Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/147

 The Wee Nee Volunteers of Williamsburg District. 141

in force of the woods in front of the enemy's position. Colonel Hagood, with the First regiment, was sent to reinforce the picket. The Georgians pressed forward through the woods on the left of the picket line. The Forty-seventh drove the enemy from their position behind a ditch-bank and then fell back themselves, being in their turn driven back. The enemy either rallied or were reinforced. The woods were very thick, and the Forty seventh regiment became separated in marching through. Captain Cone's company, upon getting out of the woods, discovered a body of men near by. An officer beckoned them on. Captain Cone, mistaking them for friends, approached with his company, when fire was opened on him and fifteen of his men were shot down and the captain wounded. The fight became very severe. Captain Williams' company and Captain Cone's were almost annihilated. The Forty-seventh then drew off, leaving their dead and many of their wounded in the hands of the enemy. Hagood and McHenry were entirely successful on the right. They drove the enemy before them, killing a good many without any loss on their part. The Eutaws remained in the trenches till half-past 2 o'clock the next morning, when they were ordered forward to meet the enemy, reported advancing. We marched to the cross-roads, where we spent the balance of the night. The shells from the enemy's gunboats and batteries were falling all around us. Their infantry did not succeed in passing our pickets, who were skirmishing with those of the enemy nearly all night.

June loth. Battalion relieved from further watching shortly after sunrise and marched back to our camp. The reported loss of the Forty- seventh Georgia in the battle of yesterday was sixty-five killed, wounded and missing.

June I2th. To-day the battalion was ordered to the front to pro- tect Goodlet's regiment South Carolina volunteers, which was de- tailed as a working party to cut down the woods east of the Seces- sionville road, to prevent the enemy using it as a cover to attack the works in front of Secessionville. Took position on the road between the enemy and the working party. The enemy did not fire, though they were quite near. It was not our purpose to interfere with the working by bringing on an engagement.

It was reported to-day that one of our scouts had gotten near enough to the enemy's camp to count seventy coffins for the killed in the engagement yesterday, and to overhear their pickets discussing the fight. They spoke of a mounted officer having been killed, and said that they got the worst of the fight.