ordered to the front on the left of the line, and soon after deployed, and advanced in line of battle into the woods to support a skirmishing party, where we were met by a terrific shower of shell, grape, and canister. The greatest portion of the casualties sustained by the regiment throughout the day was occasioned here. At this point Colonel Chatfield was severely wounded, and almost at the same moment Lieutenant Colonel Speidel while bravely leading the regiment forward, was also severely wounded, and consequently obliged to retire from the field. The regiment shortly before the enemy abandoned his position, was ordered to move back and reformed in line of battle in the cotton field to the rear, when it again moved forward with the column to the front. On reaching the second battle ground we were ordered into line in the woods to support the Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and remained in this position until the order was given to the command to retire, when we gradually fell back in line until withdrawn.

The casualties sustained were 5 enlisted men killed, 4 commissioned officers wounded, and 25 enlisted men wounded, several mortally.

All, both officers and men performed their duty coolly, faithfully, and bravely with scarcely an exception, and where all did so well it were invidious to mention individual instances.

The whole strength of the regiment was not engaged, owing to a portion being on picket duty on Ladies Island and at Caper's plantation, Port Royal Island, and not relived in season to embark on the expedition.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LORENZO MEEKER,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Colonel T. H. GOOD,

Forty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, Commanding Brigade.

Numbers 9. Report of Colonel Louis Bell, Fourth New Hampshire Infantry.

CAMP OF FOURTH NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS,

October 24, 1862

SIR; I have the honor to submit a report of the part taken by the Fourth New Hampshire Volunteers in the action of the 22d:

On coming under fire I was ordered to form close column by division, which I did and the regiment remained in close column for some fifteen minutes, exposed to a very annoying fire of spherical-case shot. We then deployed on the left of the Forty-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment. The enemy having been driven from his first position, I was ordered to form column by company in the wood on the right, of the causeway and be ready to charge. The wood proved so thick that we could not move in it, and the ground in front being utterly impassable I deployed my regiment on the edge of the woods.

At about 2 o'clock I received an order to drive the enemy from position he then occupied. I deployed five companies on the left of the road and four on the right and advanced in line of battle. After sharp firing on the left for a few minutes the enemy retired. Finding the ground impassable in front, I moved across the causeway by the flank. Three companies passed and formed in line on the solid ground,