Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[36] are as follows: Lieutenant Lloyd Phoenix, Ensigns James Wallace, Samuel P. Adams, and Frederick Pearson.

The conduct of my entire staff, Capt. Lewis J. Lambert, A. A.G.; Captain I. Coryell, A. Q.M.; Lieuts. Ira V. Germain, and George W. Bacon, Aid-de-Camp, gave me great pleasure and satisfaction. My orders were transmitted by them in the hottest of the battle with great rapidity and correctness. To Col. E. W. Serrell, New-York Volunteer Engineers, who acted as an additional aidde-camp, I am much indebted. His energy, perfect coolness and bravery, was a source of gratification to me. Orders from me were executed by him in a very satisfactory manner.

Lieut. G. H. Hill, signal-officer, performed his duties with great promptness. He acted also as additional aid-de-camp, and gave me much assistance in carrying my orders during the entire day.

Col. T. H. Good, Forty-seventh regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, Col. Chatfield being wounded early in the day, commanded the First brigade during the latter part of the engagement, with much ability. Nothing could be more satisfactory than the promptness and skill with which the wounded were attended by Surgeon E. W. Bailey, Forty-seventh Pennsylvania volunteers, (Medical Director,) and the entire medical staff of the command.

The troops of the command behaved with great gallantry, advancing against a remarkably heavy fire of musketry, canister, grape, round-shot, and shell, driving the enemy before them with much determination. I was perfectly satisfied with their conduct.

It affords me much pleasure again to report the perfect cordiality existing between the two branches of the service, and I am much indebted to Capt. Charles S. Steedman, U. S.N., for his valuable aid and assistance in disembarking and reembarking the troops; also in sending launches (with howitzers) to prevent an attack on our pickets while we were embarking to return to Hilton Head. The fitting out of the expedition, as relates to its organization, supplies, transportation, and ammunition, was done entirely by the Major-General commanding the department, who at first proposed to command it.

I was not assigned to the command till a few hours previous to the sailing of the expedition from Hilton Head.

The reports of the brigade and other commanders, with a list of the officers and men who rendered themselves personally worthy of notice during the engagement, I will forward as soon as received.

I have the honor to be, Colonel, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

Captain: I have the honor to report my share in the recent operations against the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. In accordance with orders from General Mitchel, received on the evening of the twentieth instant, I left this port at eight o'clock A. M. on the twenty-first instant, with three hundred men of the Forty-eighth New-York volunteers, and fifty men of the Third Rhode Island artillery, (the latter under command of Capt. John H. Gould,) with three days cooked, and seven days uncooked rations, on board the armed transport Planter.

On arriving at Hilton Head, I received instructions as to my number on the line of the fleet, and also directions to report to Brig.-Gen. Brannan--who commanded the expedition — on reaching Mackay Point, for further orders. Soon after daylight on the morning of the twenty-second, I reported to Gen. Brannan on board the Ben Deford, and was directed by him to proceed with my command up the Coosahatchie River, as near to the town of that name as I might deem practicable, and disembarking under cover of the gunboats, which were to accompany me, to move toward the town, and, if possible, reach the Charleston and Savannah Railroad and destroy it at that point, and the bridge on it over the Coosahatchie.

I was fully instructed, however, not to hazard too much in order to accomplish the above, but if opposed by a force at all superior, to fall back under cover of the fleet.

There was some delay in starting, arising from the gunboats being well to the rear, which I improved in borrowing from Commander Steedman, on board the flag-ship Paul Jones, a twelve-pound Dahlgren boat-howitzer, and fifty-two rounds of ammunition, which proved of great service to me, and for which I desire to return my thanks. I was also furnished by Gen. Brannan's order with fifty men from the New-York State Volunteer En gineers, under command of Capt. Eaton, provided with the necessary implements for cutting the railroad, etc.

We were soon under way, and had proceeded some three miles up the river, when the gunboats turned around and came back, in compliance, as I am informed, with an order from the flag-ship. I, however, continued on my course in the Planter, meanwhile signaling to the flag-officer for at least one gunboat, in reply to which he kindly sent two, namely, the Patroon and the Marblehead, which followed after the lapse of a few minutes. The river at this point was very narrow and winding, but the water in most places was over twelve feet in depth at low-tide.

I found no difficulty, therefore, in reaching a point two miles distant from Coosahatchie, but it now being almost dead low-tide, further progress by water was rendered impossible by the Planter running aground. Throwing a few shells in the woods, I disembarked with my infantry and engineers as expeditiously as possible, taking with me the boat-howitzer referred to above, in charge of Capt. Gould, Third Rhode Island artillery, and a detachment of twelve of his men. The swampy nature of the ground rendered landing difficult, but losing no time, I advanced toward the main road, sending a request to the officer in command