Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/556

544 wounded. Gallantry and discretion of Lieutenant-Colonel Capers marked. Captain Ryan, Irish Volunteers, Charleston Battalion, distinguished himself by his dashing courage. Lieutenant J. Ward Hopkins, umter Guard, Charleston battalion, wounded in shoulder. Our companies first engaged were reinforced during the action by several others. All fell back across the causeway to Rivers merely, and joined the main body of our troops. Enemy ascertained from prisoners to be in strong force at Legare's, under command of Brigadier-General 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 much exposed. A section of Captain William C. Preston's battery, light artillery, under Captain Preston and Lieutenant Julius Rhett, was carried with great promptness and dash into position, and worked with fierce energy, under a heavy cross-fire from the gunboats in the two rivers, and under a direct fire from a piece of the enemy's at the woods on Legare's, in front. The fire from these guns, and from the stationary and more distant batteries of Colonel T. G. Lamar and of Captain Warley, in the direction of Secessionville, rendered the enemy's advance across the causeway, through repeatedly threatened, too perilous for him to attempt. Brigadier-General H. W. Mercer arrived from Charleston in the afternoon. Colonel Johnson Hagood, First regiment South Carolina volunteers, previously detained in the city by his duties as provost marshal, joined his regiment during the day, with Captain B. G. Hay, Lieutenant Ben. Martin, and others of his staff. Casualties light. Brigadier-General Gist and aids covered with sand, from explosion of shells. The screeching of the rifle-shells and the heavy explosions of the 11- and 13-inch subsided a little after dark into a discharge of a shell from a gunboat, at regular intervals of half an hour, during the night. Our men, wet, weary and hungry, slept on their arms. The night was tempestuous.

June 4.—Main body of our troops drawn within the lines. Gunboats from creek in front, shelled Secessionville. Design of the enemy to occupy apparent. Enemy said to be advancing this evening. Untrue.

June 5.—Enemy said to be advancing this evening. Our troops marched to the front. Everything quiet by sundown. No fight.

June 6.—Brigadier-General W. D. Smith arrived on the island and assumed command, General Mercer having been ordered to take command at Savannah. Picket guard this evening, under Colonel C. H. Stevens, Twenty-fourth regiment South Carolina Volunteers, skirmished with the enemy at the Presbyterian church; enemy left one