tearing up the platform, but not injuring the gun. Set men to work at once, repairing the damage, and had the gun all ready by 12 m. At 10.30, the enemy opened with two monitors and one wooden gunboat, and at and at 12 o'clock two additional monitors came up. Their shelling was excellency rapid and accurate. I ordered the 10-inch columbiad to return the fire at intervals of fifteen minutes. We fired 3 shots, striking one monitor once, but just when about to fire the fourth time, a 15-inch shell exploded the gun, demolishing the carriage and dismounting the gun. One man was wounded. The dismounting of this gun leaves the sea face with only one gun, viz, one 32-pounder smooth-bore, though had another 10-inch columbiad been promptly sent on the receipt of my first telegram, it could have been in position now, and the temporary loss of No. 1 would not have been felt so much . Having succeeded in getting the gin ready, after dark I mounted the 8-inch howitzer, and by 12 o'clock had it ready for action. By this arrangement, I have added two excellent guns to the land face, which, when I took charge, were lying dismounted. While one party was at work mounting the gun, I set another to digging out and rivetting the embrasure. After getting the howitzer ready for action, I shipped the gin to the chamber of the 10-inch columbiad for the purpose of remounting it upon a spare carriage, which I had on hand. At 12 o'clock, was called off by General Colquitt, and by his orders commenced shelling the enemy's working parties, which were distinctly visible in the moonlight. About 100 were working on the beach, apparently dragging logs out of the water, whereupon I loaded the 42-pounder carronade with grape, sighted it myself, and fired it into them. Great confusion was visible, men falling others running and crying out. I also threw several shrapnel from one of the 8-inch siege howitzers, which resulted, from the report of the officer of our picket, in a general scattering of workmen, horses, and teams. Threw a number of shell in different parts of their works, and put an effectual stop to their working for the night. At 2 o'clock, returned to the 10-inch columbiad and recommenced work. Put up the gin and swung the gun, but found she was slightly jammed in the debris of the broken carriage. Set men to work cutting away the pieces. Enemy commenced shelling from their mortars, vigorously, which gave me much trouble in keeping the working party together. One shell fell into the chamber, where 17 men were at work, and one up the gin, reeving the fall. The shell exploded between the feet of the gin and the chassis, but, miraculously, no one was injured. Continued, notwithstanding all these drawbacks, to work at the gun until one-half hour before daylight, when, finding that we still had several hours' work to do, and not wishing to have daylight catch us with the gin up, I was reluctantly compelled to desist from the attempt for the night, and order the gin taken down. Was up again the entire night (making the third) superintending the parties engaged in mounting the two guns, as well as those preparing the embrace for the howitzer and repairing damage on the sea face, also the two hours' firing mentioned above, and daylight found me completely exhausted physically. About daylight Brigadier-General Clingman relieved Brigadier-General Colquitt.

Wednesday, July 29.-The enemy's shelling was again vigorous for several hours this morning, killing 1 man and wounding several. The Ironsides and two monitors came up, and kept an almost continuous fire during the entire day, making it impossible to perform any

33 R R-VOL XXVIII, PT I