Daniel S. Donelson to James Jones, January 5, 1862

Pocotaligo, S. 0., January 5, 1862.

GENERAL: I refer you to the inclosed report of Col. James J ones, of the Fourteenth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, which I found at my quarters last night, of all that transpired in the engagement of the forces under his command with the enemy at Port Royal Ferry on the 1st instant. i

I reached the encampment of Colonel Jones between the hours of 4 and 5 p. m. the 1st instant; proceeded about 200 yards, after a moments halt, to a point in the woods near the Kean’s Neck road. Here I halted my command, which consisted of eight companies of the Eighth Tennessee Regiment, the Sixteenth Tennessee Regiment not having come up, until I could make a personal reconnaissance by going into the field in which the Chaplin house was situated, with the view to taking position and to co-operate with the forces of Colonel Jones. I saw upon entering this field our troops falling back along the road leading from the Chaplin house perpendicularly to the Kean’s Neck road, near the point I had stationed the Eighth Tennessee Regiment. ‘he troops of Colonel Jones, without halting, passed to his camp.

Here, after making the aequaintance of Colonel Jones, I ordered the whole force to halt. I found at once the enemy’s shells could do us much injury without any ability on our part to return the enemy’s fire; they, the enemy in the field, having previously retired, under cover of their gunboats, out of sight.

It being now near sundown, I ordered the entire command to fall back to a point out of the range of the enemy’s gunboats. During all this time, both at the camp of Colonel Jones and on the march to the rear to take position, there was a quick and constant firing by the enemy. No easualty happened, the shells falling to our right. ‘They ceased firing just at dark.

I have omitted to say that before getting to Colonel Jones’ camp, Colonel Martin, commanding regiment of cavalry, rode up, introduced himself, and gave me the direction to lead my Eighth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers to the point occupied by them until he and myself could survey the open field through which Colonel Jones? regiment was then retiring. We thus remained until they passed into the Kean’s Neck road, near the point of location of the Eighth Tennessee Regiment.

At this moment, in the preparation of this report, I received the inclosed official report of Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes, of the Twelfth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, who commanded a detachment of four companies of said regiment in the action with the enemy on the Ist instant at Port Royal Ferry.

All of which is

respectfully submitted.