Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/131

 The Wee Nee Volunteers of Williamsburg District. 125

to come from Folly Inlet. The colonel put me in command of the expedition, and gave me a detail consisting of the Wee Nees, a de- tachment from the Edisto Rifles and one from one of the Barnwell companies belonging to the regiment. We went down the creek and landed near the mouth of the Stono. The line was formed extending across the island. Folly Island was covered with an almost impenetrable thrcket of scrub live-oaks, palmettos, pines, briers, etc. A heavy rain, which came on about the time the move- ment was commenced, added to our difficulties. Everybody was soon soaked to the skin. We found it impossible to preserve regular intervals between the men on the skirmish line. In many places no progress could be made without going " on all fours." The skir- mishers necessarily became grouped, but the reconnoisance was made sufficiently well to enable me to report that the enemy were not occu- pying Folly Island. Nothing was seen of the force that was to co- operate with us. We returned to camp after performing a very arduous day's service.

About the last of December the troops that were garrisoning Fort Pickens, on Battery Island, were relieved by a detachment made up of details from every company of the First regiment. I was put in command of the post, which was a well constructed work, command- ing the Stono river. The armament consisted of five smooth-bore 24-pounders. The magazine was well supplied with ammunition, and all the appliances necessary for an effective battery. I also had command of a one 42-pounder howitzer battery at Green Creek Bridge. The quarters for officers and men were very comfortably built barracks. I had a table, desk and stove as the furniture of my room. The lieutenant's quarters were as well provided. We had also a dining-room for our mess. The men's quarters had stoves and bunks. Wood was tolerably plenty. The post was supplied with excellent water brought in a boat from Charleston and kept in a large tank near the wharf, which was situated a little above the battery. There was also a well, the water from which we used for washing and cooking purposes. This island is about two miles above Cole's Island, and was connected with the latter by an excellent military road, running close to the river till reaching the marsh bordering Green Creek. It then leaves the river and follows the edge of the marsh to a point where Green Creek strikes the high land. There we had a howitzer, to sweep the creek and protect a long bridge across it. The road from the bridge passed over some lew lands, across a thick " bay " and on to Cole's Island. A considerable