Emilio, Luis F., History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry , 1863-1865

[201] men killed, and Captains Thurber and Goodwin and nineteen men wounded. The guns were manned and fired at the retiring enemy. Colonel Hartwell moved beyond the fieldwork a short distance, and strengthening a hedgebank and ditch, held this position throughout the day under fire from Lamar and other works. As all hope of a surprise was over, orders were signalled to make no farther advance at that point.

Lieutenant-Colonel Bennett with his Twenty-first United States Colored Troops and two guns under Lieutenant Wildt, of Battery B, Third New York Artillery, landed on John's Island to open communication with General Hatch's force. Col. Wm. Heine (One Hundred and Third New York), with the Fifty-fourth New York, Seventy-fourth Pennsylvania, a section of Battery B, Third New York Artillery, and a rocket battery, moved from Cole's Island to James Island, driving the enemy's pickets under Major Managault. His force started at the same time as Colonel Hartwell's, and advanced to the lines of the previous year at the head of Grimball's Causeway. Only the gunboat McDonough was ready to co-operate, for the monitors were not on hand.

Even during these early hours the troops suffered greatly from the heat, and in moving over Cole's Island several men of the Fifty-fourth fell exhausted, and one dropped senseless. The bridge to James Island was crossed at 6 A. M., bringing us upon familiar ground. Captains Walton and Appleton, of General Schimmelfennig's staff, were greeted as they passed by the officers. Some prisoners were encountered going to the rear under guard. Passing our old camp-ground and bearing to the left, the Seventyfourth Pennsylvania (a German regiment, as was the