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

[192] Spear made a reconnoissance of it on the night of the 8th, and was twice fired upon. Capt. T. L. Appleton, provost-marshal on Colonel Gurney's staff, had been for some time making preparations to capture this block house. With a party of Fifty-fourth men he went there on the night of the 14th, only to find it unoccupied. It was visited a number of times afterward by our officers from Black Island.

There was an utter stagnation of active operations in the department. Hatch was considering a plan of moving up the Wando River in connection with the ironclads, and a foray at Murrell's Inlet and Georgetown. Admiral Dahlgren had convened another council of his chief officers when the project of attack on Sumter was again negatived. He was contenting himself with a sharp bombardment of the fort with an ironclad or two for the purpose of preventing work there. The land forces were firing more briskly in unison with the navy. High tides somewhat damaged our works at Cumming's Point toward the close of May.

Further changes of station occurred for some of our companies, as, on the 18th, Captain Emilio, with Company E, relieved Company H at Fort Green, and the succeeding day Captain Bridge, with Company F, took post at Battery Purviance. Company H returned to Black Island, where Captain Homans was in command; and the garrison there was increased toward the last of May by a portion of Company F, under Lieutenant Edmands. Then the Fifty-fourth held all the posts about Lighthouse Inlet. Our men at Green and Purviance in a short time became efficient artillerists, as had those of Company H. Both works on Lighthouse Inlet were frequently engaged with the lower James Island batteries about Secessionville, at long range.