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THE AFRICAN QUESTION.

ish authorities in the West India islands. In conclusion, I would say it is my hope, there appearing no possibility of other reinforcements, owing to the exigencies of the campaign in the Peninsula, to have organized by the end of next fall, and to be able to present the government from forty-eight thousand to fifty thousand of these hardy and devoted soldiers. Trusting that this letter may form part of your answer to Mr. Wickliffe's resolution, I have the honor to be, most respectfully, your obedient servant, D. HUNTER, Major-General Commanding."

General Hunter's 1st South Carolina regiment, as the new organization was called, though commenced with every fair prospect of success, was suffered to languish for want of necessary support from the proper officials. Clothing and supplies were detained, and no authority to pay the men being given, after being kept together for four months the regiment was disbanded-in due time to be revived, and, with others in the department, to perform efficient service. Public opinion, or rather the policy of the government, advanced slowly towards measures which, in a few months—as the war was prolonged-came to be accepted as a matter of course. It was generally perceived that the necessities of the war would require the employment of the negro. Much was written in favor of the matter. The annals of the War of the Revolution, and of the War of 1812, were ransacked for examples, and satisfactory precedents were readily found in the emancipation of slaves who fought in the battle of Rhode Island in 1778, and in the New Orleans campaign of General Jackson. The physical capacity of the negro was duly estimated, and calculations were made of his probable courage in the field. Practical commanders were eager for his services. General Phelps was drilling him at New Orleans as General Butler did afterwards; General Lane, in Kansas, was

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calling for a force, which presently proved its value in contests with the guerrillas of that region. General Lewis Wallace, in a speech at a war meeting in Cincinnati, at the end of July, demonstrated the economical fitness of turning the negro to account with a musket in his hand, and urged his employment as a relief to our overtasked armies. General Turchin, in August, at Huntsville, Alabama, advocated the same policy. The colored men of Cleveland offered their services a second time to General Todd in Ohio, in August, and were for the time refused. Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, had no scruples in the matter, and Governor Andrew, on the new call for 300,000 militia, ordered the colored population of Massachusetts to be included in the enrollment. Though Congress before its adjournment had authorized the President to receive "persons of African descent for any military or naval service for which they may be found competent," there was, nevertheless, an undefined impression of hostility to their employment; there were doubts of the military availability of the negro mingled with social prejudices, especially with a portion of the soldiers in the service, and a general disinclination, while any hope of peace remained, to precipitate a step which, though it might promote the certainties, would at the same time increase the horrors of war.

Military movements in the Southern department were limited by the smallness of the force at General Hunter's command mostly to defensive operations. An attempt was made, however, in June in the direction of Charleston. Gradual approaches in this quarter along the coast had been made by various naval reconnoissances, and by the occupation of Edisto Island under General Sherman's command. In May, circumstances appeared favorable for an attack upon Charleston. The information brought by the pilot Small, of the state of the forti

fications, the troops, and means of defence in and around the harbor, encouraged the attempt. The confederate force under General Pemberton was believed not to be large, and an approach to the city seemed practicable from below by the Stono river. Accordingly, on the 20th of May, several gunboats were sent by flag-officer Dupont to that river, at whose appearance in the harbor, the rebel works on Cole's and Battery islands were destroyed and abandoned by the enemy. Occupation was taken of the inlet by the squadron, and preparations rapidly made by General Benham, in command of the northern department at Hilton Head, under the direction of General Hunter, to lodge a force on James Island with a view of gaining possession of its supposed inadequately manned batteries, and, in case these were successfully overcome, pushing to the Ashby river, where Charleston might be assailed out of reach of the powerful forts in the harbor. An attempt by an expedition from Beaufort, under Colonel Christ, of the 50th Pennsylvania volunteers, on the 29th, to destroy the enemy's line of communication by the Charleston and Savannah railroad at Pocataligo, in which, from the difficulties of the approach and the prompt supports brought up by the confederates, nothing was accomplished beyond trying the courage and power of endurance of the assailants, was undertaken as a part of the general movement which occupied most of the troops in the department. It was intended that the main expedition should arrive at Stono Island immediately after, and efforts were made to bring the disposable regiments together at that place by the morning of the 3d of June, when Generals Hunter and Benham with a part of the troops under General Stevens arrived; but owing to a number of steamboats having been withdrawn from the department or the service of the army of the Potomac, there was a deficiency of the means of transporta

tion by water, and a portion of the force, under General Wright and Colonel Williams, was compelled to march from Edisto across John's Island, to be ferried thence to the place of rendezvous. Owing to severe storms and inadequate means of crossing the river, a week was occupied by these troops on the way, a delay which gave ample time to the enemy to bring up reinforcements and prepare for the attack on the works in the interior of the island. General Stevens meanwhile had some skirmishing with the enemy and captured a battery of iron cannonades, losing, however, about twenty prisoners. The troops of Generals Wright and Williams were landed on the 9th. "On the 10th," to pursue the narrative in the words of a correspondent, "it was found that the rebels were erecting a fort at a place called Secessionville, from which they could reach and command General Wright's and part of General Stevens' camps, and could even reach the gunboats in the Stono. A reconnoissance in force of several thousand men was therefore ordered for the early morning of the 11th, for the purpose of ascertaining the enemy's strength and position, and by a rush, if possible, of taking their fort and guns. On the afternoon of the 10th, however, the rebels attacked our lines near the camp of General Wright, and after a sharp skirmish were repulsed, with a loss of some two hundred killed and wounded, as admitted by themselves, including one colonel-our loss being only four killed and about a dozen wounded. Upon the representations of General Wright that his men were too exhausted to take part in the reconnoissance of the next day, it was countermanded for the time; and at General Stevens' suggestion, a battery of Parrot and James guns was commenced in advance of his camps, with the intent of trying to reduce the fort or silence its guns. or silence its guns. General Hunter, who had waited at the Stono until this

ATTACK UPON THE ENEMY'S WORKS.

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during a slight shower. General Stevens' column moved swiftly and enthusiastically against the enemy's right, accompanied by Rockwell's battery. General Stevens, with his usual intrepidity, pushed vigorously on, capturing the ene

guns of the forts, some of his men actually getting inside. In accomplishing this our troops were obliged to charge through a narrow pass, flanked by earthworks and pits, and through a ditch in front of the fort, itself protected by abattis, etc.

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time, to hear the result of the reconnoissance, and who was cognizant of the battery project, left on the morning of the 12th, leaving orders, fully acquiesced in by General Benham, that no advance should be made on Charleston, nor any attack on Fort Johnson, unless rein-my's pickets, and charging up to the forced or ordered from headquarters, but that the camps should be made secure and intrenched.' These camps, of course, could not be made secure so long as the fire from this fort of the enemy reached and commanded them, and here the provision of the order contemplated what was intended by the reconnoissance ordered for the 11th, and the battery begun on that day. On the 14th it was found that one battery produced no impression upon the rebel fort, and it was therefore deemed necessary and within his discretion to reduce it by actual assault if possible. Deserters from the enemy's lines gave us information, since fully confirmed, that the rebel force in garrison of the fort amounted to only two battalions of four hundred men each; that they had six guns mounted and that seven more were on the wharf awaiting use, while the whole force of the enemy on the island was only fourteen regiments and two battalions, being about twelve thousand men, all of whom we ought to have been able to whip in a fair fight. General Benham, therefore, determined to carry out the project of the first reconnoissance, except that he reduced the area and increased the number of men. General Stevens was to advance with four thousand men with guns loaded but not capped, and Rockwell's battery of four pieces, at the earliest dawn, to be in position before the enemy could distinctly see them, and to make a rush upon the rebel works, while General Wright and Colonel Williams, with three thousand more, with Hamilton's and Ransom's batteries, were to move up at right angles ready to support him if necessary. Our troops were put in motion at four A. M., on the 16th,

The

"The Michigan 8th, New York 79th, and Connecticut 7th, comprised the advance, and. there is, as usual, some dispute as to the precedence; but it is erally conceded that the gallant but unfortunate Michigan 8th were the first in the melée. Charging up to the guns the_melée. under a most deadly fire, they were swept down like grain before the sickle, Colonel Fenton leading them in person, with heroic bravery, and the men fighting like heroes, as they are, and have ever shown themselves to be. All their valor and heroism were, however, made of no avail, by the failure of the other troops to get up in time to support them. Here was the great cause of the defeat, for repulse and defeat it was. storming party, instead of being precipitated upon the enemy's works in a body, came up straggling and divided. 7th Connecticut, coming up after the 8th with decimated ranks, was obliged to fall back; and the 79th, in turn, after repeating the tragedy of bloody heroism, being obliged to give way before the 7th Connecticut could come to their aid. A brief explanation of the nature of the approach will explain the cause of this. About half a mile from the fort, in the direct line in which the attack was necessarily made, was a transverse hedge, with only a narrow opening through which our men could pass, not more than half a dozen at a time, causing great delay, and forcing the soldiers to

The

charge in a broken and extended line, tains Ely and Hawks, of General Benand this, too, under a deadly fire from ham's staff, and Captain J. J. Elwell, the fort, and a heavy and withering chief quartermaster of the expedition, cross-fire of rifles from sharpshooters on and volunteer aid-de-camp to General each flank. The consequence of this was Benham, were particularly noticeable that when the brave remnant of the he- for energy, courage and activity. The roic 8th found themselves upon the ene- latter (Captain Elwell), by his promptmy's works, on looking around, they dis-ness, intrepidity and efficiency, particucovered the 79th just getting through larly distinguished himself, showing himthe hedge, and the same thing occurred self to be in the field what he is wellsuccessively with all the regiments. Suc-known to be in his department, a thorough cess, under these circumstances, was, of course, impossible, and all that display of courage and valor, and all that sacrifice of precious blood and noble life was rendered utterly abortive. During this onset the New York 79th, led by the gallant Colonel Morrison, charged with the utmost impetuosity and daring; Colonel M. actually mounted the parapet and emptying the barrels of his revolver in the faces of the rebel gunners, and only retreating when wounded in the head, and left almost alone in the midst of the foe. Lastly, the 7th Connecticut made a brave but vain effort, singlehanded, to maintain the unequal contest, and were in turn obliged to fall back, with severe loss.

and competent officer. But I must hasten to the close of this bloody and disastrous day. While General Benham seemed to hesitate whether to risk more loss of life in a second onset upon the enemy's works, the gunboats, to add to the disasters of the day, commenced throwing shells right into our own ranks, owing, doubtless, to misconception regarding their position, the precise situation of the contending parties being concealed from them by the woods, one shell even bursting in the immediate vicinity of the commanding general and his staff. This was followed by an order for the forces to be withdrawn upon the original picket lines, and thus closed one of the most deplorable engagements of the war." The estimated Union loss in this engagement was about seven hundred in killed, wounded and missing; that of the enemy, according to a Charleston correspondent, writing to the Richmond Dispatch, was forty-eight killed and one hundred and six wounded. Colonel Lamar, of the South Carolina volunteer artillery, in command of the work upon which the assault was made, was wounded by a minié ball in the beginning of the action.

"General Stevens, supported by Adjutant-General Stevens, his son, made every possible exertion to retrieve the broken fortunes of the day, but was obliged to fall back, which he did, bringing off his troops in good order. The right wing, consisting of the 100th Pennsylvania and 28th Massachusetts, also under command of General Stevens, participated in the fight, and on the left General Williams led his column against the enemy, and although he did not reach the enemy's works, suffered heavy When news of this engagement was loss, especially the 3d New Hampshire brought to General Hunter at Hilton and 3d Rhode Island. A galling fire Head, considering the attack made by from sharpshooters in the woods did General Benham an act of disobedience severe execution upon this wing of the to his orders, he summarily relieved him attack. General Benham, who com- of his command and ordered him to remanded in person, displayed great cour-port to the War Department at Washage and zeal, as did also his staff and ington. The explanation of General those of the different generals. Cap- Benham was, that the movement which

GENERAL STEVENS' COMMENDATORY ORDER.

he had directed was quite within the scope of General Hunter's order to maintain possession of his camp, which could only be done by silencing the work of the enemy which endangered it. General Benham thus again relieved of command in the field, after an interval was restored to active service in the corps of Engineers, to which he had been originally attached.

The forces on James Island presently returned to their headquarters at Hilton Head, previously to which General Stevens issued the following order, commending the valor of his troops in the engage

ment:

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100th Pennsylvania, 7th Connecticut, 46th New York, and 28th Massachusetts-had a large number of casualties. II. Notwithstanding these fearful losses you were not discouraged. Some of you were temporarily withdrawn from the murderous fire of the enemy. You retired in order of battle, and you returned to the attack in order of battle. Some held, throughout the action, the advanced position at the abattis and ditch of the work. This position was held by you unflinchingly and confidently. And at this very hedge the light battery of Rockwell threw its effective fire upon the enemy. III. In obedience to orders. from superior authority you all finally returned in good order and in line of battle, and the enemy did not venture to interrupt you. IV. Men of the 2d division! You covered yourselves with glory on that gory field. Your intrepid and able brigade commanders, Leasure and Fenton, in the hottest of the thick fight; your regimental commanders, like the heroic Morrison, who, shot through the head on the parapet, again led his men to the assault, eager to avenge his wounds; at all points rallying and cheering on their men, and officers and men alike gave signal proof of their devotion to duty and their country. In congratu lating his comrades on their heroic valor and constancy on that terrible field, the commanding general of the division has not words to express his and your grief at the sacrifices that have been made. Our best and truest men now sleep the sleep that knows no waking. Their dead bodies lay on the enemy's parapet. Church, Pratt, Cottrel, Guild, Morrow, Horton, Hitchcock, and many other gallant and noble men we shall see no more. Honor, therefore, all honor to you, men of the 2d division. You have shown what you will do when you shall have the proper opportunity. You did not seize the fort, because it was simply impossible, and known now to be impossi-ble by the reconnoissance referred to in

"The brigadier-general commanding the 2d division, in communicating to his command the thanks of the commanding general, for the good conduct of the troops in the action of the 16th inst., desires to express his own profound sense of their valor, conduct and heroism. I. Men of the 2d division! You displayed in the attack on the fortified position of the enemy at Secessionville, on the 16th inst., the highest qualities of veteran troops. You formed in silence and secrecy in the darkness of the night. You moved forward in perfect order at the earliest dawn, and surprised and captured the enemy's pickets. You were ordered not to fire, but to push forward and use the bayonet. You obeyed the order. You formed in line of battle under a terrible and murderous fire of grape, canister and musketry. You pushed to the ditch and abattis of the work from right to left. Parties from the leading regiments of your two brigades, the 8th Michigan and the 79th Highlanders, mounted and were shot down on. the parapet, officers and men. Those two regiments especially covered themselves with glory, and their fearful casualties show the hot work in which you were engaged. Two-fifths of the 8th Michigan and nearly one-quarter of the 79th Highlanders were struck down either killed or wounded; and nearly all the remaining regiments

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