the stone house, and sent out Captain Hawthorn's company as skirmishers in the woods, resting on our right.

Major Wheat's battalion, which had been left with the cannon, advanced in front of the woods and was fired into by my skirmishers, which was returned by Major Wheat's. My skirmishers sustained no loss, but wounded two of Major Wheat's men. My skirmishers then returned, both Major Wheat and Captain Hawthorn having discovered the mistake. Major Wheat at once opened fire on the enemy and kept it up vigorously for about five rounds. I sent Captain Hawthorn to assist him as soon as he returned. I ordered the cannon to open on the enemy, who had commenced filing out in large force to our left. I then ordered the battalion to open fire by company, and then moved up to the left and advanced through the woods to the field in front. Major Wheat having rallied part of his forces and formed on my left, at that time General Bee came up on my right and advanced part of his force on my right and commenced a vigorous fire. At the same time I sent forward part of Captain Hollingsworth's company as skirmishers. I had the fence pulled down to charge to the front when the skirmishers and General Bee's forces advanced to the right. Major Wheat at the same time advancing on the left, the enemy's battery and musketry opened on us in large force, which was returned, principally directed about the center of the regiment. The regiment retired to the rear of the woods. Captain Shanklin rallied his company around the colors until the entire force had left the ground. I discovered the enemy attempting to flank us in large force, to which I called the attention of General Bee, who, seeing the force, said that we had better retreat and form on the opposite side of the hill, after which re-enforcements came up and the engagement became general.

Lieutenant Earle, commanding Company B (Palmetto Riflemen), and Captain Dean's company (C), both reserves, occupied the position first held by the regiment (on the left of the road near the bridge) until after the battery retired, when they also retreated toward Lewis' house and were then formed into a battalion, with portions of Captain Shanklin's company, under Lieutenant Cherry, and Captain Long's company and the New Orleans Zouaves, Captain

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, and some Alabamians, under Major Whither and Colonel Thomas, of Maryland, and by them led to the field of battle on our extreme left. They charged a battery of the enemy, and, after a severe conflict, repulsed him. Sergeant Maxwell planted the colors of the Fourth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers on the cannon of the enemy and maintained his position until after his comrades had been repulsed by a superior force, who had deceived our men and prevented their firing upon them by using our colors and sign of recognition. During this contest Major Whitner had his forse shot under him while endeavoring to rally the men led to the charge. Captain Kilpatrick held the position on the left of the bridge until the enemy advanced in large force to the left and near the bridge, when he left and attached his company to Colonel Hampton's Legion. Captain Anderson remained on the right side of the bridge till near 1 o'clock, when the retreated toward Lewis' house and then formed on some forces said to be under command of Ex-Governor Smith, and advanced with them into the field, engaged the enemy's battery, when the forces under command of Colonel Thomas and Major Whither came up, when he united with them in a charge on the battery which is above mentioned, in which our colors were planted on the cannon, but afterwards repulsed. I rallied the other remnants of companies on Captain Kilpatrick's company on the right of Hampton's Legion and led them up to three differ-

36 R R-VOL II