Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/134

 128 Southern Historical Society Papers.

We had preaching several times while we were at Fort Pickens, Once, Rev. James McDowell visited James Island to see some of his acquaintances in Captain Benbow's command and, hearing of him, one of the Montgomery's went for him in our cart. He came and spent the night with us. This was on the I2th of January. After that date, Rev. W. D. Rice, a Baptist preacher from Sumter, visited us and gave us a sermon. The chaplain of the regiment was a Rev.

Stevens, a Methodist minister. He left Cole's Island before or

about the time that we did, and did not visit us on Battery Island.

Not long after the capture of Port Royal and Beaufort, General Sherman advanced his forces, and about the ist of January, 1863, a fight took place at Port Royal Ferry. The result was more favorable to the enemy than to our forces. In the early part of the engage- ment victory seemed inclined to us, but our troops fell back and the enemy succeeded in establishing himself on the main land. It was said that the Confederates were then posted so as to have a very great advantage over the enemy if they attempted to advance further. This sort of talk did not satisfy the soldiers who were in daily inter- course with me. We could not see the propriety of giving up so much territory without greater effort to hold it. .

On the i8th of January we heard that a fleet of the enemy's vessels had sailed from Port Royal. It was supposed that it went to co-operate with the Burnside expedition, the destination of which we did not know at this date, but heard afterwards that Roanoke Island was the objective point. Our works on that island fell about as easy a prey into the hands of the enemy as Port Royal had done.

About the middle of February we heard the news of the fall of Nashville and the capture of thirteen thousand of our troops. This news had a very disheartening and depressing effect on us. It made us contemplate the possibility of the failure of our cause. Until about this time, failure was not regarded by the army as among the possibilities. It seemed to us that thirteen thousand men ought not to surrender to any force. We hoped the affair was exaggerated, and that when full particulars were received there would not be so much cause for discouragement.

About this time news reached us that the Federals had established themselves on Edisto Island. They were nearer to us, but we were still uncertain whether it was the design of General Sherman to move first on Charleston or Savannah.

About the 3d of March the garrison at Fort Pickens was reinforced by the addition of two companies, Washington Light Infantry, Com-