was joined by Col. Rush Hawkins with his brigade, then stationed on Roanoke island. Hawkins says that his forces numbered 2,000 men. General Reno’s whole command, including four pieces of artillery, numbered fully 3,000 men. This force was landed from transports at Elizabeth City, and at once marched toward the locks. Near South Mills it encountered Col. A. R. Wright, commanding the Third Georgia regiment (585 strong), some drafted North Carolina militia, Gillett’s company of Southampton cavalry, and McComas battery of four pieces. Wright’s total force seems to have numbered about 750 men. Of these, he sent three companies and the militia a mile to the rear to hold an important crossing. Stationing his artillery in the road and supporting it with his little force, which General Huger says was not over 400 men, Wright pluckily waited for the attack of the enemy. In spite of a long march, Reno, who had no idea of the small number of his foe, attacked promptly, but for three hours made no impression on Wright s force, sheltered cleverly by the artillery and a strip of woods. At last McComas, who had fought his guns manfully, was killed, and Colonel Wright fell back a mile to his supports. General Reno did not attempt to follow, and that night at 10 o’clock left his dead and wounded behind and made a forced march to his boats. The losses on both sides were as follows: Confederate, killed, 6; wounded, 19. Federal, killed, 13; wounded, 92.[1]
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- ↑ An interesting difference between official and private reports comes out in the Federal accounts of this battle. General Reno and his second in command, Colonel Hawkins, made such glowing reports of what they had done that their commander, General Burnside, issued a congratulatory order to their troops. In it he felicitates them "upon the indomitable courage with which they attacked a large body of the enemy s best artillery, infantry and cavalry in their own chosen position, achieving a complete victory."—Rebellion Records, IX., 307.
In a private letter to the same commander, the same General Hawkins says in reference to the same affair: "Doubtless the unfortunate occurrence of the 19th has been brought to your notice. No one can regret the result more than myself. First, because of the loss of life ; second, the object of the expedition not being accom-
