The fight which took place on
James's Island below
Charleston, on Monday last, was a bloody one, and will deserve to be classed in history among the prominent engagements of the war. We copy from the
Mercury, of Tuesday, the subjoined particulars:
A little before noon, yesterday, our city was thrown into a state of feverish excitement by the vague tidings that there had been bloody work at
Secessionville, on
James's Island.
From the first, the news was of an encouraging character, inasmuch as we were assured that a mere handful of our brave troops had repulsed a heavy column of the enemy, thrown forward to assault the battery at
Secessionville, manned by a portion of
Colonel Lamar's regiment of artillery, S. C. V. From the various accounts which we have received we have collated the following facts-in- relation to the battle:
The advance of the enemy.
About dawn yesterday morning our pickets in front of
Lamar's battery were driven in, and almost simultaneously the enemy's column was seen some four hundred yards off, advancing with the bayonet, at double-quick, to the assault.
Our troops, within the battery, had been hard at work the evening before in throwing up another battery, and were almost worn out with fatigue.
The first round that was fired at the
Yankees was by
Col. T. G. Lamar himself.
His men hastened with alacrity to their pieces, and were soon pouring grape and canister against the rapidly approaching enemy.
At each discharge great gaps were visible in the
Yankee ranks, but still they came on, without firing a single volley.
It was afterwards ascertained that their muskets were empty, and that they had actually hoped to carry the battery with the bayonet alone.
But the rapid and fearful cannonade and fusillade kept up against them was too severe for their nerves, and when close to our entrenchments they wavered, reeled, and finally fled in disorder.
Second and third charges.
But a very short time elapsed before the enemy's column, reinforced by infantry and artillery, reformed and again came forward.
This time they did not disdain the use of cartridges, but poured heavy volleys against our battery as they advanced.
But again the terrible discharges of grape and canister mowed down the approaching line, and notwithstanding the remonstrances of their officers, again the
Yankees broke and retreated, pell-mell, from the field.
A third time the enemy formed his line, and advanced in a last desperate effort to gain the battery, but again in vain.
The assailants had reached the ditch, and some of them succeeded in mounting the embankment, but they paid for their rashness with their lives, and their comrades behind, taking warning from their fate, fled once more, this time not to be rallied to a direct charge.
Our men all bear witness to the obstinate bravery of the enemy on this occasion.
Between the charges which proved so disastrous to the
Yankees, a galling fire was kept up against our battery from three gunboats in the creek, about 1,700 yards east of our position.
A cross fire was also steadily maintained against us from two land batteries which the enemy had erected--one on the edge of the wood in which the fight with the 47th Georgia regiment occurred last week, and another between that point and the position occupied by the gunboats.
Sherman's famous field battery also took part in the engagement, being divided into two sections, which played upon different parts of our works.
The Flank movements.
It had now become evident to the enemy that the men who held our battery had no idea of yielding it, and the plan of attack from the front was given up.
Flanking bodies were thrown forward to assault our works from the direction of the marshes which skirted our battery on either side.
On the east side of the battery the movement was speedily frustrated, and the few bold men who ventured close enough to pour their fire into the post soon fell.
No less than seventeen were killed just outside the ditch, and one who had mounted the parapet fell on the top, pierced by eight balls.
Flank attack of the New York Seventy Ninth, (Highlanders.)
On the west side of the battery the attack was more serious.
The famous New York 79th regiment took up a position so as to enfilade our guns, and kept up a constant and effective fire of musketry to drive off our gunners.
They were met by the Charleston battalion and the Entaw regiment.
For a time the fight was desperate, but the
Louisiana battalion, under
Lieut. Col. McHenry, came up at the critical moment in gallant style, and the repulse of the
Highlanders was no longer doubtful.
The enemy was, for the last time, forced back with great slaughter, and the day was won.
Casualties.
The
Mercury gives a list of casualties in the several commands, which we omit.
Col. Lamar was wounded, but continued to fight.
Capt. Samuel J
Reed,
Lieut. Humbert,
Lieut. J. J. Edwards, and
Lieut. R. W. Greer are among the officers killed, and
Capt. H. C. King was mortally wounded.
The relative losses.
Our total loss, as nearly as we can ascertain, was about 40 killed and 100 wounded. The enemy's was far heavier.
We buried yesterday one hundred and forty dead Yankees left upon the field. We say Yankees, using the designation as one common to the whole army of invaders; but, in truth, the men who did the fighting against us yesterday morning were nearly all Europeans, and, in the lineaments of the dead, the Scottish type was markedly predominant.
We captured
seventy prisoners.
As for the number of the enemy wounded, no correct estimate can be made.
Glad to get rid of the unwelcome task of caring for maimed vandals, our men suffered the enemy's ambulances to approach within point blank range of their guns, and to carry off the wounded, who must have numbered three hundred, at least.
