The weekly true Democrat., 1906-04-13
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enemy made good his retreat 10 tne
coast and embarked on the transports
from which he had landed. Our small
force of mounted cavalry was INSULT
cient to inflict much damage upon the re-
treating foe. A detachment of Gwynn's
company of Scott's battalion, under
Lieut.. Eben Burroughs, following the
retreat, came up next morning with
body of % negro troops under command
of a lieutenant, which had become sep.
arated from the main command, and
after skirmishing with them for some
time, succeeded in cutting off their re-
treat and capturing them. Among other
captures were two deserters from the
Confederate army, who had acted as
guides to the Federal troops. These
were tried by drum-head court-martial
next day, sentenced to death, and shot
in the presence of the troops at New
port on the morning Of the 9Th. Cen
eral Newton reports his loss as Il killed.
SO wounded and 38 missing. Total, lag.
The Confederate loss was quite small,
3 killed and % wounded; total, 25.
Among the killed was Capt. H. H. Sim
mons, of the Second Florida Cavalry, a
brave and gallant soldier and efficient
officer. Another volunteer in this short
campaign we'll known to the people OF
the State was Capt. D. E. Maxwell, of
the First Florida Cavalry, a veteran OF
the armies of Northern Virginia and
Tennessee, who was recovering from
severe wound received at Peachtree
Creek. near Atlanta. Unable to walk,
he Joined Gwynn's company, mounted,
with his crutches tied to his saddle. He
served throughout the action and par
ticipated in the capture of the detaeh-
ment above mentioned.
GEN. NEwToN's REPORT.
Gen. Newton's report, found in the
government publication, "War of the
Rebellion" series l, vol. 49, part J.,
contains some notable errors. On page
81 he says after fierce fight, result
ing in the complete repulse of the ene-
my, finding that the navy could not as
cend the river, decided to withdraw. p"
In his more detailed report, on page 60,
he says: "At daybreaE Major Sinclair,
with two companies (B and g. of the
! Second u. S. colored infantry, drove
the advanced posts of the enemy over
the bridge, when his further progress
was checked by a superior force of the
enemy behind entertainments. The
advanced posts" referred to were two
or three cavalry pickets. This attack
was made when the Confederate forces,
except Scott's cavalry, had just arrived
on the ground and before they had
thrown up entrenchments. Again or
the same page, referring to the second
attack, he says: "Col. Townsend, with
his command, advanced gallantly, the
enemy fleeing on his approach and aban'
doning his breastwOrks. but at the foot
almost of the works he encountered
deep slough, impossible to troops, anc
the command reluctantly retired. " ,
The "enemy fleeing" as reported
was but the falling back Of our ad
vanced pickets to the main line; and i
Gen. Newton was made to believe tha
the Confederate breastworks were
abandoned, his credulity was sadly i'm
posed upon. Neither was there am
slough in front of the main part Of th'
Confederate lines. Nor is there an!
foundation, in fact, upon which to bas'
his report of "the complete repulse o
the enemy" 1t would appear strange
indeed, il Gen. Newton mad inflicted |
complete repulse upon his enemy, tina
he would have hurried TO his transport
under cover of darkness, leaving hi
dead unburied and part of his Wounds
, behind, and a detachment, which wa
= |
,, were not repulsed in a single instanc
during the campaign; though 1t is no
denied that SCOTS cavalry fell bac
before the whole Federal command o
five times its numbers, on their advanc
after landing, until he could success
E fully hold them in check, after crossin
the ST. Marks river at Newport.
Gen. Newton was also misinforme
! and therefore greatly exaggerated tn
= numbers of Confederate troops. At tn
time of the first attack at the bridge
they numbered about 800, and after tn
!, arrival of the last reinforcements, whe
: the battle was practically over, the er
!, tire force could not have exceede
200 The 1000 renforcements frol
Georgia mentioned by the general ha
/ no existence in fact.
y I Throughout the action the Confedel
o ate forces, a considerable number {
e which had never been under fire before
I, acted with great gallantry and courage
4 ~~~~-~-~-~~-~~~~~~~~---~~
Good judgment
"a tho eqaontia1 characteristic of me