Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/365

 364 Southern Historical Society Papers.

cock ordered his men to set fire to the broom -sedge, which was dry and covered the entire field. A strong wind, then prevailing and blowing in the direction of the enemy, carried down upon them, with surprising rapidity, a fierce line of flame and smoke before which they precipitately retreated; in their flight abandoning blankets, haversacks and knapsacks. Reforming in the road, the Federals advanced, Colonel Colcpck retiring with his little command and dis- puting their progress from time to time as opportunity occurred.

Meanwhile General Smith had fully occupied the breastworks, and completed his dispositions. To Colonel Colcock, the district com- mander, was assigned the general charge of the main line.

The engagement commenced about ten o'clock in the morning, and from that time until nearly dark the enemy made repeated but fruitless efforts to carry the Confederate position. The Confederates brought into action five pieces of field artillery and about fourteen hundred effective muskets. There were also three companies and two detachments of the Third South Carolina Regiment of Cavalry, under Major Jenkins.* The Confederate line of battle extended from the Honey- Hill road, on which its right rested in a semi-circu- lar form through an open pine barren to the Coosawhatchie road.

At a remove of one hundred and fifty yards in front of the Con- federate line and extending almost its entire length, was a low, swampy ground, about twenty yards wide. As the head of the Federal column appeared at a curve in the Honey-Hill road, less than two hundred yards in advance of the field works occupied by the Con- federates, it encountered a murderous fire of artillery and musketry before which it recoiled.

and constituted the little Confederate army charged with driving back a Federal force more than three times as numerous :
 * The following organizations were present on this memorable occasion,

Infantry. The First Brigade Georgia Militia, Colonel Willis ; the State Line Brigade (Georgia), Colonel Wilson ; the Seventeenth Georgia, Con- federate Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Edwards; the Thirty-second Geor- gia, Confederate Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Bacon ; the Athens Battalion, Major Cook; the Augusta Battalion, Major Jackson.

Cavalry. Companies B and E, and detachments from Company C and the Rebel Troop, all belonging to the Third Regiment South Carolina Cav- alry, under command of Major Jenkins.

Artillery. A section of the Peaufort Artillery, Captain Stuart ; a section of De Pass's Light Battery; a section of the Lafayette Artillery; one gun from Kanapaux's Light Battery.