blessing of a good Providence these combination of my forces, scattered over an extent of 60 miles, were effected in time to foil the enemy. I also telegraphed to General Beauregard's headquarters, to Brigadier-General Hagood, commanding Second Military District, and to Brigadier-General Mercer, at Savannah, for re-enforcements, requesting those from Charleston to disembark at Pocotaligo and those from Savannah at Coosawhatchie. Captain W. L. Trenholm, who was in command of the outposts, consisting of two companies (his Rutledge Mounted Riflemen and Captain [M. J.] Kirk's Partisan Rangers), was ordered to withdraw the main body of the pickets, only leaving a few important posts guarded. The force with which I first engaged the enemy consisted of two sections of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery and the Nelson Light Artillery eight pieces under the command of Captain Stephen Elliott; the Charleston Light Dragoons, Captain B. H. Rutledge First [Fourteenth on register] Battalion (cavalry), Major [J. H.] Morgan; Captain D. B. Heyward's company of cavalry; Captain Kirk's Partisan Rangers; Captain [J. B.] Allston's company of sharpshooters and Captain [A. C.] Izard's company (I), of the Eleventh Regiment Infantry, Lieutenant W. L. Campbell commanding; number, in all, 475. As one-fourth of the cavalry were horse-holders, the force actually engaged was reduced to 405 men. The force of the enemy was represented by prisoners and confirmed by the statement of negroes who had crossed Port Royal Ferry to the main-land on that day and been captured, to be seven regiments, one of which, I judge, went to Coosawhatchie.

I sent in advance a section of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, supported by Captain Allston's sharpshooters and two companies of cavalry under Major Morgan, to skirmish with enemy, while I took position on the Mackay's Point road, near Dr. Hutson's residence at a salt marsh skirted by woods on both sides and crossed by a causeway. After a short encounter with the enemy (in which Major Morgan, while at the head of his command, was severely wounded in the ankle) my advance force retired in good order to the main position. The Beaufort Artillery was posted in and near the road commanding the causeway, and the Nelson Artillery in an open field in the rear of the line of skirmishers, and screened from the enemy by the trees in front. A dropping fire of infantry first commenced, which was soon swelled by their artillery. Owing to the close proximity of the trees fringing the other side of the swamp I found that my artillery was suffering severely in men and horses, and accordingly, after holding my ground for three-quarters of an hour, I determined to withdraw to a second position,2 1/2 miles in rear. This was done in good order, Captain Allston's sharpshooters and part of Company I, Eleventh Infantry covering our retreat and behaving for the most part with great spirit. At the head of the road I was joined by Captain Trenholm with the larger portion of his company and Captain Kirk's. I assigned the command of the cavalry to him, and ordered my whole force to move back across Pocotaligo bridge and take up a position among the houses and scattered trees of the hamlet. The artillery was placed in position to command the bridge and causeway, the Charleston Light Dragoons being held in reserve. The bridge was ordered to be torn up, and this was scarcely done when the enemy appeared in sight and commenced a continuous and rapid fire of musketry and rifled guns. Lieutenant [F. T.] Massie, of the Nelson Artillery, could bring only one piece of his battery into action, owing to the original smallness of his company, now greatly reduced by death and wounds. Two pieces of the Beaufort Artillery were silenced by the disabling of the gunners; the remaining two kept up a fire to the close of the fight. The enemy's