OPERATIONS AGAINST CHARLESTON: Rebel Account of a Sharp Engagement on James Island (6/17/1862)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 6/17/1862

[Homer_J_Simpson]

MEMPHIS, Saturday, June 14.

The Grenada (Memphis) Appeal, of the 12th, contains the following:

AUGUSTA, Ga., June 11.

Fighting continues in the vicinity of Charleston. The papers from that City this morning contain the particulars of a sharp engagement on James Island. On Tuesday afternoon, which continued until dark, our forces consisting of three regiments and one battalion of infantry, and three batteries, under command of Gen. W.D. SMITH. The enemy were under the protection of felled trees and gunboats.

Col. WILLIAMS, of the Forty-sixth Georgia Regiment, was mortally wounded. Our loss is estimated at from 40 to 60, principally Georgians -- that of the enemy is thought to be large.

The Confederates succeeded in driving the Yankees from the piece of woods they were trying to occupy.

Col. LAMAR, at Secessionville, kept up a fire on the enemy's boats and their land camp, and on Monday disabled a Yankee propeller. A Federal prisoner, taken on Monday, reports their force on James Island as sixteen regiments, and a few more were expected shortly.

It was reported at Charleston that the steamer Cecal, from Charleston for Nassau, with cotton, had been captured by the enemy."

OUR PORT ROYAL CORRESPONDENCE.

The Landing on James Island-Brisk Skirmishing-A Battery Captured.

PORT ROYAL, Thursday, June 12.

The forces under the command of Brig.-Gen. WRIGHT, crossed from Edisto Island to Seabrook's Point on the 29th, 30th and 31st May. The Sixth Connecticut was the first regiment landed and were thrown out as an advance. They had a skirmish with the rebel pickets on Sunday morning, June 1, and at the second attempt, drove the enemy across the river and obtained possession of the bridge.

On the 1st and 2d, Generals HUNTER, BENHAM and STEVENS proceeded to Stono Inlet, with all the available force at their command,

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

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Link to previous New York Times thread

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Operations Against Charleston: Rebel Account of a Sharp Engagement on James Island – 2
From Gen. M’Clellan’s Army: The Recent Rebel Demonstration on the Right Wing – 3
Very Late from Richmond: Extracts from Rebel Papers of Saturday Last – 4
News from Washington: Surgeon Hayes, of Pennsylvania, Dismissed from the Army – 4-6
Another Defeat of the Rebels: Battle in the Indian Territory – 6
The President and the Radicals (Letter from Senator Sumner) – 6
Editorial: The Crucible of War – 6-7
Editorial: The Ram Fleet in Action – 7
A Hint Anent the Fourth of July – 7

[Conan the Librarian]

That was as close as Union troops got to taking Charleston.

If they had kept pushing on James Island, they could have cleared Ft. Pemberton on the Stono, and, run gunboats up and behind the city.

As it was, it wasn’t until Sherman made it irrelevant that Charleston didn’t matter.