Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 4.
Frank Moore, Ed.

sir: On the twenty-third instant I received information that the enemy were building a battery at Bear Bluff, opposite White Point. On the night of the twenty-fourth, accompanied by Lieut. Prentiss, I went up in our dingey, with three men, and landed without being discovered by the guard. Lieut. Prentiss and I went up and found the battery in an unfinished state, and looking about us [205] discovered the magazine, found two of the picket-guard asleep in it, got one musket out from beside them without awakening them, returned to the boat and brought up two of the men to secure them. In doing so, I regret to say one of them was shot through the head, and instantly killed — the pistol in my hand going off accidentally in the struggle. We carried both to the boat, and escaped without discovery.

The picket-guard at the battery that night consisted of fifteen infantry and two mounted men, in command of a lieutenant, so the surviving prisoner states. We buried the other properly the next day near the camp of the Forty-seventh regiment. His name is Jos. A. Wilson, company C, Moore's battalion, stationed at Church Flats. The other, now on board this vessel, is William M. Evins, from Raebun County, Ga., of the same company. According to his account there are two regiments at Church Flats, sending pickets out regularly to Rockville, Bear Bluff, and other points on the east side of the river, their men illfed, not paid or clothed, and badly treated.

Wilson was from Pickens District, S. C. The musket we have taken from them is of the Enfield pattern, has the Tower mark, date 1861. Both cartridge-boxes contained Ely's London stamped cartridges. . . . .

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,