The New York herald., 1864-12-13
GENERAL FOSTERS COLUMN.
THE BATTLE OF HONEY HILL.
From the Savannah Republican. Fec. ST.

From the Savannah Republican, nec. 81
In our account OF this affair in Thursday mornings
issue, spoke Of 1t 'sdrawn battle" both armies
having continued the fight until dark We wrote with
the official despatch OF General Smith before US which
his modes,y, which equal his merit, led into
by Withholding the true character Of the contest
and the raa magnitude OF the victorysos such was,
and for the numbers engaged Of the most brilliant
and important OF the II was clearly movement
the part OF the to cooperate with Sherman 20
largo force would have been sent simply to cut
the Charleston Railroad when the Yankees believed Is TO
be defended only BY company OF cavalry.
Honey Hill is about two and half miles east OF the
village Of Grahamve, Beaufort District. On the crest
OF this where the road, or highway, strikes II,
is a semi.circuar line OF earthworks, defective
though in construction as they are TOO high
for infantry and have little exterior
slope. These works formed the centre Of
lines Wednesday, while left reached up into the
pine lands without protection and right along line
Of fence that skirts the swamp below the batteries They
commanded fully the road front ~ passes through
the swamp al the base OF the hill, and only hfty
sixty yards distant Through the swamp during the
winter months. Q small creek, which spreads up
aud down the road for thirty or forty yards but s
quite shallow the entire distance. Some sixty yards
beyond this creek the main road turns Oh 70 the LETT
making an obtuse ANGLE while another aud smaller road
makes or to the right from the same point.
The enemy by the former road, and turned the
angle apparently before they OF the presence
OF opposing force. They consisted II four regiments
whites and the number Of blacks Prisoners OF
which ton or twelve are possession state that
this force commanded by Generals Potter
and Hatch; some OF them say General Foster
was also present as chief Of command. The
groes, usual, formed the advance, and had
nearly reached the creek, when batteries opened
upon them down the road with terrible vosy or sphe
ricAl case This threw them into temporary confusion;
but the entire force, estimated At Eve thousand, was
quickly restored TO order and thrown into line OF battle
parallel with our own, up and down the margin OF the
swamp Thus the battle ragged from eleven 10 the
ing TIL dark. Tho enemys centre and left most
posed and suffered terribly Their right posted be-
hind old dam that through the swamp, and IL
maintained It's position till the close OF the fight Our
left was very much exposed, and attempt
twice made BY the to turn by advancing through
the swamp and up the hill, but they driven back
without prolonged struggle
The centre and let or tho enemy fought with despe-
rate earnestness several attempts made TO charge
batteries many got nearly across the swamp but
were every instance forced back by the CALLING Ore
poured into them from lines We made visit to he
nele the day following, and found tho swamp and
road literally strewn with their dead some
efgnt or ten podieS were n0atlng N tno water
where the road crosses In ditch on the roadside
just beyond, six negroes piled top the
other colonel OF Of the negro regiments with bis
horse killed while fcaressy leading his across
the creek in charge. With that exception all the dead
and wounded officers carried or by the enemy dur
ing tho night Many traces left where thoy we're
dragged from the woods the road and thrown into
balances or carts. We counted some sixty or seventy
bodies in the space Of about acre. many or which
were horribly mutlsted by shells; wit half theiI
| heads shot Oh and others completely dsemboweled
The artillery served with great accuracy, and w
doubt any battle field OF tho presents such havoc
! among the trees and shrubbery, Immense pines and
other growth were cut short OF or torn into shrods
From all Indications II Is estimated that the loss OF the
enemy fully nve six hundred. This Is the lowest
estimate have heard. Many officers OF the opinion
that their loss cannot DO less than thousand. Ours
was eight killed outright and thirty wounded, three
or four mortally The enemy fought TO disadvan
tags they Cred up hill and most OF their shots
| too high.
Our infantry behaved with the greatest vslor Through
out the pro,acted struggle there little strag
eog, nearly every man standing firmly 10 bis post OF
| duty. The Georgia brigade commanded by Colonel
Willis, whose behavior the field Is highly commenda-
ble The Athens battalion, uadcr Major Cook, and the
Augusta battalion Major Jackson stood manfuy 90 their
work Tho south Carolina artillery also acted most
handsomely, and served their guns with tho skin Of
/ veterans Great praise is bestowed by the ranking
officers on Captain Stewart OF the Beaufort artillery tive
euns aud on Elres aud Kansnaaxs batteries each u
| which had gun m the action
As before stated. tho general command was yeslad