hours 10 minutes I opened on the steamer lying in front of Legareville (supposed to be the Marblehead) from the middle battery, the steamer being distant about 1,500 yards, and was promptly followed by the fire of the lower battery, directed at the same object, and of the upper battery and Charles's battery, directed upon the village. In five minutes the Marblehead started down steam, firing as she went, and stopped in front of the middle battery. She remained in this position about fifteen minutes, responding with vigor and accuracy to our fire, when she concluded to continue her downward course. She was hardly under way when a large war steamer (supposed to be the Pawnee) came in sight coming to her assistance. The latter steamer fired from her bow gun (100-pounder Parrott) when she reached the mouth of Kiawah River, and proceeding up that river gave us the nefit of her broadsides, while she moved to a position enfilading both the middle and lower batteries, where she remained behind a small island until after our fire had ceased, firing heaving and rapidly. The Marblehead in the meantine returned to her position in front of the middle battery, and there reMained. A small sailing vessel about this time moved up beyond the Pawnee and opened fire from mortars, and great activity was visible among the whole fleet in Stono Inlet. The distance of the Pawnee being too great for our guns (not less than one mile and a half), and our fire on the Marblehead being apparently ineffectual, I concluded abot 7 o'clock to withdraw. As far as the two 30-pounder Parrotts were concerned this was easily effected, with the loss of only four horses; but the two 8-inch siege howitzers of the middle battery were reduced to six horses. I was compelled therefore to leave one behind, ordering a team to be sent back for it from the Parrott guns (Webb's battery) as soon as they had been removed to a point of comparative safety from the enemy's fire.

In the meantime, on going to the lower battery (under Captain F. C. Schulz's command); I ascertained that he had been unable to withdraw the 8-inch siege howitzer assigned to that battery by reason of the damages (irreparable) to the harness. On reaching the road to Legareville, whence I designed to return for the two howitzers, I learned by courier that the infantry were retiring under cover of the trees on the northern edge of the peninsula of Legareville, Charles' battery having been already sent to the rear by Colonel P. R. PAGE. I then requested Major John Jenkins to send me a squad of his cavalry to accompany the party going for the howitzers, but I was induced by his advice to await nightfall for the operation. The batteries were, therefore, sent on to their bivouac of the previous night (at Walpole's, six miles from Legareville). At 5 p. m. I took a section of the Marion Artillery (two 12-pounder Napoleons) and went to Roper's, near Aberpoolie bridge, where I met Major Jenksins with 100 cavalry and 200 men of the infantry, who had remained there, by Colonel PAGE's order, to assist in recovering the two howitzers. When I reached there I learned from Major Jenkins that the enemy had already advanced from the village and driven his pickets back beyond the roads leading to the two batteries, and probably occupied them in force. I thought proper, therefore, to abandon the attempt to recover the two howitzers. The want of success of the artillery on this expedition is due the following causes: The distance of the Marblehead from our battery was too great to render her prompt destruction possible, and the entire want of previously practice by the artillerists manning the 30-pounder Parrotts (they having nevery before fired them) rendered their somewhat ineffectual. The 8-inch howitzers might do good service at short range, but for any distance greater