Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/45

 Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John G. Pressley. 39

to reduce the force on James Island any more. We are holding- the key to the city of Charleston.

August gth. — The left wing of the regiment moved into the' new camp, which we call " Camp Stono.'"

August loth. — Such of our detail of sharpshooters as were in camp were sent off to-day. The rest of them are sick or on furlough,

August i§th to October ijth. — I was, in very complimentary orders, detailed as a member of a " Board of Examiners," for the examina- tion of officers in reorganized regiments, and officers awaiting promo- tion. The other members of the board are Lieutenant-Colonel Wil- liam Butler, First regiment South Carolina regular infantry, and Lieutenant- Colonel Ellison Capers, Twenty-fourth South Carolina volunteers. The board sat first at Fort Johnson, but soon adjourned to the MiUtary Hall in Charleston. I served as a member of the board for two months. During that time about one hundred and fifty officers were examined, of rank from lieutenant-colonel down to ju- nior second lieutenant. We found about one-third of the number deficient, and reported against their retention in service. The report was not approved, owing to the fact that some commands would have been almost without officers. Our work was not, however, barren of results. The officers reported deficient were given another examina- tion, and, by assiduous study in the meantime, many of them became efficient. This disposition of the report was not unsatisfactory to the board. Many of the rejected officers afterwards qualified themselves for the position. None of the officers of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina volunteers were examined. They were exempted from the operation of the order, as they had organized for the war. It affected principally the twelve months' volunteers, which had reorganized within the limits of their original regiments.

While the Board of Examiners were in session a Court of Inquiry, composed of Colonels Stevens, Colquit, and Lamar, was held at the Military Hall to inquire into the killing of Colonel Ransom Calhoun, of the First regiment South Carolina artillery regulars, by Major Alfred Rhett, of the same regiment. While the practice of duelling was condemned, the finding of the court was not such as to deter General Beauregard, who had succeeded Pemberton in the command of the Department, from recommending the promotion of Rhett to fill Calhoun's place.

There was a great deal of fever in the city during the summer and fall. A few cases of yellow fever were reported. Colonel J. B. La- mar, who distinguished himself at Secessionville, was one of the vie-