WM. E. Martin to Mounted Regiment, December 9, 1861

December 9, 1861.

Pocotaligo, S. 0., December 9, 1861.

GENERAL: At 9 p. m., Sth instant, [received a telegram from you, authorizing me to proceed to Port Royal Island to complete the burning of the cotton commenced by Capt. Stephen Elliott. As it was advisable to eross the ferry about dark, I started next day at 12 m., sent forward scouts to Beaufort to report to me at the ferry. They did 80, and the information from the town was brought (down to sundown) that there was no enemy on the island.

At 6 p. m. I crossed the ferry with 10 men, under a lieutenant, with two guides—OCapt. O. Barnwell and Dr. Hasell—leaving the remainder

Cur. XV.] EXPEDITION TO PORT ROYAL FERRY AND BEAUFORT. 37

of the detachment of about 50 men to follow me, under the command of Major Oswald, of my regiment. It was my intention to enter the town and meet Major Oswald 2 miles this side and commence the burning back towards the ferry. I had provided an additional mode of egress from the island in case of pursuit by crossing with flats to Page’s Point, on the main-land. In this I was aided by Captain Maffit, Colonel Jones, and Major Sams. I will mention for your information, in passing, that 11 men can be crossed at the regular ferry with their horses in fifteen minutes with the flat in use.

I proceeded until within three-quarters of a mile from Beaufort. When at the distance of about thirty yards we received the fire of about thirty muskets, as I suppose, of the enemy. The order to halt from the enemy, with oaths and curses, was followed up instantly by their discharge. I am obliged, with much pain, to say that the whole detachment and the guides retreated instantly, with the exception of one man. I saw but one discharge from our retreating party, and that seemed to be. in the air. The exception to which I refer was a private [of] Captain Bostick’s company, the Allendale Mounted Guard. At the discharge his horse dashed forward and he checked him about ten paces in advance of me. He then fired one barrel of his gun and snapped the other three times. I then heard him complaining of the retreat of our detachment, adding, “Their guns (the pickets’) areall discharged, and we could have captured them all if the men had not run away.” As he is one of my soldiers I must do him the justice of mentioning his name, although he is my son—Private Vincent F. Martin. The retreat of the detachment was so nearly simultaneous with the flashing of theguns, that the men informed me that they did not hear my orders to them to halt, which I gave, intending to form an advance. I recalled Private Martin after one or two minutes, and we rode down the way our men had retreated to the distance of seventy-five yards, or thereabouts, and, one of us on either side of the road, we listened for half an hour for sounds in both directions. We heard no sounds except the discharge of sixty or seventy guns in the town or outskirts about half an hour after the firing on us.

I then rode on with the soldier above mentioned ina walk all the way to the ferry in momentary expectation of meeting first the advance guard and then the main body, but was disappointed, and when I reached the ferry the whole detachment was on the opposite side.

Major Oswald, in his report, informs me of the following:

About 5 miles from the ferry we met one of the advance detachment at full speed crying out, * Thecolonel is killed,” and he rushed on past the men. The major ordered his column to advance to revenge their colonel, but they did not move. Others came at the same speed from the direction of Beaufort, also stating the death of the colonel and that there was a wounded man behind. Major Oswald then again ordered his men to advance to succor this wounded man. This man came up immediately, but did not halt from his speed, although ordered to do so by Major Oswald. He turned out to be Capt. O. Barnwell, who was wounded in the arm—a flesh wound—badly. With him all Major Oswald’s detachment, except about 20, retreated. The officers collected around Major Oswald, and he inquired if they were willing to go on, but met with no encouragement. He then called for volunteers, but received but one, Private Edward Bostick, of the Allendale Mounted Guard, who replied he would follow him to the death to revenge the colonel. Major Oswald then, finding he could accomplish nothing, ordered a retreat, which he conducted in good order, crossing the ferry, where J ascertained they were.

Major Oswald’s conduct was all I knew it would bein a brave and judicious officer. He mentions in his report that Capt. W. G. Green, of the Salkehatchie Guerrillas, was cool and collected, and was willing to advance, but thatin his (the captain’s) judgment it was not advisable.

I did not recross the ferry, but remained on the other side with Pnvate Martin, and ordered them to recross. This they did at 12 midnight with the utmost alacrity, cheering me with the u&most enthusiasm. From this moment I am spared the pain of recording anything more to their discredit. I conducted the column to a plantation on the road to Beaufort, and bivouacked until daylight about 2 miles from the ferry.

Early in the morning I moved the column to within 4 miles of Beaufort, when I called for volunteers to go into the town. I wanted but 8, but nearly all the detachment volunteered. I ought to have added that atthe ferry, my guides having left me, I sent over for volunteers to Captain Barnwell’s and Captain Smith’s Company, but received only one—a Mr. Givens. The detachment of volunteers passed round the head of Saltwater Creek to within 2 miles of Beaufort, and within the lines of the enemy’s pickets, and exchanged shots with them. They were commanded by Captain Smart, of the Allendale Mounted Guard, an officer whose conduct has won my respect by the manner in which he discharged the duty assigned to him. Privates Edward Bostick, V. F. Martin, B. T. Lawton, J. E. Bailey, and J. A. Owens, of his company ; Sergt. Maj. Marion Green, and Charles Jones and Shepherd, of Green’s company, and the guide, J. C. Givens, above named, constituted his party.

Mr. Givens’ and Mr. Shepherd’s services as guides were meritorious and valuable to me until I left the island.

On the return of my pickets from the enemy’s lines I divided the column into two detachments, and taking charge of one, and assigning the other to Major Oswald, we proceeded respectively to the waters around the island where the plantations lie and burned all the cotton, except where the quantity was too inconsiderable to destroy the building or where the owners were engaged in removing it. I have reason to suppose but little cotton remains on the island. Where the cotton was in the dwelling-houses, or its destruction involved the loss of valuable buildings, it was thrown out and rendered valueless.

The two detachments united at a rendezvous near the ferry, and crossed at 10 p. m. on [the] 7th instant, the men having been almost incessantly in the saddle for thirty-four hours, with but two meals, which they carried in their haversacks.

I have no casualties to men or horses in my command to report and, regretting the necessity of so lengthy a communication,

I have the honor

to be, general, very respectfuliy, your obedient servant,

Colonel Mounted Regiment.
Major-General LEE, Coosawhatchie, S. €.
P. S.—I omitted to state, on my arrival within half a mile of the ferry,
on my way to cross over from this side, I concealed my men in a dense
thicket and allowed no negroes to pass; that when I bivouacked on the
plantation beyond the ferry I guarded every negro house and the coantry around, and that at all times, after the pickets fired on us, I took