.
One lieutenant and two men were captured while on picket, belonging to Company C, First Battalion of Cavalry.
recapitulation.
Company I, Eleventh Infantry--killed, wounded and missing; all enlisted men.
, slightly; killed, one enlisted man; three wounded; two missing.
's Battalion.--All enlisted men.
Volunteer Artillery.
All enlisted men.
, severely; enlisted men, four killed, thirteen wounded.
, severely.
Company A, one enlisted man wounded.
Company B, one enlisted man killed; wounded,
, slightly; and eight enlisted men. Company C, enlisted men; one wounded and one missing. Company D, enlisted men; one killed and two wounded.
Light Dragoons.--Enlisted men; eight wounded.
Mounted Riflemen.--Enlisted men; two wounded.
, severely; one enlisted man.
.--Wounded, six enlisted men, and one missing.
Sir: A little after nine o'clock on the morning of the twenty-second of October, it was reported to me unofficially that about daylight that morning the Abolition fleet, consisting of fourteen steamers, with numerous barges attached, had proceeded up
Broad River.
Prostrated by a protracted spell of fever, from which I had just began to convalesce, I was too weak to take the field, but resumed the command of my post.
I ordered
Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson to take command of the small force at my disposal, which consisted, as you are aware, of five companies of cavalry and two companies of sharpshooters, of
Major Abney's battalion, who was in command, and to proceed with the least possible delay towards
Coosawhatchie, to which point I was informed that a portion of the enemy's fleet were advancing.
On arriving at
Bee's Creek, still four miles from
Coosawhatchie,
Colonel Johnson was informed that a portion of the Abolition forces were landing at
Seabrook's Island, in his rear, a point indicating an attack upon this place.
To meet this he had to divide his command, and put three companies in the vicinity of
Bee's Creek Hill.
This information was subsequently ascertained to be incorrect, but too late to make use of these forces in the defence of
Coosawhatchie.
Proceeding with three companies of cavalry towards that point, upon arriving within two miles of it he ascertained that the enemy had already landed from a gunboat and barge lying a little below the
Ocean Landing, and was advancing his column towards the direction of
Bee's Creek Hill.
He immediately dismounted his men, and formed them as skirmishers to meet the expected attack.
This movement, however, was only a feint, as they soon “about faced” and advanced towards
Coosawhatchie.
The ground being unfavorable for a charge, the effect of which would have necessarily been attended with severe loss to the cavalry, with a prospect of little injury to the enemy,
Colonel Johnson very judiciously made a detour to the left, hoping to cut them off before they reached
Coosawhatchie.
About this time the train, with a portion of
Colonel Ellis' regiment and
Captain Chisholm's company, of
Major Abney's battalion, which had been taken up within a short distance of
Coosawhatchie, as they were marching along the railroad track towards that point, passed by. The enemy hearing their approach for some distance (the two roads here running parallel and very close to each other), availed themselves of the opportunity to ambuscade and fire into the train.
The particulars of this disastrous affair I will not refer to, as I suppose a full report of all the circumstances will be made up by the officer in command of that detachment, who succeeded the late unfortunate
Major Harrison.
It seems, that on arriving near
Coosawhatchie, the enemy divided into two detachments, one of which ambuscaded thet rain as above referred to, and the other advanced to the river, for the purpose of destroying the railroad and turnpike bridges.
With timely forethought, you had fortunately
