The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-08-17
LAST FIGHT on JAMES ISLAND.
On tho Eve OF tho Confederate xetrc,,

On tho Eve OF tho Confederate xetrcn,
Pirate 4. 7. Ford, 1SA Bau,liou S. c. !.
IN The Charleston Weekly .Ney.
During the early par! of 1866 Maio
Euward alanigault commanded the Con
iederate lines on the southeastern part O
james Island, extending along n portion
OF Stono River and in front of Legarc'
plantation on Folly River. This Office
was considered to be one of the ablcst o
MS rank on the coast, and by his stric
enforcement of discipline aud his watch
iui, particular attention to his duty, hac
won the implicit confidence Q: Blk; con,
mand. II was the writer's privilege I,
serve under him as q member of the Pal
melto Guard, known officially as Com.
Pany AZ Eighteenth Battalion, S. G.
V. This Company had been detachet,
some eight months previous to its return
70 James Island in January, 1865, and
nad peen doing most arduous duty on
Combahce, nominally as artillerists. but
truly as infantry, cavalry, couriers or
anything else that the urgency of cases
ana paucity of men rendered necessary,
On the opening of the new year the four
tield pieces were finally taken away, and
company "A" settled down absolutely as
infantry and resumed its place under its
battalion commander OH the Stopo picket
ihes. lhe camp was about half u milo
10 the rear OF the outposts, and at early
dawn on the 10th Of February those men
NOT at Tue moment on duty were aroused
ny tho long-roll and hurried to tho lines,
as II Was reported that indications of an
advance were observed among the enemy
IN front. AS the reinforcements nearcd
the picket line the Fcderals commenced
TO shell vigorously from battery oppo.
cite and two or three gunboats in the
river, but, although these missiles were
we'll directed, the distance from which
they were fired was sufficient 10 enable
our men TO watch nearly every shot and
no casualty occurred.
Our entire force along this portion of
the line consisted Of the minority of
Webb's and Smiths Companies and n
small detachment from the Second Reg
iment Of Artillery, numbering, all told,
seven officers and about ninety men
lhe Smelling Of our line was kept nm
vigorously until about 10 o'clock a. m.
when regiment of Federals came out
from the woods and brush on to an omen
stretch of sand and weedy marsh in front,
where they deployed rs skirmishers, and
gradually advanced to within probably
2OO yards of our line. The firing soon
became rapid, and continued for about a
half an hour, when the enemy retir,
carrying of their own few disabled. o..
men, being protected by slight earth.
works, sustained very few casualties. but
among the number was that Of n private
10 the Second Artillery, who, placing an
undue value upon his physique, covered
behind the breastwork, when Private
-, of Company "a" Eighteenth Bat.
TALON, turned savngely upon him with
the words, you - coward, if you
don't rise and fight I'll blow your brains
out" and clapped tho muzzle of his rife
TO his head ready to carry out his threat.
Second Arti'iey quickly concluded tha,
tnere was leas risk to half of his BODY
ABOVE the breastwork than to all of Il
behind 1t, ant nervously rising upon his
feet in obedience TO the command ema-
nating from AN outraged sense of manli-
ness and seii.constituted authority, un.
fortunately placed his valued forehead in
the direct course Of a skirmisher's bullet
and fell heavily in his tracks. AmenI
Inc skirmlsh was evidently intended
Us q reconnaissance TO feel our stranc:h
preparatory to stronger assault, and
ABOUT O'Clock p. III. we could see large
bodies OF troops forming into line across
the marsh, who soon advanced at double.
quick step. The attacking force was es.
timated at the moment by our officers at
ABOUT two thousand, and the writer was
informed soon after the close of the war.
by some Of the United States soldiers
who then were stationed at Aiken. thnt
their force consisted of two white and
Two negro regiments, confirming the nc.
curacy OF the estimate that our officers
lad made. The negro regiments were in
front and forced TO the assault by the
whites behind; and we distinctly heard.
IN spite Of the noise of our firing, the
Federal officers cursing their troops and
urging them forward. The enemy did
not lire shot as they advanced, and our
orders simply were to hold our ground
orders which to man our men purposed
20 o6sy. When Tho average line Of the
advancing force reached to within fifty
feet of our line, II became evident TO our
men that hand to hand struggle was to
Dc met; and in fact one or two of the
foremost Federal soldiers had actually
mounted upon our breastworks, and at
least one was shot in such position and
fell over into the mids, of our men.
AT this moment, when bayonet fight
against over twenty TO one seemed inevi.
table, Maj. Manigault, who calmly stood
Immediately behind the centre of our
line, ordered the retreat. Up to this
time not man had flinched from duty.
at hearing the order to fall lack, each
turned and 'an5, SONG reioading, turning
and firing back as they retreated. The
Federals instantly opened upon us a
heavy volley OF musketry, causing large
number OF casualties, and pursued us for
about one hundred and fifty yards, when
to our surprise they suddenly halted.
AS we afterwards learned, they feared an
ambush, not believing that such u little
force as ours had proved to be would
have held their ground 30 stubbornly
unless confident of strong support. Had
they known the paucity of our men in
tho neighborbood they could have ad.
vanced far into tho Island, for all the
Confederate troops within two miles of
the spot were the Battalion Of Citadel
Cadets and one or two companies of the
Second Artillery.
As soon az the nnrsnit ceased oa. men
were halted and reformed into ranks.
and upon investigation it was found that
out OF the total force Of ninety seven en-.
gagged, thirty. four men and two officers
had been killed, wounded and captured,
and among them our gallant Major, who
was very severely wounded. The Fed.
erals held our lines for only few hours,
and after disposing of their dead and
wounded retired early in the evening to
their own. A few months afterwards the