Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 26.djvu/80

70 progress; at 4 A. M. it was clear overhead but still foggy and it was not until 8 A. M. that the advance naval 'vessels reached Boyd's Landing. The transports arrived later on account of the thick weather. After noon the creek was crowded with craft. General Foster appeared at 2 P. M. and General Potter at 3.30. He infused new life into affairs, an army of about 6,000 men; eighteen guns, horses and stores were to be landed, and it appears that all of the 29th was consumed in effecting this completely.

Having presented in detail the formidable character of the column of attack, and in view of the certainty of battle next day, we leave the Federals landing and making their preparations for the morrow, in order to report the condition of Confederate affairs on that eventful 29th of November.

The military department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida was that day under the chief command of Lieutenant-General W. J. Hardee, with headquarters at Savannah, Georgia; Major-General Samuel Jones, second in command, had his headquarters at Charleston, South Carolina.

The 3rd military district of South Carolina (extending from the Ashepoo to the Savannah river, and down to the coast), in which the enemy landed, and where the battle of "Honey Hill" was fought, was in command of Colonel C. J. Colcock, 3rd South Carolina cavalry, with headquarters at Grahamville, South Carolina. Lieutenant E. W. Fraser, A. A. G., in charge of district headquarters; Captain Louis D. DeSaussure, inspector of outposts on Colonel Colcock's staff, also on duty at headquarters.

In the temporary absence of Colonel Colcock, his duties devolved on Major John Jenkins, 3rd South Carolina cavalry, with headquarters at Pocataligo, South Carolina.

The old adage: "It is the unexpected that happens," was again experienced on this eventful morning, when six gunboats and a large fleet of transports, bearing a column of 6,000 men, infantry, cavalry and artillery, suddenly came in view of the vedettes on Broad river, on their way to Boyd's Landing. This was about 8 o'clock A. M.

I have already referred to the quiet conditions in November, along our coast front, and to the continuing depletion from this region, of its already limited forces, to meet the needs of the Confederacy else- where, and so the actual military conditions at that date may be best