about 5 or 5.30 a. m. to follow her, and proceeded a mile or two when a turn in the channel revealed a rebel light battery directly astern, perhaps a mile distant, which instantly opened fire. The Washington had only a howitzer astern, and could not turn to reply. The second shot exploded the magazine, which was in the after part of the vessel, unzipped the rudder, broke the steering gear, ripping up the deck, tumbling the howitzer into the hold, and destroying all the ammunition for the James rifle forward. The vessels took fire and began to fill rapidly. The master backed her toward the marsh on our side. Captain Briggs ordered a while flag raised-against the protects of the master, Campbell, who continued his attempt to escape. They put the wounded on the marsh and all scrambled off. The rebels, seeing this, resumed on the marsh and all scrambled off. The rebels, seeing this, resumed their fire, of course, and with great accuracy, though it is not known that any were struck while crossing the wide marsh. The wounded lying on the bank were captured by a boat party of rebels.

The E. B. Hale, somewhere near Broad River, was informed by some one (she having heard the firing, it is said) and went back and sent or received a flag of truce and took the wounded. The Washington burned to the water's edge.

The total loss is 14, all, it is supposed, from the explosion. Two were killed instantly; 2 seriously (probably fatally) wounded, 8 slightly,and 2 missing. Some of the men were hours scrambling through the marsh. No officers were hurt.

No unusual movements of the enemy have been perceived. All is quiet.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. R. HAWLEY,

Colonel Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, Commanding Post.

Brigadier General T. SEYMOUR,

Chief of Staff, Department of the South.

Numbers 3. Report of Brigadier General W. S. Walker, C. S. Army, commanding Third Military District.

HDQRS. THIRD MILITARY DISTRICT, SOUTH CAROLINA, Pocotaligo, S. C., April 16, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that at daylight on the 9th instant I attacked the armed steamboat George Washington, in Coosaw River, with two guns of the Nelson Light Artillery, Captain Lamkin commanding, and four from the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, under Lieutenant H. M. Staurt. Six companies of the Forty-eighth North Carolina, Colonel R. C. Hill, and five companies cavalry, Colonel B. H. Rutledge commanding, and two pieces light artillery, drawn by mules, under Captain W. L. Campbell, Company I, Eleventh Regiment Infantry, were ordered to the neighborhood of Port Royal Ferry and Chisolm's Island as a support.

After a few discharges the steamer was set on fire by a shell and burned to the water's edge. The enemy raised the white flag and our cannonade ceased. They availed themselves of the cessation on our fire to escape to the shore.

Captain Stephen Elliott visited the wreck and found her armed with