The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-08
A Night Attack upon McClellan's
Fleet and Camp on the James River.

"A large huInOeT oI our clCiZenS were arOuSeO
from their slumbers yesterday morning, about
half past twelve o'clock, bv the loud and rapid
discharge of artillery. The night was very
dark, but the flashes of the guns were distinct
ly seen in northeasterly direction, and plainly
indicated that the cannonading was on James
river, in the neighborhood of City Point. The
firing continued necessarily for about two hours,
when it measurably slackened, and in few
moments ceased entirely.
The cause of the cannonading was night
attack upon McClellan.s fleet and camp from
the south bank of James river. The guns in
tended to operate AGAINST tim fleet were placed
in eligible positions about Coggin's Point, and
those designed to rouse up the slcepers in tho
grand army were located along the bank of
the river at points below Coggn's. The first
discharge was from Long Tom,' of Walkers
battery, which was the signal for general dis
charge, and instantly fringe of fame lined
the river bank for distance of three or four
miles The roar was deafening, and the echoes
reverberated for many miles around. After the
first round from our pieces the many lights
eral fleet suddenly disappeared, showing that
the enemy had been aroused, and knew that
danger was about. The extinguishing of the
lights made but little difference, however. as
our guns had been sighted before dark, and all
that remained for our brave boys to do, was to-
load as rapidly as possible. Parties present
say they distinctly heard "crashing" on the
rives, but whether caused by our balls, or the
colliding of Yankee crafts in their efforts to.
get out of the way, it was impossible to tell.
One thing is very certain, that if we did nop
sink many of the enemy's transports, we GER
tainly produced great CONSERVATION amsng
them, as the entire number, supposed to be
largely over one hundred, had weighed anchor.
and were nowhere to be seen yesterday morn
ing at daylight. 1t is thought to be q matter
of impossibility that we could have fired So
many shots, into SO large number Of vessels
and so crowded together, without nhicting Sc
rious damage. But unless the enemy tells the
truth, which is something they rarely do. we
shall never know what damage our night at
tack inflicted
The enemy's gunboats replied promptly, out
were compelled to shoot at random, and there
fore die us but little damage. One of the shells
from gunboat exploded among portion of
the men attached to Dabney's Battery. Will
liam T. Dalton, of Louisa county,. was struck
about the throat, and instantly killed; Thomas
Farquhar, of Richmond city, was wounded Sc
verely in the left thigh;: and Patrick Graham,
also of Richmond, was wounded slightly in the
left shoulder. The only other casualties that
we have ascertAined, were caused by the pre-
mature firing of a gun attached to Pages Bat
terry. The piece becoming rather hot the man
whose duty it was to prees the vent, Withdrew
his thumb while tho men were in the act of
loading, and the gun was discharged. Alex
ander FL. Thacker, from Hanover county, who
was ramming the gum, bad both hands shock
ingty mangled. They were amputated subse-
quently at the wrists. John Brooks, also Of
Hanover county, was terribly burnt about the
face
1t is thought that such of our guns as were
placed to command portions of McClelan's
camps must have caused great injury to the
Hessians. They were all sighted by daylight,
and the camps were in fair range.
All was quiet in the river yesterday at last
accounts from there.
Lost, Stolen, or Strayed,