Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 02.djvu/211

 directed their attention also to Battery Tynes, under command of Captain Richardson, Lucas' battalion, who returned the fire, and at night this battery shelled the enemy's position on John's island, as it was afterwards ascertained, with great accuracy.

On the morning of the 9th, the enemy again opened fire upon Battery Pringle and the lines, but the Brooke gun having been mounted during the night, the wooden gun and mortar boats were made to drop lower down the river, and the monitors were by this gun and the ten-inch Columbiad, several times hit, and one supposed to be considerably damaged. Heavy musketry and artillery firing were heard on John's island at daybreak, and in the course of the evening troops could be seen marching down to the wharf at Leganville, embarking on steamers, but not leaving the wharf.

This indicated an abandonment of John's island, and a probable concentration on this island of all his troops; and I made every disposition to meet an attack. This supposition was strengthened by his sending up the river with the rising tide, just after nightfall, three fire rafts, for the purpose of destroying the unfinished bridge across the Stono, intended to connect this and John's island.

His efforts in this were unsuccessful, as the rafts were boarded by a detachment from the Naval battalion, under Lieutenant Smith, and brought a shore before reaching the bridge.

On the morning of the 10th, several large steamer loads of troops were thrown from John's to this island, and the embarkation of troops at Leganville continued. These demonstrations lasted only until evening, when many transports loaded with troops steamed out of the Stono, and put to sea. The enemy's fire was kept up until evening upon our pickets and Battery Pringle. About 8 A. M., the enemy made another barge attack upon Simkins and Fort Johnston, which was met by the same gallant garrison of the 3d instant, with the addition of Captain Le Gardem's section of light artillery, and a company of Confederate States marines, and promptly repulsed.

On the morning of the llth, after shelling our troops all night, the enemy's vessels of war steamed out of the Stono, and our troops reoccupied the peninsula. The cavalry videttes were re-established. I think it unnecessary to detail the position and movements of troops in the district and along the lines.

On the 2d instant, the first sub-district embracing the several batteries of Fort Johnston, under Lieutenant-Colonel Yates, Haskell'Haskell, [sic]