Rion, of the Seventh South Carolina Battalion, which drove in the enemy's pickets from his rifle-pits, extending across the island about three-quarters of a mile from Battery Wagner, back upon his main supports, inflicting a considerable loss, with but small upon our part.

On the 15th, the enemy landed troops in force on Morris Island, and there were indications of a renewal of the assault on the fort. The frigate Ironsides had crossed the bar on the night of the 14th. During the day, the enemy was strengthening his position, our troops being engaged in repairing damages, replying to the enemy's monitors and gunboats, and replying to the enemy's sharpshooters. The Charleston Battalion, under Lieutenant Colonel P. C. Gaillard, relieved the Seventh Battalion and three companies of the Twentieth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers. Lieutenant Colonel J. C. Simkins, First South Carolina [Regular] Infantry [Third Artillery], relieved Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Yates in command of the artillery on Morris Island, Captain [Warren] Adams' company of First South Carolina [Regular] Infantry [Company H, Third Artillery], relieving Captain Chichester's company of artillery. Brigadier General Hagood made a reconnaissance of the enemy in his front on James Island.

On the morning of the 16th, in accordance with instructions, Brigadier-General Hagood advanced against the enemy from his headquarters near Secessionville, James Island, driving in the enemy's pickets on his left, and making an advance against that portion of their force. Two columns made the attack - one led by Brigadier General A. H. Colquitt and the other by Brigadier-General Hagood in person. The enemy was protected by the fire of his gunboats in Stono and Little Folly Rivers. Brigadier-General Hagood succeeded in driving the enemy (about 2,000 in number) from James Island, and inflicting upon him a serious loss in killes and wounded, capturing 4 negroes belonging to the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Regiment. Not the least important of these operations was the engagement with the sloop of war Pawnee by two sections of Napoleon guns under command of Lieutenant Colonel Del. Kemper, in which the steamer was injured and forced to retire. General Hagood's loss was 3 killed, 12 wounded, and 3 missing. The enemy withdrew entirely from James Island to Battery Island, when General Hagood advanced his pickets, and the ground has been held to the present date - July 22. At Battery Wagner and on Morris Island our troops continued their works of repair, subject to a continued shelling from gunboats and monitors at long range.

On the 17th, the enemy's vessels all disappeared from the Stono, and his troops were concentrated on Little Folly and Morris Islands. Firing from the enemy's fleet and land batteries was kept up during the day on Battery Wagner, which interfered seriously with the transportation to Cumming's Point. This has had ever since to be carried on at night. On the night of thee 17th, the Thirty-first North Carolina Regiment relieved Colonel Olmstead's command of Georgia troops and Captain [J. A.] Cowan's company of the Twentieth South Carolina Volunteers.

The work of repair and preparation was proceeded with during the night, and at daylight on the 18th the enemy's land and sea batteries opened a few d'enfer upon the devoted work. The practice was rapid in the extreme from the Ironsides, from the monitors, and from all the wooden gunboats which, without exposing themselves, could get the range. According to Brigadier-General Taliaferro's estimate, over 9,000 shot and shell were thrown; but, as if by the