seventh New York ordered to hold it. The section of the Naval Battery and is supports were then withdrawn, and after they had passed the first was held for two hours. At the expiration of this time the One hundred and forty-fourth and Fifty-sixth New York took up their march for the church. The second line was held for half an hour after the last-mentioned regiments had passed. I remained at the church until 3 a. m. of the 1st instant, with the One hundred and forty-fourth New York, and Thirty-second U. S. Colored Troops, and a section of Battery F, Third New York Artillery. These regiments then moved down to the cross-roads and bivouacked. The whole movement was conducted without confusion and in perfect order.

I cannot close this report without making honorable mention of the good conduct and steadiness displayed by the officers and men under the most trying circumstances. Exposed to a heavy fire from a concealed enemy who was strongly entrenched, and laboring under every disadvantage of ground, they maintained their position with the greatest tenacity and endurance. Nothing but the formidable character of the obstacles which they had to encounter prevented them from achieving success. Where all behaved so well it is difficulty to specify marked instances of good conduct, but special mention may be made of the One hundred and twenty-seventh New York, Colonel Gurney, which had the advance, and the One hundred and fifty-seventh New York, Lieutenant-Colonel Carmichael, and Twenty-fifth Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Haughton, on the right and left of the line. These last two regiments met and resisted several charges of the enemy. The Thirty-second U. S. Colored Troops, Colonel Baird, and Thirty-fifth U. S. Colored Troops, Colonel Beecher, are also deserving of great credit. The former regiment lost Lieutenant-Colonel Geary, wounded. Colonel Beecher, of the latter regiment, was severely wounded early in the action, but kept the field until the close of the day. The One hundred and forty-fourth New York, Colonel Lewis, and Fifty-sixth New York, Lieutenant-Colonel Tyler, although not so warmly engaged as the other regiments, conducted themselves with great steadiness and courage.

My own staff-consisting of Captain Manning; action assistant adjutant-General; Captain Silvia, acting aide-de-camp; Captain Jewett, inspector of the District of Hilton Head, and Lieutenant Davis, Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry-were active and efficient in the discharge of their duties, displaying coolness and gallantry under fire, and great intelligence in the transmission of orders.

I forward herewith a report of casualties in the brigade. *

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD E. POOTER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant L. B. PERRY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 4. Report of Colonel William Gurney, One hundred and twenty-seventh New York Infantry. HDQRS. 127TH REGIMENT NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, In the Field, near Boyd's Neck, S. C., December 3, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to circular order of this date, I have the honor to report that the regiment moved up the Grahamville road

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* Embodied in statement, p. 425.

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