Stephen Elliott, Jr to of Beaufort Artillery, November 13, 1861

November 13, 1861.

Sig: Having been assigned to the command of Fort Beauregard by Colonel Dunovant, commanding the post, I beg leave to submit the following report: :

The garrison consisted of Beaufort Volunteer Artillery (Company A, 83 men) and Captain HarrisonD’s company (Company D, 66 men), both of Colonel Heyward’s Ninth [Eleventh] Regiment South Carolina Volunteers. To the former was intrusted the main work (thirteen guns); to the latter the hot-shot battery (three guns) and the sand battery (two

s on Monday, the 4th instant, the enemy appeared and anchored within the bar 4 miles below the fort. On Tuesday morning, at 7.30 o’clock, five gunboats came within range and opened upon us with heavy guns, throwing spherical and rifle shell with accuracy. One of these struck a caisson, causing it to explode, and thereby injuring slightly one of the gun detachments. I replied, but found the range too great for successful firing, and at 9.15 o’clock a. m. the enemy withdrew, having been struck several times. On Wednesday, the weather being boisterous, the enemy remained quiet.

On Thursday, pursuant to an order previously received from Colonel Dunovant, I dispatched the chaplain of the Ninth [Eleventh] Regiment to Saint Helena, for the purpose of providing transportation in case if should be necessary and prove practicable to retire. At 8.30 a. m. fifteen of the enemy’s sail formed in line and steamed up the harbor, engaging us at 9.15 o’elock. These were subsequently joined by four others. Having passed the batteries, they turned to the left and southwards and repassed near the Hilton Head shore. This circuit was performe three times, after which they remained out of reach of any except our heaviest guns. The last gun from my battery was fired at 3.35 p. m., being the eighth to which the enemy had not replied. .A few moments

* The surgeon’s report not ftund.

afterwards Colonel Dunovant entered the fort and said to me, * Captain Elliott, what is the condition of things over the river?” I replied, “Fort Walker has been silenced, sir? * By what do you judge?” “By the facts that the fort has been subjected to a heavy enfilade and direct fire, to which it has ceased to reply ; that, the vessels having terminated their fire, the flag-ship has steamed up and delivered a single shot, which was unanswered, and that thereupon cheering was heard from the fleet.” “Then. sir, it having been proved that these works cannot accomplish the end for which they were designed—that of protecting the harbor— you will prepare to retire from a position from which our retreat may readily be cut off, and which our small force will not enable us to hold against a land attack.” I then prepared my command for a retreat, destroyed the greater part of the powder, spiked the guns, and an hour later took up the line of march for Eddings’ Island.

Qur fire was remitted during those intervals when passing down on the farther side of the river, as the ships were too distant. -This cessation afforded a respite to the cannoneers, already fatigued by labors properly belonging to the Engineer and Ordnance Departments. At all other times it was kept up with shot and shell. One of the columbiads was fired 57 times; the other not quite so often. The position of the hot-shot guns in the main battery was such that, when unmasked, the ships were too far distant to be reached by any elevation the guns were susceptible of. They were therefore used but sparingly, but hot shot were fired from two 42-pounders on the front face. The flag-ship was supposed to be on fire more than once.

Our fire was directed almost exclusively at the larger vessels. They were seen to be struck repeatedly, but the great distance—never less than 2,500 yards—prevented our ascertaining the extent of injury. The wooden fuses for the 8-inch shell were very defective, generally igniting the charge a few seconds too soon. The paper fuses were more reliable. It had been found during the engagemant on Tuesday that the rifle shell could not without much difficulty be forced down after one or two discharges. They had therefore in the interim been refitted. The gun, however, exploded at the thirty-second discharge, slightly wounding every man of the detachment. No other cause can be assigned except thatthe gun, after being fired severaltimes in rapid succession, wasloaded and allowed to remain. As it became cool it may have contracted upon the shell, and hence the explosion.

The hot-shot battery, manned by Captain Harrison’s company, fired a few rounds, but the great severity of the cannonade in an exposed position drove the men from the guns. Some of his men afterward assisted me in the main work, among whom Sergeant Edenfield deserves to be mentioned with praise. The Beaufort Artillery behaved with coolness under a heavy fire, as is attested by the fact that no accident attributable to carelessness occurred at their guns. Instances of eonspicuous bravery might be mentioned, but it would be unfair to eulogize a few when the majority did their duty.

Previous to the engagement the members of this corps contributed each according to his talent to the efficiency ofthe whole, but especially zealous and untiring were Privates S. E. Scanlan and I. E. Falbin in preparing ammunition and plaeing the battery in order. In this connection I must mention with honor Captain Harrison’s company, who for months before cheerfully gave me their assistance. I must also thank the companies of Colonel Dunovant’s command, who labored to make my position more secure. Honor is due to Midshipmen Maffit and R who with coolness and courage gave me valuable aid whenever it was required.

The following is a list of the wounded of the Beaufort Artillery: Capt. S. Elliott, in the leg, by a fragment of rifled gun; Sergt. B. W. Sloman, in the hand, by the same; Privates Fripp, Hamilton, Wilcox, Perryclear, and Joyce, by same; Sergeant Stuart, by recoil of columbiad; Private M. W. Fripp, by the same; Privates William Elliott and F. M. Murdaugh, by explosion of caisson—all slightly. Of Captain Harrison’s company, Privates T. and I. E. Crews lost each an arm by the premature discharge of a gun.

Iam, sir, with respect,

your obedient servant,

Captain of Beaufort Artillery.

First Lieut. WILLIAM H. TALLEY,

Adjutant of Twelfth Regiment.

No. 13.

Statement of Messrs. John Tuomey and Henry C. Robertson, of occurrences

at Beaufort, S. 0., November 7 and 8, 1861.