Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 02.djvu/212

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202
Southern Historical Society Papers.

Tatum, Ryanse, under Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell. Secessionville and Fort Lamar, under Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, and the First South Carolina artillery, Major Walker, was commanded by Colonel Black, First South Carolina cavalry.

The 2d sub-district, embracing the Stono batteries, Major Lucas, the several batteries of the new (southern) lines, Captain Legan, Major Bonand's battalion, Georgia volunteers, and South Carolina siege train, Major Manigault, were commanded by Colonel Frederick, Second South Carolina artillery. The light artillery of the district, embracing his own and Blake's battery, was commanded by Captain Wheaton, of the Chatham artillery.

The reinforcements which reached me, and which, as circumstances required, were withdrawn or returned, consisted of companies of the Thirty-second Georgia, Colonel Harrison; the command of Colonel Rhett, consisting of the First South Carolina artillery, Captain R. P. Smith, and companies of the First South Carolina artillery, Major Blanding; the Fifth Georgia volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Iverson; the Forty-seventh Georgia volunteers, Colonel Edwards; the Naval battalion, Lieutenant Commanding (Major) Dozier, Confederate States Navy; the Bureau battalion, Major Echols, Chief Engineer of the Department, and Kirk's and Peeble's squadrons, Third South Carolina cavalry; the German artillery, Captain Wagner, and Orleans light battery, Captain Le Gardem; Third battalion North Carolina volunteers, Captain McCauley. To make these fractions more available, these, with such troops as I deemed it prudent to detach from the eastern lines, were organized into two commands under Colonels Harrison and Rhett, and occupied certain positions in support of the lines.

On the 7th, Colonel Harrison, with his troops, was ordered to John's island, and on the 8th I assigned Colonel Rhett to the command of the west lines.

It affords me much pleasure to testify to the gallantry and determination displayed by officers and men.

The lines in advance of our batteries were shelled unremittingly for eight days and nights by monitors, throwing fifteen-inch shells and grape and canister, by gunboats and mortar hulks, and by the enemy's land batteries on Long and Dixon's islands; yet there was not the slightest demoralization or confusion produced.

The troops employed on this duty, and which deserve to be particularly noticed, consisted, from time to time, of detachments of the Second South Carolina artillery, including the detachment