H), commanded by Captain [Ed.] Croft, at a church 2 miles farther on the same road, and near the bridge and causeway leading into Chisolm's Island, with orders to guard the bridge and causeway above referred to, and with orders to send out pickets and scouts into Chisolm's Island. Two other companies were at the ferry, to support the battery there, leaving but six companies at my camp.

About 7 o'clock on the morning of the 1st instant, Captain Croft communicated the intelligence to me that the enemy had landed in force on Chisolm's Island. He estimated the number at two regiments, as he saw a long column advancing with two regimental stands of colors and two pieces of artillery. Soon after this (about 7.30 o'clock) Captain West dispatched a courier to me, with the information that the enemy had landed at Adams' place and were advancing in strong force to the Kean's Neck road. I ordered forward Lieutenant-Colonel [Samuel] McGowan, with three companies of my regiment, commanded by Captains [W. J.] Carter, [A.] Perrin, and [D. C.] Tomkins, and one gun of Captain Leake's section, to support Captain West, whom he met at about one and a half miles, retiring in good order towards my camp, when he formed his line of battle. I withdrew my two companies from the earthwork at the ferry, and, assisted by Major [W. D.] Simpson, with the five companies commanded by Captains [W. L.] Wood, [J. N.] Brown, [R. S.] Owens, [H. H.] Harper, and [M. C.] Taggart, took post near Chaplin's house, to intercept any column that might attempt to pass along the margin of the river to the ferry, and at the same time to be in supporting distance of Lieutenant-Colonel McGowan.

No attempt was made on the part of the enemy to advance in any direction-probably waiting for a sufficient tide to allow his gunboats to advance-until 12.30 p.m., when the gunboats began to move up slowly towards the ferry and to throw shells rapidly, when a message from Lieutenant-Colonel McGowan informed me that the enemy were advancing along the Kean's Neck road.

Regarding the earthwork at the ferry now unimportant, as the enemy had effected a landing at another point, I ordered Captain Leake and Lieutenant Webb to withdraw their guns from that position, Captain Leake to bring his gun to Lieutenant-Colonel McGowan's line, and I proceeded with my five companies also to his support.

Soon after I arrived at Lieutenant-Colonel McGowan's line my other company (Captain Croft's)-which had been posted at the church on the Kean's Neck road, and, on account of the landing of the enemy at Adams', could not return by that road-made a circuitous march by another road, in obedience to my instructions, and joined the regiment.

The whole regiment was then put in line of battle, the left resting on Captain Leake's section of his battery, placed in the road, and the right extending towards the river as far as I deemed practicable. I had just got into position when Major Oswald, of Colonel Martin's regiment, reported to me with 42 mounted men, and I directed him to take post of the Twelfth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, reported with four companies of that regiment, and I directed him to return to Chaplin's house (the position I had left) and to guard to the river bank.

The enemy, instead of advancing, as I supposed he would do, along the Kean's Neck road, to attack my camp, and the only route by which he could bring up his artillery, left his artillery in his rear, and advanced close along the river bank and across the adjacent fields and woods, creeping along opposite his gunboats, five of which steamed slowly on, throwing shells in advance of an over his troops.