Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/67

 Diary of Lieutenant- Colonel John G. Pressley. 61

The force of the enemy in our front, exclusive of the troops routed at Grimball's, consisted, as nearly as I could estimate them, of two regiments of white and two of negro troops, and one battery of artillery. Our force was superior, and we could have captured the whole brigade of the enemy if General Colquit had allowed us to press on, and brought up the Georgians to our support, accord- ing to the plan as explained to me at the beginning of the engage- ment.

The number of the enemy killed by the Twenty-fifth was never correctly ascertained. My estimate was from thirty to fifty. Four- teen prisoners, all colored, were captured, some of them by the Twenty-fifth, and some by the Georgians. Montgomery, of Kan- sas notoriety, was said to have been in command of the enemy.

The loss of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers in this engagement was two killed, five wounded, and one taken prisoner. This man, as were most of the wounded, was a part of the infirm- ary corps. I think he laid down to escape a shell, and remained till after the return of our forces. We did not return over the same ground, and when the enemy threw out their pickets during the day to ascertain if the field in front of them was clear he was captured. A boy came down from Williamsburg to become the substitute of a man in Captain Hammond's company. There was no time to fix the papers for the substitution. The brave little fel- low went out with the company and was killed.

July ijth. — It was discovered by our pickets that the enemy had left the island in great haste, leaving quantities of commissary and quartermasters' stores, which fell into our hands. I got the mess- chest of the colonel of the Tenth Connecticut regiment, but as the transportation allowed an officer of my rank in the Confederate army was not sufficient to make it available to me I presented it to General Hagood.

July i8ih. — Battery Wagner, on Morris Island, was assaulted after a terrific bombardment. The enemy were repulsed with great loss in killed and prisoners captured. The Confederate loss was also heavy. Colonel P. C. Gaillard was severely wounded, losing his hand ; Captain W. E. Stoncy was also severely wounded, and Major Ramsey was killed. Several other valuable officers were killed.

While riding over James Island with General Colquit, and show- ing him the ground, he explained to me that his reason for stopping the fight on the i6th, and drawing off the troops, was because he