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

[255] but our quartermaster borrowed hard bread from the naval force, and secured three head of cattle. Good weather prevailed on the 3d, when the Fifty-fourth moved to the right for work on a prolongation of the fortifications. In the afternoon the Thirty-second and One Hundred and Second United States Colored Troops and part of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts and two guns went toward Bolan's church, and after light skirmishing returned with but one casualty. That night there was much wild picket firing by men of new colored regiments; and Capt. Alonzo B. Whitney, Twenty-sixth United States Colored Troops, was mortally wounded by our own people.

Except occasional shots from the outposts and gun discharges from the naval howitzers on the left to try the range, the forenoon of the 4th passed quietly. Later, a reconnoissance was made by the Thirty-fourth and Thirtyfifth United States Colored Troops, the One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York, and some artillery four miles toward Coosawhatchie, driving the enemy's skirmishers to a battery, with which cannon-shots were exchanged. That day the Twenty-fifth Ohio went by water to Blair's Landing, advanced on the Beaufort road, and flanking a work of the enemy, compelled its abandonment and captured two guns, one of which was brought away, and the other spiked. Our naval vessels were daily reconnoitring up the rivers and shelling hostile works when discovered.

From the cross-road on the 5th two reconnoitring parties went out,—the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts and two naval howitzers to the left as a diversion, while General Potter, with part of his brigade, moved upon the battery found the previous day, which was again cannonaded. Important information was received from a ‘galvanized Yankee,’