The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-06-18
The Lines round about Charleston-A
Sharp Engagement on James Island.

the direction OF James Island plainly init
mated that sharp work was going On some.
where IN that neighborhood IN the even.
ing ~e ascertaincd the cause Of the firing
Our heavy gun and mortar batteries were
Smelling the entrenched Positions nov oc
supied by the Ya.kee force which has land
ed upon James Island A vigorous fire
was kept up on Monday ngains, the gun.
boats in the S,ono river, with marked effect
The gunboats We're forced back, aud the
mast Of one Of the propellers MAS shot IL.
way, disabling her in such u manner as to
render it necessary for another steamer to
tow her off
Tho enemy's forces on James Island are
encainped chiefly on l.egare's and Grimbalr.
plantations, aud it j. said that they partially
occupy Rivers plantation. These places
are upon the Htono river, west Of. aud Just
above Battery Island. According to ,be
abatement Of a prisoner taken on Monday,
the strength Of the mnrauders at this time
is sixteen regiments, but few more revi.
ments were daily expected to arrive. This
force Is now induslrious;y nt work en'rench.
Ing ito positions, probably with the view of
making them, sooner Or later, base Of OPP
era,ions against the city.
But il is scarcely likely that, at point
20 close TO Charleston, the Yankees will Le
allowed to arrange matters precisely accord
ing - their own "uotionS" There il eve.
~ disposition on the part Of our gallant
boys, who hold our lines in that quarter,
mt once 10 clear the corner Of tho Islar.d
now held by tie invader, and yesterday nj
'ernoon the work wn. begun.
Al half past three o'clock Confeder
ate force. consisting Of the 47lh Gcorpia
Heg'ment, Col. Williams, liacood's Reg.
'nent, ). {. ", The Louisiana Battalion Of
Infantry, aud section of Pres,onis Ligh,
Battery, attacked the enemy On GrimbaIr.
plantation, nj Il p int about mile and n
half beyond the Prs.byter Church. The
advance Of our troops had TO be made for
the distance Of about a mile over n low
sw"mpy tract Of ground, in ,ravvrsing which
they were necessarily placed ut dis.,dvan
t"gs by being considerably scattered. On
emerging from the swamp, our men encoun
tered the Yankees, who were rapidly driven
Tor distance Of about three hundred ward,
aud to within one hundred and fifty yard
OF the river llere the further retreat OF
the enemy was covered by u sharp irs FROM
hrs batteries, and also from a gunboat, which
unIIl then unseen. had been lying in the
str.an.
Al this janrturr, Col. Williams ordered
two eompanirs Of the 4hh Georgia Gap.
tains Williams and Cones), which w~r, in
The advance, to charge the sn-uny's battery,
which they did in gnll.nt style, notrith
Alandug their uum-ricai weakness Our
boys hnd 10 pass through field thirkly
sire~u with ieIied trees, behind which The
Yankees sheltered the,nse!ve " whil. deiv
erinX their hire. For time tho iuht was
quite so'erc. The two companies TINT
charged were "Wirs Grass" men, we'll
known 10 be among The best murk.m.n in
the Soulh, aud their voileya w.rc terribly
effective. But Tho concentrated fire of TIA
-nenys batteries, gunhoat aud muske,ry
wa. 50 murd.rous that our little handful of
men, unsupported, "e:e compelled to 70.
IRE, after having suffered II heavy loss. We
l"'e not yet ob1ninrd full list of III.
CASUALTIES in the fight. Capt. William, of
the l7th Georgia, Was killed, aud Capt
Cones slightly wourded. 1t j.. also said
that The Orderly Sergeat Of Captain Will
'ams company was killed. Our total Io,s
had not beer definitely ascrr,ained at tn.
time that our informant left the Island, but
Z; Is supp"sed that it will mol exceed 6fty
killed. wounded and m.sirg The,.
casualties occurred chiefly 10 the 47,h
Georgia Rreimsnt. In Colonel ilagood's
Regiment there Wa. but Oil. lnap wounded.
Tbs epeu.y'. loss is believed 10 be much
heavier than ours.
'Lakr.-Just ms We GO to pres. We have
received some further and authentic detail.
from the scene Of action, which conflict
somewhat with the statement given above.
1t appears tha, the Gshs was for NE posses.
zion Of n wood some distance in advance Of
the cncmys lines, and which the Yank e.s
had marched out to occupy. Three times
We drove the enemy back, and finally sue.
cesded in holding the wood. Our loss in
killed, wounded and missing. Was just ak.
'y FIVE. The -nsmy's force consisted Of
one regiment Of intauiEy. two batteries Of
artillery, and "a squadron Of cavalry. Our
own force, which Was scattered ov.r de
fensive line Of some extent, " A. four repi
menis Of infantry, Reds battery, a section
Of Prcston's battery, and nno:hcr light bat.
terry. Am"ng the troops engaged was
Coiqui'rs splendid 46th Georgia regiment.
Gen. Pemb.r,on is on James Island
The expedition was under command Of
GeEsral Smith Our troops are IN excel
ent spirits, and hope soon TO get another
chance TO attack the enemy.
The biuckadinp SQUADRON on Tuesdav