HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., July 7, 1864.

List of casualties which occurred during the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th days of July, 1`864:

On James Island, 3 officers and 52 men wounded, 5 men missing.

On Morris Island, 1 man killed, 6 officers and 132 men missing.

On John's Island, 2 men killed and 1 man wounded.

Died of sunstroke, 3 enlisted men on James Island, and 18 enlisted men were drowned in transit to James Island.

This list contains the most correct reports which have as yet been received.

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., July 12, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report, in addition to my report of the 7th instant, that our advance upon John's and James Islands caused the enemy to accumulate troops to oppose our further progress. These took up a position on John's Island, in front of our troops, which occupied the south bank of the Stono to above Fort Pringle.

On Thursday, 7th instant, General Saxton ordered the Twenty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops to attack the enemy in flank, which was executed with so much effect that one of the enemy's field batteries would have been captured had the Twenty-sixth been supported by other troops. During the day the force of the enemy was largely increased by Georgia regiments, which must, I think, have been brought from Atlanta by rail; and on Saturday morning [9th], at 4.30 a. m., they made an attack on our position. General Hatch repulsed them after a sharp fight. At 6 a. m., they made another determined attack, which our troops, being prepared for, likewise repulsed in ten minutes, with great loss to the enemy, who were suffered to come on until within good musketry and canister range. The enemy then fell back under cover of their batteries.

Having ascertained by reconnaissance that the establishment of enfilading batteries on the south side of the Stono would be of little effect against the well-traversed batteries of the enemy on the north side, and that to venture a general assault would be to incur a certain heavy loss, with doubtful results, I decided to re-embark at once, and after giving the men a few days' rest to try the enemy at another point. The demonstration had proved perfectly successful in one respect, viz, impressing the enemy with alarm as to our purposes, and in forcing him to accumulate a large force to meet us. The troops were re-embarked (unmolested) on Saturday night and Sunday morning, and returned to their stations.

Out total loss was 33 killed, 133 wounded, 143 missing, 3 sunstruck, and 18 drowned by the upsetting of a boat. I inclose a copy of General Hatch's report,* giving details of operations on John's Island.

On Friday fire was opened on Fort Sumter, and by Saturday the wall was successfully cut through in several places. On Sunday the

---------------

*See p. 84.

---------------