Emilio, Luis F., History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry , 1863-1865

Gen. B. H. Robertson, the Confederate commander on John's Island, with four regiments, a battalion of Georgians, and two field batteries was ordered to attack General Hatch in his threatening position. Colonel Harrison led the advance at 4 A. M., on the 9th, covered by a fog, and surprised the One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York on picket beyond the bridge, driving it back. But the troops defending the lines received the enemy with a hot fire of musketry and canister, which forced them to a sheltered position and strewed the ground with dead and wounded. Bringing up artillery, the enemy made another attempt to carry the bridge at 6.30 A. M., with a similar result, after which their main body withdrew. This engagement is known as ‘Bloody Bridge.’ We lost some eighty-two killed and wounded, the enemy some seventeen killed and ninetythree wounded, according to their own account. That night, in pursuance of the prearranged plan, General Hatch withdrew from John's Island upon transports without molestation, Montgomery's brigade returning to James Island.

About daylight our troops on James Island heard the sounds of battle across the Stono. The day was close and sultry. There occurred the usual bombardment of Pringle, Tynes, and the enemy's lines. Replies from a Brook gun and a ten-inch Columbiad in Pringle were effective against our gunboats, but the monitors stood their ground. Late that day it was seen that we were to abandon James Island. A fatigue party of the Fifty-fourth was engaged constructing another bridge to Cole's Island; all the surplus stores were conveyed away, and the wharf repaired. When it was