The 4th passed very quietly on Morris Island, there being little firing on either side. Only the usual duties occurred in other parts of the command.

On the 5th, the two 10-inch guns and other armament of Battery Wagner were in readiness for action. The enemy showing but little disposition to engage with his iron-clads, the 10-inch guns were kept masked until such time as he should come to close action. On land, he was busy putting down mortar platforms. His fire was principally from Coehorn mortars at our sharpshooters from the Twentieth South Carolina Volunteers and the Charleston Battalion, who, armed witch Whitworth rifles, caused him serious annoyance.

During the night, the Eighth North Carolina relieved the Nineteenth Georgia and a detachment of the Twentieth South Carolina Volunteers; Captains [C. E.] Chichester's and [J. R.] Mathewes' companies of artillery relieved Captains [F. T.] Miles' and [W. M.] Hunter's. The different detachments of artillery from light batteries and siege train were also changed. This work was accomplished, as before, under the direction of Major Motte A. Pringle, quartermaster, with the assistance of the navy.

The enemy having established an annoying picket guard at an unfinished battery at the mouth of Vincent's Creek, he was attacked at about 9 o'clock by a party from the navy and from the Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers, under Lieutenant-Commander A. F. Warley, of the Confederate States steamer Chicora, Captain [M. H.] Sellers commanding the land forces. The party proceeded in four boats, guided by Mr. J. Fraser Mathewes, to the northern entrance of Light-House Creek, where Captain Sellers landed and proceeded against the enemy's picket. Lieutenant Warley, with two boats, went round to the mouth of Vincent's Creek to cut off the enemy's barges. A brisk skirmish ensued, which resulted in the capture of 1 boat with 1 captain and 10 non-commissioned officers and privates of the enemy, of which the captain and 4 non-commissioned officers and privates were wounded, 1 mortally. The remainder of the enemy's party were driven off in another boat, under a heavy fire, which undoubtedly caused them some damage. On our side, 1 private of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers was killed.

Brigadier-General Hagood relieved Colonel Keitt in the command of our forces on Morris Island on the 6th, Lieutenant Colonel J. Welsman Brown relieving Major Warley in command of the artillery. The Sixty-first North Carolina Regiment relieved the Charleston Battalion during the night. The operations of the enemy were very quietly conducted. Throughout the command the work of preparation went on, Fort Sumter and Battery Simkins firing occasionally during the day whenever the enemy's parties were working within range.

A 32-pounder, rifled, was transported to and mounted on Battery Wagner during the night of the 6th, and the works on both sides progressed without interruption through the 7th, except from sharpshooters, of shoe ours from Battery Wagner annoyed the enemy to a considerable extent. At night, being attracted by the communication of a steamer with Cumming's Point, the enemy sent up a rocket from the fleet opposite Battery Wagner, when his land batteries opened heavily on the supposed locality of the steamer, and kept up the fire until near daylight. It was replied to by Fort Sumter and Battery Simkins. No damage was done to the steamer.

25 R R - VOL XXVIII, PT I