Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[280] and dash into position, and worked with fierce energy under a heavy cross-fire from the gunboats in the two rivers, and under a direct fire from a piece of the enemy's, at the woods on Legare's, in front. The fire from these guns, and from the stationary and more distant batteries of Col. T. G. Lamar and of Capt.----Warley, in the direction of Secessionville, rendered the enemy's advance across the causeway, though repeatedly threatened, too perilous for him to attempt. Brig.-Gen. H. W. Mercer arrived from Charleston in the afternoon. Col. Johnson Hagood, First regiment South-Carolina volunteers, previously detained in the city by his duties as Provost-Marshal, joined his regiment during the day. Casualties light. Brig.-Gen. Gist and aids, covered with sand from explosion of shells: The screeching of the rifle-shells, and the heavy explosions of the eleven and thirteen-inch, subsided a little after dark into a discharge of a shell from a gunboat, at a regular interval of half an hour, during the night. Our men, wet, weary and hungry, slept on their arms. The night tempestuous.

June 4.--Main body of our troops driven within the lines. Gunboats from creek in front shelled Secessionville. Design of enemy to occupy apparent. Enemy said to be advancing this evening. Untrue.

June 5.--Enemy said to be advancing this evening. Our troops marched to the front. Every thing quiet by sundown. No fight.

June 6.--Brig.-Gen. W. D. Smith arrived on the Island and assumed command, Gen. Mercer having been ordered to take command at Savannah. Picket-guard this evening, under Col. C. H. Stevens, Twenty-fourth regiment South-Carolina volunteers, skirmished with the enemy at the Presbyterian church. Enemy left one dead on the ground. Indications that he suffered further. A section of Preston's battery did some firing. No loss on our side. A prisoner brought into camp.

June 7.--Alarm in evening. Troops to the front. Every thing soon quiet. Enemy moving about Grimball's, on the Stono.

June 8.--Enemy evidently in force at Grimball's. A prisoner brought in this evening.

June 10.--During a reconnaissance in some force this afternoon, under Gen. Smith, a part of the troops — the Forty-seventh Georgia volunteers, Col. Williams commanding — were repulsed in the woods, at Grimball's, after a gallant onset upon the enemy, advantageously posted, supported by artillery and aided by his gunboats in the Stono. Our loss serious. Capt. Williams killed. The woods through which the Forty-seventh advanced so dense that order, it is said, could not be preserved, nor could commands be properly extended. Great regret for the loss of the brave Georgians. Heavy firing nearly all night from gunboats in the Stono.

June 14.--Brig.-Gen. N. G. Evans arrived on the Island to assume command. Heavy firing of shot and shell upon Secessionville, from enemy's gunboats, and from a battery erected at Legare's Point. Vigorous replies of Col. Lamar's guns. Firing nearly all day. One man killed in his tent, at Secessionville, by a shell.

June 15.--Similar firing upon Secessionville. Colonel Lamar replies more deliberately. Firing very slow towards night. Two men wounded on our side.

June 16.--Attack of the enemy at daylight on the earthwork at Secessionville. Brig.-Gen. Stevens in command of assaulting column of six regiments--Eighth Michigan, Seventh Connecticut, Twenty--eighth Massachusetts, Seventy — ninth Highlanders, Forty--sixth New-York, and One Hundredth Pennsylvania. Brig.-Gen. Williams in command of brigade operating to flank the work on its right, by an advance on Hill's place. Brig.-Gen. Benham in command of whole. Our work a simple priest-cap covering a neck of land about fifty (50) yards wide, flanked right and left by a creek, and defended by four guns and about six hundred men. Enemy repulsed with fearful loss. Col. T. G. Lamar in immediate command of our batteries, assisted by the no less brave Lieut.-Col. Thomas M. Wagner, Captain Reid, Lieut. Humbert, and others, and supported by the brave Col. Gaillard and the infantry. Col. C. H. Stevens and Col. Simonton showed promptitude and skill, repulsing the flank movement on our right. Enemy's fire from gunboats in Stono and Folly Rivers, from his stationary battery at Legare's Point, from his light artillery and from his small-arms, terribly severe, particularly so his fire on our right flank from across the creek at Hills's. Our battery at one time almost silenced by this latter fire. A gun, worked by Lieut.-Col. Ellison Capers,, in a little battery-across the creek, at Clarke's, somewhat flanking the enemy's advance, did effective service. By order of Col. Johnson Hagood, in command of advanced troops, the Louisiana battalion, Lieut.-Col. McEnery, reenforced the garrison at Secessionville during the fight, and rushing gallantly into the fire with the cry of “Remember Butler,” soon drove the enemy from his flanking position at Hill's. The Eutaw battalion on the right engaged the enemy for a short time in the woods, to the rear of Hill's house, when he fell back, together with the troops engaged by the Louisiana battalion and our other troops from across the creek. Then the entire force of the enemy, between five and six thousand strong, slowly and sullenly retired from the attack to their positions on the Stono and within their late line of pickets, burning Rivers's house on their retreat. Enemy's loss probably eight hundred men; ours under one hundred. The brave Capts. Reid, of Colonel Lamar's regiment of artillery, and King, of Sumter Guard, Charleston battalion, Lieut. Edwards, and many other gallant men of ours, killed. Colonel Hagood, while leading his horse by the reins, had them severed by a piece of shell. Several of the enemy bravely mounted our ramparts. Several got to the rear of it by flanking it on the left.

June 17.--General S. Cooper, Senior General C. S.A., visited the Island to-day.

June 18.--Flag of truce from the enemy, to inquire