Alfred Roman, The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the states, 1861 to 1865

[584] and only 8 men out of 28 men and 2 officers of the battery escaped alive and unhurt. Five companies of the 22d and four companies of the 18th South Carolina regiments were blown up, or mainly destroyed, by the falling earth.

The 22d South Carolina regiment lost 170 men and officers	170
18th had killed 4 officers and 39 men	86
wounded 5 38
Battery	22
	——
Aggregate losses known to have occurred from explosion	278

Of 4 officers and 72 men missing from the 18th regiment, over and above the foregoing estimate, a part may have been blown up or killed by falling earth, but most of them were supposed to have been captured. Each brigade of my division had been previously instructed that, in case of an attack or breach on any point of my line, they should close and fight towards that point, leaving a picket-line behind; which was promptly done on this occasion. When the cloud of dust had subsided the enemy was found in the breach. Some four flags were counted, and a continued line of white and black troops came pouring on from the enemy's lines to support those in advance, while their artillery, mortars, and cannon opened all along their lines, the heavier fire being concentrated on our works and ground adjacent to the crater, and mainly from batteries near the Baxter road, where since the 16th of June the enemy seemed to be building, batteries and strong works.

The 23d and part of the 22d South Carolina regiments, on the right, and 17th and 18th, on the left of the crater opened a destructive fire from our parapets on the advancing column and on the enemy in the breach. The flanking arrangements of our works on both sides of the breach afforded peculiar advantages, and soon the fire along the line of my division extended far out on each flank, wherever the enemy's column could be reached, and swept the ground in front of the crater.

To the men on the left of Wise's brigade, occupying the eminence south of Baxter road, about two hundred yards from the crater, the enemy's masses presented a most inviting target.

Wright's battery of four guns, admirably located and intrenched on the left of Elliott's brigade, and in rear of our front line, poured its whole column of fire on the enemy's masses and right flank. The position of this excellent battery was perhaps unknown to the enemy, and the superior manner in which it was served, the rapidity of its fire, and the terrible effect on the enemy's forces, no doubt greatly astonished and demoralized them. One gun of Davidson's battery, commanded by Lieutenant Otey, occupied a position on the right of the Baxter road, on the eminence at the left of Wise's brigade, admirably adapted to throwing canister into the enemy's left flank, and, with Wright's battery, to sweep the ground in front of the breach with a destructive cross-fire. It opened with a few rounds, but was soon deserted by officers and men (for which the officer was duly sentenced). The gun was afterwards manned and officered from Wise's brigade, and did excellent service under Colonel Goode.

Major Haskell's mortar-battery, in charge of Captain Lamkin, consisting of