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

[200] Companies E and F having joined, marched to Stono. Although the men were lightly equipped, it was warm and exhausting. Arriving at 2 A. M., the regiment embarked on the steamer Fraser; and after provoking delays, which enabled the other regiments to precede us, we landed on Cole's Island at 4 A. M., on the 2d. Marching just after daybreak, the Fifty-fourth crossed to James Island over the route traversed a year before in the opposite direction. As the road and bridges had been repaired, there was little to remind us of the old pathway. While advancing, skirmish firing and cannon-shots were heard in the front.

Colonel Hartwell, ordered to attack on the right, with his regiment,—the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts,—the Thirty-third United States Colored Troops, and the One Hundred and Third New York, passed from Long to Tiger Island in darkness, and at daylight on the 2d crossed the marsh to James Island and advanced to surprise Fort Lamar. His skirmishers received the fire of the enemy's vedettes, drove them, and captured some prisoners and horses. Unknown to us, a force of the enemy was stationed every night at Rivers's Causeway, which this morning was composed of two guns of Blake's Battery under Lieutenant De Lorme, posted in a small fieldwork and supported by fifteen men of the Palmetto Siege Train under Lieutenant Spivey, besides the picket reserves. Our force was received with an unexpected fire of grape-shot and musketry, which caused some losses and created confusion in the Thirty-third and One Hundred and Third. But Colonel Hartwell, promptly deploying the Fifty-fifth under Lieutenant-Colonel Fox, pushed it rapidly forward in spite of a severe fire, drove off the supports, and gallantly captured De Lorme's two twelvepounder Napoleons. In this charge the Fifty-fifth had seven