prisoners not wounded, 42. The number of dead is probably greater. They number of dead is probably greater. They removed some dead and wounded. Our killed about 20; wounded, perhaps 30.

J. C. PEMBERTON,

Major-General, Commanding.

GEORGE W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA,
Charleston, S. C., June --, 1862.

GENERAL: I trust it will not be considered irrelevant, in officially reporting the action of June 16 between our forces and those of the United States on James Island, to refer briefly to the connection which this affair had with certain alterations I had adopted in the plan of defense established prior to my assignment to the command of this department.

After a thorough personal examination of Cole's Island, its defenses and approaches, I was convinced that, however desirable in many respects in might be to continue its occupation, there were disadvantages not to be overcome with the means at my disposal. I deemed it therefore essential to the safety of Charleston that the batteries on Cole's Battery Islands should be transferred to a more defensible position on the James Island side of the Stono River. This change would draw in our lines to the best supporting distance, and compel a land attack upon our entrenched position across James Island, flanked on the right by the proposed fort on the Stono and on the left by the advanced work at secessionville. This design was carried into execution. A strong and commanding work was erected on the Stono, completely controlling that river in the direction of the inlet of the some name, as well as the approach through North Ediston Inlet and the mouth of Wappoo cut. the entrenched lines to the east of James Island Creek were also greatly strengthened lines to the east of James Island Creek were also greatly strengthened by a system of interior redoubts and redans. Early in May the guns were removed from Cole's and battery Islands. On the 13th of the same month the abduction of the steamer planter by her negro crew gave the enemy information of the abandonment of Cole's Island. The services of skillful pilots among these negroes were immediately availed of, and the enemy's gunboats entered the river about the 17th. Under cover of their fire he commenced landing his troops on James Island on June 2. His force was gradually increased until tit was believed to have amounted to from 10,000 to 12,000 of all arms. Between June 2 and 15 several skirmishes occurred, the results of which were duly reported by the immediate commander and the reports forwarded to the War Department. The enemy kept upon at intervals a heavy fire front his gunboats, varying from five to eight in number, against Secessionville, from positions on the Stono and a branch of Folly River, as also from a land battery, established under cover of his boats, on a point distant about a miles from our own battery at Secessionville. No injury was, however, done to our works; 1 man was killed in his tent and several wounded. A few shell were thrown in the direction of the new fort on the Stone at long range, but no attempt was made to engage the fort at a less distance than 2 1/2 miles.

About 4 a. m. on the 16th the enemy drove in or captured our pickets some 800 yards in front of the battery at Secessionville, and advancing rapidly upon this work in line of battle arrived within a few hundred yards of it before our guns could open upon him.