j JAMES JONES to D. S. DoNELSON, January 4, 1862

Tomotley, S. O., January 4, 1862.

GENERAL:

In obedience to instructions I have the honor to report the following occurrences of the 1st instant:

My camp was pitched on the road from Garden’s Corner to Port Royal Ferry, 1 mile from the latter place, and where a road diverges eastward at nearly a right angle with the Port Royal Ferry road leading into Kean’s Neck, and nearly parallel with and about a mile distant from Coosaw River. At the termination of the causeway of the ferry, on the northern bank of the Coosaw River, an earthwork was thrown up to prevent a crossing at that point, armed with two siege guus (a howitzer and 12-pounder gun), under the command of Lieutenant Webb, the 12-pounder being manned by an inexperienced detail from my regiment, and supported by a section of Captain Leake’s field battery.

Two of my companies were sent out on picket duty—one (Company B) commanded by Captain [A. P.] West, at Adams’ place, two and a half miles distant, on the Kean’s Neck road; and the other (Company

H), commanded by Captain [Ed.] Croft, at a church 2 miles farther on the same road, and near the bridge and causeway leading into Chisolm’s Island, with orders to guard the bridge and causeway above referred to, and with orders to send out pickets and scouts into Chisolm’s Island. Two other companies were at the ferry, to support the battery there, leaving but six companies at my camp. i

About 7 o’clock on the morning of the 1st instant, Captain Croft communicated the intelligence to me that the enemy had landed in force on Chisolm’s Island. He estimated the number at two regiments, as he saw a long column advancing with two regimental stands of colors and two pieces of artillery. Soon after this (about 7.30 o’elock) Captain West dispatched a courier to me, with the information that the enemy had landed at Adams! place and were advancing in strong force to the Kean’s Neck road. I ordered forward Lieutenant-Colonel [Samuel] McGowan, with three companies of my regiment, commanded by Captains [W. J.] Carter, [A.] Perrin, and [D. C.] Tomkins, and one gun of Captain Leake’s section, to support Captain West, whom he met at about one and a half miles, retiring in good order towards my eamp, when he formed his lineof battle. I withdrew my two companies from the earthwork at the ferry, and, assisted by Major [W. D.] Simpson, with the five companies commanded by Captains [W. L.] Wood, [J. N.] Brown, R. S.] Owens, [H. H.] Harper, and [M. C.] Taggart, took post near

‘haplin’s house, to intercept any column that might attempt to pass along the margin of the river to the ferry, and at the same time to be in supporting distance of Lieutenant-Colonel McGowan.

No attempt was made on the part of the enemy to advance in any direction—probably waiting for a sufficient tide to allow his gunboats to advance—until 12.30 p. m., when the gunboats began to move up slowly towards the ferry and to throw shells rapidly, when a message from Lieutenant-Colonel McGowan informed me that the enemy were advancing along the Kean’s Neck road.

Regarding the earthwork at the ferry now unimportant, asthe enemy had effected a landing at another point, I ordered Captain Leake and Lieutenant Webb to withdraw their guns from that position, Captain Leake to bring his gun to Lieutenant-Oolonel McGowan’s line, and I proceeded with my five companies also to his support.

Soon after I arrived at Lieutenant-Colonel McGowan’s line my other company (Captain Oroft’s)—which had been posted at the church on the Kean’s Neck road, and, on aecount of the landing of the enemy at Adams, could not return by that road—made a circuitous march by another road, in obedience to my instructions, and joined the regiment.

The whole regiment was then put in line of battle, the left resting on Captain Leake’s section of his battery, placed in the road, and the right extending towards the river as far as I deemed practicable. I had just got into position when Major Oswald, of Colonel Martin’s regiment, reported to me with 42 mounted men, and I directed him to take post upon my left. Almost at the same time Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes, of the Twelfth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, reported with four companies of that regiment, and I directed him to return to Chaplin’s house (the position I had left) and to guard to the river bank.

The enemy, instead of advancing, as I supposed he would do, along the Kean’s Neck road, to attack my camp, and the only route by which he could bring up his artillery, lett his artillery in his rear, and advanced close along the river bank and across the adjacent fields and woods, creeping along opposite his gunboats, five of which steamed slowly on, throwing shells in advance of and over his troops.

Cmr. XV.] ENGAGEMENT AT PORT ROYAL FERRY. 71

As soon as his column advancing by the margin of the river could be seen Captain Leake opened upon it, scattering it right and left and driving it out of view, down the slope, to the marsh; and when those advancing across the fields appeared before my right wing, I opened fire upon them with musketry, dispersing and driving them back to the river, under shelter of their gunboats.

When I became satisfied that the enemy would not advance by the Kean’s Neck road I changed my position to Chaplin’s house, near the ferry, in support of Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes’ command; but when I arrived with the head of my regiment at that point I saw that I was too late to accomplish any useful purpose. The enemy had reached the earthwork at the end of the causeway in large force, and were protected by the guns of three steamers in the river near the bulkheads of the ferry. I then withdrew the whole command to my camp, to wait for further orders from general headquarters.

On arriving at my camp I met you at the head of the Eighth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, and placed myself under your orders.

I cannot state with certainty the loss of the enemy, but I have reason to believe it was considerable in killed and wounded. Wherever we met him we invariably drove him from the field in confusion to the protection of his gunboats. We saw many dead upon the field and captured 2 prisoners, badly wounded, both of whom have since died.

I was not only satisfied, but highly gratified, with the conduet of all my officers and men during the engagement. Their coolness and enthusiasm were admirable.

I herewith transmit a complete list of the casualties* in my regiment. I also transmit two orders received during the engagement from the general commanding the Fourth Military District of South Carolina.t

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant

j JAMES JONES,
Colonel, Commanding Fourteenth Regiment S. 0. Vols.
Brig. Gen. D. S. DoNELSON,
Oommanding First Brigade, Fourth Military District S. 0.
No. 19.
Report of Lieut. Col. Dixon Barnes, Twelfth Regiment South Carolina InSantry.
TOMOTLEY, S. O., January 5, 1862.
GENERAL: I transmit herewith the report of Lieut. Col. D. Barnes of