up and found that some of the boats were aground on the bar nearly in front of Battery Simkins, and some were going toward Johnson. By this time the alarm had been given, and the enemy opened on us with artillery and musketry. We tried to pass the boats but could not on either side. Some one gave the order to retreat. I do not know who it was. In a short time all the boats turned back to Paine's Dock.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. M. BURR,

Second Lieutenant Company B, Fifty-second Pennsylvania Vols.

Lieutenant DAVID MOSES,

Acting Adjutant.

No. 16. Report of Captain Walter S. Chatham, Fifty-second Pennsylvania Infantry, of assault on Fort Johnson and Battery Simkins.

CAMP FIFTY-SECOND Regiment PENNSYLVANIA VOLS., Morris Island, S. C., August 9, 1864.

ADJUTANT: I have the honor to report that on the night of the 2nd July, 1864, I embarked in boat No. 7, (Colonel H. M. Hoyt's boat division), in the creek near the left batteries. I had on board the boat 35 men of my company (C, Fifty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers) and 5 men of company H (boat crew). Arrived at Paine's Dock about 11 p.m.;halted there until about 2 a.m. the morning of the 3rd, and then took my place in the line, and moved toward the point at Fort Putnam. Here there was another halt of perhaps half an hour, the boats running together, when we again made a forward movement and pulled steadily for the batteries on the point of James Island. My boat being loaded heavily some of the lighter-draught boats passed me, so that I was unable to keep my place in the line. In coming up to, or a short distance above, Simkins I counted the boats on my right, commencing on the extreme right, back six, so as to enable me to land at my proper place in the line. Arriving at that point (I should judge about 100 yards above Simkins) there was a signal gun fired from the island. I immediately ordered my boat to make a landing on the beach, and running in when the enemy's batteries opened. One of my oarsmen backed water with his oar and turning the boat parallel with the beach, heading toward the boats on the right. My cockswain again headed the boat to the beach. I then told this oarsman that if he again disobeyed his order I would shoot him.

Then again gave the order to give way and ran my boat ashore. At this time some one of the boats on my right crossed my bow and hailed my boat, at the same time that the order was to retreat. I asked who had given the order. The answer was, the major. Knowing the commanding officer was not a major, I gave the order to proceed to the shore, when my cockswain called my attention to the fact that boats were retiring. I put my boat about, ran back, and disembarked at the place of embarkation. I did not know until an hour or two after arriving in camp that any of our boats had made a landing.