen. Gist and aids,
covered with sand from explosion of shells. The
screeching of the rifle-shells, and the heavy ex
plosions of the eleven and thirteen-inch, subsided
a little after dark into a discharge of a shell from
a gunboat, at a regular interval of half an hour,
during the night. Our men, wet, weary and
hungry, slept on their arms. The night tempes
tuous.
June 4. Main body of our troops driven with
in the lines. Gunboats from creek in front shelled
Secessionville. Design of enemy to occupy ap
parent. Enemy said to be advancing this even
ing. Untrue.
June 5. Enemy said to be advancing this even
ing. Our troops marched to the front. Every
thing quiet by sundown. No fight.
June (5. Brig. -Gen. W. D. Smith arrived on
the Island and assumed command, Gen. Mercer
having been ordered to take command at Savan
nah. Picket-guard this evening, under Col. C.
II. Stevens, Twenty-fourth regiment South-Caro
lina volunteers, skirmished with the enemy at
the Presbyterian church. Enemy left one dead
on the ground. Indications that he suffered fur
ther. A section of Preston s battery did some
liring. No loss on our side. A prisoner brought
into camp.
June 7. Alarm in evening. Troops to the
Iront. Every thing soon quiet. Enemy moving
about Grimbali s, on the Stono
June 8. Enemy evidently in force at Grim-
ball s. A prisoner brought in this evening.
June 10. During a reconnoissance in some
force this afternoon, under Gen. Smith, a part of
the troops the Forty-seventh Georgia volun
teers, Col. Williams commanding were repulsed
in the woods, at Grimbali s, after a gallant onset
upon the enemy, advantageously posted, support
ed by artiller} and aided by his gunboats in the
Stono. Our loss serious. Capt. Williams killed.
The woods through which the Forty-seventh ad
vanced so dense that order, it is said, could not
be preserved, nor could commands be properly
extended. Great regret for the loss of the brave
Georgians. Heavy firing nearly all night from
gunboats in the Stono.
Jane 14. Brig. -Gen. N. G. Evans arrived on
the Island to assume command. Heavy firing of
shot and shell Mpon Secessionville, from enemy s
gunboats, and from a battery erected at Legare s
Point. Vigorous replies of Col. Lamar s guns.
Firing nearly all day. One man killed in his
tent, at Secessionville, by a shell.
June 15. Similar firing upon Secessionville.
Colonel Lamar replies more deliberately. Firius
very slow towards night. Two men wounded on
our side.
June 10. Attack of the enemy at daylight on
the earthwork at Secessionville. Brig. -Gen. Ste
vens in command of assaulting column of six reg
iments Eighth Michigan, Seventh Connecticut,
Twenty - eighth Massachusetts, Seventy - ninth
Highlanders, Forty - sixth New-York, and Ono
Hundredth Pennsylvania. Brig. -Gen. Williams
in command of brigade operating to flank the
work on its right, by an advance on Hill s place.
Brig. -Gen. Benham in command of whole. Our
work a simple priest-cap covering a neck of land
about fifty (50) yards wide, flanked right and
left by a creek, and defended by four guns and
about six hundred men. Enemy % repulsed with
fearful loss. Col. T. G. Lamar in immediate com
mand of our batteries, assisted by the no less
brave Lieut. -Col. Thomas M. Wagner, Captain
Reid, Lieut. Humbert, and others, and supported
by the brave Col. Gaillard and the infantry. Col.
C. II. Stevens and Col. Simonton showed prompt
itude and skill, repulsing the flank movement on
our right. Enemy s fire from gunboats in Stono
and Folly Rivers, from his stationary battery at
Legare s Point, from his light artillery and from
his small-arms, terribly severe, particularly so his
fire on our right flank from across the creek at
Hills s. Our battery at one time almost silenced
by this latter fire. A gun, worked by Lieut.-
Col. Ellison Capers,, in a little battery across the
creek, at Clarke s, somewhat flanking the ene
my s advance, did effective service. By order of
Col. Johnson Hagood, in command of advanced
troops, the Louisiana battalion, Lieut. -Col. Mc-
Enery, rcenforced the garrison at Secessionville
luring the fight, and rushing gallantly into the
fire with the cry of "JSemember Butler" soon
drove the enemy from his flanking position at
Hill s. The Eutaw battalion on the right engaged
the enemy for a short time in the woods, to the
rear of Hill s house, when he fell back, together
with the troops engaged by the Louisiana battal-
on and our other troops from across the creek.
Then the entire force of the enemy, between five
and six thousand strong, slowly and sullenly re
tired from the attack to their positions on the
Stono and within their late line of pickets, burn-
ng Rivers s house on their retreat. Enemy s loss
probably eight hundred men; ours under one
hundred. The brave Capts. Reid, of Colonel La-
mar s regiment of artillery, and King, of Sumter
Griiard, Charleston battalion, Lieut. Edwards, and
many other gallant men of ours, killed. Colonel
flagood, while leading his horse by the reins, had
them severed by a piece of shell. Several of the
enemy bravely mounted our ramparts. Several
got to the rear of it by flanking it on the left.
June 17- General S. Cooper, Senior General
.S. A., visited the Island to-day.
June 18. Flag of truce from the enemy, to io-
DOCUMENTS.
281
quire after wounded and prisoners, and asking
leave to send comforts to them, and offering sim
ilar privilege to us as to our men.
June 20. A few shells thrown by a gunboat
to-day at men at work on our west line.
July 1. Total inactivity of the enemy, offen
sively, since repulse of sixteenth ult., except the
firing of the few shells on twentieth. Grand sa
lute to-day, at sunrise, along our entire line, and
at Forts Johnson, Sumter and Moultrie, in honor
of our successes before Richmond. Enemy re
ported to be advancing. Troops under arms and
to the front. False alarm. Enemy suspected to
be about to retire from the Island.
July 5. Enemy s land-force, known to have
been retiring for several days from Grimball s,
now ascertained to be all withdrawn from that
place. Transports, for several days past, seen
going out of Stono. Gunboats in the river off
Grimball s.
July V. Major "William Duncan, First regi
ment South - Carolina volunteers, narrowly es
caped being made prisoner by a party of the en
emy, at the large work thrown up between Riv
ers s burnt house and the Stono. Party probably
from gunboats. Enemy withdrawn from Le-
gare s.
July 8. Enemy known to have altogether
abandoned James Island, and our city to be safe
for the present. Charleston Mercury, September
Doc. 85.
JEFF. THOMPSON S ADDRESS.
TO THE PLANTERS IN MISSISSIPPI.
GENTLEMEN : You are called upon to sustain
your reputation as brave Mississippians, and
show the world that the forty thousand gallant
sons of your noble State, who are now in the
field, are fighting for principles which you in
dorse, and for which you are willing to suffer
some little personal inconvenience.
You are needed, old and young, not to fight,
but to perform the watching and picketing duty,
which your knowledge of the country peculiarly
fits you for, and which will relieve and rest the
soldiers who have this duty to perform, and thus
give us great advantage over any equal number
of the enemy. The recent raid through De Soto
County should prove the necessity of this vigi
lance, and show how easily one man, riding as
express five miles in advance of the enemy, could
have defeated their purposes, and any reliable
man, with a probable report of their numbers,
could have had them all cut off.
You who belong to the regular minute-men
and militia, turn out at once, so that the forces
here can have the advantage of jour numbers and
local knowledge ; and you who do not belong,
form yourselves into squads around the different
cross-roads, so that two of you can be on the
watch all the time, day and night, one of whom
should come with information of the approach of
the enemy, and the other should secrete himself
until they pass, and then come round and tell
their numbers. By this means raids and forays
can either be prevented or defeated, and the par
ties returned. Only a little mother wit is neces
sary to teach every body how to perform this
duty ; but it will be necessary to notify the mili
tary commander of the point watched, and the
persons agreeing to watch it, so he may know
when a proper person brings information.
You need not fear making yourself any more
liable to depredations by thus acting, for your all
is gone if your soldiers are conquered. Every
foot of ground in Mississippi should be disputed ;
every stump should form a rifle-rest, and cane-
brake a camp. You are not like Missouri, Ken
tucky and Maryland. No craven cowards have
invited the vandals on to your soil ; no regiments