quite full of prisoners. The infantry being in rear, as not able to move with the celerity of the cavalry, compelled to move rapidly in order to be ahead of the alarm which was now spreading, I could not top to take notes as to the names of the negroes or their owners.

The alarm must have been communicated in some way to the gunboat, which was now seen approaching Mr. Seabrook's place. Leaving a picket there I proceeded to assemble the command, which was scattered over the three places last mentioned, and covering the march of the captured negroes, I moved back to Edward Whaley's, where I left the negroes under guard, and taking the infantry moved rapidly back to Seabrook's to resist a landing, which seemed imminent. On the march two shells were thrown at the Seabrook house, but by the time my party came up the boat had retired. Night closing in, I quartered the infantry at Mr. Seabrook's and carried the cavalry to Whaley's.

I regret to state that at the Legare and Seabrook places 3 negroes were either shot or drowned and a fourth wounded; 2 women, and 1 man ran into the water, and, refusing or failing to come out, were fired upon and disappeared beneath the water.

Early on the 24th I dispatched the captured negroes under guard, with orders to the lieutenant that they were to be reported to the general commanding. I then proceeded with my force to the neighborhood of Mr. Townsend's. Stopping at Major Murray's, I endeavored, with a field glass, to examine Eddingsville, but could discover no signs of any persons in the village.

In the mean time Major Palmer, who had gone to Townsend's, returned with 5 negroes, and reported, on their statement, that the enemy were landing in our rear at Point of Pines. As I had heard one or two shells fired in that direction, I presumed they had thrown these to cover the landing, and thinking it prudent to secure my retreat in case the party should be greatly superior to my own, I dispatched the cavalry to cover the road by which the enemy was to approach, while I endeavored to pass it. Having passed this road, and the cavalry reporting no enemy landed, I concluded that, as I had visited nearly the entire island, my command greatly fatigued, provisions scarce, and my return so far begun, I had better continue my march home. The infantry reached Mr. Aiken's summer house about 4 o'clock, after a march of some 15 miles, or thereabouts. Spending the night on Jehossee, I returned to camp about 4 o'clock on Saturday.

The result of the expedition was the capture of some 80 negroes, men, women, and children. I brought off 9 mules, 10 horses, 5 colts, 8 carts, 1 two-horse wagon, 2 carriages, and 1 buggy. The mules and carts I thought might do for public service, and the same for the horses. The colts were bought by some of the men. The carriages were used in transportation the sick and the children. The buggy was bought by a Mr. Price, who accompanied the expedition. The colts and some of the horses not being available for public service, the parties capturing them are desirous of purchasing at reasonable prices. The mules will make good teams for army transportation.

From my observation and the report of my men I think there is very little provision on the island, and only a small portion of that can be removed.

I burned about 300 or 400 bushels of corn and a little cotton, as follows: Mr. Lastree's, about 200 bushels of corn; Mr. Berwick Legare's, near Eddings', about 100 bushels of corn; Mrs. Martha M. Whaley's,