This vessel was off Legareville at the time, and was so posted as to afford protection to a small body of infantry of my division within the town.

The course of the Stono opposite Legareville is about southwest and northeast. The Kiawah River, connecting the Stono with the North Edisto, runs in a southerly course, and meets the former about 1,700 yards south of Legareville.

From this village a causeway runs in a southwesterly direction about 1,000 yards; then turning south it follows the edge of the marsh this causeway and the Stono is a marshy tract, with here and there a few patches of timber. These are approached from the causeway by artificial roadways.

The attack upon the gunboat was made from several points. One gun was in position on the causeway, not more than 600 yards in a southerly direction from Legareville. Four or six guns were in position within a patch of timber approached through the marsh, distant Shots passed the town on the north side, making it evident that other guns were posted in favorable positions. At the time of the attack, the Pawnee was in the Stono, south of the Kiawah. Getting under way without delay, she took a position in the Kiawah which in her broadsides from a powerful battery of 9-inch guns and 50 and 100 pounder rifles. The Marblehead seemed the principal object of her cable at the first gun, she moved leisurely up and down the river, always within range, delivering her fire coolly yet rapidly and with telling effect. The parapet of earth behind which the rebel guns were sheltered protected their guns in a great measure form the fire of the Marblehead.

The enemy opened on the Marblehead at about 6 a. m. The fight lasted about one hour. The position taken by the Pawnee rendered the rebel position untenable. I reached Legareville while the gunboats had suffered no loss. The Pawnee moved up to Legareville as my boat cam to anchor off the town. From the deck of the Pawnee, Captain Balch showed me a rebel gun imposition in the piece of woods described. The enemy had fled. I determined to send a force of infantry to capture, and, if possible, bring off the gun.

Returning to Folly Island, I ordered the Seventy-fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Captain H. Krauseneck, to proceed to Legareville in the ferry-boat Philadelphia. This command, about 250 strong, moved with little delay.

I again proceeded to the scene of action, and arrived before the troops had disembarked. I ordered Colonel Gurney, commanding first brigade, to accompany the troops and make all proper arrangements. I directed the troops to deploy and cover the movement along the causeway, to enter the woods across the marsh, seize the gun, and bring it off.

the movement was carried out as ordered; five guns were found in the wooded patch, 8-inch siege howitzers for sea-coast defense. The troops had approached this position across the marsh, but the artificial roadway that led to the mainland was in a southerly direction. It would have been necessary to haul these guns more than 3,000 yards to get them on to the causeway. Colonel Gurney reported